A milestone for Christian-Muslim harmony

Aug 30, 2024

JAKARTA: Muslim leaders in Indonesia believe that Pope Francis’ visit will be a significant milestone in building mutual trust between Muslims and Christians, enhancing harmony in the world’s largest Muslimmajority country.

One such scholar is Budhy Munawar Rachman, who says he has personal reasons for admiring the leader of the world’s estimated 1.2 billion Catholics. The Pope is scheduled to visit Indonesia from September 2-6 as part of his four-nation tour of Asia and the Pacific, which also includes Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. “The Pope’s messages are relevant to all humanity, including Muslims,” Rachman told UCA News. He is particularly impressed with two papal documents: Laudato Si’, the 2015 encyclical on environmental stewardship, and Fratelli Tutti, the 2020 encyclical on humanism and human relations.

The 61-year-old director of the Center for Religion and Philosophy at the Jakartabased Paramadina University said the two documents demand study for a deeper understanding of environmental crises and human relations.

“I am taking special classes to study these documents in depth, such as those initiated by the Laudato Si’ Movement,” said Rachman, a strong advocate of interfaith dialogue. He noted that Laudato Si’ addresses not only the ecological crisis but also “a more fundamental issue — the social crisis — that must be a global concern today.”

Fratelli Tutti, he added, holds particular significance for Muslims, as it was released following Pope Francis’ historic 2018 meeting with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Muhammad Ahmad Al- Tayyib.

The meeting resulted in the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, also known as the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which emphasises “a culture of mutual respect” that enables different faiths to coexist peacefully.

“This is highly symbolic, reflecting an effort to initiate a joint movement to address challenges in religious life, similar to those faced in Indonesia,” Rachman said.

He further noted, “The visit holds significant theological importance for Muslim- Catholic relations, as the Pope is visiting the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. This visit will encourage Muslims to pay greater attention to the issues the Pope prioritises.”

A key moment of the visit will be his meeting with religious leaders on Sept 5 at the Istiqlal Mosque — Southeast Asia’s largest mosque — located across from Jakarta’s Catholic cathedral.

Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, who met Pope Francis at the Vatican in June 2022, stated that the papal visit will underscore the harmonious and peaceful interfaith relations in Indonesia.

In a recent statement, Qoumas, who extended the official invitation to the Pope, remarked, “Pope Francis’ visit can inspire all parties by demonstrating that every religion teaches compassion.” He praised the pontiff as a “symbol of friendship and interfaith dialogue.”

Qoumas also acknowledged the rising intolerance in various regions of the country, which he noted challenges religious harmony. To address this, he has supported policies to better protect minorities, an area that had previously been overlooked. One such policy includes granting permits for the construction of places of worship.

Syafiq A. Mughni from Muhammadiyah believes the papal visit is set to become a milestone for “building mutual trust” between Muslims and Catholics.

“We acknowledge that mutual suspicion exists among faith groups worldwide and within our own country,” he said. Mughni emphasised that this distrust extends beyond religion to include political, economic, social, and cultural issues.

“We should view the Pope’s visit as an opportunity to foster a common understanding and address these challenges together,” he added. He suggested that religious communities need to bridge gaps, such as those between rich and poor countries and address global injustices.

The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, mentioned that he has prepared a manuscript on humanity to present to the Pope, hoping to sign it together. He expressed admiration for Pope Francis, noting that “the issues the Pope champions are universal and comprehensive.”

Umar explained that the mission of Istiqlal aligns with these values, focusing on humanity, spirituality, and civilisation.

Rachman added that the world now requires significant collaboration between religious leaders to address global conflicts. He noted that, similar to the Catholic Church’s Laudato Si’, Indonesian Muslim scholars released a similar environmental document, Al Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth, in February.

He hopes the Pope’s visit will elevate interfaith relations, fostering collaboration to tackle global social issues, with the Pope serving as a catalyst for this effort. --ucanews.com