Sharing interfaith experiences in India

Fostering respect between cultures

In January 2024, I had the privilege of teaching two courses in Bangalore, India. The first course was on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the Jesuit Formation Centre in Theology (JFCT), and the second course was on Muslim Faith and Practices for the Missiology students at St. Peter's Pontifical Institute. In keeping with the teachings of my late mentor, Paul Jackson SJ, I organized meetings between Christian students and local Muslims to promote interfaith understanding. These meetings were facilitated by Dr. Zakaria Abbas and included visits to the Shia place of worship Babul Hawaej and Shia Centre Aza Khana, where we met with local Shia Muslims.

The main objective of this gathering was to create a platform where Christian students could obtain an accurate understanding of the Muslim faith and practices, straight from the source. Our Muslim friends were kind enough to share their knowledge and experiences with us. In addition to that, the meeting was intended to highlight the current struggles faced by Muslims in India today. On the other hand, it was also an opportunity for Muslims to learn about the Christian faith and way of life by attentively listening to their Christian friends.

As Christian students, we follow the teachings of Nostra Aetate, which stresses that the Church does not ignore any truth or holiness present in other religions. We hold in high regard and appreciate the ways of life, principles, conduct, and teachings of other religions, even if they differ from our own. These teachings usually reflect a glimpse of the Truth that enlightens all people. If you happen to visit a Muslim institution, mosque, or dargah, you will be astounded by their warm hospitality and kindness towards Christian visitors. Hospitality is a crucial aspect of Islamic culture, and those who have Muslim acquaintances can confirm this fact.

Prophet Muhammad, and his family, belong to the posterity of Abraham

Shia Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad and his family are descendants of Abraham. They consider that the family of Muhammad was the chosen one of God and superior to all other people. According to a devout elderly Shia Muslim friend, after Abraham, the succession was divided into two lines: one through Ishmael and another through Isaac (whom Muslims call al Imran). The line of Isaac ends with Jesus, whose birth and disappearance (not death, as Muslims believe that God lifted Jesus from heaven before he could be crucified) are miraculous. The line of Ishmael continues through Abd al-Muttalib (the grandfather of Muhammad) and then bifurcates again through Abd Allah (father of Muhammad) to Muhammad and through Abu Talib (uncle of Muhammad) to Ali ibn Talib. These two lines are reunited through Lady Fatima (daughter of Muhammad) by her marriage to Ali ibn Talib (Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law). The lineage of Ishmael continues with the eleven holy Imams and concludes with the twelfth Imam Muhammad al Mehdi, whose birth and disappearance are also miraculous like that of Jesus. According to Shia belief, both Jesus and al Mehdi will return at the end of the world before the Day of Resurrection. Shia Muslims believe that Jesus will follow the 12th Imam, and both will lead the people.

Babul Hawaej: Replica of the tomb of Hazrat Abbas

We arrived at Babul Hawaej to a warm welcome. Inside, we found a replica of the tomb of Hazrat Abbas, one of the martyrs of Karbala. Dr. Zakaria Abbas gave us a brief overview of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his companions. They sacrificed their lives for the sake of truth, following the guidance of Prophet Muhammad. Dr. Zakaria told us the story of Hazrat Abbas, one of Imam Husayn's cousins, who risked his life to bring water to the children in Imam Husayn's camp. The enemies had cut off the water supply, leaving the children thirsty and crying. Shia Muslims commemorate the sufferings and martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his companions during the month of Muharram each year. What is the significance of the Karbala martyrs' suffering and how does it relate to the present day?

The Significance of Karbala Martyrs' Suffering

In his article "The Karbala Tragedy and Suffering in Shia" in the volume titled Making Sense of Suffering: Theory, Practice, Representation (edited by Bev Hogue and Anna Sugiyama) Mehmet Celenk explains that within the Muslim world, the concepts of Shia and redemptive suffering are closely linked. This connection has been established since the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Husayn, on the battlefield in 680.

Muhammad al-Baqir (d. 732) and his son Jafar al-Sadiq (d. 765) were the fifth and sixth imams of Shia Islam. They developed a proper Shia theology based on the pre-existence of Husayn and his sacrifice. Husayn sacrificed his life for the sake of humanity. After this sacrifice, the Prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatima, and the twelve imams became the intercessors and intermediaries for all who showed them love.

