Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024 Pope Francis & Grand Imam Umar

• Main Author: Oliveros, Renato Taib
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2024
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/apms/vol6/iss2/11; https://archium.ateneo.edu/context/apms/article/1090/viewcontent/02_20Oliveros_20v2.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

The Istiqlal Declaration states that our world is clearly facing two serious crises: dehumanization and climate change. A moderate Islam is the antidote to the global jihadist movement. If Christ's death on the cross for all is the basis of dignity for all human beings; Allah's choosing man as Khalifah (custodian) of His creation is the basis of dignity in Islam. As God's Khalifah is Islam's central tenet on climate change. The dignity extended by Allah to man ought to be extended to the rest of creation. Where is Christ in the Istiqlal Declaration? The words and actions of Jesus incarnates the ar-Raheem the attribute to Allah the-Most Merciful God. However, God's mercy is based on justice, and the condition for forgiveness is reconciliation. Climate change, the result of man's ecological sin, calls for reconciliation and restitution with God's creation, in the words of the Istiqlal Declaration, to forgive others and be reconciled for the sake of harmony and humanity.