A landmark for Muslim-Christian understanding

I grew up as a Muslim child of immigrants in Germany in the beautiful city of Mainz. Surrounded by a rich Catholic culture, I often felt the weight of being seen as "other." I experienced firsthand both the beauty and the tension of living between religious worlds.  

At home, I recited the Qur'an, and in school, I sang Christmas songs. I fasted during Ramadan while my classmates opened Advent calendars.  

Even as a child, I recognised that our faiths were not as distant as they were often portrayed. I was raised to revere Jesus not only as a prophet, but as one of the most beloved figures in Islam. I knew of Mary, whose name is honoured in the Qur'an more than any other woman. 

Today, as nearly one in two Muslim women in Europe experience discrimination due to their religious convictions, I reflect on the continued need for Christian-Muslim engagement. In "Nostra Aetate", the Catholic Church's groundbreaking document on its relationship with other religions, promulgated on 28 October 1965 by Pope Paul VI following the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), I found a vision that affirmed my experience. It is an invitation to Muslims and Christians to move beyond fear, toward mutual respect, shared values and a more just future.

Initially, "Nostra Aetate" was conceived to address the relationship between the Catholic Church and Judaism in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Over the course of the Second Vatican Council, its scope was broadened to include other major religions, and in the final text, one of its five sections is devoted specifically to Islam.

What made "Nostra Aetate" so revolutionary was its decisive shift from centuries of theological polemics and hostility toward a position of openness and respect. For the first time, the Church formally recognised the spiritual and moral truths present in other religions, including Islam.

It affirmed that Muslims "adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself... the Creator of heaven and earth." This recognition of theological kinship, paired with a call for dialogue and collaboration, marked a historic departure from a past defined too often by conflict.

Muslims are open to dialogue

It was the spirit of this document that gave me the opportunity as a Muslim to study at Georgetown University, a Catholic institution, and to serve as a Muslim Chaplain-in-Residence on the same campus. I walked alongside students of all faiths, and none, and learned how transformative genuine Christian-Muslim relations can be. 

While "Nostra Aetate" offers hope, it does not erase the painful parts of our shared history, nor should it. Muslims and Christians should not forget the past, but they must not be imprisoned by it. The only way forward is together, in truth and mutual respect.  

While this vision represented a major shift in the history of the Catholic church, Muslims were also taking steps to advance relationships with other communities. For instance, in 1950, the Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi wrote a letter to Pope Pius XII expressing his hope for cooperation between Christians and Muslims against growing hostility, widespread poverty and moral decay.  

In 1953, Nursi visited Patriarch Athenagoras in Istanbul, seeking cooperation to face the challenges of the modern age. Nursi's vision, rooted in the example and universal teachings of Prophet Muhammad, still resonates: collaboration rooted in faith, not in spite of it.  

This spirit has continued into the 21st century. In 2007, 138 Muslim scholars and leaders signed "A Common Word Between Us and You", a landmark open letter to Christian leaders calling for peace and mutual understanding, based on the shared commandments to love God and one's neighbour.  

In 2019, the "Document on Human Fraternity" (Fratelli Tutti) was signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb, representing another milestone in interfaith cooperation. These initiatives show that Muslims are not only open to dialogue but are actively leading it. 

Gestures matter

On a personal level, I was deeply moved to learn that Pope John Paul II, on his 1980 apostolic visit to my hometown of Mainz, spoke directly to Muslim immigrants—my community—acknowledging our presence, our faith and our dignity:

"But not all guests in this country are Christians; a particularly large group professes the faith of Islam. To you as well, I extend my heartfelt blessing!  

If you have brought your belief in God from your homeland to this foreign land with sincere hearts, and if you pray here to God as your Creator and Lord, then you too belong to the great pilgrimage of people who, since Abraham, have repeatedly set out to seek and find the one true God. 

When you are not afraid to pray publicly, you offer us Christians an example that deserves respect. 

Live your faith, even in a foreign land, and do not allow it to be misused by any human or political interest!"

These gestures matter in a climate of growing dehumanisation and demonisation of Muslim immigrants and refugees. 

The message of "Nostra Aetate" remains relevant not only for clergy and theologians but also for the wider public, helping the next generation understand the complexity of our histories and the promise of a shared future. 

We live in a polarised world, yet this document reminds us that Christian-Muslim collaboration is not naïve; it is necessary. It shows that, in one another's scriptures and hearts, we can find the foundations for respectful relationships, justice and peace.