Reading the Qur’an Contemplatively

By Herman Roborgh

Growing up in a Christian environment, I never came across the Qur’an in my childhood. But this changed when I went to a Muslim country as a young adult to teach English. Having moved into a Muslim environment, I began to hear the regular call to prayer and to hear the sound of the Qur’an being chanted in the mosques. I became curious to know more about its message. Whenever I read the Qur’an in English, however, I wondered how this complex text was able to touch the hearts of so many people. 

Every year, new translations of the Qur’an appear in English but none of them convey the power and the beauty of the original. Should I rely on a translation to discover the spiritual teaching of the Qur’an? Should I learn Arabic to appreciate its message? Perhaps a good commentary would help me to probe the depths of the Qur’an? But commentaries in English are hard to come by and also rather laborious to read. Another option was to find a group of friends with whom to read the text in a contemplative way. 

Our Qur’an reflection group has been meeting regularly for over one year to ponder a passage from the Qur’an in English. We use the translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem (2005) as well as the translation by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (2011). The group consists of three Christian men and three Christian women. We select and read a passage from the Qur’an without spending very much time consulting a commentary since we know that the Qur’an is addressed to all of humanity, not just to scholars.

Briefly, the group has adopted the following method. After spending a few minutes listening to a recording of the Qur’an being chanted in Arabic, a member of the group reads the selected passage aloud in English and we listen intently to each word. Next, we spend some minutes in complete silence, allowing a word or a phrase from the passage to draw our attention. After about ten minutes, we mention aloud the word or phrase that has caught our attention. The passage is read for the second time and another period of silence follows during which each person ponders the text more deeply. Eventually, the same passage is read for a third time and an opportunity for open sharing follows. So only after spending about forty-five minutes in silent reflection do we begin to share the results of our reflection in an open exchange with one another.

Christians are familiar with this method, which is called Lectio Divina. An Arabic word for the method may be taddabur (pondering, reflecting).  But this Arabic word refers to an activity that is more rational and analytical than contemplative.  A closer parallel with lectio divina may be the Muslim practice of dhikr Allah (the constant remembrance of God).

In order to read the Qur’an contemplatively, it is important to free oneself from myths and false concepts about the text. For instance, the word ‘God’ could be an obstacle for believers living in the secular world because the word has taken on negative connotations that distract from its true meaning. For example, God is commonly known in modern society as the punisher, the controller, the patriarch, the despot, etc. Society tends to forget that the language we use for God is allegorical and often anthropomorphic as well. God is not really ‘watching’ us from afar or ‘punishing’ us for our wrongdoing. Instead of oppressing people, God is actually providing new opportunities for frail and misguided human beings.

 

Reading the Qur’an contemplatively enables us to move beyond superficial stereotypes about words and concepts in the text. Contemplation will lead us to see that God is not just another being who is external and distant from human beings but that God is the very ground of our existence. As the Qur’an says: 

 

God – there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being!  (Surah Al-‘Imran [3], verse 2) 

 

In another place, the Qur’an says: 

 

Now, verily, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein. (Surah Qaf [50], verse 16)

Contemplating verses like this shows us a God who is not oppressive and punishing but concerned for our well-being. 

He it is who shapes you in the wombs as He wills.  There is no deity save Him, the Almighty, the Truly Wise. 

(Surah Al-‘Imran, [3], verse 6) 

Contemplating the Qur’an also uncovers a multitude of connections with the Bible. Just one example will suffice: 

It was you who created my inmost self and put me together in my mother’s womb; for all these mysteries I thank you: for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works. (Ps.139.13-14)

All these verses suggest that we cannot make sense of our human lives by trying to understand ourselves as separate from God, who reveals himself through everything within us and around us. As the Bible says: ‘In Him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts, 17.28). Human beings tend to think of God in a dualistic way as if God were living in a separate realm. To consider God as an object will lead us further away from the truth for we cannot objectify God in the way we normally objectify things around us. As Fazlur Rahman says in Major Themes of the Qur’an: ‘God is not an item among other items of the universe, or just an existent among other existents’. (Rahman, 1980, p. 4)

The Qur’an itself implies that ‘God-consciousness’ is not consciousness of an object among other objects for nothing is comparable to God (Q. 112.4). The Qur’an affirms that God’s ‘throne extends over the heavens and the earth’ (Q. 2.255), but Muslim theologians have not understood such language in a literal way. God is not sitting up there in the sky watching over us. A contemplative reading of the Qur’an will gradually dispel these false images of God. A hadith (Islamic tradition) known to all Muslims invites us to worship God as if we were able to see him.

Al-ihsan . . . is that you worship God as if you could see Him and if you see Him not, (know that) He sees you.

Seeing God does not mean that we are able to see God in the way we can see an object. A contemplative reading of this text will enable us to go beyond the literal meaning of words about God seeing us and invite us into God’s presence. In other words, by engaging in contemplation, a believer moves beyond trying to see God by means of external vision and enters into the vision of the heart through faith. A contemplative reading invites us into a deepening intimacy with God.

