Common ground in Abraham
Members of three faiths come together to discuss the patriarch they share
AKBAR S. AHMED
Religion News Service
Several months ago, I visited my first synagogue in the United States. I was a guest of the senior rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation, M. Bruce Lustig.
In the sanctuary, he unfolded the sacred scrolls to illustrate a point and asked me to look at them and touch them. I felt goose pimples rising on my skin. Here, before me, was the textual origin of the Abrahamic faiths: Moses, the dialogue between man and God, the Ten Commandments.
Rabbi Lustig is a man of vision and courage. He is also a genuine leader within the Abrahamic tradition. He has taken the initiative to generate dialogue between the children of Abraham.
On Oct. 13 the congregation hosted The First Abraham Summit. The panel to discuss Abraham as a common figure within the Judaic, Christian and Islamic traditions included Bruce Feiler, James Carroll, Rabbi Joshua Haberman and myself.
Feiler explained the origins of his best seller, "Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths." Feiler is driven by Abrahamic zeal to project Abraham as a bridge linking Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He believes Abraham, the father of 12 million Jews, 2 billion Christians and 1.3 billion Muslims, can serve as the source of renewed understanding -- or, alternatively, as the root of enmity and conflict.
Carroll, a former priest and author of "Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews," spoke from the Christian perspective. Carroll has been at HarvardUniversity and is the author of nine novels and a memoir that won a National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1996.
Haberman is a legendary figure in Washington. A man of wisdom and vast learning, rabbi emeritus at the congregation and an advocate for interfaith dialogue, he led the delegation of American rabbis to a reconciliation meeting in Spain on the 500th anniversary of its expulsion of the Jews. Later, when some students met me on campus, they give me their impressions. Students like to grade people and events. They loved Haberman, "the rabbi with attitude."
Bishop John Chane, who has recently taken over as the bishop of Washington, closed the evening by acknowledging the close relationship between Judaism, Christianity and Islam and praying for peace between them.
I was given the honor of being invited to speak twice at the congregation. On the second occasion, Oct. 27, I gave a straightforward lecture, "Understanding Islam: The Rediscovery of the Abrahamic Vision." I underlined the centrality of Abraham in Islam. Muslims love Abraham. My grandson is named Ibrahim after the great prophet, and my book "Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World" is dedicated to him.
I pointed out what was common between the three Abrahamic faiths while aware of the points of conflict.
I said that unless the children of Abraham are able to project more harmony among themselves, there is a danger of the Abrahamic message being lost. Women, children, the aged and the sick -- no one is spared in the violence. In the Muslim world, there is anger as young men point to the plight of the Palestinians, Kashmiris and Chechens. Non-Muslims point in anger to Muslim suicide attacks.
The killing must stop, I begged the children of Abraham.
After all, the central Abrahamic story -- the son's sacrifice -- is not only about piety and commitment but also about compassion. I believe compassion is too often missing in the behavior of the Abrahamic children toward each other.
But the capacity for compassion is always present.
Golam Arshad, a Muslim who is president of the international committee of the National Press Club, later told me he had asked the rabbi where he could offer the evening prayer. The rabbi generously offered his own office. Arshad was overwhelmed by the gesture. I prayed to Allah in the synagogue: Truly this is a house of God and these are people of Abrahamic faith.
On both occasions there was a great deal of good will apparent. About 700 people came to the Abraham summit.
I was particularly pleased to see the Muslim participation, because I am often asked why Muslims are not involved in interfaith dialogue as much as they should be. I suspect that the official from the Saudi Embassy was the first Muslim woman in a hijab in this synagogue.
After my talk, Lustig stepped onto the stage, embraced me and kissed me on my cheeks. I was deeply moved by the powerful gesture of Abrahamic brotherhood.
Professor Akbar S. Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at AmericanUniversity in Washington, is author of "Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World," published by I.B. Tauris. Write him c/o Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC20036.
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