Muslim-Jewish Reconciliation

Key Findings:

This essay proposes the creation of an intellectual and spiritual center where Muslim and Jewish scholars, artists, and religious leaders would collaborate on renewing and deepening the historic encounter between these faiths (using MLI as a test case for what can be achieved in Muslim–Jewish relations). 

The success of the Christian-Jewish dialogue that emerged after the Holocaust is a noteworthy achievement in interfaith relations. This dialogue, despite the historical hostility towards Jews and Judaism by Christians and Christianity, actually managed to redefine Christian theology (particularly within the Catholic Church). This reformation was centered around the acknowledgement of the continuing validity of the covenant between God and the Jewish people, and rejecting the previously held belief that the Church had replaced the Jews in a spiritual sense. 

The successful outcome of the Christian-Jewish dialogue played a significant role in challenging antisemitism and facilitating the social integration of Jews in Western societies. The contemporary context necessitates the renewal of the relationship between Judaism and Islam. 

Whilst historical interactions between Jews and Muslims have had positive aspects, the present situation is complex. The Muslim world displays a wide range of attitudes toward Jews and Israel, from severe anti-Jewish sentiment to growing curiosity and admiration for Israel's achievements. The importance of strengthening Muslim goodwill and fostering positive relations becomes more urgent given the increasing Muslim communities in Western countries.

The Muslim-Jewish encounter is not only essential for reducing enmity and fostering peace, but also for spiritual growth. This encounter (within MLI) is seen to enable a deeper understanding of each other's traditions and practices and lead to enrichment of both communities’ spiritual lives. Additionally, said dialogue is seen to bridge the gap between different ideological orientations that exist within both individual communities (such as the ‘tribalist’ and ‘universalist’ Jews).

Effectively nurturing this relationship would require a permanent institution with global reach. The proposed institute would have global branches and focus on practical challenges, rather than polite, surface-level discussion of similarities between Islam and Judaism.