change language
you are in: home - news newslettercontact uslink

Support the Community

  
September 8 2014 | ANTWERP, BELGIUM

Paul Bhatti and Khabir Azad: united against violence in Pakistan

 
printable version

In Pakistan, stage of tension and violence between Muslims and Christians, Paul Bhatti, brother of Shabaz, Pakistani minister for minority affairs killed in March 2011 for his work on behalf of a culture of peace and coexistence between the religious minorities of the country, are working together to create a model of dialogue and friendship between the leaders of the two religions.
 
 “Islam is a religion of peace and well-being. According to the Koran, the best person in the world is he who brings well-being to all people”, said Azad, one the leading Muslim figures of Pakistan. 
 
The model the two men are seeking to create consists of talking to each other and seeking peaceful solutions every spark of tension. The Imam told the story of the time a group of Muslims set fire to the homes of some Christians and was set on continuing their rampage. Azad, rushed to the scene, gathered the rioters, blessed them and told them that what they were doing was not the Prophet’s teaching, persuading them to cease their violent gesture.  
 
For his part, Paul Bhatti recalled the time he availed of his personal relationship with Azad to put a stop to a violent attack of a young woman accused of blasphemy, an accusation later dismantled, and the time he got the support of many Muslims when he later received death threats. 
 
 “The most important thing is to uncover the roots of violence, Azad asserted, roots that Bhatti attributed to the population’s ignorance: if children do not go to school, they cannot develop their cultural potential and thus become a fertile terrain for the inculcation of violent ideologies, which go against the grain of the world’s great religions.


 ALSO READ
• NEWS
June 1 2017
ANTWERP, BELGIUM

The bar 'Friends - Coffee & Books' opens in Antwerp

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT | NL | HU
May 27 2017

The month of Ramadam has just started. A time of fast and prayer for all muslims. Our wish of peace

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | HU
February 28 2017

Abuna Matthias, Patriarch of Ethiopian Church, sent a letter of gratitude and appreciation to Sant'Egidio

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR
January 9 2017

Zygmunt Bauman: a great humanist has passed away. He engaged in dialogue between nonbelievers and believers, aimed at living together and peace

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | RU
December 20 2016
FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

Community of Sant'Egidio in Pakistan awarded by the Ministry of Human Rights for its commitment with the poor

IT | EN | DE | FR | PT | NL | ID
June 28 2016
ANTWERP, BELGIUM

Liturgy with the poor in Antwerp in occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Community of Sant'Egidio

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | HU
all the news
• PRINT
November 11 2017
Avvenire

Cristiani e islamici uniti per la pace

November 8 2017
Vatican Insider

Il Grande Imam di al-Azhar: “Il mio caro fratello Francesco, un uomo simbolo”

November 8 2017
Avvenire

Islam-Cristianesimo. Il grande imam di Al-Azhar: non c'è alternativa al dialogo

October 30 2017
Notizie Italia News

Il tempo del dialogo, 500 anni dopo ...

September 16 2017
Famiglia Cristiana

La preghiera può spostare montagne di odio

September 16 2017
Città Nuova

Al-Tayyeb, vie di pace tra le religioni

all press releases
• NO DEATH PENALTY
October 10 2017

On 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty let us visit the poorest convicts in Africa

October 7 2015
UNITED STATES

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty - XIII world day against the death penalty

October 5 2015
EFE

Fallece un preso japonés tras pasar 43 años en el corredor de la muerte

September 24 2015

Pope Francis calls on Congress to end the death penalty. "Every life is sacred", he said

March 12 2015
AFP

Arabie: trois hommes dont un Saoudien exécutés pour trafic de drogue

March 12 2015
Associated Press

Death penalty: a look at how some US states handle execution drug shortage

March 9 2015
Reuters

Australia to restate opposition to death penalty as executions loom in Indonesia

March 9 2015
AFP

Le Pakistan repousse de facto l'exécution du meurtrier d'un critique de la loi sur le blasphème

March 9 2015
AFP

Peine de mort en Indonésie: la justice va étudier un appel des deux trafiquants australiens

February 28 2015
UNITED STATES

13 Ways Of Looking At The Death Penalty

February 15 2015

Archbishop Chaput applauds Penn. governor for halt to death penalty

December 11 2014
MADAGASCAR

C’est désormais officiel: Madagascar vient d’abolir la peine de mort!

go to no death penalty
• DOCUMENTS

Speech of Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar at "East and West: dialogues between civilizations" (Arabic)

Christians in the middle east: What Future ?

all documents