Իսլամներու հետ կապ

Intervention of Mons. Mounged EL-HACHEM, Titular Archbishop of Darn, Apostolic Nuncio (LEBANON), “IN SCRIPTIS”

The Koran contains verses which prescribe tolerance, especially with regard to Christians. The first Caliphs and provincial leaders appealed to Christians to help them in governing. But it is primarily in the domains of culture and medical care that Christians held the top posts.
Relationships deteriorated with the Crusades and especially under the Mameluke regime. At the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, the Arab world and Muslims faced enormous difficulties: countries in Northern Africa had been colonized by France, the Arab language had nearly disappeared, the Turkish empire had begun to become the “sick man”. Numerous Christian intellectuals, in particular the Lebanese and Syrian, emigrated to Egypt and there brought about a rebirth of Arab language and culture.
Today, particularly since September 11, 2001, the Muslim world faces great challenges, despite its wealth, especially its immense oil and gas reserves.
Let us recall some of them:-Its difficult relationships with the West, especially with Europe and the United States of America
-Its political regimes: military dictatorships and hereditary monarchies
-Absence of democracy, of freedoms (of opinion, expression, association, religion...)
-Respect for human rights, according to the signing of the Treaty of 1948
-The status of women and their equality with men
-Tension between Sunnis and Shiites
-Wars and conflicts: Palestine, Iraq, Yemen,...
-Confusion between Spiritual and Temporal, Religion and State
Numerous Christians and associations work on Islamic-Christian dialogue, beginning with the Islamic Section in the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Some practical suggestions for concrete collaboration:
1. Encourage accurate knowledge, even elementary, on one side as well as the other: “man is the enemy of what he ignores”. This teaching must be done at all levels: from elementary school up through university.
2. Create academic manuals which provide accurate teachings of both religions.
3. Encourage mixed schools, and exchanges between Christian and Muslim schools; this is being done more and more in Lebanon
4.Organize joint camps where young Muslims and Christians can live together.
5.Carry out social, charitable, and humanitarian activities together.
It is desirable that religious leaders of the same country take initiatives which encourage collaboration between the faithful of both religions; in Lebanon, for example, The National Committee for Islamic-Christian dialogue, instituted by the leaders of the six most important religious communities, is achieving noteworthy results. The government has created two shared books of history and civic education for all students. These must reach the masses and not be limited solely to the elite.
This dialogue of life is an implementation of the theme of this Synod: “Communion and Witness”.

[00198-02.05] [IS005] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Flavien Joseph MELKI, Titular Bishop of Dara of the Syrians, Curia Bishop of Antioch of the Syrians (LEBANON), “IN SCRIPTIS”

Paragraph 25 of the Instrumentum laboris calls on the Middle Eastern Christians to put everything into practice, together with the moderate and illuminated Muslims, to be able to establish in the Islamic States, where they live, a “positive Laicity” which would guarantee equality for all citizens, recognizing the beneficial role of religions. This reform of the political and theocratic regime of our country “would make the promotion of a healthy democracy easier”.
These propositions, as hoped for and legitimate as they may be, is there any possibility of them being put into practice? Is it even thinkable that the Arabic countries of the Middle East, where fundamentalism is becoming more entrenched, will accept in the near future abandoning their theocratic regimes founded on the Koran and the Sharia, which constitute flagrant discrimination towards non-Muslims? To me this seems to be in the domain of utopia, for the centuries to come.
Apart from Lebanon, Middle Eastern Christians, who number about 15,000,000, have been for the past 14 centuries, submitted to forms of multiple persecution, massacres, discrimination, taxation and humiliation. Even today, in the third millennium, we watch powerless, with a wounded heart, the trials of our brothers in Iraq and their massive exodus.
Must we wait for the disappearance of Christians in the Middle East to raise our voices and speak up with force, liberty, equality and justice for these religious minorities threatened in their very existence? Will the civilized world remain indifferent towards their extinction?
We must act quickly to reform the Islamic regimes. Middle Eastern Christians by themselves cannot achieve this goal. They must be helped by the Universal Church and the democratic nations.
1 - The Holy See could intervene in this with the countries with which they have diplomatic relations.
2 - European countries, the United States and the countries that respect human rights should put pressure on all levels on the regimes who infringe the inalienable rights of the human being, to lead them to reform their laws, inspired by the Islamic Sharia, that treat religious minorities like second-class citizens.
And why not ask the international tribunals to plead the cause of Christians, victims of discrimination, and demand that Islamic countries treat their Christian subjects, following the example of the European states, who give Muslim minorities, who have become citizens, the same rights as the original inhabitants.
In mobilizing international opinion this way, Christians would have reasons to hope and find their dignity as citizens once again, which would induce them to stay.
We must constantly claim our damaged rights and our unrecognized dignity and act unceasingly to resolve this abnormal situation following the Word of Christ: “Ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened”. Or again, following the example of the poor widow in the Gospel, without any defense, who through insisting finally obtained justice from an iniquitous judge, without faith and without heart,

[00196-02.03] [IS004] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Raboula Antoine BEYLOUNI, Titular Archbishop of Mardin of the Syrians, Curia Bishop of Antioch of the Syrians (LEBANON), “IN SCRIPTIS”