Yet sometimes even now, as I select the passage that our Qur’an reflection group will ponder at its next meeting, I wonder whether the passage will reveal its profound wisdom and enable us to go beyond the superficial meaning of the text. The language and content of the Qur’an can seem so alien to readers with a modern, rational mindset. For example, I am bewildered by passages like this:

God is severe in punishing.  (Surah Al-‘Imran [3], verse 11)

God promises the Fire of Hell as a permanent home for the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers: this is enough for them. God rejects them and a lasting punishment awaits them. (Surah Al-Tawbah [9], verse 68) 

Similar expressions appear on many pages of the Qur’an and tempt me to leap to conclusions about the meaning of a verse even before I have devoted much time to a contemplative reading of it. My rational mind will take control and will attempt to figure out logical and conceptual difficulties in the language. However, I now know from experience that to read the Qur’an with a rational, critical frame of mind will leave the reader unmoved and dissatisfied. A contemplative reading of the Qur’an, on the contrary, can open up completely new dimensions.

In short, I would summarize the method of reading the Qur’an contemplatively as follows:

·         Form a small group of women and men, not just of men.

·         For a few minutes, listen to the Qur’an chanted in the Arabic language.

·         Read the English translation of a selected passage several times in a group, with a period of silence between each reading.

·         Listen to the words contemplatively, with the heart, rather than deriving the meaning from scholarly commentaries.

·         Allow the text to speak to one’s own situation instead of trying to imagine the circumstances in which the text was revealed.

·         Search for the meaning of the passage as a group by listening intently to what other members of the group have to say.

Challenges to Christian Muslim Relations in Pakistan

Fr James Channan OP

Pakistan  is confronted with many challenges and crises. On the one hand, there are people who are determined to promote peace, justice, human rights, reconciliation, healing, interreligious dialogue and equality for all with discrimination towards none. On the other hand, there are people and forces that are contrary to peace. They keep on promoting terrorism, extremism, fanaticism, violence, injustice, and conflicts of all sorts based on religious, ethnic, political, geographical and linguistic affiliations. We are living in very challenging times.

Historical background of Christianity in Pakistan

Since the creation of Pakistan, Christians have remained a tiny minority of 3.5 million (2%), with Muslims forming an overwhelming majority of 180 million (96%). There are 7 Catholic Dioceses and 8 Church of Pakistan (Protestant) Dioceses.

The character of Pakistan underwent a radical change with the military coup of General Muhammad Zia al-Haq in July 1977. He led Pakistan to become a strict ‚‘Islamic‘ state through a change in the Constitution. Pakistani minorities were removed from the main political stream through the apartheid system of ‘Separate Electorates’. The Separate Electorates system made Christians and all other minorities into second class citizens. Zia al-Haq was the person responsible for creating hatred and violence in the name of religion. He suppressed our basic human rights and our dignity and violated our religious freedom. He supported militancy in the country, providing weapons to militant groups. Through the efforts of minorities and constant criticism and condemnation of the system, it was finally abolished by another military dictator, General Pervez Musharraf, in 2002.

There are 4 main challenges we are confronted with. They are:

1. Different Interpretations of Islam: That is, conflicting views between different versions of Islam, which are also linked to cultural values and social norms. These impinge on  understandings of the role of minorities in an Islamic state, the implementation of  Sharia, Jihad, the  role of women in society, and so on. 

2.  Misuse of religion in conflicts: This means the use of Islam by politicians and governments for political ends, like misinterpreting the concept of Jihad – an idea that the Americans, Pakistanis and others invoked to launch the anti-Soviet jihad in Afghanistan. The Pakistani army invoked the same idea in its political objectives in Indian Kashmir, thereby inviting and inciting the people to violence and the exclusion of others. This also is at the root of Indo-Pakistan tensions.

3.  Misplaced perceptions of non-Muslims: This includes rigid, clichéd views of people from the West and followers of other faiths, such as the stereotyping of Hindus, Jews, and Christians. Another related dimension of this phenomenon is the sense of superiority among Muslims, who, because of training and teachings, consider Christians, Hindus and other non-Muslims to be lesser Pakistanis. I would also like to add the biased syllabus which is taught to children in the schools. It presents a very negative picture of Christians and Hindus. There are misrepresentations of their religious beliefs. As a result they are looked down upon.

4.  Crisis of identity: This means that people are not really sure how to prioritize their identity, i.e., whether they are Pakistanis first, Punjabis first, Balochis first, Muslims or Christians first. They have failed to live as one nation and are still divided along ethnic lines. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda-inspired ideology has added another dimension to this conflict.

Some successes in meeting these challenges

Our Christian community is very vocal, and it raises its voice against the injustice and discrimination done to it, as well as to other religious minorities that are victimized because of gender and caste. We have been playing and continue to play a very prominent role in the field of education through our schools and colleges. Christians are running two types of schools—English- medium and Urdu-medium. The English Medium schools are mainly for economically well-off Muslims and Christians. It is a great service and witness by Christians. Several heads of States and Prime Ministers, such as Ms. Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, Shaukat Aziz and Yousaf Raza Gillani, and Presidents such as General Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari have been educated in our Christian schools and colleges. Several other top officials are the former students of Christian educational institutions.

The Christian community is a pioneer in promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue. This has been going on since the birth of Pakistan in 1947 at different levels and in different forms, such as dialogue of life, dialogue of words, dialogue of deeds, dialogue of religious experience and dialogue among intellectuals. An official dialogue commission known as “National Commission for Christian Muslim Dialogue” (Rabita Commission) was established in 1985 by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, with Bishop John Joseph as its first Chairperson and myself as Executive Secretary. Such dialogue commissions were also established at the diocesan level as well.

