The September 11^th terrorist attack was traumatic for many people. At that point in my life, I had been studying Islam for thirty-six years: first as a student, then as a professor of Islamic history and archaeology at the university level. My professional colleagues and I felt that we had been quite successful at communicating the richness and beauty of Islamic faith and culture. Once it became clear that Muslim extremists perpetrated the horrendous acts, it occurred to us that whatever success we had achieved in presenting Islam in a positive light would soon begin to unravel.

In one respect, at least for a while, the opposite happened. People rushed to bookstores to buy books on Islam. Television networks broadcast documentaries about Islam, and various educational, civic, and religious groups sought “experts” to explain this religion of which they knew little more than the name.[1] But that didn’t last. Under the guise of “justice,” some cried out for revenge.

For me, it seemed clear that what was needed were channels of communication, dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims. Being a committed Christian and knowing that Jesus is extremely important to Muslims, I thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the focus for that dialogue were Jesus? A few encounters that I had in the weeks and months that followed convinced me that such a focus was indeed possible.

The first was with a young woman from Pakistan. She was one of the students in my “Introduction to Islam” class. One of the questions on the final exam was to discuss Jesus’s role in Islam. She prefaced her entire exam by identifying herself as a “highly religious Muslim in nearly every regard… (who) uphold(s) the Quranic verses and hadith strictly.” In her answer to the Jesus question, she wrote:

“I find His (Jesus’) contribution to Muslim beliefs to be underestimated [emphasis mine]… He was one of the most respected and beloved messengers of God and He is the One who will descend on the Day of Resurrection to lead the Muslims in the world against evil…. I find it incredible that it is Jesus, not Muhammad, whom the Muslims will follow during the last days of the world. This reinforces my views of Islam as such an adaptive faith.”

After the course, to my amazement, she came to my office and thanked me for reminding Muslims how important Jesus is to them.

The second encounter is a bit more complicated. It was with the son of one of my colleagues. At the time of our conversation, he was enrolled in a PhD program in Islamic studies at Harvard University; he is also a United Church of Christ minister. This is what he said: “My study of Islam has helped me understand the mystery of the Trinity.”

I was startled. How could that be? I thought to myself.

He went on to explain: “The Muslim mystic Ibn al-`Arabi writes that God wants to be known and thus manifests Himself in a variety of ways. The first manifestation can be called God or Allah in Arabic, the name which includes all other names. Ibn al-`Arabi then parses the ninety-nine names of God in interesting ways. Many of the names form pairs. One can speak of God the giver of life, but also of God the bringer of death; God the all-just, and God the all-merciful; God the perfect master, and God the perfect servant.”[2]

“So, how does this relate to the Christian concept of Trinity?” I asked.

He continued: “In Christianity, we might think of the Father as the Perfect Master, and the Son as the Perfect Servant.”

One of my Moroccan friends asked which Arabic name for God translated as perfect servant. I answered “Al-Wali,” which can be translated as friend, not an ordinary friend, but rather a very special friend, a patron or helper. It was difficult for my friend to think of God as lowering himself to the status of a servant. But this is exactly the point. Jesus, by becoming the perfect servant, elevates servanthood to something noble.

Service (hizmet in Turkish), in this sense, is the cornerstone of the Hizmet Movement inspired by the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen, who now resides in the Golden Generation Retreat Center near Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania.

My final encounter occurred when I met with the director of the Journalists and Writers Foundation in Istanbul.[3] The director talked about hizmet and the importance of cross-cultural dialogue. Our group was there on an interfaith dialogue mission. I mentioned to him that he was really preaching to the choir. I asked, “How do you promote this philosophy among people less inclined toward universal dialogue?”

He answered without batting an eyelash, “Through example and with humility, just like when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet.”

Convinced that Jesus could be the focus of dialogue between Christians and Muslims, I proceeded to write a book, Jesus, One Man, Two Faiths: A Dialogue between Christians and Muslims.[4] The first chapter develops the metaphor that piecing together a composite image of Jesus is like working a jigsaw puzzle with pieces from two different boxes.

The book moves more or less chronologically through the life of Jesus beginning with the birth narratives in both Christian and Muslim traditions. The story of Jesus’ birth is remarkably similar in both traditions. There are differences, of course, but, for the most part, those differences complement rather than contradict each other.

The narrative moves on to the public ministry of Jesus. It is the story of Jesus the miracle worker, Jesus the perfect servant. Does Jesus perform the same miracles in both traditions? For the most part, he does. How is it and why is it that Jesus performs miracles in the first place? Again, there are some differences in the answers to these questions, but the similarities are striking. In both traditions, Jesus is seen as the perfect servant and, in both, the perfect servant becomes a suffering servant.

This is where the story separates in the two traditions. In Christianity, the perfect servant is sacrificed, crucified to atone for the sins of humanity. Most Muslims, on the other hand, believe that Jesus was not crucified. Someone else was crucified in his stead. This is potentially one of the most serious conflicts in interpretation between Christianity and Islam. But a closer look is warranted. The chapter “The Suffering Servant” provides a wide range of interpretations in both Christianity and Islam.

I had a long talk about the crucifixion with Brother Nahidian, imam of the mosque in Manassas, Virginia. In the end, he said to me, “We can debate the issue of whether or not Jesus was crucified all day long. But that would perhaps miss the more important point, Jesus’ ultimate triumph over death and God raising him up to heaven.”

It is the narrative about the resurrection and the second coming where the stories come together again. It was my student from Pakistan who put me on to new insights. Let me repeat what she wrote: “He [Jesus] is the One who will descend on the Day of Resurrection to lead the Muslims in the world against evil.”

Jesus’s return in the Gospel of Matthew 24:27-31, on the one hand, sounds as if it could be metaphorical. But it also sounds like there will be some kind of real, physical event. And it will be universal, “from the East…visible to the West” and involving “all the nations of the earth.” It will follow a period of turmoil or, as the scripture says, “after the distress of those days.” Jesus will be triumphant; he will “send his angels with a loud trumpet call.” And he will somehow play the role of judge: “he will gather his elect from the four winds.”

Some Muslims minimize Jesus’s role in this event. His role is to announce when the event will take place. But some Muslims, like my student from Pakistan, see Jesus’s role as much greater. Quran 4:159, at the very least, confirms Jesus’s presence on the day of judgment (yaum al-qiyama), as he serves as witness for or against those whom God judges. The hadiths of al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim give Jesus another role. He will come as the just ruler; he will break the cross and abolish the jizyah, the tax theoretically paid by non-Muslims.

Jesus will break the cross. At first sight, this sounds particularly and specifically anti-Christian. Does it confirm the Muslim denial that Jesus was crucified? Does it nullify the importance that the cross holds for Christians as a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice? Or, can Christians, as well as Muslims, find meaning in Jesus breaking the cross? In this latter case, could the breaking of the cross mean something like Jesus’s ultimate triumph over the evil in the world that sought to kill him, his ultimate triumph over death itself, or the ultimate triumph over death of all righteous people who, in both the Christian and Muslim traditions, will in the end be resurrected from the dead?

