Discourse unites faiths
THE Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI) and the Denis Hurley Centre hosted their annual interfaith discourse recently.
It served as a reflection on the parallels between the practises of Lent and Ramadaan, fasting months for Catholics and Muslims respectively.
People of all faiths were invited to be in communion, share their thoughts and break fasts together on the day.
Reverend Lauren Matthew, a Methodist priest and scholar from the UKZN school of religion, philosophy and classics, said the event was an important aspect of social cohesion.
“We live in a world where polarisation happens quite frequently.
“Algorithms curate your world for you and you never really have to interact with people who are different from you. Yet, you share the world with so many diverse people with a range of experiences.
“Conversations like this are vital because they help us understand each other. They help us hear each other as human beings on a journey where we are all trying to connect to the sacred and the Creator to act justly and walk right. That’s what we are all trying to do.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise our common humanity, our search and yearning for a deeper relationship with God and each other,” said Matthew.
She said Lent was about mindfulness and oneness with God.
“The word ‘Lent’ comes from the Saxon word Lencten, which refers to the springtime when days are longer than nights. It was originally a European practice. It also means the deepening or lengthening of your journey with God. The practice is about connecting with God, the Earth and having just relations with those around you. It is also about seeing God in other people.”
Moulana Sfiso Duma, from the IPCI, said Ramadaan was similar to Lent.
He explained the significance and meaning of Ramadaan.
“The word ram in Arabic can be interpreted in a number of ways. Its etymological origin means heat. This can refer to the heat of the desert, where the Islamic faith is most prevalent, or the heat of hunger or thirst during fasting. It can also mean the purification of the one who fasts, as your sins and desires burn away.”
Duma said Ramadaan, like Lent, was about subservience to God.
“When we fast, we do so daily for an entire month to become disciplined, and attain piety and divine clarity. We rid ourselves of our destructive behaviours and forget about the earthly desires of the body to let the soul take over. Fasting allows one to be well trained and in tune with one’s religious practices, so that one’s sins may be forgiven.
“It is a month of encouraging one to embody one’s best characteristics by abstaining from food, drink and sexual relations from dusk to dawn. Through this, we are blessed with an abundance of goodness from Allah, which multiplies if we also do good unto others.”
Duma said the discussion was an important step in understanding each other as humanity.
“Across the globe, Muslims are unified by these practices. Islam prides itself in conveying what came before it and what Prophet Muhammad bestowed upon us. The message of Islam is for everyone, and these conversations help people understand and realise that we are not aliens but rather from the same Earth.
“There are many misconceptions about what it means to be a Muslim. Some people think it is about killing those who do not believe in Allah. An opportunity like this discourse is significant in allowing us to speak for ourselves without the misguided notions of others. It also ensures that coexistence between different faiths is possible and aids in alleviating the ignorance and hatred that breeds between people of different faiths,” said Duma.
The event concluded with an iftar, which is the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadaan.
Lent will end on Thursday.