Some Dialogue Initiatives

Christian Study Center, Rawalpindi

This center was established around 1967 by the Protestant Churches, with the exclusive aim of promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue. The CSC is ecumenical in nature. It organizes seminars, workshops and conferences on peace building, education, human rights and Christian-Muslim dialogue. It also publishes a magazine called “Al-Mushir” (The Councilor), with articles on peace and harmony between Christians and Muslims. The CSC has been carrying on this work very successfully.

Dominican Peace Center, Lahore

This center is another very important institution which is playing a significant role in spite of all the difficulties we are confronted with. A couple of Dominican friars are active in Christian-Muslim dialogue, and they are well known both nationally and internationally for promoting peace and interfaith dialogue. The climax of this Dominican apostolate was manifested in the building of a ‘Peace Center’ in Lahore, which was inaugurated and blessed on the 28^th of November, 2010 by His Eminence, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican.

On that grace-filled occasion, many notable Christian personalities were in attendance: the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Adolfo Titu Yllana, the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan, Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha, President, Catholic Bishops Conference Pakistan, Bishop Andrew Francis, Chairman, National Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism, Bishop Rufin Anthony, Bishop of Islamabad/Rawalpindi Diocese, Bishop Alexander John Malik from the Church of Pakistan (Protestant) and Fr Abid Habib, OFM Cap. President of the Major Religious Superiors Leadership Conference. From the Muslim side, there was Maulana Adbul Khabir Azad, Grand Imam of the second largest mosque in Pakistan, Badshahi Mosque in Lahore (this mosque is so large that 100,000 people can offer prayers at a time), along with several other dignitaries. It was a manifestation of how important this apostolate is and how people of good will, both Christians and Muslims, are taking the challenge of Christian Muslim dialogue very seriously.

From the beginning, it was my dream to build such a center, and it gave me immense joy to see this dream become a reality. With myself as Director, we regularly organize meetings, seminars and conferences. The Center has already earned a good reputation at both the national and international levels. In this Peace Center, we organize and celebrate International Days, such as the International Day of Peace, International Women’s Day, the International Day of Rural Women, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, World Interfaith Harmony Week, and International Labor Day. Festivals of Christians and Muslims, such as Christmas and Eid al-Fitr, are jointly celebrated. We publish a quarterly magazine called Umang. The launching ceremony for new publications is also arranged here. This includes three of my books: the English “Christian Muslim Dialogue in Pakistan”, and two Urdu books entitled “Pakistan Main Masihi Muslim Mukalama” (Christian Muslim Dialogue in Pakistan) and “Muhabat Ka Rasta” (Path of Love).

We have also established a library which offers a good range of books on different topics, both Christian and Islamic. The ‘Nostra Aetate Foundation’ from the Vatican has sent books to the Center on Christian teachings on mysticism and commentaries and encyclicals. We hope to further enhance the activities of our Peace Center with programs to promote peace, dialogue and harmony. We plan to further build our library into a good resource for all who want to do research on peace, capacity building, peace education, peace building and Catholic social teachings.

United Religions Initiative (URI)

The URI is another organization working to promote interfaith dialogue, harmony, justice and peace. URI is an international organization operating in 82 countries. There are 43 URI CCs (Cooperation Circles) in Pakistan. They try their best to build a culture of peace, healing and reconciliation. URI is a registered NGO with the UN, and its representative there, Ms. Monica Willard, is the UN President of the Religious NGOs. The Regional Office of the URI is at located at the Peace Center in Lahore. “The purpose of the United Religions Initiative is to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.”

To further enhance this important work of Christian-Muslim dialogue, two Muslim scholars - Mr. Sohail Ahmed Raza, Director of Interfaith Relations at Minhaj al-Quran International and Dr. Muhammad Zaman, Professor at Forman Christian College (Chartered University) in Lahore, were sent to Rome after receiving a Vatican scholarship from the Nostra Aetate Foundation to study Christianity at various universities, such as at Pontifical Gregoriana University, St Thomas Aquinas University (Angelicum) and the Pontifical Institute of Islamic Studies and Arabic Language (PISAI). Mr. Sohail successfully completed his studies this year in June and came back as a transformed person. He is contributing immensely in promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue. Prof. Muhammad Zaman is studying in Rome right now and will complete his studies in June and return to Pakistan.

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The Church of Pakistan Bishops (Protestant) are also vigorously promoting justice, peace, religious freedom and dialogue among religions. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik, Bishop of Lahore diocese, and The Rt. Rev. Samuel Robert Azriah, Bishop of the Raiwind diocese and Moderator of the Church of Pakistan, have established interreligious dialogue along with justice and peace committees. They are ardent promoters of ecumenical dialogue. The Catholic Church and other Churches also observe the Week of Christian Unity from 18 to 25 January every year. Several seminars, conferences and prayer services are conducted to observe this week of Christian unity in a befitting manner.