Always in the background is the issue of the Trinity, the Christian mystery of three persons in one God. When Christians think about God the Father and Jesus as his only begotten Son, what exactly does “Father” mean in this context? When Muslims say that God does not beget nor is begotten, what does the word “beget” mean to them? What role does the Holy Spirit – or “the Spirit of God,” as the Quran phrases it – play in both traditions? Potentially, these questions are the most divisive between Christianity and Islam. Picking up certain pieces of the puzzle that are laid out in the preceding chapters in the book, the chapter “I Believe in One God” offers answers.

How Christians and Muslims relate to God is the subject of the final chapter. How personal is the relationship? How do they pray? Could they conceivably pray together? I was asked by a university student in Morocco, if I thought that the interfaith dialogue that I described in the book could succeed [his word]. This is what I said to him: “If honest dialogue between Christians and Muslims even begins to address these issues, then it is successful. And that has already happened in my research for the book. If Christians and Muslims actually prayed together, then it would be a smashing success.” And that has happened too.

Quoted from Kirkus Reviews:

Messier [author of Jesus, One Man, Two Faiths] meticulously investigates the points of intersection between the Christian and Islamic traditions. He chooses Jesus, a prominent figure in both faiths, to demonstrate that profound spiritual affinities outweigh scriptural variations between the two… Although the author certainly acknowledges disagreement between the two religions’ teachings, he continually uncovers points of harmony. In fact, he contends that even the differences are ultimately more complementary than contradictory… Although a scholarly work, the book clearly desires to replace endless debate with fruitful conversation: “Praying together would carry with it a willingness to dialogue, to dialogue with self, to dialogue with the other, and possibly to dialogue with the Spirit of God.” Messier’s writing will be impressively accessible to the layperson and tries to illuminate a theologically defensible path to détente between two rival faiths.[5]

https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-One-Faiths-Expanded-Second/dp/1937937070/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Ron+Messier&qid=1551100391&s=gateway&sr=8-1

[1] For examples of a surge in interest in Islam, see: Liam O’Brien, “The French are buying a lot of books about Islam these days.” https://www.mhpbooks.com/the-french-are-buying-a-lot-of-books-about-islam-these-days/; Sara E. Quay, Amy M. Damico, September 11 in Popular Culture: A Guide, ABC-CLIO, Sep 14, 2010 – Social Science – 319 pages; Clemence Brunet, Embracing Islam in the Age of Terror: Post 9/11 Representations of Islam and Muslims in the United States and Personal Stories of American Converts, A Thesis Presented to the Graduate and Research Committee of Lehigh University in Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Arts, 2013.

[2] Ibn Arabi, Unveiling the Secret of the Most Beautiful Names, Translated by Friends    of Kazi Publications; Kazi Publications, Chicago, IL, USA, 2018.

[3] To visit the Website of the Journalists and Writers Foundation, see http://jwf.org/

[4] Ron Messier, Jesus, One Man, Two Faiths: A Dialogue between Christians and Muslims, New Expanded Edition, Twin Oaks Press, Murfreesboro, TN, USA, 2016.

[5] For the full review, see https://www.kirkusreviews.com/search/?sf=r&q=Jesus+One+Man+Two+Faiths

In the remarkable interfaith city of Urfa, the author is surprised by extraordinary generosity which exemplifies the city’s “living faith.”

Sanliurfa, known to the Turks as “Urfa the Glorious,” is often described as a city of many faiths. It is indeed glorious, for a more impressive interfaith site than this one would be hard to find outside of Jerusalem. Legend has it that Adam met Eve on the Göbekli Mound outside of town. The two sons of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, were born in nearby Harran. Isaac met his wife Rachel while drawing water at a well in Harran, and their love story charted the destiny of the world, for their descendants included Moses, King David and Jesus. The descendants of his brother, Ishmael, included Mohammed, founder of the Islamic faith. The name of Urfa is scattered countless times throughout the verses of the Old Testament. The city later became known as Edessa, seat of the first major Crusader state of the Outremer, established during the First Crusade of Baldwin II in 1096. Edessa became an important center for the spread of Christianity and the revival of Greek learning, through translations made here into Syriac, the local language spoken by Jesus, then into Arabic, and finally into Latin and the European languages.

On my recent visit to this very hot city in southeastern Turkey, I could not help but be impressed by the cultural, historical, spiritual and mystical atmosphere of this capital of many faiths. When I walked through the rose gardens of the Hasan Padishah Mosque on my way towards the Pool where Abraham’s Sacred Fish swam, I could feel the memory of the prophets of many faiths. As I trod on stones polished by centuries of Biblical footsteps, I observed the crowds coming on pilgrimage to the site, many of whom would continue on to Mecca to complete the Hajj.

Yet faith does not just lie in the historical past of Urfa. Today, it is still a city of living faith, as I recently experienced.

Urfa is dotted with several splendid bazaars, reached by narrow backstreets just wide enough for one donkey to pass. These bazaars echo with the sounds of Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, and Arabic. Djellabias, facial tattoos, keffiyeh scarves, Salvar pants, tee-shirts and tennis shoes all mix in a colorful jumble of traditions and cultures. I went to the Kazzaz Bazaar to watch the silk weavers and to hear the hammering of its famed coppersmiths. I went to the Sipahi Bazaar to admire the bright Kurdish rugs. I went to the Ucuzluk Bazaar to buy some isot pepper.

I had read about isot, the celebrated red pepper of Urfa, and was fascinated by it. What did it taste like, I wondered, and is it really as scorching hot as the infamous palate-exploding habanero pepper of my southwest United States? Just what is it that makes it so special – so special that the people of Urfa consume 70 tons of isot pepper in their kebabs per day? It is certain that it is not just the 46 degree centigrade (115 F) weather that heats up this city, but all that fiery red powdered fuel, too. Isot would also appear to have something more explosive than its blazing taste. A team of scientists from the University of Nottingham, in England, intrigued by the link between the heavy consumption of isot and the very low cancer rates in this area, has carried out research on the pepper. Their research has provided conclusive evidence that isot pepper does indeed possess substantial anti-cancer properties.

I stopped in a spice shop where I was immediately taken in hand by the young owner, Abdulhekim. A tower of colorful spice sacs made from striped kilims rose in a tower against the wall, many of them containing different varieties of isot. When I asked to buy some, I first received a lengthy and informed lesson on their different qualities and textures from Abdulhekim: wetter vs. drier, big flakes vs. small flakes, sweeter vs. smokier, and so on, including his confirmation of its proven effectiveness against cancer cells. Tea was shared, stories were exchanged, politics were discussed and jokes were told, for that is the way business is done in Turkey, even for a handful of pepper. He told me I definitely needed to purchase the most expensive variety; the “best quality kind” he assured me. He knew his stock, so I took his word, and I wanted the best quality for sure.

As he scooped out my order of the searing pepper flakes into a paper bag, I said in a low voice, “I am bringing this pepper back for my friend Enciğim who lives in America. She was sick this past year, but she has bravely finished her treatments and is healthy once again. But I would like her to eat some of this pepper every day to keep her that way, just like you do here in Urfa.”

When he finished weighing out the pepper and wrapping it up, I took out my wallet to pay. He flicked his head up in the emphatic Turkish gesture to say “No!” He brushed my wallet away and placed the package in my hands.