For several years in Lebanon we have had a national committee for Islamic-Christian dialogue. There was also an episcopal commission from the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon entrusted with Islamic-Christian dialogue. It was recently suppressed to give more importance to the other committee, also because because it had not produced any results.
Sometimes dialogue occurs here and there, in the Arab countries, such as in Qatar, where the Emir himself invites, at his expense, personalities from different countries and from the three religions: Christian, Muslim and Jewish. In Lebanon the Télélumiere and Noursat networks, and other television networks, sometimes broadcast programs on Islamic-Christian dialogue. Often a topic is chosen, and each side explains or interprets according to their religion. These programs are usually very instructive.
With my intervention, I wished to draw attention on the points that make these encounters difficult and often ineffective. It should be clear that we are not discussing dogma. But even the subjects of a practical and social order are difficult to discuss when the Koran or the Sunna discusses them. Here are some difficulties which we have faced:
- The Koran inculcates in the Muslim pride in being the only true and complete religion, taught by the greatest prophet, because he was the last one. The Muslim is part of the privileged nation, and speaks the language of God, the language of Paradise, the Arabic language. This is why, he comes to dialogue with a sense of superiority, and with the certitude of being victorious.
The Koran, supposedly written by God Himself, from beginning to end, gives the same value to all that is written: dogma that supercedes all law or practice.
In the Koran, men and women are not equal, not even in marriage itself where the man takes several wives and can divorce at his pleasure; nor in the heritage where man takes double; nor in the testifying before judges where the voice of one man is equal to the voice of two women, etc...
The Koran allows the Muslim to hide the truth from the Christian, and to speak and act contrary to how he thinks and believes.
In the Koran, there are contradictory verses which annul others, which gives the Muslim the possibility of using one or the other to his advantage, and therefore he can tell the Christian that he is humble and pious and believes in God, just as he can treat him as impious, apostate and idolatrous.
The Koran gives the Muslim the right to judge Christians and to kill them for the Jihad (the holy war). It commands the imposition of religion through force, with the sword. The history of invasions bears witness to this. This is why the Muslims do not recognize religious freedom, for themselves or for others. And it isn’t surprising to see all the Arab countries and Muslims refusing the whole of the “Human Rights” instituted by the United Nations.
Faced with all these interdictions and other similar attitudes should one suppress dialogue? Of course not. But the themes that can be discussed should be chosen carefully, and capable and well-trained Christians chosen as well, as well as those who are courageous and pious, wise and prudent... who tell the truth with clarity and conviction...
We sometimes deplore certain dialogues on TV, where the Christian speaker isn’t up to the task, and does not give the Christian religion all its beauty and spirituality, which scandalizes the viewers. Worse yet, when sometimes there are clergyman speakers who, in dialogue to win over Muslims call Mohammed the prophet and add the Muslim invocation, known and constantly repeated: “Salla lahou alayhi was sallam”.
Finally I would like to suggest the following:
Like the Koran spoke well of the Virgin Mary, insisting on her perpetual virginity and miraculous and unique conception in giving us Christ; just as Muslims take her greatly into consideration and ask for her intercession, we should turn to her for all dialogue and all encounters with the Muslims. Being the Mother of us all, she will guide us in our relations with the Muslims to show them the true face of Her Son Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind.
If it pleased God that the Feast of the Annunciation was declared a national feast day in Lebanon for Christians and Muslims, may it also become a national feast day in other Arab countries.

[00194-02.03] [IS003] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Joseph KALLAS, Archbishop of Beirut and Jbeil of the Greek-Melkites (LEBANON)

The Christians of the Middle East have had a different fate from all other Christians in the world: never having had their own state, but belonging to their own linguistic families, they were always insecure because of persecution and oppression. Conditioned by the shock and supremacy of Islam, they found how to adapt to Muslim power and to contribute with it to the construction of Civilization. Under more or less oppressive laws of segregation for centuries, and sometimes living at the margin of their circle, they delved into their own spiritual theology as well as their human culture, becoming the interpreters of the Greeks for the Arabs, and by developing the sciences of astronomy, medicine and mathematics, etc...
This Christians in living the faith, and clinging to “know him and the power of his resurrection” (Phil 3:10), were caught up, despite themselves, in the battle of wits between theologians. Day by day, we discover that they are of the same faith as the Catholics and have always followed their pastors, successors of the Apostles. They should not be classed among the extremist theological currents, factors of heresy or schisms.
They are all united by faith lived in the action of every day, in the hope of salvation and fidelity to Christ. It is in this that they are united, and merit entering in the same communion. Their division is, in my opinion, a problem for institutional jurisdiction. We cannot apply the dogmatic or canonical rigor of the West to them, but rather the pastoral economy of Saint Paul.

[00141-02.04] [IN100] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Card. Jean-Louis TAURAN, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue (VATICAN CITY)

The Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops represents a chance and a challenge!
A chance, because it should lead to better understanding:
- that the unresolved conflicts in the region are not caused by religious reasons, testifying to this is the presence among us of representatives of Judaism and of Islam;
- the urgency for a three-way reflection (Jews, Christians and Muslims) on the place of religions in the Middle Eastern societies.
A challenge, to supply to Middle Eastern Christians concrete orientations:
- let us not be shy in reclaiming not only freedom of worship, but also religious freedom: society and State should neither fore a person to act against their conscience, nor hinder them from acting according to their conscience

- invest more in schools and universities followed by Christians and Muslims: they are indispensable laboratories of co-existence.
- Let us ask ourselves if we are doing enough, on the level of local Churches to encourage our Christians to stay: housing, tuition, healthcare. We cannot expect everything from others...
A suggestion
The promotion of Arab-Christian literature could play a role in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims, especially in its cultural dimension (no. 96), we should at least teach this in our schools, in parallel with Arabic literature.

