|
Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.
It first of all gives me great pleasure to
congratulate the people of Palestine, and
Muslims throughout the world, on the great news
that Jerusalem has been designated as the Arab
Capital of Culture for the year 2009. I was very
pleased to be in Damascus last year when that
city held the title. Unfortunately, because the
blessed Mosque of Al-Aqsa and the lands around
it are under occupation, it is not likely that I
will be partaking in the celebrations in
Jerusalem itself. However, the people of
Palestine will be suffering in an even worse
way: they will be denied access to their
heritage and the land of their birth. However,
Muslims never despair. Allah is in control of
all things and He, Almighty, will work His
purpose out when the time is right, inshallah.
In the meantime, I encourage you all to support
the people of Palestine as they celebrate this
great event.
I was delighted to be both in the UK and the USA
for tours recently. These were both a great
success and it was a privilege to be amongst
such strong communities of faith in both
countries. I will always maintain that this is
the century of Islam in the West and that
Muslims there have so much to teach the rest of
the Muslim world, even those living in the Arab
lands. You can see and read about these tours by
going to Photo Gallery. Let me know what you
think.
One of the great privileges of these tours is
that I get to meet people of other faiths. In
the UK I met both the Archbishop of Canterbury’s
Canon for Inter-Religious Affairs at Lambeth
Palace, and I met His Eminence Archbishop
Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, leader
of the Greek Orthodox Community there. That
meeting reminded me of my privileged meeting
with the Patriarch in Istanbul. In the USA was
able to meet representatives of both the United
Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church in the
USA, as well as Rev Dr Richard Kiddorman,
General Secretary of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ of the USA. Who said that
Islam is not comfortable with other faiths? Of
course it is.
Inshallah, we are thinking about another tour in
the USA and a tour in Malaysia.
Finally, the last book in the Ask About Islam
series, Talking About Other Faiths, is now
available. In the meantime, you can read a Book
Review of Talking to Muslims in the West by
clicking here Please keep in touch with your
ideas and comments. Please remember me in your
prayers.
|