It is worth mentioning that our Muslim brothers and sisters are also very much in favor of dialogue among religions and cultures. Several dialogue organizations have been established by Muslims, such as Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, Hafiz Zubair Ahmed Zaheer, Maulana Javed Akbar Saqi, Allama Zubair Abid, Hafiz  Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Asharafi, Pir Shafat Rasool Noori, and Mualana Hafeez Jalandhry. This is a good omen. These religious leaders have organized and participated in many interfaith conferences, both in Pakistan and around the world. They are ardent promoters of human rights, religious freedom, interfaith dialogue and respect for all. Very often they appear on TV to ease tensions which arise among Christians and Muslims, and between Hindus and Muslims.

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The Christian community is playing an important role in politics, although further improvements could be hoped for. I would like to mention our pride and hero Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti. He was an international personality, a well recognized and respected political leader, a human rights activist, and a promoter of justice, equality, peace, religious freedom, interfaith dialogue and ecumenism. As Federal Minister of Religious Minorities, he was able to convince the government to approve 4 seats for minorities in the Senate, declare the 11^th of August as Minorities Day, and establish a 5 % minority quota in the federal services. He also played a leading role in abolishing the apartheid system of Separate Electorates. He was vocal in criticizing the misuse of the controversial blasphemy laws. He was assassinated by militants on the 2^nd of March, 2011 in Islamabad. I am sure his sacrifice will always be remembered with much admiration. I hope and pray that one day he will be declared a saint and a martyr by the Catholic Church.

Mr. Akram Masih Gill has served as State Minister in the Ministry of National Harmony. The Ministry’s purpose is to promote harmony, peace and dialogue among people of different religions and especially among Christians and Muslims. Mr. Paul Bhatti has served as the Advisor to the Prime Minister for this National Harmony Ministry. He is also making efforts on behalf of peace and interfaith dialogue.

The Ministry of National Harmony organized several conferences under the leadership of Akram Masih Gill and Paul Bhatti. One of the most significant of these was the National Conference on the theme of “Living Together with Diversity: Inter-faith and Inter-Cultural Dialogue” (20^th of February, 2013) in which His Excellency, Raja Pervaiz Asharaf, Prime Minister of Pakistan, was the Chief Guest. I was honored to speak on behalf of Christians at this conference, where I highlighted and emphasized the need for interfaith harmony, justice, equal rights for all and human dignity. After two days, National Harmony ran another National Conference on the 22^nd of February on the same topic, and His Excellency, Asif Alif Zardari, the President of Pakistan was the Chief Guest. After these conferences, the ‘Islamabad Declaration’ was issued.

As Chief Guest, Prime Minister Ashraf highly appreciated the efforts in organizing this conference. He said that interfaith harmony and peace are imperative needs in Pakistan. All religions preach a message of peace, love and respect for the rights of the other. No religion preaches the killing of others. This message was also preached by the mystics, and the people liked that very much. There is only a small number of people who have rejected this message of love, peace and harmony. No religion gives me the right to force upon others my will, and to do what I want. The Prime Minister said we must follow our own religions, and we must not force our religious philosophy on others. Let us respect each other’s religions. This is the need of our time. If we do not do it today, then when will we do it? We want to live in peace and reach out for dialogue with our neighbors. Let us take this message to every home, that our religions do not teach us to hate one another. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and all other religions teach and preach a message of love. We must learn to live in peace with the rest of the world. There should never be wars among religions or wars among civilizations.

In his inaugural speech, Dr. Paul Bhatti said that we are all one as a nation and we totally reject all forms of intolerance, hatred and violence done in the name of religion. Our country has become a symbol of terrorism in the world. All of us must work to promote interfaith dialogue and harmony. Mr. Akram Masih Gill, State Minister, emphasized that our government has established this ministry to create a culture of peace.

I was also invited to give a speech on behalf of the Christian community in Pakistan. I emphasized that dialogue among religions is our greatest need in these times. Religious leaders have an important role to play in promoting interreligious dialogue and peace. We must use every forum for this purpose and, in particular, religious leaders must promote this message in places of worship, such as mosques, churches and temples.

During the round table discussion after the break, the following points emerged as very strong recommendations from the “Pakistan Interfaith and Harmony Conference” to the Government of Pakistan. This conference came up with the “Islamabad Declaration”, based on the sharing and suggestions of several Muslim, Christian and Hindu leaders, which included the following:

1.  Establish an Interfaith Dialogue Council in which prominent personalities of all religions will be represented.

2.  Special chapters must be part of the education curricula in the schools, covering interreligious dialogue and fundamental teachings on peace, love, tolerance and reconciliation with other religions (e.g. Christianity, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and others).

3.  The government must take appropriate measures to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws. More than 1.200 persons (men, women and children) have been accused and booked under these laws (295 B and 295 C) to settle personal scores or land disputes.

4.  The electronic and print media need to give more coverage to interfaith dialogue and peace programs in the country.

5.  The root causes of terrorism, violence and intolerance must be tackled to make Pakistan an abode of peace and harmony.

6.  The government of Pakistan must take steps to take the message of interfaith harmony and peace to the grassroots level, forming dialogue groups at district and local levels.