“This is a gift. This is my gift to your friend. May Allah’s mercy and the city of Urfa and its pepper keep her healthy and strong for many, many years to come. That is my wish for this gift. Take it home to her from me.”

Yes, all the way from the dawn of time until today, Urfa is a glorious city of living faith.

With his new book, Insights from the Risale-i Nur, Thomas Michel sets out to answer some of these questions. Michel states his goal very early in the book: as a Jesuit priest, he wants to know where, if at all, he can find “points of convergence” between Christianity and Islam within Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s (d. 1960) seminal “Risale-i Nur.”

It turns out there aren’t just a few points, but many. And throughout Michel’s book – which is a collection of essays, speeches, and presentations the priest has delivered over the last two decades – he lays the groundwork for a healthy, constructive dialogue between not just Christians and Muslims, but peoples of all faith.

Nursi wrote the “Risale-i Nur” in the wake of two world wars. He’d watched as the secular advances of Western civilization had led to the near total destruction of Europe – not once, but twice. The collateral damage had deeply affected his home, Turkey, and its neighbors. And he endured the ill effects of Turkey’s own modernization efforts, as he was repeatedly persecuted and imprisoned for his faith.

Under such circumstances, it would have been understandable if his book had been rife with anger. Instead, as Michel astutely shows throughout his own thoughtful book, Nursi’s commentary is remarkably hopeful. He sought these “points of convergence” while also stressing what he believed as the truth of his own faith. Michel adeptly uses Nursi’s words to draw out the common ground between different faiths, and looks at how these similarities can be applied in our equally fraught contemporary age.

Both Christianity and Islam pinpoint the destruction wrought by war and poverty as having germinated not from faith, but from rampant materialism run to its natural conclusion. In a quote that Michel returns to, time and again, Nursi writes:

Europe is two. One follows the sciences which serve justice and right
And the industries beneficial for the life of society it has received from
True Christianity; this first Europe I am not addressing. I am rather
Addressing the second, corrupt Europe which, through the darkness of
The philosophy of naturalism, supposing the evils of civilization to be
Its virtues, has driven mankind to vice and misguidance.

Michel routinely connects Nursi’s, and Islam’s, distress about materialism and greed with Christianity and Judaism’s distress about the same things. The book’s second essay charts the overlaps between Nursi and Pope John Paul II in their approaches to forgiveness. Both men believed that materialism, and the selfishness it fosters, are antithetical to healthy, fulfilled communities. People of faith, no matter their belief systems, believe that a truly rich life involves more than the simple acquisition of transient materials. This common desire – for communities based on mutual love and respect instead of self-interest – is a major point of convergence. As Nursi writes, “Our enemy, that which is destroying us, is Lord Ignorance, his son [Master] Poverty Efendi, and grandson, [Mr] Enmity Bey.”

Michel shows that, although Nursi believed adamantly in the truth of his faith, he also believed that true followers of the other “revealed religions” were friends and allies of Islam. Writing after the Second World War, Nursi stated that innocents who had died “were martyrs of a sort, whatever religion they belonged to.” In the aftermath of an invasion that mostly destroyed the city of Van, Nursi “…wept without distinction for both the Christian and Muslim victims, who had been his ‘friends and acquaintances.’” In these acts of kindness, Michel finds common ground with Nursi – both of their faiths value the dignity of every human life.

In a world in which the pursuit of wealth and immediate satisfaction guides so many human interactions, this value is not always present. All too often, people from different walks of life are viewed as obstacles to a person attaining the material satisfaction they’ve come to believe is rightfully theirs.

Michel sums up this perspective succinctly in one of the most important essays in the book, “Dialogue among Believers.” He writes, “Instead of fostering fellowship and mutual aid among nations, social values are too often oriented toward providing the populace with amusements, distractions, and opportunities for instant gratification.”

Such striving for material rewards – the pursuit of which lies at the heart of capitalism, which often functions as a “secular” religion – has resulted in the debasement and poverty of a large portion of the world’s population. This dehumanization and desacralizing of human life is at the root of most religious concerns about contemporary culture. Instead of working towards a “higher good” – community, peace, or God – people are focused on self-actualization through consumption. But as Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 4, verse 4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The Qur’an echoes this when it says, in chapter 63, verse 9, “Let not your properties … divert you from the remembrance of God.” It’s not difficult to interpret these quotes to mean that humanity should not simply honor and respect God, but should also honor and respect God’s creations through reverence and peace. Material possessions alone cannot fill a person’s spirit; this is a belief almost all religions share.

Both Nursi and Michel feel that the absence of religion – and not the differences between faiths – has led to the wars and poverties of the last century. This is a belief that many, many people of faith share. The essays in the book continually return to these themes of common interest. By having a dialogue with Nursi’s text, and by viewing that text in its best possible context, Michel establishes a space for further dialogue between people of all faiths to occur. Both men express their adamant belief that faith – be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or something else – has an important, vital role to play in establishing a broad, lasting peace. Michel, like Nursi before him, remains hopeful about the future role faith will play in a more peaceful, tolerant world. This book serves as a dialogue between two religions, and it builds a foundation for future dialogues. It is a foundation built of respect, devoted faith, and a deep commitment to the dignity of every life. These are not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish values – they are universal values.

“O you who believe! Prescribed for you is the Fast, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may deserve God’s protection and attain piety.”¹

Fasting is an ancient practice whose purpose and benefit span across the three Abrahamic faiths. It is mentioned in the Bible, Qur’an, and the Hindu scriptures. Buddhism requires the ascetic lifestyle of its monks, which includes fasting. It was practiced by many of the ancient communities, including Native Americans and Africans. Certain milestone events in those communities, such as weddings, reaching puberty, and mourning, are accompanied by fasting. Fasting for health reasons was practiced for thousands of years, and has well-known benefits.

Apart from religious and medical fasting, people also fast for political reasons, to raise awareness regarding a certain issue. This article will focus on fasting as a religious practice in the Abrahamic Faiths —Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and will synthesize the insights from three traditions regarding the benefits and purposes of fasting.

Fasting is broadly defined as partial or total abstinence from food and drink for a certain period of time. The amount of time and the types of food or drink fasted from differs according to tradition. Certain types of fasting exclude specific acts as well, such as wearing certain garments, shaving, or sexual intimacy.

This article, organized into three main sections, explores the concept, textual reference and benefits of fasting as pointed out by the scholars in each of the three Abrahamic religions.

Judaism

In Jewish tradition, fasting is total abstinence from food and drink. There are two major fasting days on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, but conservative Jews fast up to six days per year. Only Yom Kippur is biblically ordained, while the others are rabbinically ordained. Fasting on a Sabbath is prohibited unless it is Yom Kippur, in which case it is observed. Sexual relations are also prohibited on the two major fasting days.

Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is the most important of the Jewish Holidays. It is the tenth and final day of the Ten Days of Repentance, starting with Rosh Hashanah. Every man and woman who has of age (above the age of bar/bat mitzvah) and whose health permits fasting, should fast on this day. The fasting lasts 25 hours, from the sunset of one day to the nightfall of the other. In addition to total abstinence from food and drink, prohibited activities on this day include those prohibited on an ordinary Sabbath, such as striking fire and using tools. Additionally, leather shoes are not worn on this day, and women and men wear white garments as a reminder of a burial shroud and the Day of Judgment. The mood is solemn, humble, and repentant, but also happy with the knowledge that repentance brings redemption. The day is spent at Synagogue services, and holds five prayers, compared to three on regular days and four on Sabbath.

