The role of interreligious dialogue in conflicts resolution and peace-building stands out as fundamental in the discussion on the challenges, opportunities, and prospects of the triad “religion, peace, and security” in the MENA region. In the first place, let’s focus on the main requirements for a genuine exchange between different faiths. What is interreligious dialogue about?
The Essentials of Interreligious Dialogue
Interreligious dialogue inspires us to work together on the basis of shared moral, ethical, and spiritual values, with a view to shaping a culture of peace and harmony through our respective religious traditions. Interreligious dialogue calls for the acceptance of the religious “other” and the acknowledgement of the other’s intrinsic worth, beyond the mere recognition of the other’s theological right to exist (as professed by all the Abrahamic faiths). This equally implies recognition of the legitimacy of the other’s truth, though it may not be our own. In addition, the requisite qualities and attitudes of those engaged in interreligious dialogue are: firmness of one’s religious convictions, readiness to understand people of other religious traditions, humility, comprehension, patience, and respect. Triumphalism, which assumes the primacy of one’s own values and the right to decide for others, has no place in interreligious dialogue.
As for the key challenges that confront interreligious dialogue nowadays, we can include:
– To avoid distortions and negative comparisons, conversion attempts, settling of rigid coexistence patterns, revenge, defensive and confrontational stances;
– To ensure that violent and terrorist acts are referred to as what they actually are, without justifying them by religion as such;
– To focus on family upbringing of children based on the acceptance of the other and cultivating affection, good behaviour, and forgiveness, not for a limited time, but constantly;
– To concentrate on the call of the religious scriptures and doctrines to peace and respect for the followers of different religions;
– To insist on good citizenship and equality among all, regardless of religion, ethnicity, and gender;
– To further the role of religions in the development processes and in addressing the social root-causes of conflicts and extremism;
– To resolve conflicts by peaceful methods and good treatment of the other.
To meet these challenges, there is the need of a substantive new dialogue between the Abrahamic religions, centred on an appeal to our shared heritage. In the tradition of Judaism, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary”. In the tradition of Christianity, ” All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets”. And in the tradition of Islam, “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself”.
These are quotations from the Talmud, Matthew’s Gospel, and the Sunnah. The Holy Books go to great lengths to ensure co-existence between the three confessions. Yet, appeals to Abraham have still not conciliated pleas around the “holy land or holy city” or between faiths, as highlighted by Kenneth Cragg in his remarkable piece on the jewels of Jerusalem.
The “Amman Message”
The Middle East is less diverse that at any point in its millennia old history. Arab Christians were the custodians of the Arabic language during a long period of decline. They helped pioneer the “Arab Awakening” of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century. Their numbers have dropped from 25 percent of the population to less than 5 percent over the past decade.
The region keeps being affected by unresolved conflicts and crises. During the civil war in Syria, and the rise of the ISIS threat across the Syrian-Iraqi borders, Jordan provided a safe haven for both Muslims and Christians. The protection of religious communities is an Islamic duty, and Jordan acted also consistently with its official policies to promote the authentic Islamic message, based on three major initiatives: “Amman Message” (2004); “A Common Word between Us and You” (2007); “World Interfaith Harmony Week” (2010).
In particular, the “Amman Message” exemplifies interreligious dialogue as an instrument for a culture of peace. It was launched by HM King Abdullah II as a detailed statement declaring what Islam is and what it is not, and what actions represent it and what actions do not. It sought to expound a vision characterized by flexibility and openness based on Islam in terms of the values of tolerance, mutual respect, and humanism.
Its goal was to clarify to the contemporary world the “true nature of Islam”. The message was aimed not only at non-Muslims, but also at Muslims themselves, many of whom – especially the young – are confused about their own religion and what it entails.
The drafting process of the document relied upon the advice and wisdom of 24 of the most senior, recognized and influential scholars and authorities from around the globe representing all the branches of Islam, schools of jurisprudence, schools of thought and religious orientations, including: the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s traditionally most respected authority; the foremost Shiite Ayatollas of Iraq and Iran; Yemen’s Zaydi Maraji; the Ibadhi Grand Mufti of Oman; and the Grand Muftis and Supreme Fatwa Councils of the major Islamic countries.
Based on the decrees (fatāwā) provided by these great figures, on 4-6 July 2005 HM King Abdullah II convened in Amman an international conference of approximately 200 leading Islamic scholars from 50 countries, which resulted in the unanimous adoption of the “Amman Message”.
The “Amman Message” calls all Muslims to cast aside their disagreements and unify their words and stances in advocating for fairness, moderation, mutual forgiveness, compassion, and dialogue within the Islamic fold and outside. Reminding that establishing good relations with other religions is the essence of Islam and its teachings, the “Amman Message” states: “The source of relations between Muslims and others is peace; for there is no fighting [permitted]when there is no aggression. Even then, [it must be done with]benevolence, justice, and virtue: God does not prevent you, as regards those who do not fight you in religion’s [cause], nor drive you from your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them”.
Moreover, the “Amman Message” elaborated on the declaration of apostasy to counter the misleading interpretations of radical and extremist groups, which caused repeated injustices, human rights violations, and violence, even to the point of killing Muslims and non-Muslims alike, for not adhering to wicked, and certainly un-Islamic, views. In the “Amman Message”, declaring a person an apostate has thus been stated as impermissible, while the blood, honour, and property of both Muslims and non-Muslims are inviolable.
