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22 / 12 / 23
By Mahmooda Qureshi
The three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, share a common origin and have many similarities in their beliefs and practices. They all believe in one God, the importance of prayer, and the value of charity and good deeds. Despite these similarities, there have been many conflicts and misunderstandings between the followers throughout history.
I met Jess at a Christian festival of art at Greenbelt in Northamptonshire in 2016 when I stumbled across a prayer tent put up for Muslim visitors. What was even more amazing was the fact that she lived less than a mile away from me in Birmingham! I was about to start a new job which was a bit similar to what Jess was doing. This naturally led us to organise our first event together just before Christmas. We called it ‘Gift of Hope’.
Jess organised a few sessions on Women & Leadership over a period of a couple of months. That’s where I got to know Benita. Through interactions with Benita, I met her rabbi who was part of the Birmingham Progressive Synagogue. I had immediately drawn her and liked her for who she was and how she presented herself as a rabbi. I found her very humble and gave the best hugs!
I got to know Benita even more through her daughter when she travelled with us to a trip to Palestine/Israel as a group of Muslims, Christians and Jews. We realised later that we had our sons going to the same secondary schools!!
Over the years, we’ve supported one another in interfaith work. I call Jess’s church she goes to, as ‘my church’ and Benita’s synagogue and ‘my synagogue’.
We always get on very well and support one another in our work. The main factor that leads to very different views is when we talk about Palestine/Israel. This is when we disagree! As hard as it may be to have very different views, I’ve learnt that it is very important for us to keep talking. For us to not talk and to fall out on differing opinions, shouldn’t be an option. Friendships, human contact and concern for one another is more important than to fall out and not have any contact at all. This leads to more problems and divisions. There will be times that we just have to agree to disagree…which is ok! We should never let that affect our friendships.
We have so much to learn from one another. By delving deeper into the issues that are causing discord in our interaction, we get to understand one another better. We get to take in the thinking behind the view and ‘humanise’ the other. This not only leads to a better understanding, but also brings us closer in friendship, leading to a greater appreciation for each other’s cultures and traditions. Such friendships can help us to combat discrimination together, which can be very powerful!
Over the years, I’ve learnt that the core of each faith & belief is that of equality, justice, love and compassion for all. It’s mostly people’s interpretation the teachings that are causing us problems that we see today. I would never blame the religion but blame people’s interpretations. Ultimately, we are all humans who have the same needs, which is to feel safe, to be treated with love, empathy, justice and equality. When people of different faiths work together towards this common goal, they can overcome stereotypes and misconceptions that might exist about each other’s religions. This can help to create a more inclusive society.
When diverse faiths come together to address issues such as poverty, inequality, and discrimination, they can make a greater impact than they would individually. This can help to create a more just and equitable society for all. The opportunity lies before us to work together to build a society rooted in the values we treasure. But this society can only be built on a sure foundation of mutual respect, openness and trust. This means finding ways to live our lives of faith with integrity and allowing others to do so too.