Tisha B’Av is the ninth day of the month Av in the Hebrew calendar, and falls on a July or August on the Gregorian calendar. It marks the end of a three-week mourning period and commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Similar to Yom Kippur, the fast lasts 25 hours. Some Jews also observe additional prohibitions on certain daily activities. The Sabbath observance has precedence over this fast, however, and observance is delayed to a Sunday if it falls on Sabbath. The mood is melancholic. In addition to those two major fasting days, there is minor fasting days when fasting is observed from dawn to sunset. The four minor fasting days are the Fast of Gedaliah, the Fast of the 10th of Tevet, the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz, and the Fast of Esther. There are also other days of fasting which are not universally observed. In addition to fasts tied to certain dates, there are also fasts tied to certain occasions, such as fasting of the bride and groom before their wedding ceremony, fasting of a firstborn, fasts of repentance of certain acts, or fasts to avoid an impending calamity. It should be noted that unlike some other traditions, the fasts in Judaism, specifically those that commemorate and mourn important events, are not ended with feasts.

Three purposes of fasting are commonly quoted by Jewish scholars. First is the atonement of previous wrongdoings:

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. (Joel, 2:12-13)

While fasting itself does not provide redemption, it makes oneself more conducive to feel regret for past errors. The “affliction of souls” in Leviticus, 23:27, 29, 32; Numbers, 29:7 is also interpreted in this context. The term translated as “affliction of souls” also has the meaning “to busy one’s self with” for fasting is an opportunity to busy one’s self with spiritual matters by accompanying the fast with reading the holy text and engaging in prayers. Focusing more on spiritual, rather then corporeal aspects of life, is also pointed out in the Midrash—that fasting can elevate a soul to the exalted level of the Mal’achay HaSharait—ministering angels. Also, as past errors bring about catastrophes, sincere repentance is a way, probably the only way, to avert pending catastrophes:

Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. (Jonah 3:3-5)

The second purpose of fasting is mourning, at individual and collective levels. The following verse is an example of individual mourning:

When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them.3 Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. (I Samuel 31:11-14)

Fasting and mourning has an implied connection, just like when a loved one dies, we do not feel like eating, food becomes insignificant to us. Also, we repent for the mistakes we did to that person, and seek forgiveness.

Collective mourning for catastrophes that befell earlier communities is also an important dimension of fasting, such as the events mentioned in the following verses:

On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. (Jeremiah 52:12-13)

Mourning results in awareness in what is lost, and in rejoice when the loss is regained. It also creates a spiritual unity with earlier generations, and a renewed commitment to common goals.

The third purpose is one of gratitude. By abstinence from basic needs, one realizes his/her dependence on God, and appreciates all the sustenance provided by God to His creation.

Christianity

Fasting has different meanings in different Christian denominations. It is mostly a partial fast, so practice widely differs.

Roman Catholics define fasting as the reduction in food intake for one full meal and two small meals (morning and evening). Solid food intake between meals is not permitted. Abstinence is defined as avoiding meat for a particular day, and partial abstinence is consuming meat only once during a day. The regulations of fasting evolved several times according to the decrees of Vatican. According to today’s regulations, there are two obligatory fasting days for Roman Catholics: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Voluntary fasting is encouraged and practiced. In addition to these, Roman Catholics also observe Eucharistic fasting, i.e. avoiding all food and drink except water for, according to current regulations, the duration of an hour before receiving the Holy Communion during the Mass. Some Catholics still live by the older regulations, which prescribed the start of fasting as the midnight of the previous day.

The Anglican Church follows a similar definition of fasting, but there is no distinction between fasting and abstinence, and regulations are less-specific. The Book of Common Prayer lists four periods as fasting days, which includes forty days of Lent and all the Fridays in the Year, except Christmas Day. There is no universal Anglican rule on fasting, so the provinces are free to choose what fasting days to recommend. Usually, fasting of Lent and Fridays are observed. The measures of abstinence are left to the individuals.

In eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholicism, fasting is an important discipline to protect oneself from gluttony, indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste. Fasting is accompanied by almsgiving and prayers, and fasting without such acts is considered worthless. There are four main seasons of fasting, including Lent, but fasting continues throughout the year, on Wednesdays and Fridays. Fasting individuals cannot consume meat, dairy products, oil and alcoholic beverages, although the precise definition of these categories differs in practice. Eucharistic fasting is observed from midnight of the previous day to Holy Communion. There are also periods during which fasting is prohibited.

While early Protestants frowned upon fasting as an external practice, currently fasting is widely acknowledged and encouraged as an important spiritual experience among Protestant churches. For example, Lutherans encourage fasting during Lent, while United Methodists fast from sundown-to-sundown on Mondays to Tuesdays and Thursdays to Fridays.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints defines fasting as total abstinence from food and drink, including water. The first Sundays of each month is called Fast Sunday, during which members fast for two consecutive meals and donate the money saved as a result of fasting. The purpose of fasting in this tradition is achieving mastery of spirit over body. The members who want to solicit special help, including for earthly benefits, or those who want to become closer to God, are encouraged to fast. Jesus warned his followers against fasting only to make others admire them. He suggested practical steps should be taken to fast in private: When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18) In this context, the overarching goal of fasting is bringing the individual closer to the Divine.

According to the Old Testament, Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights while he was on Mount Sinai with God. (Exodus 34:28) and the New Testament states that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights while in the desert, prior to the three temptations (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:2). Hence, spiritual preparation is an important dimension of fasting. David practiced fasting for humbling his soul (Psalm 35:13). Abstaining from food helps one realize his/her inherent helplessness, and to understand one’s place vis-à-vis the Divine. This motivation can clearly be seen, for example, in Isaiah 58:3-13, where Prophet Isaiah admonishes the believers and calls to the real meaning of fasting.

Understanding the situation of the poor and the needy is also an important motivation for fasting. In fact, in most churches, fasting is mentioned had-in-hand with prayer and almsgiving. Fasting is the door to show mercy, and showing mercy to others is a petition to receive mercy from God.

Islam

In Islam, fasting is defined as total abstinence from food and drink, including water. Fasting also precludes sexual intimacy between spouses. Fasting individuals are also expected to abide by the highest moral values, i.e. no lying, no backbiting, no fighting or disputing, and not breaking the hearts of others.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars (i.e. core practices) of Islam. It continues from dawn to sunset for 29 to 30 consecutive days (a full Lunar month), and is mandatory for every Muslim man and woman above the age of puberty. The sick, elderly, pregnant and suckling women have permission not to fast, and can make up for it later by fasting equal number of days, or giving charity to those in need, especially if fasting poses a health risk. Menstruating women cannot fast, and make up for it in a similar fashion. The ritual of fasting is defined in a precise manner in the Holy Qur’an, so there is virtually no difference as to what it means and how it is practiced among Muslim communities.

