Christians, Muslims focus on compassion
Scott Frantsen
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
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Hosted by the UDM Muslim Student Organization, the event aimed to encourage appreciation, understanding and a mutual respect between Muslims and Christians on campus.
The focus for the evening was compassion.
The Rev. Gary Wright, director of the Jesuit community at UDM, began by acknowledging "our Jewish brothers and sisters" and explaining the history of Christianity through its Jewish roots. Christianity was "founded on the person Jesus" and "Jesus himself was a Jew," said Wright.
According to Wright, Jesus healed and preached "deeds of compassion" in his teachings and work. Wright explained how Jesus demonstrated compassion by helping the unfortunate, sick and poor.
In his teachings, Jesus says to love your enemies, he said. Jesus himself "shared meals with sinners" as an act of compassion and forgiveness, according to Wright.
Compassion is spoken of in the Quran and the Bible, he noted. Both faiths embrace the word as highly important in being a good Muslim or Christian, he said.
Imam Mustapha El-Turk, president of the Islamic Organization of North America, also spoke at the event. He is a Lebanese-born Arab American who is a devout Muslim.
According to El-Turk, Christians and Muslims alike understand "this concept of compassion from the same source, God almighty."
The Quran demands compassion of its followers and to love all humans the same regardless of faith, El-Turk said.
The Prophet Muhammad taught compassion to his people, much as Jesus did, and seeing great injustices among his people demanded that people give to the poor, according to El-Turk. That is why Muslims hold compassion to be a high ideal, he said.
"God helps the helpless," he said, noting that it is a virtue found both in the Bible and the Quran. "Compassion is the best human quality."
Following the two speakers and a brief question-and-answer session, students and guests enjoyed a dinner of kabob style chicken and beef with rice, bread and cold drinks.
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