[00159-02.02] [IN105] [Original text: French]

Intervention of H. Exc. Armash NALBANDIAN, Bishop of Damascus, Primate (SYRIA)

1. Emigration.
We, the Christian churches, are suffering from a big problem concerning the emigration of our faithful believers. That is not because of the political or economical reasons or circumstances in the countries in which we live, even though there are many difficulties of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and the war in Iraq or political instability in Lebanon and in other Middle Eastern countries. The major cause for emigration is oftentimes the plan of western or international politics, when it ignores the existence of Christians in the Middle East and in the Holy land, and when they name our countries as terrorist countries or societies. An Islamic country does not automatically mean a terrorist country.
2. Dialogue with Islam.
Every day we witness our Christian faith, when we are forced to clarify the spirit of the message of the Gospel, the message of love, peace, tolerance etc, in non Christian countries, because of international politics, that intend to declare nearly every Middle Eastern country as a radical Islamic and terrorist country. Interreligious dialogue often needs big efforts to find a common path with our Muslim brothers and sisters and to accept and respect, that Islam also contains the principals of love, peace, solidarity and the witness of a merciful God, the almighty Creator. We can only expect from the churches in the West to raise their voice or put efforts against the politicians and those who intend to use religion to justify the war of economical and political interests. The moral authority of the church has its own weight and value on the international political decisions.
3. Ecumenical dimension.
A very healthy, vivid and good ecumenical relationship exists among the churches of various confessions in the Middle East. We are very hopeful that the Special Assembly for the Bishops of Middle East will offer us new opportunities to find new ways for ecumenical dialogue, cooperation and witness of the message of the Gospel. But we feel a burden when we read in Lineamenta in paragraph (9) the statement "In the wake of these divisions and separations, periodic attempts were made to re-establish the unity of the Body of Christ. This ecumenical effort gave rise to the Eastern Catholic Churches". Our Churches exist in countries which have been the cradle of Christianity. They are the living guardians of our Christian origin. These lands have been blessed by the presence of Christ himself and the first generations of Christians. We have to accept the historical facts but let us not call it "ecumenical efforts".
We hope throughout this Special Assembly for the Bishops of Middle East a reorganization of the Catholic churches and refreshment of the witness of faith will take place. But the mission and so the existence of the catholic churches can be or must be understood only in ecumenical communion and unity with the other churches in the region. (38)

[00146-02.02] [DF002] [Original text: English]

Intervention of H. Em. Mar Gregoios Yohanna IBRAHIM, Metropolitan of Alep (SYRIA)

First of all His Eminence Gregorios presented the greetings from His Beatitude the Patriarch to His Holiness Benedict XVI, and expressed his wish that the Synod should have a successful outcome. He then touched on three important topics, namely:
1. The emigration of Christians from the Middle East, which he defined as a fatal illness, saying that up to now this topic had not received enough attention; the proof of this is that massive emigration continues everywhere. The number of Christians is dropping every day and in order for this illness to be treated and suitable solutions found to bring this phenomenon to an end a special conference is required.
2. As regards the ecumenical journey, His Beatitude put forward a new suggestion to His Holiness the Pope, namely separating communion from authority. In this way the whole Church enters into a single communion and unity in faith goes back to being what it was before the era of the divisions.
3. As regards relationships with the Muslims, His Beatitude affirmed that the most dangerous enemy Christians and Muslims have to face is ignorance, which is what often dominates religious discussion, creating tensions, instability and conflict between Christians and Muslims. He suggested that the Christian Church promote enlightened thought and entrust itself to moderates.
In conclusion, he made the following suggestions:
1. Even if this topic has already been dealt with by other Synodal Fathers at this assembly, this is the time and place to draw it to your attention and then to proceed from a rapid study and translate it into reality: this is a general request of all the Christians of the Middle East, that is, finding a solution to unify the date of the Feast of Easter. Christians are waiting impatiently to see their unity represented by this symbol. So will it be this venerable Synod that takes the decision to unify the Feast of Easter? His Beatitude the Patriarch Gregorios Laham has announced it on various occasions, in fact he came close to realizing this dream of all the Churches of the Middle East on unifying the date of Easter. This could be the first step towards the longed-for Christian unity.

2. Our Churches are rooted in persecution and we in the East are the children of martyrs. We must not forget the martyrs of the 20th and 19th centuries, the victims of inhuman massacres, or what we Syriacs call Sifo. My proposal is that Your Holiness adopt the idea of a single feast for the Christian martyrs universally and that requires no more than the consensus of all the Christian Churches, so that a day may be established for the celebration of the Feast of the Martyrs everywhere. We will thus have taken another step towards Christian unity and, at the same time, we will perpetuate the memory of our holy martyrs every year.