In addition to Ramadan fasting, devout Muslims also fast on Monday and Thursdays, as well as 13th, 14th and 15th of each lunar month. Other voluntary fasting days include the day of Ashura (tenth day of Muharram), day of Arafat (ninth day of Dhu al-hijja), and six days of Shawwal.

The Qur’an states that fasting was prescribed by God upon the earlier faith communities, and proclaims the main purpose of fasting as achieving taqwa. While taqwa can be translated as righteousness or God-consciousness, it holds other meanings as well.

The first and foremost purpose of fasting is to follow God’s command of fasting. All benefits to be acquired by fasting, such as improving the health and understanding the helplessness of the poor people, cannot be the intention of the believer while fasting. Those are but ways to understand the Divine wisdom behind the command of fasting.

Many Islamic scholars have written on the subject of fasting. Said Nursi is one of these scholars who outline the many purposes of fasting in the 29th chapter of his book The Letters.

He first states that parallel to Christian and Jewish traditions, a major goal of fasting is to appreciate the bounties given by the Divine, which go unnoticed if not for fasting. Therefore, fasting creates an atmosphere for a sincere thanksgiving:

Many people cannot appreciate most of the bounties they enjoy, for they do not experience hunger. For example, a piece of dry bread means nothing to those who are full, especially if they are rich.

A second purpose, more in line with Christian tradition, is to understand the situation of the poor through hunger and thirst, thus create compassion and facilitate giving of charity:

… God invites the rich to help the poor. Without fasting, many rich and self-indulgent people cannot perceive the pain of hunger and poverty or to what extent the poor need care. Care for one’s fellow beings is a foundation of true thanksgiving. There is always someone poorer, so everyone must show care for such people. If people do not experience hunger, it is nearly impossible for them to do good or to help others. Even if they do, they can do so only imperfectly because they do not feel the hungry one’s condition to the same extent.

A third purpose is taming and humbling of the soul and protection against gluttony:

The carnal self desires—and considers itself—to be free and unrestricted. It even wishes, by its very nature, for an imagined lordship and free, arbitrary action. Not liking to think that it is being trained and tested through God’s countless bounties, it swallows up such bounties like an animal and in the manner of a thief or robber, especially if its wealth and power is accompanied by heedlessness.

Indeed, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, hints that fasting from food helps curb inclinations to sins, such as lust:

Whoever among you is able to marry, should marry, and whoever is not able to marry, is recommended to fast. (Bukhari)

Other purposes pointed out by Islamic scholars include perfecting moral behavior, focusing on spiritual needs and sacred text (rather then corporeal needs), creating bonds in the community through fasting and feasting together, and expiation for certain sins. The latter, related to atonement in Judaism, is directly mentioned in the Qur’an as the expiation of sins such as the accidental killing of a fellow human being and breaking of oaths to God:

God does not take you to task for a slip (or blunder of speech) in your oaths, but He takes you to task for what you have concluded by solemn, deliberate oaths. The expiation (for breaking such oaths) is to feed ten destitute persons (or one person for ten days) with the average of the food you serve to your families, or to clothe them, or to set free a slave. If anyone does not find (the means to do that), let him fast for three days.” (Al-Maedah, 5:89)

Conclusion

The three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, share a common ground in terms of faith and practices. Similar to prayer, fasting is common in three religions as well. After exploring the similarities and differences of fasting across the three faiths, it is evident that gratitude and thanksgiving are common purposes and benefits of fasting. While fasting to mourn is more specific to Judaism, fasting for atonement is more pronounced in Christianity and Judaism. Furthermore, fasting to facilitate charity, to gain mastery of soul, to achieve humility, and protection from gluttony is more of a common goal between Islam and Christianity. Finally, using free time to focus on studying the sacred text and prayer is emphasized more in Judaism and Islam. While the emphasis placed on each purpose in this article is admittedly subjective, the great benefit of fasting spans across the three Abrahamic faiths irrespective of the length and time of the particular fast, and traces of all benefits and purposes can be found in all three religions.

Note

• Qur’an 2:183

References

• Berghuis, Kent D. 2007. Christian Fasting – A Theological Approach, Biblical Studies Press.
• Corn, Kevin (ed.) 2006. Fasting and Feasting in Three Traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Interfaith Conversations Booklet #1, University of Indianapolis
• Online at: http://eip.uindy.edu/crossings/publications/Interfaith%20Conversations-1.pdf
• Encyclopedia.com, Fasting: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/fasting.aspx
• Lynne Baab. 2007. Fasting Spiritual Freedom Beyond Our Appetites, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL
• Maloney, A George, 1974, Return to Fasting, online at: http://openlibrary.org/b/OL18254420M/return_to_fasting
• Nursi, Said. 2010. Ramadan, Frugality, Thanksgiving, NJ: Tughra Books.
• Ryan, Thomas, 2005, The Sacred Art of Fasting: preparing to practice, SkyLight Paths Publishing, Woodstock, VT.
• The Bible, King James Version. Online at http://www.biblegateway.com/ .
• Translation of Sahih Bukhari (M. Muhsin Khan). Online at: http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/
• Translation of Holy Quran (Translation by Ali Unal)
• http://al-quran.info/default.aspx#&&trans=en-ali_unal
• Wikipedia, Online Encyclopedia : Fasting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting

The learning that takes place through interfaith dialogue is one such example. The insight, emotions and experience generated by interfaith dialogue simply cannot be generated through reading textbooks. The color and depth that dialogue can add to understanding other’s faiths, one’s own faith, human psychology and society can in no way be attained through theoretical knowledge.

However, not everyone gains depth and understanding from such dialogue experiences. While some attain great levels of knowledge and wisdom, others gain nothing. Why is this so? How can two people with the same experience have such differing responses? There are three important principles which ensure that interfaith dialogue can be a teaching experience; firstly, to appreciate that interaction and sharing between people of different faiths is an important constituent of the learning experience. Secondly, to feel comfortable in knowing that interfaith dialogue and education about the “other” does not lead to confusion or conversion. Thirdly, to have the vision that dialogue can lead to cooperation.

Globalization and the increased need for education

In a globalized world where cultural and religious diversity is manifest, more awareness of the existence of other faiths and other worldviews outside our own immediate circle and society means increased interaction between people of different faiths and backgrounds. The need for knowing the “other” at some level becomes critical; lack of knowledge and interaction can dangerously reinforce the notion that the “other” is somehow alien. The moment the “other” is perceived as alien or foreign we enter unsafe grounds. As a result, education and dialogue have become strong instruments that are imperative for people seeking peace, ensuring that the “other” is not so alien.

A great deal has been written on the importance of learning through interfaith dialogue. In an article entitled “The Necessity of Interfaith Dialogue,” Dr. Yucel highlights the importance of interfaith dialogue in educating ourselves about the “other”: “The root of conflict is ignorance and ignorance is the source of prejudice. To get to know each other through dialogue is essential for the establishment of a world peace.” Swidler explains how the consequences of not having dialogue can be quite serious, even deadly: “We can no longer ignore ‘the other,’ but we can close our minds and spirits to them, look at them with fear and misunderstanding, come to resent them, and perhaps even to hate them. This way of encounter can all too easily lead to hostility and, eventually, war and death.”

