Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 November 1999 — Page 17
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^FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8,1999
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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER
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^America.” Fard Muhammad was the teacher of Elijah Muhammad 'during the early 1930s. Imam ^Michael Saahir, Imam David 'Shaheed and his wife Brenda 'also attended the conference in Rome. The interreligious assembly Svas a product of the Second V&m (3«: Pope J<ton PAul II observed, “As far as the field ‘of religious awareness is concerned, the eve of the year 2000 will provide a great opportunity, especially in view of the events of recent decades, for interreligious dialogue, in accordance with the specific guidelines set ’down by the Second Vatican ’Council in its Declaration Nostra Aetate on the relationship of the 'church to non-Christian religions.” t The final day of the assembly drew a crowd of more than '100,000. Thousands of lighted candles were raised in the pleasant night air to symbolize solidarity, arid peace. 11 '“ft Wk$ &ich ah overwhelming experience,” Brenda Shaheed ‘noted. “To be in the company of ‘ so many people of different religions coming together in Amity for the sake of peace and oneness of God was very inspiring.” The following day Imam .‘Mohammed was asked, “What was ft like for you personally to [ speak in front of the Holy " Father?” Imam Mohammed said, ! “Well, I’m a man that, I humble 1 myself before God. I’m constantly aware of my smallness, jrtn iftit Uncomfortable with ^anybody.” Imam W. Deen Muhammad delivered the following testiAnony at the Vatican to Pope *John Paul II and a crowd of ^more than 100,000 gathered at ^St. Peter’s Square in Vatican .thy. . J ‘ “WftH Allah’s mime the" y?t 1*> ".rf t ' i ; ‘ ? ‘ ’ Jl - *• .u /VJk... . v V ■ •{ j ■ ' n >•
IMAM Continued from B1 ful Redeemer. Vatican interreligious gathering, we dearly regard this invitation. Servants of G-d from the heavenly faith communities of the world. We are joining one another here at'the Vatican in Rome with His Holiness John Paul II because Muslims, Christians and Jews, and others share basic values and a believe in a virtuous life that wants justice and peace for all. “Growth in population, modem transportation and modem media make for circumstances that put us in one global picture. Television will occasionally put the great religious societies in the living room, of its viewers. We cannot but look for opportunities for religions to meet and by sincere discussion come to a better knowledge of each other. “We thank Allah for this occasion for leaders from the great religions to meet here in this holy city of the Catholics hosted by His Holiness John Paul II, their leader, who has our delegation among his Muslim well-wishers and ferverit admirers. “I have devoted my life to building bridges. Inclusion was in my heart. I believe I wanted that, and I think my father conditioned me to want that. That is, not to be separated, but to be with all good people. I wholeheartedly accept and embrace with you the idea of unity, mutual sharing and love for one another. We have to condition
of revival. Revival of the true life that G-d put into the human souls when He created the first person. A new world of faith community all over the world is on the rise. “G-d is one. His creation is one whole. There is one universal law for all matter, for all material things, and everything is related. G-d has made things different - human beings too - because G-d wants unity to progress. The diversity is to provide the unity with legs, with wheels, with movement for more progress. Gd says He had made us humanly different by color, by nationality, to encourage us to walk together and get acquainted with each other to have peace and unity. “We thank His Holiness John Paul II for making this opportunity possible. As the Imam and representative fora large number of Muslim Americans we greet this multi-religious gathering with Peace!, (As-) Salaam Alaikum. With peace and with brotherly love. We ask that divine favor be upon all the participants and on this holy place. Ameen (Amen). Peace!” In addition to the testimony given by Imam Mohammed, four other testimonies were delivered during the ceremony. Presenting them were John Brian Pearce, the Grand Bretagna Directory of the United Kingdom; Grand Rabbi Rene’ Samuel Sirat from Europe; Ysha Mehta of India, a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi; and Augustine Tiydze of the Cameroon,
Africa.
John Welch and Millie Komro
ourselves to be at peace.
“G-d has given us the require- of the Catholic based Focolare
ments that we have to meet for a life of fafth in Him 1 .'And when we meet these conditions we do have peace. There are many convincing signs everywhere. Those with open eyes, beliefs and faith will see them and hear them - will hear the sounds
Movement, both from Indianapolis were also at the Rome assem-
bly. The Focolare Movement is led by Chiara Lubich, the foundress. Chiara Lubich and
Imam Mohammed have worked
together since 1997 building interfaith relationships between
everywhere that goodnesses oi^ ^ ^h^stians and Muslims.
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