[00147-02.02] [DF003] [Original text: Arabic]

Intervention of Prof. Marco IMPAGLIAZZO, President of the Community of Sant'Egidio (ITALY), auditor

Prof. Marco IMPAGLIAZZO, Professor of Contemporary History at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, President of the Community of Sant'Egidio (ITALY):

It is of interest to the Muslim societies that the Christian communities be enlivening and active in the Middle Eastern world. A Middle East without Christians would mean the loss of an internal presence of Arabic culture, capable of claiming the pluralism in relation to political Islam and Islamization. Without them, Islam would be more alone and fundamentalist. Christians present a form of resistance to an Islamisizing “totalitarianism”. Their permanence in the Middle East is in the general interest of the societies and of Islam.
Between Christians and the Middle East, there is a need for certainty in the future. This certainty will not come through Western protection. We saw this in the painful history of Iraq. “Certainty” comes from the recognition of the Muslim majority. Not only the recognition of rights, but also of a social and cultural consensus that expresses the will to live all together. This process requires that the Christian communities be “creative minorities”. Benedict XVI stated: “Normally, the creative minorities determine the future, and in this sense, the Catholic Church must feel like a creative minority”.
It would not be proper to say: we are very few, do not be too demanding. The Church does not exist without mission, a dimension to which she cannot renounce. The perspective of the creative minority indicates an issue: creativity. Creativity sweeps away fear. It does not come from numbers, or from political power. Creativity comes from love. It must always be evermore the imitation of Jesus. We must love even more! To be faithful to Tradition is also being creative. Not only is there a Christian past to be defended in the Middle East, but also a vision of the future in asserting, starting with the conviction that all Christians have their historical vocation there: to communicate the name of Jesus, to live it and, thus, to work to build in a creative way a civilization of co-habitation, something the whole world needs. Here lies the duty of dialogue. I speak in the name of the Community of Sant’Egidio which, since 1986, continues to realize the intuition that John Paul II had at Assisi, when he met the religious leaders and invited them to pray, next to each other, for peace, with the conviction that from religious faith great energies of peace can blossom. There is a spiritual aspect of peace, which is the end of war, but which is also the art of living together in harmony. The Middle Eastern Churches could be the artisans of a civilization of co-habitation, and example on a world level, inasmuch as they reintegrate and re-claim the high and strong sense of their mission

[00122-02.02] [UD006] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Cyrille Salim BUSTROS, Archbishop of Newton of the Greek-Melkites (USA)

Muslims repeat to those who wish to listen: “ Islam is the religion of tolerance”. And they base this slogan on the famous phrase from the Koran: “There shall be no coercion in matters of faith” (2, 256). On one hand and in principle, the assertion of tolerance is clear in the Koran. On the other hand, and in fact, the laws of all the Arab countries, except for Lebanon where one is allowed to change religion, threaten death to all Muslims who convert to another religion. We ask here: where can tolerance be found? How to reconcile tolerance as the clear principle in the Koran with the threat of death to those who dare to think about changing religion?
This law which threatens death is based, it is said, on a supposed “hadith” of the Prophet Mohammed saying: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him”.
How can we get around this? The only way, it seems to me, is dialogue with enlightened Muslims to see the need to interpret Muslim laws in their historical context, and to show that this “hadith”, either does not come from the Prophet, but from a “Khalife” who, at the time of the Muslim conquests, invented this “hadith” to protect Muslim society, or, if it comes from the Prophet, it should be interpreted in its historical context. And the principle of tolerance clearly stated in the Koran must go through all established laws which ensued for historical reasons. Today’s Muslim society has nothing to fear from the passage of some Muslims to Christianity. The first principle of all societies is the equality of all citizens before the law. The respect for the conscience of each individual is the sign of the recognition of the dignity of the human being.
The XXIst century began unfortunately by being the century of the conflict of civilizations. It is our duty, Christians and Muslims, to work together to transform it into a century of cooperation of civilizations to promote human rights and universal peace in the whole world.

[00084-02.03] [IN063] [Original text: French]

INTERVENTION OF SPECIAL GUEST, AYATOLLAH SEYED MOSTAFA MOHAGHEGH AHMADABADI (IRAN)

At 6:30 p.m. the President Delegate, H.B. Ignace Youssef III YOUNAN, gave the floor to Special Guest, Mr. Muhammad AL-SAMMAK, Political councilor for the Mufti of the Republic (LEBANON) and then to Special Guest, Ayatollah Seyed Mostafa MOHAGHEGH AHMADABADI, Professor at the Faculty of Law at "Shahid Beheshti" University, Member of the Iranian Academy of Sciences (IRAN).
We publish here the full intervention of Ayatollah MOHAGHEGH AHMADABADI:

