MESSAGE TO MUSLIMS FOR THE END OF RAMADAN

VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 1999 (VIS) - Made public today was the traditional message to Muslims for the end of Ramadan, from the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, Cardinal Francis Arinze. The feast is known as 'Id al-Fitr,' the breaking of the fast and this year falls in 1420 a.h./2000 a.d. The message is entitled: "Jesus, a model and message for humanity."

Cardinal Arinze invites Muslims to join the Christian celebration of the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Jesus. "For Christianity," he writes, "Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, born of the Virgin Mary. He is a prophet, but more than a prophet."

"As in other fields," he continues, "we are called as Christians and Muslims to know and respect the religious convictions of the other, to discover that which unites us and what makes us different. Knowing and respecting these convictions does not necessarily imply sharing them. To be able to speak about them objectively and with respect forms part of the way we should behave as persons of belief. Cannot the social and spiritual message of Jesus be considered to constitute a common heritage?

"We think that all people, but especially Muslims, can share with us the values that we have received from Jesus: total obedience to the will of God, witness given to the truth, humility in behavior, control of one's speech, justice in one's actions, mercy shown in deeds, love towards all, pardon granted for wrong done, maintaining peace with all brothers and sisters."

Cardinal Arinze concludes his message by affirming: "At the moment of entering into the new Millennium, we Christians and Muslims, together with the followers of other religions and all men and women of good will, all have something to receive from the message of Jesus: a message of mercy and pardon, of charity and fraternity, of justice and peace."

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