Mufti of Jerusalem and Pope Meet during Historic al-Aqsa Visit

Jerusalem (May 26, 2014) -- Pope Francis finished his three-day visit to the Holy Land on Monday with a whirlwind tour of religious and political sites, including Al-Aqsa mosque and the Western Wall; meetings with Jerusalem's Grand Mufti, Israel’s president, prime minister, and two chief rabbis; a trip to the Holocaust memorial and a private mass in Jerusalem at a contentious site. 

In a small room near the Dome of the Rock, sipping coffee, the pope heard the speech of greeting from the Grand Mufti, who spoke in defense of the right to religious freedom for Muslims. For years, the Israeli police will not allow young males under the age of 50 to participate in the Friday prayer on the Temple Mount . In addition, Jewish extremists have protested several times on the esplanade claiming possession of the place for the Jewish community. 

The Mufti strongly condemned the Israeli occupation : "Your Holiness - he said - there can be no peace as long as there the occupation continues". The Islamic leader also recalled that "from Gaza - believers cannot come to pray at this place which is the third holiest site in Islam". He has asked the pontiff , as an internationally recognized authority , to take an interest in the fate of more than "5000 prisoners still in Israeli jails". "We - he added - trust in the role you can play in favor of our people and the humanitarian and religious rights that have been signed by the international community". 

He was followed by the President of the Supreme Muslim Council. He also recalled the suffering of Palestinian communities, Muslim and Christian, under Israeli occupation . Among other things, these days , Israel is considering cutting off electricity supplies to the West Bank and East Jerusalem because of the Palestinian Authority's enormous debt to the Israeli energy companies. The fear of some military personalities is that this economic issue could lead to frustration and violence. 

Pope Francis then took the floor, addressing his "Muslims friends". 

"May we learn to understand the sufferings of others!". "work for peace and justice"; "may we respect and love one another as brothers and sisters" and "May no one abuse the name of God through violence!": Pope Francis said in his address to the Grand Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Hussein and the President of the Supreme Muslim Council. 

He focused his speech on the figure of Abraham. "Muslims, Christians and Jews - he said - Muslims, Christians and Jews see in him, albeit in different ways, a father in faith and a great example to be imitated. He became a pilgrim, leaving his own people and his own house in order to embark on that spiritual adventure to which God called him. A pilgrim is a person who makes himself poor and sets forth on a journey. Pilgrims set out intently toward a great and longed-for destination, and they live in the hope of a promise received (cf. Heb 11:8-19)". 

The attitude of Abraham should be "ours": "We can never think ourselves self-sufficient, masters of our own lives. We cannot be content with remaining withdrawn, secure in our convictions. Before the mystery of God we are all poor. We realize that we must constantly be prepared to go out from ourselves, docile to God's call and open to the future that he wishes to create for us". 

"In our earthly pilgrimage" - he added. "We cross paths with other faithful; at times we share with them a stretch of the road and at other times we experience with them a moment of rest which refreshes us. Such is our meeting today, for which I am particularly grateful. It is a welcome and shared moment of rest, made possible by your hospitality, on the pilgrimage of our life and that of our communities. We are experiencing a fraternal dialogue and exchange which are able to restore us and offer us new strength to confront the common challenges before us". 

"Nor can we forget that the pilgrimage of Abraham was also a summons to righteousness: God wanted him to witness his way of acting and to imitate him. We too wish to witness to God's working in the world, and so, precisely in this meeting, we hear deep within us his summons to work for peace and justice, to implore these gifts in prayer and to learn from on high mercy, magnanimity and compassion". 

He concluded with an appeal: "Dear brothers, dear friends, from this holy place I make a heartfelt plea to all people and to all communities who look to Abraham: may we respect and love one another as brothers and sisters! May we learn to understand the sufferings of others! May no one abuse the name of God through violence! May we work together for justice and peace! Salaam!". 

Source: en.islamtoday.net (May 26, 2014)