Global Muslim-Christian dialogue

The Muslims around the globe are nowadays facing one of the toughest time in their history. Every Muslim is saying that this is the darkest era in the history of Islam since the 13th century when Mongols swept through the Arab world and shook it to its very foundations.
Probably hungry non-Muslims have nothing in the menu except Muslims in their dining halls! But even after this calamity, the Muslim community, rather than fading away, revived and transformed itself into its previous position of intellectual, scientific and cultural pre-eminence. This article is an endeavour to bring to the limelight the myths and realities learned from the history to shape the beneficial future.
CURRENT SCENARIO: As we all know that the darkest time of the night is that preceding the daylight and is applicable on current scenario but this should not be viewed as an optimistic view.
The Muslim world has been the target of an insulting campaign as part of the so-called war on terrorism unleashed since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. However, as every action triggers a reaction, this campaign, which portrays Islam as a religion of terrorism and intolerance, has prompted many non-Muslims to read about Islam to get more information about it. As a result, a big number of people have embraced Islam after learning about its proud principles.
People will be surprised to know that Muslim scholars have a world association that held its first gathering in the Irish capital of Dublin. The association plans a unified Islamic institution to speak on behalf of all Muslims around the globe. The aim of this non-governmental organisation includes members from the Muslim nation and Muslim minorities to preserve the Islamic identity and expose the anti-Muslim campaign.
The new institution is also designed to highlight Islamic tolerance and moderation being independent from the influence of any country.
REPETITION OF HISTORY: An early feature of Muslim-Christian rapprochement in Madina where the Holy Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] was visited by a delegation of Najran Christians to debate points of differences in the two religions. Though the debate inside the Holy Prophet's mosque ended with no compromise, the Holy Prophet allowed the Christian visitors to perform their prayers in part of the mosque. Their prayer coincided with the Muslims' afternoon prayers which the Holy Prophet led in another part of the place.
History repeated itself when some Christian figures and institutions in Europe affirmed the great importance of enhancing the Christian-Muslim dialogue - initiated around 25 years ago, hence, Europe was the first to suggest this dialogue. The call was first launched for some political reasons, especially with the emergence of Arabs as an economic power following the October, 1973 war.
Earlier, there were some significant developments in the relation between Islam and Christianity and was due to the key event of speech made by Pope Paul VI in Amman and Al-Quds in 1964. The Pope offered a brotherly greeting to the Muslims and invited the Ecumenical Church to show special respect to the followers of monotheist religions who worship the one real God.
In May 1964, Pope Paul VI announced the creation of a secretariat for non-Christian religious affairs, which would subsequently assume the function of running the affairs of dialogue with Muslims. In August 1964, Pope Paul VI addressed an Ecclesiam Suan - a comprehensive church message, which emphasised the necessity of initiating dialogue with all the faithful and those infused with sincere will with a view to establishing new relations between the Christians and other religions existing in the world. The message stressed the need to achieve rapprochement and dialogue with the Muslims in particular.
However, in order to have a meaningful dialogue, it must be based on mutual knowledge, respect and recognition of the sides involved. We being, Muslims and the other being Christians, should know, recognise and respect each others' religion and philosophy. A big dilemma is that Muslims recognise Christianity and Judaism [Jew] as recognised faiths and believe in their prophets with due respect but Christianity and Judaism do not reciprocate this reference.
FORGOTTEN HISTORY: During the initial phase of Islam, every Muslim knows about the great respect the Holy Prophet and his followers showed to Christianity. This is evident from the fact that when early believers of Islam were victimised by the Meccan infidels, the Holy Prophet ordered his followers to immigrate to Hubsha or Abyssinia [now Ethiopia] to live under the protection of its Christian King. The Holy Prophet described the king as "King not to allow injustice against anyone living on his land". In response, the Muslims, including the Holy Prophet's daughter and her husband left for Abyssinia twice for seeking protection of its Christian ruler.