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There are many challenges that we are faced with. Such is the situation in which we have to play an important role for the betterment of society, and such is our role as a minority. That in itself is a thing of beauty – we are called to be the “salt of the earth and light of the world.” (cf. Matt.5.13-14). We must never lose our salt and light. We no doubt will have to present the face of the suffering Christ. Our Church is a suffering Church in Pakistan. Persecution of Christians is not something new for us. Christianity has been facing such persecution right from its birth. But suffering is not the end. Our model is Jesus Christ, who suffered, died and rose on the third day. Our sufferings are the same. They do not lead to disappointment or defeat. They lead us to victory. What is required from us is to remain faithful and bear these hardships with courage, determination and commitment. Christ is our model.

May Peace Prevail On Earth!

May Peace Prevail in Pakistan!

Shi'a-Christian Tabletalk

C.T.R. Hewer

In the summer of 2012, a senior Shi'a alim contacted me with a view to working towards a new development in Shi'a-Christian dialogue.  What emerged from our conversation was a new model that we called Tabletalk.  The name derives from one limitation that we set ourselves: the dialogue should be limited to ten people, the number that could sit around one table and engage in a free-flowing conversation.  There were to be five members from each faith community, and the two convenors, the alim and me, should call together each group comprised of people who had various specialisms in the theological sciences and who share a common interest in and exposure to living as a faith community in the West.  Our field of operation was to be applied theology and the members were to have a concern for pastoral issues that touch on the dynamic of Christian-Muslim relations and the relationship of those communities to the secular multifaith society in which we live.  This can be exemplified by the membership of the Christian group: a Catholic theologian who teaches courses on Christian-Muslim relations in a university setting, an Anglican priest who specialised in early Christian doctrine and combines this with being a tutor in systematic and pastoral theology in a theological college, a Methodist minister with decades of experience of working in inner city, multifaith and multicultural settings, another Anglican priest with a specialization in political theology in a Christian-Muslim context who teaches in a theological college half-time and works as a parish priest in Muslim-majority parishes, and me with a background in Christian theology and Islamic studies and some thirty years of engagement in practical inter-faith studies and relations.  Similarly, the Muslims combined academic teaching and research with community engagement and pastoral support.

Three modalities of operation are worthy of note.  The members of Tabletalk were asked to give a commitment to meet each year for five years to give continuity of membership and avoid having constantly to go over the first steps in understanding and to allow relationships of trust to build up.  There were to be no formal papers read at our meetings but rather an extended briefing paper should be prepared by both groups and circulated to all members well in advance.  The meetings, over two full days, comprised four four-hour sessions, each devoted to a particular aspect of our chosen theme and each introduced by a ten-minute impulse by a member from each group; thereafter, the discussion was to flow freely based on the preparation that each member had done on the topics before coming to the meeting.  Our conversations were recorded (with access limited to the two convenors and the recordings ultimately destroyed) and a Report on the topic was to be produced and agreed by all members based on these recordings, briefing papers, impulse notes and any other material thought appropriate by the members as a whole.  The purpose of this Report was to enable other Christians and Muslims to explore the topic based on our work so as to inform their thoughts and conversations with a view to facilitating their own dialogue.  The Report should not be thought of as a document giving answers but rather identifying and unpacking key questions.

The first meeting of Tabletalk took place in February 2013 on the general theme of Freedom of speech and its limitations.  Each of the four working sessions began with a reading from the Qur'an and the New Testament apposite to the particular topic under discussion and a time of silent and vocalised prayer led by a member from each group.  Appropriate spaces were left in the programme for both groups to engage in their canonical prayers; the Christians joining the Muslims for one canonical prayer each day and holding the other as a Christian prayer-service to which the Muslims were invited.

In addition to the closed working sessions, three evening programmes were included in the overall meeting.  On the first, the two groups met for general introductions and conversation about their particular areas of work.  On the second, an open dinner was held with wider invitations and conversations were initiated on a theological topic for general discussion: in 2013, this topic was The quality of mercy in the Qur'an and the New Testament.  On the third evening, the Islamic centre in which we met held their weekly Thought Forum in which a topic is aired in an across-the-room discussion; the members of Tabletalk attended and shared their thoughts on the Tabletalk theme with the attendees, who numbered about sixty mainly Muslim women and men.

General assessments of our first meeting were overwhelmingly positive.  Members felt that there was nowhere to hide in meetings, neither behind lengthy academic papers nor in the anonymity of a large gathering.  Discussion flowed around the table without the need of direction from someone presiding.  In the Christian group, in addition to their theological training, three members had read philosophy and one each law and literature; in the Muslim group likewise there was additional expertise in philosophy, sociology, politics and mysticism; this made for a high level of shared intellectual ground, which pushed the dialogue forward.  The presence of a couple of people who had studied both traditions meant that any potential confusion over terminology or underlying concepts could be noted and clarified.  Three of the ten members were women, who combined their academic input with some of the most far-reaching pastoral exposure and thus grounded the discussions with their own authority.  Although Britain was the locus of the meeting, members brought with them experience from many countries, including: Canada, France, India, Iran, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia, the USA, and Zambia.  

MY EXPERIENCE IN EGYPT

Bimal Kerketta SJ

I landed in Egypt in August 02, 2002. Everything was new. I had to start from zero. Within a few days, I began an intensive classical Arabic language course in a language institute. The course was for the beginners and to my surprise, alphabets were not introduced to us. We had to look into it by ourselves. We were led to formulation of words without having any earlier background. The paradox was, I had to learn classical Arabic, but I was talking in colloquial Arabic, and on top of that the Community language was French. This was the first time I was listening French and Arabic simultaneously. A daunting task!