Due to the importance of knowing the “other,” interfaith dialogue has been taken very seriously in multi-faith Australia. There is great diversity in Australia, not only within the Christian population, but also within the non-Christian population. 64% of the Australian population is Christian. The largest Christian denominations are: Catholic (25.8% of the population) followed by Anglican (18.7%) and the Uniting Church (5.7%). The number of people affiliated with non-Christian faiths has almost doubled in Australia in the past 10 years. The largest non-Christian religions are Buddhism (2.1%), Islam (1.7%), Hinduism (0.7%) and Judaism (0.4%).

There are many organizations in Australia that are involved in interfaith dialogue. These organizations have been established by individuals of different faith backgrounds. Affinity Intercultural Foundation is an example of such an organization that was established by a group of young Australian Muslims in early 2001 in order to facilitate the interaction of the Muslim community with the members of other faiths and to increase the awareness and understanding of the Muslim community by the wider Australian society. Affinity has organized numerous events and projects to foster dialogue between different faiths and cultures.

Initiatives undertaken by Affinity Intercultural Foundation will be used to explain the three important aspects of interfaith dialogue that enable progressive learning.

Interaction and sharing between people of different faiths is an important element of the learning experience

Education through interaction and sharing can achieve many outcomes which cannot be achieved through the reading of text books, even if one was to read volumes and volumes of text books.

Whenever we interact with each other, our ignorance is highlighted and we realize that there is clearly a gap in our knowledge of one another. We make assumptions, we stereotype and we pretend we know when we don’t. We come to the realization that we have no idea about certain things or that what we knew was incorrect.

Through interactions, we ask, we witness, we experience, and we learn. This type of learning becomes internalized because it has been experienced.

Sharing of sacred times is a good example of such learning; non-Muslims going to Muslim homes for iftar (breaking of the fast) during the month of Ramadan, Muslims visiting the church at Easter or Christmas or the synagogue for Sukkot or Hanukkah.

I have been told that entering a home where the last minute iftar preparations are taking place is quite a unique experience for a non-Muslim. The realization that nothing, absolutely nothing has been eaten all day and the witnessing of that first meal, is quite profound. So profound that it leads to many questions: Did you get really hungry today? How does fasting help you to connect with God? Does fasting make you feel more humble? As the meal is shared, the conversation leads from one topic to another.

The experience becomes even more interesting when the non-Muslim guests choose to fast for the day, purely to share the experience with their Muslim hosts. It becomes a trigger for further discussion as individuals reflect on their experience of fasting.

Such interactions and sharing can be defined as multi-dimensional education, as there is so much learning taking place through our words, actions, experiences, emotions and thoughts. Similarly, there is so much we learn from observing the experience of the other individuals. It is a learning which is alive and positively life-changing, an experience that cannot be replaced through the reading of volumes and volumes of textbooks.

Interfaith dialogue and education about the “other” does not lead to confusion or even conversion

A common misconception about interfaith dialogue is that listening to others talk about their faith will lead to confusion about our own faith. Some also believe that there is a danger that we will settle for the “lowest common denominator” or a “watered-down” version of our faiths. In reality, the opposite scenario has become the norm in interfaith dialogue circles; people actually feel that they learn more about their own faith and become better Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists or Hindus through interfaith dialogue.

A project that has demonstrated this point is the Home Encounters project. Home Encounters is a community-based educational approach involving Muslims and Christians meeting on a monthly basis over six months.

At each meeting a new topic, such as monotheism, spirituality, or poverty, is covered from both a Christian and Muslim perspective. This is followed by an informal discussion and a question-and-answer session.

For previous groups who have participated in this project the experience has generated profound understandings of the other in their frame of reference. The key to success is the establishment of an atmosphere of trust in the informal setting of the participants’ homes, alternating between Christian and Muslim homes, and a willingness to understand. The right atmosphere and right attitude produce an environment of learning and sharing.

An insightful reflection by one of the participants of the first encounter reaffirms the presence of such an atmosphere:

Plates of Divine sweet talk gently moved across and around the table. So harmonious was the aroma of dialogue, so sweet was the taste of familiarity in beliefs that unity gently touched all hearts… And as the question and answers were shared like a summer dessert over coffee, learning, reflecting, understanding and peacefully digesting the different spices of faith, everyone only gained more appetite…

An outcome of the project, which surprised many of the participants, was that the discussions increased the participants’ level of knowledge and understanding of their own faith tradition. Reading up on the topic of discussion, studying the topic in preparation for a fifteen-minute presentation and finally hearing the topic being discussed and analyzed from various angles not only helped them to learn about the topic from the other faith perspective, but it also deepened their understanding of the topic from their own faith perspective.

The dialogue that takes place during the question-and-answer session are mentally stimulating as the questions that are asked by an individual from another faith are usually very different to the questions we would be asked by someone from our own faith. This enables us to consider the topic from unique angles, resulting in a more all-encompassing understanding. For example, a Muslim won’t often ask “Do you have a concept similar to the Holy Spirit in Islam?” or “How do you relate to God if you do not know what God looks like?” But these questions prompt a Muslim to search the answers to these questions, and by the end one has generated a deeper understanding of God, His Names, His Attributes and how they are manifested.

This deeper understanding is a mutual experience. This was confirmed by Rev. Grahame Ellis who also participated in Home Encounters; here he reflects on his first encounter:

… it was a Muslim question that compelled me as a Christian to this new affirmation…The fact is that I would not have had this insight if it had not been for a Muslim.

Such reflections highlight the importance of creating a positive environment so that true learning can take place through discussion, reflection, and investigation.

Dialogue leads to co-operation

Once a relationship has been developed and there is trust between the different faith groups, it is only natural that this will lead to cooperation. One of the first areas where there can be cooperation is education. Youth Encounters offers exactly this.

Youth Encounters, a project which involves four Muslim schools, four Christian schools and four Jewish schools has been organized every year since 2004. As part of the project, senior high school students from the participating schools go through training to prepare them for an end of year gala. The gala involves workshops where the students from the different schools come together and discuss various topics such as “my identity.” For many Christian students, this is the first time they meet a Muslim or a Jew. And for many Muslim and Jewish students, this is the first time they have the chance to converse at a deep level with a Christian.

The results are amazing. At the beginning of the gala, the students are quiet, unsocial, and serious, staying together with the students from their own school. However, by the end of the day, the students from different schools are having deep conversations, asking each other all sorts of questions and even exchanging email addresses to continue communicating with their new friends.

One student said, “I had never had an intimacy or conversation with other people with different beliefs. But we found a common ground which I didn’t know was possible.”

Another student admitted, “It takes away the textbook Jew and the textbook Catholic. It’s really interesting; you just have to try it. It’s an experience that you just can’t read from a paper.”