Another proof of the Muslim's respect for the Christians and their faith was in respect of agony they felt when the Romans were routed by their Persian rivals. The Holy Quran later promised the Muslims that Romans would win in the near future.
This is stated in the early verses of Surat Al Rome - A.L.M, The Romans have been deflated in the land close by: But they after defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious - within a few years, with Allah is the Command in the Past and the Future: on that day shall the Believers rejoice - With the help of Allah. He gives victory to whom He will, and He is Exalted in Might, Most Merciful.
"Yet the Romans, whose victory drew the Muslims' joy, turned to the emerging religion of Islam some nine years later and looked at it with great suspicion as a growing power and a great threat to their empire. So they started plotting against the Muslim state and sent an army of 200,000 soldiers to fight the Muslims. The battlefield was Tabook where the Holy Prophet led the Muslims, who forced the Romans to retreat" - wrote Mohammed Hussein in his book "Life of Muhammad".
Since then the Muslims and Christians have an era of enmity in which the Muslims reigned supreme for long centuries. The Muslim empire expanded from Andalusia [Spain] in the west to India in the East. After that the Christians revolted against the Muslim rulers and forced them out of Andalusia. The crusades followed and their hostilities deepened. The Muslims under the Ottoman Empire fought the Christians in the Balkans. But with the weakness and fall of the Ottoman Empire, most Muslim countries became colonies of the Western Christian powers. At the same time, the Church launched relentless campaigns to distort the image of Islam, its Prophet and the Holy Book.
RELIGIOUS COMMUNAL FEATURES: Many verses in the Holy Quran speak about Jesus and his mother Mary with great respect. Other verses affirm this friendly bond between the Muslims and the Christians. Surat Al Maida Verse 82 is the most obvious example. "Strongest among men in enmity the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say "We are Christians": Because amongst these are men devoted to learning. And men who have renounced the world and they not arrogant". The firm bond in the Holy Quran is not politically motivated but it is a religious basis that ought not to change under any circumstances.
Now the second example, as stated earlier, it was a Christian king in a predominantly Christian land who gave the small, persecuted community of early Muslims in the beginning of the Holy Prophet's mission protection. The Muslims sought refuge in Hubsha, modern day Ethiopia, after suffering starvation and torture at the hands of the polytheistic Makkans. The Holy Prophet said about the Negus and Hubsha: "a king rules without injustice, a land of truthfulness."
Muslims were welcomed, protected and lived in peace with the Christians of Hubsha. But this did not suit well with the Makkans, who did not want to see them leave Makkah or want the message of Islam to flourish in peace. They spent special envoys with gifts to convince the Negus to send the Muslims back to Makkah. They told the Negus that this "new" faith took pride in insulting not just ancestral Makkan beliefs, but the beliefs of Christians as well. Another king may have simply taken their word and automatically kicked the Muslims out. The Negus did not. He called the leader of the Muslim community to his court to explain Islam's position.
Jafar-bin-Abu Talib, early Muslim refugee to Hubsha, and cousin of the Holy Prophet, not only explained the message of Islam and the persecution of those who accepted this truthful message. He also recited the opening verses of Surah 19 of the Holy Quran, Surah Maryam after the Negus asked him to recite from the Holy Qura'n.
King Negus listened to the recitation in focused attention. He cried as he listened, so much so that his beard got wet. When Jafar completed the recitation, Negus said, 'surely this Revelation and the Revelation of Jesus were from the same Source.' Then to the two Makkan ambassadors, he said, "By God, I will not hand over these persons to you."
But the story does not end here. The Makkans would not give up so easily. They asked the king to find out what the Muslims' view of Jesus and his Divinity were, knowing of course, and the difference in the Christian and Muslim positions regarding Jesus. Again, Jafar responded, with no compromise of principles, just the simple, clear Truth: 'He (Jesus) is God's servant and messenger; a spirit and a word from God that He bestowed on the Virgin Mary.' Upon hearing this, Negus picked up a straw from the ground and said: "By God, Jesus was not even as much as one straw more than what you have said about him." He returned the gifts of the Quraysh and told them he was not used to taking bribes and the Muslims would remain under his protection. This was an early victory for positive Muslim-Christian relations.