Learning the Arabic language is a long process. It has one of the richest vocabulary and a rather intricate grammar. It is a flowery, almost poetic language, able to present things in a creative way. Besides, there is Egyptian Arabic, Lebanese Arabic and Syrian Arabic………Being familiar with these has been very helpful as these countries are a part of the Near East Jesuit Society Province.

Egyptians are proud of their language. They are ever ready to help and encourage a non-Egyptian in learning their language. Facing these challenges with patience and persistence has been rewarding. Somehow, mere physical appearance and accent of my Arabic language make many of them judge, saying that I'm from Sudan. The word "Sudan" doesn't refer to colour alone but to one who is less equal in Egypt. I can understand how difficult it is for a real Sudanese who is mocked, ridiculed and looked down in the streets of Egypt just because he/she is a black! Hence, my response has always been, "I wish, I were a Sudanese to feel equal with black people."

Muslims are about 90% of the total population of Egypt. The other 10% are Christians, the majority of them being Coptic Orthodox. Cairo is called the city of minarets. On July 21, 2010, a daily Arabic newspaper called 'Al Ahram', in its weekly edition stated that in Cairo alone, there are more than 45,000 mosques and in the whole of Egypt, more than 70,000 mosques. After the Arab revolution, this number has rapidly increased. What strikes me most is how people, almost the whole country, pause to pray five times a day, after which they continue their works and duties. Initially, it seemed like a needless disruption of work. But I soon realized how much work and prayer are a part of one harmonious reality for the people here.

When in contact, many Egyptians are inquisitive and like to know all about you and your country. Once the ice is broken, which is very soon, conversation can go on and on. Yet, an Indian, who is not a Muslim but a Catholic priest, is beyond comprehension for many. My work has been mainly of service to one and all. I enjoy working among all. Through my work in the school and Jesuit Social Centre, I'm able to meet people from all walks of lives. Since I'm considered a black, I'm a wonder to many. There are questions every day, often the repeated ones. At times Egyptians wonder how one can leave one’s motherland and would work among them.

Over the years, occasional violence against Christians has surfaced but the most recent attacks on August 14, 2013 were the worst in years. I would call it a BLACK DAY for Christians in Egypt. Early morning, a minutely planned attack began by Islamists groups on Government establishments, police stations, Christian churches, their houses, shops, all properties and establishments, etc, all over Egypt. It is said that all over Egypt 58 churches were damaged, looted or torched down completely. In El Minia Governorate where I'm posted for the last three years, saw the highest number of churches and Christian properties destroyed.

In all ups and downs, I'm able to find signs of hope. I'm able to see more clearly than ever before the love and appreciation of people towards us, what we do, and what we stand for. Many friends, both Muslims and Christians, have been standing by our side – supporting us, defending us, and encouraging us to continue our services. These events remind us that our services are required even more than ever before.

Let the prayers of all Muslims and Christians people be heard by Allah, the most High and Almighty.

Hindu, Sikh and Christian Visitors at Ajmer Dargah

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

In Islam, the prime objective of visiting a grave is to do Tafakkur (spiritual contemplation) thinking of the death of the person in the grave and praying for the atonement of his sins, if any. However, if the person in the grave is someone who attained close relationship with God by virtue of his righteousness such as prophets (Ambiya), their companions (Sahaba) and other beloved friends of God (Auliya), a great deal of bliss and benefits are expected from visiting their shrines.

      

The friends of God or Auliya-e-Keram are also known as Sufi saints. It is a common knowledge that Sufi orders have deep roots in the Indian sub-continent. A great number of Sufi Salasil (orders) mainly Chishtiyya, Naqshbandiyya, Quadriya and Suhrawardiyya emerged in India as harbingers of peace, love, social amity, communal harmony and interfaith synergy. Among them, the Chishti order has been the most influential and predominant and is still more popular in big cities as well as small villages of the Indian states. Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, widely known as Hazrat Gharib Nawaz, was the pioneer of this order in India. Born in 536 A.H./1141 CE (in Sistan, a region of East Persia) Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti came to India in 1193 A.D. Soon after he travelled to India, reportedly after he saw a dream in which the Prophet Muhammad PBUH recommended him to do so, he chose Ajmer (Rajasthan) as his permanent abode. Since then, Ajmer has been a famed Indian city and a great place of spiritual attraction, pilgrimage and tourism. 

In Ajmer, Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti formed his Khanqah (Sufi seminary) to reach out to the larger communities of the country, regardless of faith and creed, and offered selfless welfare services to them. Thus, he attracted a huge following from among non-Muslim residents of the city who, impressed by the nobility of his spirit, held him in high esteem. Epitomising the old-age harmonious Sufi traditions, he embraced the concept of Sulh-e-Kul (peace for all) to foster mutual love and compassion between Muslims and non-Muslims of India. It shows that Islam spread in India with these humanitarian efforts of holy Sufi saints, not with the present day extremist ideology of religious coercion and forced conversion propounded by Wahabis and other fanatic strains of Islamism.  Of all Sufi orders which flourished in India, the Chisti cult gained much momentum establishing its centers all across the country and attracting an unprecedented number of non-Muslim devotees particularly from among Hindus and Sikhs. For many of them, the shrine of Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti is an abode of spiritual solace as well as a destination of interfaith harmony.