The followers of the Ahl al-Bayt, or "people of the house of the Prophet," have been weeping and lamenting for centuries, turning this practice into an established religious system. The timeless suffering of Husayn and the Karbala martyrs still hold great significance today. Every tear shed brings Shi'ites closer to Husayn and God, connecting them to the past and present. The Shia's infliction of suffering is seen as both a proof of love for the intercessors and a participation in al-Ḥusayn's eternal martyrdom, thus making these sufferings redemptive.

Classical Sunni Islam does not believe in the idea of a savior who acts as a mediator between God and humankind, nor does it support the concept of intercession that could influence the salvation of humanity. However, the martyrdom of Husayn during the battle of Karbala, the political isolation of his followers, and their close association with other minority groups, particularly Christians, led to the development of a Shia theology that explores the meaning of suffering and its impact on the afterlife. The exploration of finding meaning in suffering provides an opportunity for deeper theological conversation between Shia and Christians.

A Christian Reflection: God suffers in Christ

Abraham Joshua Heschel, a Jewish theologian, presented the idea of the Divine Pathos. This concept raises the question of whether the divine is capable of suffering. Michael A. Chester reflected on Heschel's ideas and drew attention to the distinction that Heschel makes between the biblical "God of Pathos" and the Hellenistic "Absolute". Heschel contrasts the religious responses to these divine concepts in terms of the "religion of sympathy" and the "religion of apathy", which are found in Hebrew and Greek thought, respectively. According to Heschel, the biblical view of God has been distorted in both Jewish and Christian traditional theology by interpreting God in the categories of Greek philosophy. This has resulted in a separation of God from humankind and the world. Heschel's concept of the Divine Pathos is based on the contrast between "Hebrew" and "Greek" thought.

Heschel writes:

'The idea of divine pathos has also anthropological significance. It is man's being relevant to God. To the biblical mind, the denial of man's relevance to God is as inconceivable as the denial of God's relevance to man. This principle leads to the basic affirmation of God's participation in human history, to the certainty that the events of the world concern Him and arouse his reaction. It finds its deepest expression in the fact that God can suffer '(The Prophets, vol. 2., Harper and Row, New York, 1962, p.269).

The Passion of Christ is celebrated in the Eucharist

Christians believe that Jesus Christ was crucified. According to the Qur'an, Jews claimed to have killed and crucified Christ, but the verse denies that they did so. Instead, it suggests that it was made to appear to them as if they did (Q. 4:157-58). However, all four gospels affirm that Jesus was crucified, stating the central truth that 'They crucified him' (Mark 15:24, Luke 23:33, John 19:18, and Matthew 27:35). Jesus died on the cross, and God raised him from the dead (1 Corinthians 6:14).

The Passion of Christ is presented to us through word and sacrament in the Eucharist. Through this celebration, Christians are reminded of Christ's suffering and death on the Cross. Through his passion, death, and resurrection, Christ has reconciled us to one another and God. Our faith is renewed as we acknowledge that God was involved in this historical event. If God was not involved, then there would be no redemptive activity emanating from Christ's death. Therefore, Christ's suffering is seen as the passionate suffering of God, who suffers from the overflowing love of his being. Without God's involvement, Christ's passion would only be a human tragedy, and God would remain a distant, cold, silent, uninvolved, and silent heavenly power.

The Christian faith teaches us that the Tripersonal God works together to deal with the extreme sinfulness of the world through Christ's passion. The paschal mystery of Christ delivers human beings from the slavery of sin. Additionally, Jesus' reception of a new and indestructible life from God reveals the infinite mercy of God the Father. The Cross is the most mysterious way that God has communicated with us in human history to offer salvation.

Conclusion

The martyrdom of Imam Husayn in Karbala and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ are significant events in the history of Shia Muslims and Christians respectively. During our meeting with our Shia friends in Bangalore, we realized the importance of listening to each other's faith convictions with compassion. It's not about changing the other person's beliefs but loving them unconditionally. When we love someone, we feel free to respond to the truth and conviction of the other. Dialogue teaches us that compassionate listening is integral to reconciliation and building communities across borders.