How Muslim women view and participate in inter-faith dialogue

DAVAO CITY — “A woman’s responsibility in faith is exactly the same as of a man,” Silsilah Foundation staff person Nor Aisha Adilao said in the 2017 Mindanao Week of Peace Theological Forum at Saint Alphonsus Theological Mission Institute, Redemptorist, Bajada, last November 29, 2017.

Adilao said that it is possible for a Muslim woman to be involved and participate in inter-faith dialogue journey, pilgrimage and adventure, however curves will be experienced along the way and participating demands commitment and sacrifices.

“There are a lot of religious and cultural boundaries that we need to observe, which other religious traditions might find it unreasonable and unacceptable,” Adilao said.

“The women in my community has a very important role in the family. If you are married, your primary responsibility is your family. Once a woman is married, it is very rare that she can continue her involvement in inter-faith dialogue,” she added.

Adilao said that according to a prominent Muslim leader, women might comprise more than half of the Muslim population in the Philippines.

“The statistics is enough to express that women have the significant strength to participate in inter-faith dialogue,” she said.

Adilao then questions whether the society or culture in the Muslim community has maximized the gifts that the women have.

Adilao also expressed how rare the participation in inter-faith dialogue is in the Muslin culture in general.

“It is not easy for a Muslim woman to participate because you can easily be misinterpreted as being converted to Christianity or other religions,” she said.

“There are women actively participating in inter-faith dialogue. We may not hear a lot of noises from these women, but they are doing something for dialogue in peace,” she added.

According to Adilao, an initiative was done through a letter that was sent to Pope Benedict XVI by Muslim scholars in 2007 which contained a message that says, “A common word between us and you is love of God and love of neighbor”.

“We may have a different understanding about love of God and love of neighbor, but it doesn’t matter. Because genuine love always draws the goodness of others regardless of their religious affiliations,” Adilao said. (Karl John Zsygfrydd Calvez | HCDC Intern)