Two stories relating to Fratelli tutti (Pope Francis's latest encyclical) both concerning Muslim friends of the Holy Father, which I found uplifting:
Grand Imam: ‘Pope Francis restores to humanity its consciousness' - Vatican News
On Sunday, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb tweeted his reaction to Pope Francis’s Encyclical, Fratelli tutti.
Via twitter, the Grand Imam said:
“My brother, Pope Francis’s message, Fratelli tutti, is an extension of the Document on Human Fraternity, and reveals a global reality in which the vulnerable and marginalized pay the price for unstable positions and decisions… It is a message that is directed to people of good will, whose consciences are alive and restores to humanity consciousness.”
Al-Tayyeb co-signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together with Pope Francis in February 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
Fratelli tutti is the Pope’s third Encyclical, and contains several citations from the Document on Human Fraternity.
First Muslim to ever present a papal encyclical praises ‘Fratelli Tutti’
“I was really very moved when I first read Pope Francis’s message. I felt that the pope is representing me in every word, in everything he said,” Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salem, a Muslim, told America in an interview after speaking at the Vatican presentation of the pope’s new encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” on Oct. 4.
He is the first Muslim ever to present a papal encyclical. Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, he is now secretary general of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity set up to promote that historic document which the two religious leaders signed in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4, 2019.
He views the pope’s encyclical as “the guide to putting into practice the Human Fraternity document,” and he considers the latter as “the constitution” for fostering Christian-Muslim relations. “I see both documents as a very strong barrier against hatred and racism, and evil in general,” he said. “The real Islam and the real Christianity is against intolerance and these negative forces,” he said.
The judge told America, “When El Baba [the Arabic name for the pope] invited me at the end of July to participate in the presentation of the encyclical, he sent me the text in Arabic. And when I first read it, I saw it is an accurate plan for the world’s leaders. He really wants to achieve human fraternity.”
Judge Abdel Salam told America, “The friendship between El Baba and the Grand Imam is something exceptional, something that has not happened in modern history. It’s a chance to get their two religions closer, to bring the followers of their religions closer.”
He said, “The friendship is not only for outward appearance, it’s real. They make phone calls on birthdays and festival-days. They are making history".
Grand Imam: ‘Pope Francis restores to humanity its consciousness' - Vatican News
On Sunday, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb tweeted his reaction to Pope Francis’s Encyclical, Fratelli tutti.
Via twitter, the Grand Imam said:
“My brother, Pope Francis’s message, Fratelli tutti, is an extension of the Document on Human Fraternity, and reveals a global reality in which the vulnerable and marginalized pay the price for unstable positions and decisions… It is a message that is directed to people of good will, whose consciences are alive and restores to humanity consciousness.”
Al-Tayyeb co-signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together with Pope Francis in February 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
Fratelli tutti is the Pope’s third Encyclical, and contains several citations from the Document on Human Fraternity.
First Muslim to ever present a papal encyclical praises ‘Fratelli Tutti’
“I was really very moved when I first read Pope Francis’s message. I felt that the pope is representing me in every word, in everything he said,” Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salem, a Muslim, told America in an interview after speaking at the Vatican presentation of the pope’s new encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” on Oct. 4.
He is the first Muslim ever to present a papal encyclical. Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, he is now secretary general of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity set up to promote that historic document which the two religious leaders signed in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4, 2019.
He views the pope’s encyclical as “the guide to putting into practice the Human Fraternity document,” and he considers the latter as “the constitution” for fostering Christian-Muslim relations. “I see both documents as a very strong barrier against hatred and racism, and evil in general,” he said. “The real Islam and the real Christianity is against intolerance and these negative forces,” he said.
The judge told America, “When El Baba [the Arabic name for the pope] invited me at the end of July to participate in the presentation of the encyclical, he sent me the text in Arabic. And when I first read it, I saw it is an accurate plan for the world’s leaders. He really wants to achieve human fraternity.”
Judge Abdel Salam told America, “The friendship between El Baba and the Grand Imam is something exceptional, something that has not happened in modern history. It’s a chance to get their two religions closer, to bring the followers of their religions closer.”
He said, “The friendship is not only for outward appearance, it’s real. They make phone calls on birthdays and festival-days. They are making history".