Now the third example is Jerusalem and their surrounding territories, which were and remain holy to Muslims, Christians and Jews. It was during the Caliphate of Omar-bin-Khattab that Muslims first gained leadership of this territory. The Muslim reaction to this victory is something to remember. Omar entered Jerusalem in humility. He walked in with not him (the Caliph) but his servant comfortably riding on a camel. They had been taking turns walking and riding.
At one point in Jerusalem, the Christians asked him to pray in their church but he declined. He said he was afraid that in the future Muslims could use this as an excuse to take over the church to build a mosque. The Christians gave the key of the Church of Resurrection to Muslims to be responsible for its safety. This key is still with the Muslims today as a sign and symbol of the mutual trust.
It was in response to the horrific oppression in Jerusalem at the hands of the crusaders in the 11th century and the need to free the area of their control that Sultan Salah-ud-Deen Ayyubi liberated Jerusalem from them in 1187. His arrival brought relief for the local Christian population, who helped him, after the oppression they suffered at the hands of their co-religionists, the crusaders. Not only did Salah-ud-Deen treat the crusaders with kindness, he ensured that Muslims and non-Muslims lived in peace and harmony with each other.
One particular story about him recounts that some Muslim soldiers were besieging a Christian fortress. Many Christians were seeking shelter inside, including a young couple who was planning to get married, but whose plans had been stopped by the fighting. They decided to get married anyway, even though they were trapped inside the castle. Salah-ud-Din was in charge of the Muslim troops at this time. When he heard about the wedding, he ordered his soldiers not to attack the castle where the couple was staying, so that they could enjoy peace and quiet.
In return for this respect, the bride's mother sent out trays of food for the Muslim army to share in the wedding celebrations. Indeed the longest period of peace and justice for all in Jerusalem has been the period when Muslims were in control.
PRESENT STATE: The anti-Islam Western Campaign continues unabated but there is a deeper awareness of and respect for Islam that be noticed in the West. This rekindles hopes for a fruitful dialogue and harmonious cooperation between the two sides. Christians and Muslims must start a meaningful dialogue to bury their centuries-old mistrust. If it is right to describe Islam as a religion of terrorism due to crimes perpetrated by a small group of people belonging to it, the same would be true for Christianity and Judaism due to the crusades in the middle ages and the Zionist atrocities committed over recent years.
If terrorism is a real threat, it must be dealt with in a proper and fair manner. If we could wait to try Timothy McVeigh with the due course of law, why not let other individuals and their organisations know what the charges are against other prisoners and allow them to defend themselves. It seems that a Christian terrorist has civil rights but a Muslim terrorist has none, although terrorists do not represent their faith. Otherwise they would not do things like this.
Though the Muslims have suffered terribly because of those crimes none of them has dared to accuse Christianity or Judaism of terrorism. Our Islamic faith urges us to respect both faiths as divine religions. Islamic law has a lot in common with these religions as is explained in Verse 13 of Surat Al Shura - The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - that which We have sent by inspirations to thee and that which we enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein.
RESHAPING THE FUTURE: We must restart what was started by Christians of Najran and afterwards by Pope Paul VI - A meaningful dialogue between the Muslim and Christians. Irrespective of the fact that whether it concludes in the near feature or not but their must be some dialogue to remove the miseries and sufferings of the Muslim and Christians owing to the lack of communication.
Muslims believe that they and west are neighbours as the Muslim minorities enjoy citizenship rights there. So with the minority and the majority must be keen to deepen their mutual respect and attachments in order to get a Muslim and Christians' ties strong impetus.