As a blueprint for advancing peace and security in the wider Mediterranean area, the “Amman Message” was promoted among youths, imams, academics, civil society and media representatives in Jordan, but also among stakeholders in other MENA countries (Egypt, Lebanon) as well as in Europe (Italy, Greece, Croatia, UK, Germany, Denmark). This wide program of advocacy for the “Amman Message” was held under the umbrella of “The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies” (RIIFS), established by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan in 1994.
Since its inception, through trainings, workshops, seminars, outreach programs and other activities, RIIFS has been in charge of raising awareness about the relevance of interreligious dialogue in Jordan and the whole MENA region, establishing ties and cooperation with key organizations, institutions, and individuals, also internationally. The promotion of the “Amman Message” continues to lie at the core of the RIIFS mission and vision.
The Military Iftaa’ Directorate
Another major component of Jordan’s approach in addressing the triad “religion, peace, and security” is the Military Iftaa’ Directorate, established by King Abdullah I in 1944. Throughout its long history, the Military Iftaa’ Directorate has been playing a fundamental role in countering the spread of extremist ideologies and promoting a spirit of tolerance, moderation, dialogue and harmony between religions.
The “Prince El Hassan College for Islamic Sciences” is the centre that administers the training and qualifying for the Military Iftaa’ Directorate, so that the Directorate can effectively implement its mission and vision in spreading the spirit of true Islam and the “Amman Message”, whether among the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) and abroad.
On a national level, the Military Iftaa’ Directorate is engaged in providing training courses, lectures, and cultural initiatives to Jordanian officers on the content of the “Amman Message”, awareness against radicalism, and addressing violent-extremism, issuing master’s and other study degrees, such as those offered by the Directorate’s “Military Center to Counter Extremism and Terrorism”.
Furthermore, the Military Iftaa’ Directorate organizes similar activities with counterparts in other Arab and non-Arab countries. As for cooperation with NATO, a Jordanian officer from the Military Iftaa’ Directorate has been one of the members of the international team of experts who contributed to draft NATO’s Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum (CTRC), published in May 2020. In particular, Capt. Dr. Akram Fraihat shared the Jordanian knowledge and expertise on the development of the skills and the capacities needed to meet the challenges and threats related to countering terrorism.
Interreligious Dialogue in the MENA Region: The Way Forward
Interreligious dialogue is an invaluable asset to advance conflicts resolution and peace-building in the MENA region. To enhance its role from a long-term perspective, new efforts need to be undertaken in the educational field at the school and university level, to actively engage the new generation in developing and cultivating positive and constructive relations between different religions. Interfaith programs should be included in the curriculum since the earliest grades, as a way to enable the students to learn more about each other’s faith and develop a better understanding of the complexity of religious beliefs and worldviews, thus preventing the phenomena of stereotyping and prejudice against “the other” on religious grounds.
To become efficient, productive, and responsible citizens, the creators of sustainable future societies, the youth need learn to acknowledge diversities in cultures and beliefs, while critical thinking needs to be fostered among them as both a religious and an educational duty, with the aim of counteracting the indoctrination to extremist ideologies, which thrive on the manipulation of religious scriptures and doctrines. Education to interreligious dialogue should increasingly target the media, focusing especially on the positive use of social networks to create spaces for the encounter and collaboration between people belonging to different denominations.
It is also necessary to achieve a greater involvement of non-faith-based actors in interreligious dialogue initiatives, including the civilian and military sectors, as a way to benefit from the partnership and cooperation between all stakeholders in crafting a value-based society, anchored on the respect for life, human dignity, justice, pluralism, strong community links, human labour and works as a source of self-actualization and self-fulfilment, not just the power that fuels economic and social development.
In this context, the “Amman Message” and its directions constitute a unique platform to further moderation and fruitful interreligious relations, leading to enhanced peace, security, and stability in the wider Mediterranean area. The promotion of interfaith programs that draw inspiration from the “Amman Message” is therefore of strategic interest for the international community, particularly for the Euro-Atlantic countries, which are called to step up their support to the efforts being undertaken in the MENA region to address the triad “religion, peace, and security”, and create sustainable future societies.
Proceedings of the Study Seminar
Opening Session
A Strategic Perspective on “Religion, Peace, and Security”
First Session
Introduction
Dr. Elie Al Hindy: “Interreligious Dialogue: Three Levels of Engagement for Peace and Security”
Dr. Majeda Omar: “The Amman Message and Other Insights from Jordan”
Round-Table Discussion
Second Session
Introduction
Prof. Aicha Haddou: Preventing Extremism: The Moroccan “Experience”
Imam Yahya Pallavicini: Policies and Initiatives Against the Radical Discourse in the MENA Region
Round-Table Discussion
Third Session
Introduction
Dr. Elie Abouaoun: “Food for Thought” On How to Foster Peace and Reconciliation in the MENA Region
Hon. Pascale Warda: Sectarianism and the Predicament of Religious Minorities in Iraq
Round-Table Discussion
See also
“Religion, Peace, and Security: Challenges and Prosepcts in the MENA Region”