During the past few decades, religions are faced with new conditions. The most important aspect of this is over-extended confusion of their disciples in real scenes of social life, as well as in national and international arenas. Before the Second World War, and in spite of technological developments, the followers of different religions, more or less lived in their own national boundaries. Neither the enormous problem of immigration existed nor did exist such expansion of communication that connects so many different social groups together. Neither the world had become such a “global village” that “connects” so many destinies together! But today we witness the great changes that have occurred in the past half century and that this transformation continues with an incredible pace. This not only had a qualitative effect on the rapport between religions but also affected relationships between different segments of religions and even with their own followers. Certainly no religion can stay indifferent toward this rapidly changing state.
At the end of the second millennium, multi-culturalism within societies was more or less accepted worldwide. Up until then, understanding of a multi-cultural society was much different than what we experience today. And the newly entered culture into a society could have only been accepted as "the new Culture" and not on the basis of its own merit and excellence. But today there are less and less societies and groups who would defend a monolithic cultural society. The Balkan experience proved that cultural and ethnic dominance of one group over others could not be defended while disregarding other existing groups within that society. This is an important factual necessity and not an isolated intellectual perception.
In societies where different ethnic groups with their own languages and religions have been placed, for the sake of social stability and ethic sanity, one is required to respect their presence and their rights. Concordance of interests and social welfare on national and international levels is as such that no one group or country can be disregarded. And this is the reality of our time. As described, mutual understanding between religions reflects this newly positioned status, and in the future will necessarily have to take these new conditions into consideration. All will be sharing each other's destinies. Today, this idea is being shared by many opinion leaders and gradually more and more of masses of people are siding with this reality. A prerequisite for this kind of thinking is to put aside our formal classical and conditioned viewpoint on other religions and cultures in order to be able to have a more objective vision. We have to look with understanding, respect and sympathy to other cultures.
At the same time it is undeniable that there still exist biased and reactionary viewpoints which are derived from a historically prejudiced, expansionist and supremacist political and cultural system of thinking. But I believe that in the long term, this kind of discriminatory and chauvinistic thinking is diminishing and bound to fade away.
Besides these transformations, other cultural and intellectual changes have been shaped, although mostly in the sphere of Western and industrialized world. This has brought some sort of query and doubt in the mind, even on those issues that previously seemed "inevitable". Now there seems to be an increasing desire and craving for discovering "others", other cultures and ways of lives, other philosophies and religions. This wish apart from being a curiosity is more an inner and spiritual need. This is mostly frequent among the youth and thinkers in these societies. Here the importance is that this movement will certainly affect spiritual understanding of religions of each other. But it should be noted that the major tendency today is the attention paid to Asiatic faiths, and the new religious sects that are offspring of industrialized societies with mostly spiritual basis. These groups find more and more followers every day. We should also consider what the ideal condition is for the believers and followers? How is the best situation achieved? It seems that ideal world would be the state where believers of any faith freely and without any apprehension, fear and obligation could live according to the basic principles and modes of their own customs and traditions. This right which is universally recognized should in fact be practiced by the states and communities.
Furthermore, the right of interpretation of each faith should be given to the believers of that religion, as long as this interpretation is based on scientific and basic spirit of that religion. The truth is that those believers have the better recognition and right of the interpretation of their own faith better than anyone else. It need not be mentioned that of course each faith must have its own present-day exegesis, without which it would be a hard task. No one is allowed to make an interpretation on behalf of others and decide on their behalf. Each faith has its own logic and method based upon its own requirements and its own moment in time. Any adaptation and conformity outside of this framework which is not recognized by the faithful, has no legitimacy and therefore is not effective and lasting.
This is good for the essence of each religion and their believers that disciples of each faith could practice their rights without any shame and fear and live according to their own historical heritage and culture. Stability of the world depends on the stability of the livelihood of small and large groups and societies.
This stability could only be achieved when all can live without fear and threat from others. This is the most important element in achieving an ethical and social stability and peace. This is our duty to bring about such conditions.
The rapport between Islam and Christianity, based upon inspirations and propositions of the holy Quran, since the establishment of Islam in Saudi Arabia, has been founded upon friendship, respect and mutual understanding. In the holy Quran, Jesus is referred to as the "Word of God", and believing in him has been set as a basis for believers, to the point that any doubt in his guidance has been denounced. " ..... You will find [that] the closest to the believers are those who say we are Christians that is because among them are learned priests and monks and they are not arrogant.. .. " Ma'eede Sura, ch. 82
" ... When the angels say: Oh Myriam, Allah bestows you, the glad news of the birth of a son, whose name is Jesus, illustration in this world, and shall be honored in this world .... " Al-Omran Sura, ch. 45.
It is unfortunate that during certain periods in the past 1400 years, at times because of political considerations, there have been dark moments in this relationship. But one should not relate these illegitimate acts of certain individuals and groups neither to Islam nor to Christianity. According to the teachings of the Quran, in most Islamic countries, notably Iran, as it has been stipulated also by law, Christians live side by side and in peace with their Muslim brothers. They enjoy all legal rights like other citizens and perform their religious practices freely. At the end, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the holy Father, Pope
Benedict XVI for his timely and vital remarks in the speeches in Jerusalem and in Istanbul regarding the importance of continued healthy and friendly rapport between Christians and Muslims. Such approach and manners are essential for all believers and certainly important for peace in the World.
Thank you, and may God bless you!