All this was just hearsay to me until I myself visited the Dargah-e-Khwaja (Khawaja ‘shrine) recently on an especial occasion celebrated in every Islamic month of Muharram. On reaching there, I was overwhelmed by inner peace and spiritual solace and pleasantly surprised to see devotees from all faiths flock to the shrine and roam altogether in and around the city of Ajmer. Along with Muslims, a large crowd of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Jains were walking shoulder to shoulder to get blessings from the tomb of the Sufi saint and enter the Jannati Darwaza (heavenly door) which was opened for the devotees on the occasion. This beautiful scene at Ajmer that goes on daily from early morning till late night is a sheer delight for everyone who hopes to see India’s dream of interfaith harmony come true. The most impacting sight for me was that there were some Sufi lovers who were constantly on the lookout for any poor left hungry or any needy depressed for want of money. More importantly, they believed their Namaz (Islamic prayer) would not be acceptable to God unless they satiate the hunger and other needs of the poor in their neighbourhood. A great number of people particularly from Muslim, Hindu and Sikh faiths were seen generously contributing to the arrangement of Langar, a Sufi tradition to give food and money to the poor on a daily basis.

Mss Harvinder Kaur reflects on her deep association with the shrine

Since I came across people from different faiths at the shrine, I took it as a grand opportunity to know about the visitors’ perspectives on interfaith harmony with special reference to the Indian scenario. Speaking in Punjabi-accented English, a frequent lady visitor of the shrine and a principal of a convent English school at her town in Ludhiana, Punjab, Mss Harvinder Kaur reflects on her deep association with the shrine. She says, “I have been an avid devotee of Hazrat Khwaja right from my childhood days, and was extremely delighted when I first visited the shrine 20 years ago. Since then, I regularly take 2-3 trips to Ajmer every year, especially when I feel inner spark to get the blessing of Khwaja’s Darshan or Ziyarat (visit to the shrine).”

Her story of falling in spiritual love with Khwaja Gharib Nawaz is quite different from many others. During her childhood days, she narrates; she was often blessed with the Ziyarat (sight) of Khwaja in her dreams and, therefore, she would feel like visiting his shrine while waking up. “After I had the blessing of his Ziyarat, I greatly wondered, being a Sikh, if I should offer pilgrimage to the shrine of a Muslim Sufi saint.  She said, “I was particularly worried about the people of my community who did not seem comfortable with this idea. Nevertheless, inspired by my exuberantly increasing love for the saint, one day I set out for Ajmer and fulfilled my long-cherished wish”, she added.

Initially, Kaur had to fight stiff opposition from both her family and community to the extent that she was socially boycotted and denied from preaching the Sufi doctrines she believed in. However, she avers, “Sufis’ message of human affinity and brotherhood is infinite and boundless and, therefore, it spread in my family as well as locality soon after my Sikh husband helped me disseminate it by organizing Urs (spiritual programs on the Sufi teachings). Thank God, our Urs gradually became a big spiritual event in our locality with a huge following. Now, not only all my family members but also a lot many of my community brethren and sisters regularly attend the Urs of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz and the Fatiha ceremony of Ghaus ul Azam Abdul Quadir Jilani (Gyarahween Shareef) held annually at our town.”  Last but not the least, she says in well-spirited words: “I can say with full conviction that all these Sufis are just agents and intercessors to help us draw closer to the one and only God.”

Getting to see a regular Hindu visitor, Mr. Vikas Khanna, a Delhi-based telecom software engineer, was a great surprise to me. He drove his car all the way from Gurgaon (a metro city adjacent to Delhi) to Ajmer only for the attainment of the shrine’s blessings. Accompanied by his wife, he was clad in Kurta pyjama with a skull cap (a cultural Muslim dress in India) wearing a Tika (a Hindu religious mark worn on the forehead). He does frequent tours to Ajmer shrine to build his cultural bonds with Muslims, he says. To his view, visiting Sufi shrines should not be associated with a particular religion; rather it should be treated as an uplifting experience of cultural and social affinity. “Although I don’t understand the meaning of even a single Quranic verse being recited in Namaz (Islamic prayers), but listening to an Imam reciting the Quran melodiously at the shrine’s mosque is a very soothing and soul-searching exercise which I do whenever I turn up here”, he says.

 Protestant Christian research scholar  Mr. Jacob

Luckily, I came across a Protestant Christian research scholar  Mr. Jacob accompanied by Mr. Ajmal Chishti, a well-known Khadim (custodian) at the Dargah, who hails from Germany and is presently living in Mumbai for the accomplishment of his research related to the historic past of India. Deeply influenced by the Sufis’ approach of God-consciousness, he is an avid reader of Sufi prose and poems. Considering himself as an Indian national, as he has been living in India for one and half year, he takes great pride in associating with the old-age Sufi spiritual heritage of the country. He says, “Although my country, Germany, embraces people from all faiths as well as their different places of worship, I have never come across such a great example of religious inclusiveness, social integration and tolerance as seen in the Sufi shrines of India.”

