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In It Together Muslim/Christian Relations: Co-Operation Not Conflict was a talk organized by Friends of BibleLands, an organization which supports the charitable work of Biblelands in the Middle East. It is a Christian organization which runs a range of social service programs in Lebanon, Egypt, Palestinian Authority-governed areas, and Israel; it has done so for over a century.
BibeLands programs are open to all without discrimination on the basis of religion or ethnicity. They are provided by local Christian communities and organizations in the Middle East to serve vulnerable and disadvantaged populations and the majority of beneficiaries are Muslims.
The Princess spoke of the Constitution of Medina, situating historically successful efforts at coexistence between Christians, Muslims, and Jews. She emphasized that tolerance—in her view—is not enough, and that people must move beyond tolerance of others towards understanding and a sense of shared human dignity.
[inset_left]tolerance is not enough, people must move beyond tolerance of others towards understanding and a sense of shared human dignity. [/inset_left]
She cited the absolute prohibition on killing civilian non-combatants in Islam and stated that violence between Muslims, Christians, and Jews during the early period of Islam was not a function of religious differences but of tribal ones.
“Islamic teachings favor equality, respect, and the peaceful and productive management of diversity,” she said, highlighting the extraordinary intellectual, cultural, and social renaissance that took place under Muslim rule in Andalusia in southern Spain, citing it as a “shining example” of the synthesis of creativity, cooperation, and coexistence that is possible between Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
She also noted the shared value of compassion that is central to the Christian and Muslim faiths and insisted that “cooperation, not conflict is right and possible.” But she also cautioned that “different fundamentalisms threaten to tear us apart.”
An extensive part of her speech was devoted to highlighting and praising the social development work of Biblelands in the Middle East and the ecumenical vision Biblelands brings to these efforts by treating all individuals in need equally, regardless of religious or ethnic background.
These include projects in Cairo run by Orthodox nuns to help Cairo’s rubbish pickers at the Salaam Centre; Habitat for Humanity Egypt, which constructs homes for those lacking safe and adequate housing; Refuge Egypt which assists displaced Egyptians arriving in Cairo; a learning center for the deaf near Beirut; and the Johann Ludwig Schneller School in Lebanon, which has operated from 1860 and provides a home, education, and vocational training for orphans and other children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school has 350 students, approximately 200 of whom are day students and the rest boarders.
Other projects include the Four Homes of Mercy in the West Bank, a unique centre for people with severe disabilities; the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, a major provider of medical care in the Gaza Strip; the Annahda Rehabilitation Centre in Ramallah for children with learning disabilities; the Musalaha Reconciliation training program which brings together and empowers Palestinian and Israeli women to communicate and develop mutual understanding and relationships; the Spafford Children’s Centre in Jerusalem, which offers expressive therapy and psycho-social support services alongside medical clinics and educational programs in the arts; and the Princess Basma Centre in Jerusalem for children with disabilities, including children with autism.
Princess Badiya completed her undergraduate education at Oxford and earned a Masters in Public International Law at the London School of Economics and qualified as a barrister in 1998. She is chairperson of Mosaic, a mentoring group created by Prince Charles and is involved in a number of efforts to promote cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue.
Princess Badiya who is the daughter of Prince Hassan Bin Talal spoke with eloquence and fervor about the importance of coexistence between people of all faiths and the contributions BibleLands makes to social welfare in the Middle East and to the well being of disadvantaged Muslims in particular.
