CHRISTIAN and Muslim leaders observed a minute of silence during an interfaith breaking of fast gathering today in Petaling Jaya, in memory of those who died in recent terror attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Event host Global Unity Network (GUN) spokesman Fared Hassan urged those present to pray for the terror victims and others who have been victimised.

“Not very long ago we had two very tragic set of events. We pray for them and for all others who have been unjustly victimised,” said Fared at the event in a hotel in Damansara. 

The event was was hosted in collaboration with Christians for Peace and Harmony (CHM) in Malaysia (CPHM). 

A lone gunman shot dead 51 people in two mosques during Friday prayers in Christchurch on March 15. In Colombo, eight suicide bombers killed 259 people in churches and hotels on Easter Sunday on April 29.

Leaders at the event spoke of finding “common terms” between the world’s two largest religions.

“My career as a lawyer was focused on what was wrong and ugly in my client’s opponent,” said CPHM chairman Lee Min Choon. 

“To refuse to see the good serves our interest. Do we do the same when we look at other religions?

“If we are to love our neighbours, before doing anything else, we must see our neighbours with our imagination as well as our eyes; that is to say, like artists, we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces.” 

GUN president Shah Kirit Kakulal Govindji urged attendees to focus on “common terms.”

“I will not say our religions are the same. We do have doctrinal differences, but let us focus on the similarities…Let us all come together to worship God alone. That is among the common terms.”

Shah Kirit, a Muslim, quoted Mark 12:28-34, where a man asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment.

“Worship God with all your soul, your mind and your strength. And what is the second commandment? Love your neighbour as you love yourself.

“Isn’t it so? And this is what the prophet Muhammad teaches us as Muslims.”  

“Muhammad said your faith is not complete if you don’t love your brothers and your sisters and your neighbours with the same love you have for yourself.”

More than 50 imam and representatives were present, including from the Selangor Islamic Religious Council, Selangor Islamic Religious Department, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, Malaysian Islamic Development Department, National Unity and National Integration, Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs Malaysia, Ikram, and Islamic Propagation Foundation of Malaysia.

Representatives from the Buddhist community also participated in the breaking of fast, the 5th annual collaboration between the two groups. 

Activities this year include pop quizzes with hamper prizes. – May 16, 2019.