THERE has been a good deal of negative press for Islam – violence, terrorism and black flags. What is not widely appreciated, especially in the Jubilee Year of Mercy, is that mercy is a cornerstone of Islam.
Aside from knowing about Muslim’s frequent prayer and Ramadan fast, most are unaware of Muslim religious practices, let alone their beliefs about God. But written at the beginning of every chapter, except one, of the Quran, and recited at the beginning of every meal by Muslims, is the invocation Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, which can be translated In the name of God, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
In his Letter announcing the Jubilee, Pope Francis references both Islam and Judaism for their emphasis on mercy. He wrote: “There is an aspect of mercy that goes beyond the confines of the Church”. The Pope urged Catholics to use the Year of Mercy as an opportunity to learn about Islam and other religions to “eliminate every form of close-mindedness and disrespect…violence and discrimination.”