[00017-02.04] [NNNNN] [Original text: English]

INTERVENTION OF SPECIAL GUEST, MR MUHAMMAD AL-SAMMAK, POLITICAL COUNCILOR FOR THE MUFTI OF LEBANON

At 6:30 p.m. the President Delegate, H.B. Ignace Youssef III YOUNAN, gave the floor to Special Guest, Mr. Muhammad AL-SAMMAK, Political councilor for the Mufti of the Republic (LEBANON) and then to Special Guest, Ayatollah Seyed Mostafa MOHAGHEGH AHMADABADI, Professor at the Faculty of Law at "Shahid Beheshti" University, Member of the Iranian Academy of Sciences (IRAN).
We publish here the full intervention of Mr. AL-SAMMAK:

When I was honored with the invitation to the Special Synod for the Middle East, I asked myself two questions. The first is the following: why is this Synod consecrated to the Christians of the East? And the second: what does it mean to invite a Muslim to this Synod, what role can I play there now and in the future?
As for the first question, to try to answer it brings up many more questions.
First of all, had the situation of Eastern Christians been a good one, would we have needed to call for this Synod? And then, can this Synod ensure the serenity and confirm their roots in the land of their fathers and ancestors, in this land where the light of Christian faith arose to embrace the whole world?
Personally, as a Muslim, I truly believe it is very important for the Vatican to focus its attention on the problems of Christians in general and the Eastern Christians in particular, this East source and cradle of Christianity. At the same time, I hope that the initiative of the Saudi Arabian king Abdallah Ben Abdel Aziz in favor of interreligious and intercultural dialogue can move the Arab and Islamic attention to this cause, under all its national, religious and human dimensions, so that these two initiatives, the Vatican and the Saudi Arabian one, can complete each other towards the resolution of the problems of Christians in the East, knowing that this is one and the same Islamic-Christian issue.
As for the second question, I don’t think I was invited to this Synod to learn about the difficulties of Christians in certain Eastern states. Our suffering as Easterners is only one. We share our suffering. We live them in our social and political delays, in our economic and developmental regression, in our religious and confessional tension. However, this fact of making the Christian the target because of one’s religion, even if this is a new and accidental phenomenon for our societies, can be very dangerous; the greatest danger is that it poses the problem of reciprocity. This, in fact, is a phenomenon foreign to the East and which is, more so, in contradiction with our religious cultures and our national constitutions. Because this indicates two very serious facts:
First, an attempt to tear away at the fabric of our national societies, to break them apart and to take away the ties of their complex tissue built up and recognized over the past centuries. Then the attempt to show Islam in a different light than the one it truly reflects and in opposing what it professes and in contradiction on what it is fundamentally based upon, the knowledge of the differences between peoples as one of the signs of God in creation and as the living expression of God’s Will, as well as the acceptance of the rule of pluralism and the respect for the differences and faith in all Divine messages and in what God revealed. The Holy Koran says: “Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (for the right): They rehearse the Signs of Allah all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous.” (3:113-114).
Two negative points demonstrate the problem faced by Eastern Christians:
The first point concerns the lack of respect for the rights of fully equal citizenship when faced with the law in certain countries. The second concerns the misunderstanding of the spirit of the Islamic teachings, especially the part relative with Christians which the Holy Koran qualifies as “nearest among them in love to the believers ” and justifying this love by saying “this is because there are priests and monks among them and because they do not behave proudly”.
These two negative points, with all they entail as to negative intellectual and political content, and in all they imply as attitudes relative to the agreements and their applications and cause as worrisome and harmful actions, are bad for us all - Christians and Muslims - and offend all of us in our lives and in our common destinies. For this, we are called upon, as Christians and Muslims, to work together to transform these two negative elements into positive elements: in the first place, through the respect for the bases and rules of citizenship which accomplishes equality first in rights and then in duties. In second place, in denouncing the culture of exaggeration and extremism in its refusal of others and in its wish to have the exclusive monopoly on an ultimate truth, and in working towards the promotion and spreading a culture of moderation, of charity and of forgiveness as the respect of the differences of religion and beliefs, of language, of culture, of color and of race, and as we are taught by the Holy Koran, we put ourselves at the judgment of God about our differences. Yes, the Christians in the Middle East are being tested, but they are not the only ones.
Yes, the Christians in the Middle East in fact do need support and help, but this should not ease their emigration or turning within themselves, nor through the abandonment of national and moral duties towards them by their Muslim partners. To ease emigration, this is forcing them to emigrate. To turn in on oneself, is to slowly suffocate. To Abandon the right to defend the rights of others for a free and dignified life, is to diminish the other’s humanity and abandon the constants of faith.
The Eastern Christian presence, which works and acts with Muslims, is a Christian as well as an Islamic need. This is a need not only for the East, but also for the entire world. The danger represented by the erosion of this presence on the qualitative and quantitative levels is a Christian as well as an Islamic concern, not only for Eastern Muslims, but for all Muslims all over the world. Furthermore, I can live my Islam with all other Muslims from all states and from all ethnicities, but as a Middle Eastern Arab, I cannot live my being Arabic without the Middle Eastern Christian Arab. The emigration of Christians is an impoverishment of the Arabic identity, of its culture and of its authenticity.
For this reason, I underline once again here, before the stands of the Vatican, what I have already said before the stands of the venerable Mecca: I am concerned with the future of Eastern Muslims because of the emigration of Eastern Christians. To maintain the presence of Christians is a common Islamic duty as well as a common Christian duty.
The Christians of the East are not a minority by accident. They are at the origins of the presence of the East before Islam. They are an integral part of the cultural, literary and scientific formation of Islamic civilization. They are also the pioneers of modern Arabic renaissance and have safe-guarded its language, the language of the Holy Koran.
Since they were at the forefront in the liberation and return of sovereignty, today they are also at the forefront to confront and resist occupation, to defend the violated national rights, especially in Jerusalem, and in occupied Palestine in general.
Any attempt in approaching their cause without considering these true facts, rooted in our national societies, ends up in the wrong conclusions, based on the wrong judgment and lead in consequence to the wrong solutions.
Therefore, it is very important that this Synod be something more than the cry of Christian suffering which echoes in this valley of pain which is our suffering East. Hope rests upon the practical and scientific foundations the Synod may give in favor of an initiative of common Islamic-Christian cooperation that can protect Christians and watch over Islamic-Christian relations, so that the East, the place of Divine revelation, remains worthy of raising the banner of faith, charity and peace for itself and for the entire world.