On the adult level, some projects have included co-operation in the areas of environment and peace. Coming together for a common concern facilitates unity and helps us to see our commonalities as we all strive to achieve certain goals that affect all of us, no matter what faith or culture we belong to. These are concerns which focus on our humanness and the emotions that come with being human, such as compassion towards those who die in places of conflict or feeling a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

An example of an initiative focusing on the environment is PowerShift 09, the first national youth summit on climate change; held in Australia, this event attracted 1,200 young adults from around the country. As was evident at this summit, there is a powerful unity that forms when addressing issues such as the environment. Awareness befalls upon all, this is an issue that must be tackled by all; otherwise the consequences will be felt by all. Thus, when we realize that we all share the same hopes, the same fears, and the same aspirations, a realization that comes with interfaith dialogue, co-operation comes easily.

In conclusion, the learning that takes place through interfaith dialogue plays a critical role in the globalized world in which we live. Thus we can attain a dialogue that is based on interaction, learning that leads to clarification, and a better understanding that leads to co-operation. It is through this learning that the attitudes of not only our youth, but the whole community changes for the better. Positive attitudes mean positive relationships, a key element for a harmonious society.

Zuleyha Keskin is the Vice President of ISRA (Islamic Sciences and Research Academy of Australia), Auburn, Australia.

THE FOUNTAIN: What are the general views of religions toward war?

Dr. Petriano: One could say that in general the world’s religions all preach and promote peace. An example of this can be seen in the gathering of religious leaders from all over the world that took place in Assisi, Italy on January 14, 2002. Religious leaders from all the world’s major religions gathered there to pray and exchange views on how the world’s religions could be a more vital and unified force for peace. One of their commonly agreed upon goals was ‘to proclaim our firm conviction that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion, and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war in the name of God or of religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything possible to eliminate the root causes of terrorism.’ This was a profoundly important statement agreed upon unanimously by Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh and several other religious leaders from around the world.

THE FOUNTAIN: Even though, in general, religions do not counsel ‘war’ unless absolutely necessary in the case of defense, how do you interpret war, including the current terrorism?

Dr. Petriano: My thoughts on this subject are influenced by a recent book by a historian from the University of Notre Dame, R. Scott Appleby. His book is titled, The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation. He correctly points out that there is, historically speaking, what can be called some sort of ambivalence within religions when it comes to questions of war and peace. On the one hand, religions teach and promote peace, but yet, historically religious passion and zealotry have also been strong factors behind many of the great conflicts of the past and present. Examples of this kind of militancy in the name of God or religious principles are numerous and can be found in many religions. Part of this has to do with what happens when political, ethnic, or nationalist agendas make use of religion or religious values to advance what is really a political or nationalist goal. Another reason has to do with forgetfulness or a convenient neglect of the basic principles and teachings of various religions. You might call this a ‘selective’ reading of the various scriptures, for example, the Bible or the Holy Qur’an, in a way that justifies violence in the name of a religious principle or value. Most of the religions also do have ‘just war’ teachings. Many times, however, I am afraid that these teachings can be invoked in a way that is not consistent with the reasons for which they were first devised.

THE FOUNTAIN: What can ordinary people, from the perspective of their faith, do to prevent wars?

Dr. Petriano: This is an excellent question. I think ordinary people can actually do a great deal. There is a song called ‘Let there be peace on earth.’ One line of the song is, ‘and let it begin with me’. I think peace must begin with each of us. First of all we must learn to find peace in our own hearts. I think religion can help us find that ‘inner peace’. Secondly, we must learn to not just ‘tolerate’, but to genuinely respect people who are different from each other ‘ whether that difference be religious, ethnic, economic or racial. Is this not what Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha and the great Jewish prophets all taught, peace be upon them all? We have to be willing to reach out to others. It is only when we do so that we can begin to realize how alike we really are. Maybe what we are most afraid of is not our differences, but rather our similarities. I would say that ordinary people have a responsibility to be well informed. Fear comes from ignorance, and it is fear that ultimately is the cause of violence. By ‘well informed’, I mean both historically and religiously. Education is central. I teach a course in World Religions here at St. Josephs College, and it amazes me and my students how little we know about other people’s religious beliefs and how much of what we think is based on false stereotypes. The more we learn, the more we realize how similar we are. We cannot stay isolated. By education, I also mean it is important for religions and nations to know and admit the mistakes they have made in the past.

THE FOUNTAIN: Even though people’s lives are affected greatly by war and disasters, can people be tolerant enough to forget all such events? If so, how can this be done?

Dr. Petriano: This is where I think religion has a vital role to play. Religion and religious leaders can exercise a great deal of influence in society, and all the great religions teach forgiveness and reconciliation as important values. One thinks of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa as an example of how an appeal to religious values can have a vital role in helping a society come together after a long history of violence, hatred and torture. Forgiveness and reconciliation are key. There are some very good models of conflict resolution out there, and just as religious passion can sometimes ignite violence, I believe, it can also be used to promote peace and reconciliation.

THE FOUNTAIN: What can we do to stop people losing their lives in wars and disasters?

Dr. Petriano: All loss of life is tragic. In the case of war, it seems so unnecessary. One would like to think that at the beginning of the third millennium, human beings would be able to solve their conflicts without having to resort to war. It seems that this is a possible, desirable and necessary goal. We have to use our intelligence to find ways other than building bigger and more destructive weapons. Dr. Martin Luther King once said that in the modern world the choice is no longer between war and peace but rather that it is between peace and nonexistence. I believe that he was right. It is the very existence of our world that is at stake. We have to find a better way!

THE FOUNTAIN: What do you think about a dialogue between different faiths? How should people from different cultures interact with one another and learn? What methods should be utilized? Do you think it is possible that wars and disasters can bring people together, make them closer, making their faith stronger rather than breaking them apart?

Dr. Petriano: Yes, absolutely. One of the many vivid memories I have of the aftermath of 9/11 was an interfaith prayer service that took place the following week at the Yankee Stadium. There, representatives of all the great religions gathered for a memorial service. They all offered a prayer on the basis of their religious tradition. It was a wonderful moment of religious unity and solidarity, the likes of which I had never seen before. Ever since then, there have been many more efforts, especially among Muslims, Christians, and Jews, to meet to discuss, interact and learn from each other. This has been a good thing, and it must continue. Dialogue is important. Mutual respect is important. I think people getting together, even just socially, can be a good thing. We all like to associate with people who are like us. It is important to provide occasions where people of different faiths can come together and meet one another. I also think participating, to what degree possible, in one another’s religious services can also be a good thing. I have begun the practice of taking students from my World Religions class to a local mosque for Friday prayer. In the beginning the students were a little reluctant to go, but the experience has proven to be a very positive one. The mosque has been very welcoming, and students gain a new respect and deeper understanding for Islam. I think we must do more of these sort of things.

THE FOUNTAIN: What do you think about the power of the media today and how it is being used to form the opinions of people around the globe?

Dr. Petriano: Yes, the media is very powerful and influential. In the United States there is a danger today of the emergence of a few large communications conglo- merates that will control the majority of media outlets. The danger is that people will be exposed to a limited point of view. Also, the media is not always good at reporting issues that have to do with religion. I find that their staff is not always sufficiently knowledgeable about religion and the various religions and that sometimes reports are made in generalities that do not always promote genuine and accurate understanding. Many times, unfortunately, it is news of disasters or controversies that sell a lot.

THE FOUNTAIN: Do you think Armageddon theories in different faiths play a role in current issues?

