<p>Islam recognizes a plurality of religions and asks Muslims to respect other religions. The primary role of interfaith dialogue is to remove misunderstanding and accept difference, the aim being to generate a climate of peaceful coexistence and harmonious social relations. And this is perhaps more needed today than ever before, as mankind is increasingly called upon to exercise tolerance in a markedly volatile world, where living and working together in diversity is fast becoming the norm. Interfaith dialogue is by no means easy, defensive reaction; uncomfortable exchange and an overwhelming desire to avoid a perceived compromise of deeply held principles are some of the pitfalls that can easily cool commitment and the best of endeavors. It is here that this Guide makes an important contribution. The book is designed to guide Muslims who are interested and/or involved in building relations with those of the Jewish and Christian faiths.</p>

Interfaith Dialogue: A Guide For Muslims

Muhammad Shafiq

Mohammed Abu-Nimer

International Institute of Islamic Thought

Interfaith Dialogue: A Guide for Muslims

International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)

<p>Nowhere are the stakes of sectarian conflict as high as in the Middle East, and nowhere is the practice of interfaith dialogue (IFD) more fraught with difficulty. The questions, then, naturally arise: What sort of person tries something as audacious as interfaith dialogue in such a polarized climate? And what do they hope to gain? The answers to both questions are surprisingly diverse. The authors, after briefly introducing IFD’s central concepts and terms, its various models, and the nature of IFD in a Middle Eastern context, go on to discuss the intricate relationships between interfaith activities and religious identity, nationalism, violence, and peacemaking in four very different settings: Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. But they have gone beyond mere reportage and analysis, interviewing the whole cross-section of local IFD workers: not only clerics and “dialoguing” professionals, but also Palestinian housewives, Maronite civic leaders, Israeli schoolteachers, Coptic storekeepers―laypersons who are often more eloquent than any scholar at expressing the realities, hopes, and frustrations of IFD within their home countries. Liberally quoting these frontline workers, the authors take on the perennial dilemma faced by IFD proponents: avoid politics and risk irrelevance, or take up the political questions and risk “politicizing” the dialogue, with all the disruptive effects this implies. Above all, this important book demonstrates the desire for interfaith dialogue in these polarized societies, and the extent to which, against strong odds, religious communities are connecting with each other.</p>

Unity in Diversity: Interfaith Dialogue in the Middle East

History

Amal I. Khoury

and Emily Welty

Middle East

United States Institute of Peace Press

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Books by Mohammed Abu-Nimer