Sheikh Mostafa
The bridges of peace and understanding between religions have existed and continue to exist. And what we see today from division and animosity often has several reasons and we will speak about some of them.
- Ignoring the similarities and focusing on the differences. One of the most important similarities between us which unites us is the love of God and the desire to reach Him. While in most societies we have focused on the shell and have abandoned this goal for which we were created.
O followers of the book; come to an equitable proposition between us and you that we shall not serve any but God …
And we have in a religious narration: “Is religion anything but Love?” and another narration: “Make being with you beloved to me”.
- Ignorance about others’ beliefs and judging without any deep understanding or knowledge. And some of the useful solutions for this problem are:
- Reading about other religions objectively and with openness.
- Invitations between religious groups to have workshops and lecturesabout each other to bring about understanding.
- Continuous relationship and meetings between religious leaders in orderto have friendly discussions.
- Not allowing people who are not suitable to represent religions. Today we find many representing religions while they have in fact nothing to do with these religions and they only represent their ignorant understanding of these religions. Some of the solutions for this great problem are:
- Being united all together in occasion when anyone, anywhere in theworld, faces injustice, condemning such injustice. And I emphasize anywhere in the world and not only in the developed countries. About caring for all humanity, Imam Ali says: “People are one of two groups, either a brother in religion or an equal in creation.”
- Making use of good occasions in the media to spread the moderate wayof thinking, which is the true one.
- Humility in theory and in practice.
The basis of worship is humility in front of the creator and one of the greatest physical manifestations of humility is prostration. God wants us to be humble for his best of creations, his prophets and their successors. And after them, be humble to the parents and here there is a story from Imam Sadiq, one of the grandsons of prophet Mohammad.
A student of the Imam came to him asking about how to treat his Christian mother, while he was Muslim himself. The Imam told him that he should treat her in the best way possible to treat anyone.
And then we have Prophet Jesus’ story and how he used to wash the feet of his disciples, which is a great example of humility.
And Prophet Mohammad teaches us humility when he asks his followers to be humble in front of the elderly and the children, the mother and the father, the wife and the husband, the poor more than the rich…
Therefore, we must learn how be humble in front of each other and one of the best examples of humility is accepting others and wanting the best for them both in action and from the depth of our hearts.
May God grant us the sweetness of His love and the beauty of speaking to Him.
Thank you
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