[00003-02.05] [NNNNN] [Original text: Arabic]

Intervention of Mons. Elie Béchara HADDAD, Archbishop of Saïda of the Greek-Melkites (LEBANON)

The sale of Christian land in Lebanon is becoming a dangerous phenomenon. It threatens the Christian presence to the point of reducing it to a minimum in the future.
To resolve these phenomena, we propose:
- the creation of a strategy of solidarity between the Churches, sponsored by the Holy See
- Modify the discourse of the Church towards Islam, to distinguish clearly between Islam and fundamentalism. This eases our dialogue with Muslims in view of helping us to persevere in our land.
- To go from the concept of helping Middle Eastern Christians to the concept of development to root them deeper in their land and finding work for them.
Our experience in the Diocese of Saida is predominant on this level.

[00077-02.03] [IN055] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mr. Harés CHÉHAB, Secretary General of the National Committee for Islamic-Christian Dialogue (LEBANON), auditor

It is paradoxical to see that these Christians, which are a constituting part of this East, long before Islam, are presently facing a deadly dilemma, to choose between disappearance and isolation which would bring an end to their historical role and their mission.
The acuity of this problem continues to intensify to take up its whole vastness during the last decades which saw our region gradually empty itself of all its Christians, who had, however, contributed so much to the elaboration of its civilization, and were always the pioneers in the battle for its freedom, its ascent to modernity. This exodus cannot in any way be attributed to purely economic reasons, otherwise the whole region would have been depopulated, and it is obvious that discrimination, persecution in certain areas, fear in others, the lack of freedom, inequality of rights are the basis of this movement.

Any questions relative to the future of Christians in our region lead us to lean towards a certain number of questions that are closely linked, to begin with inter-religious Dialogue, where is it now and what are its horizons, what the relationship between Religion and State is, or in other words, between the spiritual and the temporal, laity, freedom, extremism, fundamentalism, terrorism, so many aspects that are equally covered by the media.
Unfortunately, the talks and multiple conferences dealing with Islamic-Christian dialogue whose success depends in large part upon the stability of the presence of active Christians in our region, do not give a primary place that its subjects merit; they are satisfied with putting the accent on the points of convergence, certainly useful, but hiding the problems, or in the best of cases approachin them timidly, have not allowed our cause to progress, it is, rather, to the contrary. The gains earned remain fragile and fade at the first sign of serious difficulties. And this is how the pit was dug deeper and deeper between the tables for the Conference on Dialogue, and the daily life, and where the literature utilized and convergence on certain points do not find a way towards practical application.
This is why the style should give way from now on to another form where the language of complaisance would be banned, to focus especially on truth, no matter how hard it is, but with Love and sincerity, having the concern to sensitize the Muslim in being aware of the reality of our problems, and this, in the mutual interest of all the sides and in our region.
We should intensify the holding of congresses, of meetings, to lead the participants to face these thorny questions. Up until now, and even in the papers prepared by the Muslim experts in view of the Synod, the remarks do not go beyond the classic and traditional viewpoint, in a rapidly changing society, and whose problems relative to its multi-cultural and multi-religious characteristic are so complex. Also, to recall a chronic problem dating back several hundreds of years, therefore well before the birth of the Israeli-Arab conflict, to the support that the West brings to Israel, and in confusing the Christians with the West, reveals the will to hide the real causes of the problem.
But parallel to this, there is a growing action by many Muslims who, true to their faith and religion, do not stop proclaiming that they refuse and prohibit such acts. At the same time, on the level of States, we can see a tolerance that, certainly, has not reached the level we would hope for yet, but that still leaves us with a note of hope for the future.
No matter what, we are determined in Lebanon, Christians and Muslims, to go forward, to consolidate our common life and to face together the threats represented by the extremist currents, fanaticism, integralism that refuses the right to any differences, conscious of the difficulties but decisive in the task of achieving the transmission of our message of life in common.

[00079-02.05] [UD001] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Pierre BÜRCHER, Bishop of Reykjavïk (ICELAND)

The Bishops of the Northern Episcopal Conference (NEC), together with their Middle Eastern brothers and sisters, are aware that in addition to the difficult political situation and the confrontation with extremist Muslims, a difficult problem is also the emigration of Christians. This problem can only be resolved with the definitive solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The urgent moment of reconciliation and peace has arrived! The Christians of the Middle East, rather than flee the region, are especially necessary in this vital process of justice and peace. In fact, they have inherited the Christian mandate of forgiveness. Therefore it is not a question of their welcome in foreign lands but more their presence in the Middle East to safeguard a historical culture that is vital for the entire world. Peace is the urgent vocation of the Holy Land! Justice for the three monotheistic religions is that Jerusa¬lem is open to all!
The emigration of Christians coming from Eastern countries has also touched the North of the land. One of the reasons is without a doubt the galloping economic development of the five nordic countries of our episcopal conference. Since its crisis two years ago, we must take Iceland out of this now. These five countries are characterized by a Catholic percentage of only 2 to 3 % of the entire population, the great majority being Lutherans. This corresponds, in several Eastern countries, to the percentage of Christians in relation to Muslims. The pastoral situation in our Northern countries is therefore that of a Diaspora. More so, it is very diversified and achieves positive experiences with priests and religious persons coming from Eastern Nations. In many places, Catholic Churches have been used by Catholic Christians as well as non-Catholics for their Divine Liturgy. This too is a sign of practiced ecumenism!

