Journeying with Muslims: The Ignatian Way

In the context of strong currents of secularism, increasing geopolitical conflicts and natural degradation, as well as high socio-economic inequality, the need to renew humanitarian commitments and peace among religious sesame people is felt increasingly important. The book features a joint initiative by interfaith activists and social workers under the Jesuit Among Muslims in Asia Network to embody the message of humanity and peace between Muslims and Christians, two of the largest religious communities in the world. This initiative is also an ongoing commitment of Catholics, especially in Asia Pacific, to develop brotherhood and understanding between religious communities, following the initial initiative in Nostra Aetate and the signing of the document Human Fraternity between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in 2019. This book is a valuable reference source for Muslims who want to reflect on how Catholics under the Jesuit flag developed humanitarian da'wah in a contemporary contextDalam konteks kuatnya arus sekularisme, meningkatnya konflik geopolitik dan degradasi alam, serta tingginya ketimpangan sosial ekonomi, kebutuhan untuk memperbaharui komitment terhadapt kemanusiaan dan perdamaian antar sesame umat beragama dirasakan semakin penting. Buku ini menampilkan inisiatif bersama aktifis antar iman dan pekerja sosial yang bernaung dibawah Jaringan Jesuit Bersama Umat Islam di Asia (Jesuits Among Muslims in Asia Network) untuk mengejawantahkan pesan-pesan kemanusiaan dan perdamaian antara umat Islam dan umat Kristiani yang merupakan dua umat beragama terbesar di dunia. Inisiatif ini juga merupakan komitmen berkelanjutan umat Katholik, terutama di Asia Pasifik, untuk mengembangkan tali persaudaraan dan pemahaman antar umat beragama, setelah inisiatif awal dicetuskan dalam Nostra Aetate dan penandatanganan dokumen Persaudaraan Antar Umat Manusia (Human Fraternity) antara Paus Fransiskus dan Imam Besar al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb pada tahun 2019 lalu. Buku ini adalah sumber referensi berharga bagi umat Islam yang ingin bercermin bagaimana umat Katholik dalam bendera Jesuit mengembangkan dakwah kemanusiaan dalam konteks kekinian

In an era marked by a growing trend towards secularism, increasing geopolitical conflicts, ecological grievances, and high socio-economic inequality, renewing commitments to promote peace among religious communities is increasingly important. The book under discussion features a joint initiative of the Jesuit Among Muslims in Asia Network (JAMIA) members to promote peace and brotherhood between Muslims and Christians, two of the largest religious communities in the world. The book highlights the importance of promoting mutual understanding and respect between the two faith traditions, following the signing of the Human Fraternity document between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in 2019. The book provides a valuable source of inspiration and guidance for Muslims and Christians seeking to build bridges between different religious traditions and developed humanitarian da'wah in a contemporary context (;   (Pirenne, 1992;Joseph A. Massad, 2015;Taylor, 1994) to Islam. To help us overcome these narratives, the author invites us to cultivate a culture of dialogue and foster mutual understanding between the two faiths. The initiative is based on the shared belief between Christians and Muslims that they worship the One God.
While both communities may worship in different ways, they hold the same adoration for God.
Another author in the same chapter, Renato Taib Oliveros, fully embodies this message in his contribution, where he shares the story of his Muslim mother, Rahma.
Despite marrying a Catholic man, her mother maintained an uncompromised witness to her Islamic faith. She understood the Qur'anic moral ethic of freedom and tolerance as she never imposed her belief on her children -including him. Instead, she strove to accommodate differences, even going as far as serving cuisines deemed prohibited in Islam out of love for her family. Oliveros sees his mother's life as an example of how a love for God and a love for family can overcome divisive beliefs that place Christians and Muslims at a distance. His acceptance of her wish to be buried as a Muslim --he even recited al-Fatiha for her --not only demonstrates his deep understanding and appreciation of the Islamic faith as practiced by a Muslim but also reinforces his spiritual devotion to living a Christ-centric life.
Other contributors in the Dialogue of Action chapter equally share the common goal of establishing a spiritual bond between Muslims and Christians, and channel their efforts towards addressing immediate issues affecting both groups. These issues span a range of Journeying with Muslims Fachrizal A. Halim DOI: 10.58824/mediasas.v6i1.611 global challenges, including ecological crises, asymmetrical conflicts between states and non-state actors (as can be seen in Mindanao), and the significant gap between the Global North and South. The latter is reminiscent of Pope Francis' "Message for the World Day of Peace" addressed in 2014, in which he highlighted that while globalization has brought us closer to one another, it has not provided us with a sense of connection that made us feel like brothers and sisters. In line with this viewpoint, the contributors of this chapter agree that to mitigate conflict, inequality, and injustice, they must first create a greater space for mutual respect, acceptance, and trust. The breadth of dialogue themes and theological reflections above epitomize the extent to which members of the Jesuit network internalized the message of Nostra Aetate and Pope Francis' call for fraternity. They also highlight the former's unwavering commitment to their missionary activity, as well as their institutional completeness, a resource not equally available to their Muslim counterparts. As such, this work may serve as a valuable resource for Muslims seeking to gain insight into the Jesuits' approach to missionary work for the betterment of humanity. However, the absence of voices from Muslim partners as authors debilitate the book from its promise to foster dialogue and fraternity. For a future project, readers may greatly benefit from an expansion of the