In a new video, the world’s top religious leaders have come together to issue a simple, yet very important interfaith call to action: make friends with people of other faiths! Getting to know members of other religions is one of the best ways individual people have for building peace and growing understanding. As the Dalai Lama says: “Personal contact, personal friendship, then we can exchange a deeper level of experience.”
A Rabbi, Reverend, and Imam Have an Interfaith Plan for Middle America
A rabbi, a reverend, and an imam have a plan to bring interfaith cooperation and education to middle America. Called the Tri-Faith Initiative, the project, launched in 2006 and funded through donations, will involve the construction of three houses of worship side by side in Omaha, Nebraska. Currently, a new synagogue and mosque are already built, and construction crews are readying to build a new church. According to Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, the former senior rabbi at Omaha’s Temple Israel, whose vision helped drive the project, the Tri-Faith Initiative looks towards the future. He says: “We didn’t create this (project) to tolerate each other. We didn’t create this just to have a dialogue… We have done all this stuff already. It’s about what are we going to do together. What are we going to do for the betterment of humanity?”
Good Samaritan Returns Wallet, Citing Muslim Values
In this new, viral video, a good samaritan named Peshraw Ahmed returns a wallet to its rightful owner. Ahmed explains that he was prompted to seek out the wallet’s owner because Ahmed is a Muslim and, in accordance with his Muslim values, it was the right thing to do.
Celebrating Eid around the World
This past weekend, Muslims marked the end of Ramadan by celebrating Eid al-Fitr. Check out this collection of beautiful photos of Muslims celebrating Eid around the world!
Living the Spirit of Ramadan: 500 Muslims Volunteer in Los Angeles
Over 500 Los Angeles-area Muslims gathered on LA’s notorious Skid Row to distribute clothes, hygiene essentials, food, water, and other necessities to the homeless. Volunteers also offered health screenings. As one of the event organizers notes, volunteering and giving back are essential Muslim values, particularly during Ramadan, saying: “As a Muslim, it’s important that we treat mankind correctly, the way that we are guided in the Koran… The Koran is the holy book of Islam, and in this book, it tells us to provide neighborly needs. So this is a way that we show charity. We provide neighborly needs for those who are in need of it.”
