SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church highlighted convergence among Muslims and Christians and hailed Hajj pilgrimage in both religions.
Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue met with Hujjat-ol-Islam Seyyed Ali Ghazi Askar, Representative of the Supreme Leader in Hajj Affairs to discuss the importance of Muslim Christian unity and Hajj pilgrim in Islam and Christianity, reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).
The French Pontiff in this meeting referred to the necessity of Hajj in view of Pope as the highest Christian religious leader saying, “The spiritual pilgrim of Hajj has many blessings according to both in Islam and Christianity.“
He called the true believers as the asset for each society and demanded Muslims and Christians to move towards God, adding, “These talks should not be limited to (religious hubs) like Qom or Vatican rather they have to be sowed deep into societies.”
Christian figure demanded for more cooperation between Christianity-Islam leaders in social aspects so that the people will witness and understand the friendly relations.
Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church rejected the global negative image of the Muslims and Islam and hailed the friendly behavior of Sultan Sokoto, Nigerian Muslim leader, with the Christians and denounced the unknown sects who fan the fire between Muslims and Christians in this country.
“This is our duty to guide the people towards the right path because hostile measures of the seditionists would leave their impact on the interreligious dialogues between Muslims and Christians,” Cardinal Tauran said.
He also hailed the unique ideologies of Shi’ism and stressed, “A human life is much respected in view of Shi’ism and we think the happiness of Muslims and Christians would not be possible without the confluence among followers of these religions.”
Hujjat-ol-Islam Ghazi Askar quoted Qur’anic verses on Christians as the kindest people to Islamic society and called the difference between ideological and belief theories with the realities in society as the biggest contemporary issue.
Iranian cleric referred to the fatwa by the Supreme Leader banning the desecration of sanctities in other religions and denominations and praised the peace and friendship in Shia worldview.
He underscored numerous common axes between Islam and Christianity saying that these commonalities can be quite effective in the present world where moral values are fading away. —www.shafaqna.com