Talking about the history of social integration in his own country, Germany, he says, “A hundred years ago, it was almost impossible to see marriages happen between Catholics and Protestants, but social values have changed a great deal in Germany and now even I have a sister married to a Muslim guy from Iran.”  A great number of Muslims in Germany, he elaborates, emigrated mainly from Turkey and Iran in the 70s and 80s and continue to live in complete peace and harmony with their non-Muslim counterparts. Citing an example of Turkish-origin German Muslims’ efforts to foster social integration and religious harmony, he said that “recently over a thousand mosques welcomed a hundred thousand non-Muslim visitors, mostly Christians, in an annual event celebrating the social integration of Germany's four million Muslims”.

We do see Islamophobia growing in Germany after 9/ 11, Jacob admits, but fears are of Islamists’ extremism and fundamentalism not of the true version of Islam. “Unfortunately, the second- and third-generations of Muslims in Germany are likely to fall prey to the orthodox Islam that poses great threat to the norms of German inclusive culture and its Grundgesetz (basic law for the Federal Republic of Germany)”, he warns.

Adding his observations to this serious point raised by the German scholar, Mr. Ajmal Chishti, a Khadim (custodian) at the Dargah remarked, “This orthodox and extremist interpretation of Islam is completely alien to the traditional Sufi Islam. Sufism, particularly Chishti order, embraces the spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness in both its precepts and practices”. “This is precisely why Sufis, especially Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz succeeded in the wide dissemination of true Islam, especially in South Asia, making it the second biggest religion in the world,” he added.

Indeed, it is a pressing need of the time to revive and rejuvenate the message of universal love and brotherhood, national unity, communal harmony, inclusiveness and tolerance exemplified by the glorious life and lofty teachings of Sufi saints like the chief of the Indian Sufis, Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz

Can a Muslim and a Christian Pray Together?

Victor Edwin SJ

Introduction

This is an important question that one has to deal with in his or her mission of Christian/Muslim relations. In the pluralistic world, one cannot completely avoid any level of participation in the worship of the Other. The immediate danger that many Catholic theologians apprehend in such participation is the danger of syncretism. This question becomes theologically nuanced when it has to deal with Christians and Muslims praying together. This article suggests that it is not only possible that Christians and Muslims can pray to one God together, but also, that the aforesaid praying together is essential and should be encouraged.

Christians and Muslims Believe in one God

Christians and Muslims should recognize that, first of all, they worship but one God. They address their prayers to one God in whom both Christians and Muslims place their faith and commit themselves to bend their own wills to the will of the one and the only God. Pope Paul VI affirmed that Muslims are true adorers of the one one God when he wrote: "Then to adorers of God[,] according to the conception of monotheism, the Muslim religion[,] especially, [is] deserving of our admiration for all that is true and good in its . . . [its] worship of God" (Ecclesiam Suam 106).

The recognition of differences is an expression of mutual respect.

Nevertheless, one should not forget the considerable differences between the Christian and Muslim confession of God's unity. The unity of God as a common element between Christians and Muslims needs to be approached carefully for, when Christians talk about God, they talk about one who, "is known and worshiped as Father, Son and Spirit." Muslims do not accept this Trinitarian understanding of God. Accordingly, the fundamental differences in their understanding of the Godhead should be recognized for the recognition of differences is an expression of mutual respect.

Christians and Muslims Pray to the Living God

If one relativizes differences, then the significance of the concept of difference will be undervalued. However, differences do not do away with the meaning that one can experience in depth in the encountering of one another. Christians should be aware that Muslim prayer is directed towards the living God, and that the Islamic faith has raised, over the centuries, true worshipers of the one God. Christians must also realize that the God of Muslims is not an idol, not a creature, not a lofty idea, but the God in whom Christians also believe.

We Stand Before one God

The faith of Christians and Muslims in one God, and prayer to that one God, allow for an encounter in faith, standing before God in a real way. This standing together helps Christians and Muslims in that it is God who is binding them together, and the encounter between them is God's gift. This encounter helps Christians and Muslims to live their profound differences in mutual respect. When Christians and Muslims seek to live their relationship with God in such a conscientious way, they are together with their differences, and, thus, they become brothers and sisters. Pope John Paul II stresses this in his address to Muslims in the Philippines when he told them: "I deliberately added you as brothers . . . [for] that is certainly what we are, . . . members of the same family, whose efforts, whether people realize it or not, tend toward God and the truth that comes from him. But we are especially brothers in God, who created us and whom we are trying to reach, in our own ways, through faith, prayer and worship, through the keeping of his law and through submission to his designs."

 Conclusion

Every authentic prayer binds Christians and Muslims. Such prayer guides them toward living in peace. The spiritual efforts of Muslim brothers and sisters do not leave the hearts of their Christian brothers and sisters unmoved since they stand together before one God. Furthermore, every authentic prayer is under the influence of the Spirit of God who constantly intercedes for humanity (Romans 8:26-27). Christians and Muslims standing together and praying authentically according to their traditions are moving toward living together in peace. One should not hinder a Christian who is exploring with Muslims the togetherness in prayer. And, conversely, one should not impede a Muslim who is exploring this self-same togetherness in prayer with Christians.

(The author acknowledges several fruitful discussions that he has had with Professor Christian W. Troll, S.J., a renowned Catholic theologian with regard to matters of Islam and Christian/Muslim relations.)