Pope Francis Historic Visit To Iraq
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On March 5, 2021, Pope Francis became the first Pope in history to travel to Iraq, which he referred to as the ‘cradle of civilization’. The historic three-day Papal visit to Iraq is fraught with hope, a sense of reassurance and optimism for fostering interfaith dialogue with communities in the region.
While delivering his speech during an interreligious meeting at the ancient city of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, the common Patriarch of all three religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Pope Francis said that, “hostility, extremism and violence are not born of a religious heart: they are betrayals of religion.” This message of Pope reflects the essence of the teachings of all religions of the world and showcases how religion can acts as a binding glue to make way for peaceful co-existence.
Another special gesture marking this visit was the meeting of Pope Francis with the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Husayni Al-Sistani at his residence in Najaf. The historic city of Najaf is Iraq’s main Shiite religious centre and a pilgrimage destination for Shiites from around the world as it is the burial site of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib.
The Grand Ayatollah is an influential figure in global Shiism and the leader of Iraq’s Shiites, who comprise the majority of the Iraqi population. As per news reports, the meeting between the Pope and the Ayatollah focused on the importance of cooperation and friendship between religious communities for contributing – through the cultivation of mutual respect and dialogue – to the good of Iraq, the region and the entire human family.
In the last few years, interfaith dialogue and engagement among faith leaders has become a prominent means of opening discussions, overcoming differences and exploring possibilities to allow the establishment of a peaceful order in the society. However, I strongly believe that these efforts must be strengthened further for them to bear fruitful result in future. In the words of Shaykh Abdallah bin Bayyah, Chairperson of the United Arab Emirates Fatwa Council, “humanity is on-board of a single ship and it is everyone’s duty to save it.”
The preservation of peace is therefore not just the duty of a select few from the government but the duty also devolves upon individuals to make efforts to promote peace in the society.
Human history is replete with examples where nations and civilizations decimated their culture and tradition by falling prey to violence and hostility towards one another. It must be understood that peace has an overarching effect on the entire ecosystem of a nation – be it the economy, its human capital or any other aspect related to its development. The preservation of peace is therefore not just
the duty of a select few from the government but the duty also devolves upon individuals to make efforts to promote peace in the society. The starting point of formulating an approach of peaceful co-existence is to accept the differences and adopting a feeling of mutual respect towards one another. Letting differences thrive is the key to a healthy society. On the contrary, if differences are viewed as
a threat, this mentality permeates throughout the society and impairs its ability to function as a creative and cohesive unit. It is crucial therefore that we shift our angle of vision and view differences as an asset. Only then would this diversity present itself as a unique opportunity to learn, grow and tap the potential of a nation.
India has the ability to present a unique example in this regard. As a melting pot of religions, cultures, ethnicities and traditions, diversity is an asset for the Indian nation. With its rich heritage, thriving diversity and innate spirit of tolerance, India can serve as a beacon to lead a spiritual revolution in the
world. The only prerequisite is to make room for the separation of religion and political interests. Because as long as political motives determine how different religions should interact, it will never yield a nurturing effect on the community at large. Instead of making religion a unifying factor, these vested interests give it the hue of being a divisive element.
Man can remain in a perpetual state of peace but remaining in a perpetual state of conflict is neither possible nor healthy for human development. Today, when instances of violence and terrorism are ravaging our world, it becomes incumbent on the faith leaders to become true vanguards of tolerance and peace. They need to rise to the occasion and join forces to find common ground to address the causes of this brewing animosity. If the clerics and religious leaders take it upon themselves to uproot this menace of violence, they can prohibit violence from trickling down to societies in any form – active or passive – and in turn usher in an era of peace.
It must be reminded that any damage to peace is tantamount to damaging the very social fabric of human societies. This is because any positive development can only be attained in an atmosphere of peace – both at an individual and social level. The historic visit of the Pope is a step in the right direction and must be embraced with all heart and soul to promote the universality of the idea of tolerance and brotherhood. As human beings, it is our essential duty to preserve this beautiful world for our coming generations and let them know that we saved this ship from sinking!