Dr. Petriano: Armageddon theories do have a role to play in current issues. They are especially prominent among Christian fundamentalists who have read Revelation, which is the last book of the Bible, in a very literal way. In such a literal reading of Revelation, the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ will be preceded by a great battle between the forces of good and evil. This battle is referred to as Armageddon. According to this interpretation, the Second Coming of Christ will occur only when the Jewish people have re-established control of the Holy Land. It is for this reason that some fundamentalist groups have given unqualified support to this goal. I want to stress that this point of view is not held by all Christians. It is found primarily among fundamentalists. The majority of Christians do not share this kind of thinking or this interpretation of the Book of Revelation. I personally do not think this way of thinking is helpful to the world situation today.

THE FOUNTAIN: Being involved in the education community yourself, what are your observations regarding the general level of knowledge about other faiths and cultures of the average American student population?

Dr. Petriano: I think a lot of work needs to be done in this area. In general, students are not well informed about any religious beliefs or traditions other than their own. That is why education is so important; not only education in the classroom, but providing opportunities for people of different religions and cultures to meet and get to know one another.

THE FOUNTAIN: What are the main reasons, as you see them, for Sufism being so popular in the USA?

Dr. Petriano: I believe that Sufism is attractive to many because of its emphasis on universality and its teachings of tolerance and peace. It offers a teaching that stresses what all human beings have in common rather than what separates them. Also, its mysticism responds to a hunger that many people have for spiritual connection. I think people, especially in our fast paced and technological society have a need and hunger for genuine spiritual experiences.

The Plaza of Abraham is a place that will host and welcome people of all faiths, especially followers of the Abrahamic faiths. The Plaza is envisioned as being built on approximately ten acres of land. On this land a large circle, called Abraham’s Circle, has been planned. Three places of worship are positioned on the circle. If the circle were a clock, at 3 o’clock there is a mosque, at 7 o’clock a synagogue, and at 11 o’clock a church is located. These will be active places of worship. People will feel safe and comfortable in these places. To illustrate this feeling of safety and comfort for our readers, we would like to them to imagine that they are going to stay in a foreign city, where they do not know the language. They may well prefer to stay in a hotel which is part of a well-known chain. A significant number of people visiting foreign cities would prefer to stay in a well-known hotel, because even though they have come to this foreign city to explore and discover new, fascinating facts of history and geography, even though they are there to visit places, meet people and otherwise live an experience that is novel and different from what their experience at home, they would still prefer to stay in a place that is familiar to them, as a starting point. In the same way do the places of worship on the Circle of Abraham serve as safe and comfortable starting points for people who want to discover other religions. They give the message: Come, you are safe here.

The imams, the rabbis and the priests to be employed in these places of worship are not simply religious leaders; they are scholars as well. They can and are willing to study different religions without any prejudice. They are also guides for other people in the dialogue experience, they serve to protect this effort from falling into a common dilemma: the blind leading the blind. In interfaith dialogue, in efforts where knowledgeable people are not involved, ignorant members of the groups can easily turn the atmosphere into a critical one. In order to prevent such occurrences, these scholarly religious leaders have authority over the people of their faith and there is an internalized approach to dialogue, based on such principles of interfaith dialogue as courtesy, respect, self-critical examination, abandonment of preconceptions and seeking first to understand before trying to be understood.

The plaza will also have a computerized digital library that provides access to digital copies of the main sources for all three religions. Scholars of the different religions will come together to discuss recent issues, and past and possible future interpretations of the religious sources. These efforts focus on searching for interpretations of the sources that foster peace, harmony and mutual coexistence instead of animosity.

A common value to each of these three faiths is hospitality. To bring this common value to the fore, Abraham’s plaza has a feast table covered by a large tent. Once a year a celebration will be held that will last for many days and weeks. Through this event, the People of the Book (as described in the Qur’an) become the People of the Tent. A feast like this is also likely to attract young people. The feast itself and the possibility of making friends from other faiths and nations is likely to be attractive to them.

We envision replicas of Abraham’s Plaza being constructed on all continents of the earth: Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia and Africa. We envision plazas in major cities, as well as in any small towns where there is a representation of all these faiths. We live in a strange age. We have the best, most widespread and fastest means of communication and transportation to date. Yet the world still faces challenges of misunderstanding and animosity. Projects like the Abraham’s Plaza are needed to get everyday people involved in an interfaith dialogue and in the active pursuit of a more peaceful world.

Reference

• Feiler, Bruce. Abraham, a Journey into the Hearts of Three Faiths. Harper Collins Publishers, 2002.

In our increasingly diverse societies, we interact with people of different faiths. At times, this poses a great challenge: something deeply sacred and true for one faith might be in stark contrast with what is true in another religious tradition. How can we share our values in such a way that the true messages of our different faiths benefit people from other religious traditions? Interfaith dialog is a means for achieving this greater goal by persons of different faiths meeting to have a conversation. But dialog is not debate. notes Leonard Swindler. In dialogue, each must listen to the other as openly and sympathetically as s/he can in an attempt to understand the other’s position as precisely and, as it were, as much from within, as possible. Such an attitude automatically includes the assumption that at any point we might find the partner’s position so persuasive that we would have to change. There is a need to recognize that differences do exist and the objective is not to correct but to hear and listen to the other side.

Religion is usually cited as the cause of or at least a factor to conflict around the world. Drawing upon the experiences of the contributors, the goal of Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding is to identify the ways in which we can engage in productive interfaith dialogue. Rabbi Arthur Schneier, one of the contributors of the book, points out that religion is never the real cause of conflict within or between societies, but it is often identified as an excuse for other causes such as ethnicity, economic disparities, and regional differences. The main assertion of the book is that interfaith dialogue can be used as an effective tool to advance peace building around the world.

Based on his experience and studies on conflict resolution, Professor Mohammed Abu-Nimer identifies four phases of development in an effective experiment of interfaith dialogue. He suggests that the earlier encounters should focus on individual and group similarities in theologies and scriptures. One example could be to jointly study the sacred texts of each religion. It must be remembered that the goal for these studies is not debate or conversions. Professor Marc Gopin notes that these shared studies should yield deeper bonds through invitations to homes and meetings with families. The second phase is to deepen the relationship through joint prayers that are not contradictory to the other faith and by participating in the other faith’s rituals. Having established trust and an understanding of the other faith, the third phase is to discover and confirm differences in religious values and faith practices. The final step should be exploring the ways in which messages of different faiths can benefit people from other religious traditions in the same community.

Articles in the book encourage us to re-think elements within our religious traditions that call on us to engage in interfaith dialog. It encourages us to breakdown stereotypes we have of the other faiths and reflect critically on the practices of our co-religionists. Contributors’ experiences show that in order to be effective, talks should be accompanied by deeds. As Professor Diana Eck affirms One world cannot be built on the foundation of competition and polarization between the superpowers. One world cannot be built on the foundation of science, technology and the media. One world cannot be built on Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Sikh triumphalism. One world cannot be built on the foundation of fear and suspicion….Laying the foundations of one world is the most important task of our time. These foundations are not negotiated statements and agreements. These foundations are, rather, in the stockpiling of trust through dialog and the creation of relationships that can sustain both agreements and disagreements.