[00053-02.06] [IN031] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Paul Youssef MATAR, Archbishop of Beirut of the Maronites (LEBANON)

In reference, in the Instrumentum laboris, to the challenges that face Eastern Christians and their relationships with Muslims, and to open up the present situation to future perspectives, four responsibilities should be underlined, which must all concur to succeed in this historical task, for the Middle East and for the World.
The responsibility of the Eastern Christians themselves: Children of this land since time began, these Christians must feel that they are not forging a destiny just for themselves, rather a common destiny with their partners. Their insertion in the Arabic world, recommended by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Exhortation for Lebanon, should not make them lose their rights or their liberties, but confirm them in common with the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens.

The responsibility of Muslims in the region: These majority partners must give the proper place to their fellow Christian citizens. This would not only be a presence in society, but in the elaboration of a project of this society as well as its governing. Thus, the Christians who have contributed to the development of the Arabic culture and societies in the past will also contribute in the future, and will live together in participation, equality and full liberty with their partners.
The responsibility of the Western powers: These have committed injustices and historical errors in the encounter with the Middle East. They too should make amends by taking these injustices away, injustices that whole peoples suffer, especially the Palestinian people. The Christians of this region who were unjustly identified with them would benefit from these reparations thanks to their cohesion with their brothers, without shackles.
The responsibility of Western and World Christians: showing solidarity with their brothers and sisters of the Middle East, the Western and World Christians should know their Middle Eastern brothers and sisters better, show more solidarity to their causes. They should also exercise pressure on public opinion at home as well as on their governments to re-establish justice in their relationships with the Middle East and Islam, and help liberate the world of fundamentalism and lead them to moderation.

[00049-02.03] [INO27] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Samir NASSAR, Archbishop of Damascus of the Maronites (SYRIA)

The Churches of the East have coexisted with Islam for fourteen centuries despite difficulties and challenges, with ups and downs, often bound up with political problems and the Eastern-Western conflict especially since the Crusades (11th - 13th century).
Along this long common road let us try to see the glass as half-full:
A reciprocal enrichment is developed each day:
The Muslims’ devotion to prayer, to youth, to charity
To pilgrimage, urging Christian neighbors to practice more.
The nearness of Christians to the Gospel leads Muslims to reflect upon a critical reading of the Koran, for example.
Of course, dogmatic dialogue is not there, but daily dialogue guarantees a coexistence which has lasted for fourteen centuries.
There are initiatives that can be undertaken in a non-religious system, such as is the case with the Syrians. We were able to do things together with the Muslims during the Year of St Paul in 2008-2009, by means of art, theater, culture, and sport.
Concerts of mixed religious chants.
Exhibitions/displays of paintings and icons.
Athletics tournaments and marathons.
Conferences, interviews, photo stories.
Support of first-century archeological sites
Films and pieces interpreted by both Christian and Muslim actors. One in which the person who played St Paul was a Muslim.

[00037-02.02] [IN015] [Original text: French]

Intervention of Mons. Louis SAKO, Archbishop of Kerkuk of the Chaldeans, Patriarchal Administrator of Sulaimaniya of the Chaldeans (IRAQ)

Liturgical reformation based upon sacred scripture, but also the patristics and pastoral demands of today. Otherwise our faithful will go looking for other churches as has already happened in some cases. The development of leaders must be a priority. At times, churches are in need of staff, and it is the duty of the universal church to assist in the preparation of a clergy which is up to the tasks of its mission.
The relationship between the different churches in every country in the Middle East and the relationship with the Holy See as well. How to live, at the same time, in communion in the particularity? We will remain divided if we continue to look at the past and we do not seek to find, rather, that which today might unite us. The Eastern Churches make up part of the universal church and any study undertaken by the universal Church must also take into consideration the situations of the particular churches. At times we are disappointed.
A serious commitment to dialogue with Muslims. Without dialogue with them there will be no peace nor stability. Together we can do away with wars and all forms of violence. We must join our voices in denouncing together this great business of the arms trade. A genuine threat of war in our region, where Pope John Paul II’s words were tragically fulfilled: “War is an adventure with no return”. Without dialogue and a true and concrete commitment there will not be peace.
The fatal exodus afflicting our churches cannot be avoided, emigration is the biggest challenge which threatens our presence. The data is worrying. The Eastern Churches, and even the universal Church, must take on their responsibilities and with the international community and local authorities find common choices which respect the dignity of the human person. Choices which are based on equality and full citizenship, with efforts towards partnership and protection. The strength of a state must be based upon its credibility in the application of its laws at the service of its citizens, without discrimination between the majority and the minority. We want to live in peace and freedom instead of merely surviving.

[00033-02.03] [IN011] [Original text: Italian]

Ռատիովատիկան - Միջին Արեւելքի Եպիսկոպոսներու Սիւնոդոսիարտակարգ Ժողով