We are living in one of the times when the world perhaps stands most in need of peace and friendship. The wars and conflict which made their mark on the 20th century are still going ahead at full speed in the new century, and because of these wars innocent people all over the world are suffering physical and spiritual harm.

Despite the urgent need felt for a strengthening of solidarity and cooperation, some circles are still fomenting conflict, particularly between the world's two great and deep-seated civilizations "namely the Islamic and the Judaeo-Christian" and this is a matter which needs to be concentrated on. There are no deep differences between Islam and the Western world, contrary to what some people would have us believe. Quite the opposite, there are a great many common aspects to Islamic civilization and the Judaeo-Christian culture which represents the basis of Western civilization. Taking these common aspects as a basis, it will not be difficult at all to join forces; especially when one bears in mind today's circumstances.

The Alliance Between the Believers in the One God

It is a fact that a major ideological struggle is continuing in the world, and that the world has been divided into two poles. These two poles do not consist of Muslims or Judaeo-Christians, however. In one camp are those who believe in the existence and oneness of God, and in the other are the deniers; in other words the supporters of religious values on the one hand and the supporters of those ideologies which oppose religious values on the other.

It is a fact that those who oppose religious values and those centers of power which oppose moral values have enormous means at their disposal and are acting as an alliance against believing, devout people. The intellectual elimination of this evil alliance, the removal of the negative, destructive effects of atheistic and materialistic indoctrination, and the development of societies in which proper morality, happiness, peace, security and well-being prevail, can only come about if the three major forces in the other camp, Muslims, sincere Christians and devout Jews, join forces in the light of this common objective.

The holy books of all three divine religions describe the essence of Islamic, Christian and Jewish belief, and how they possess common forms of religious observance, common ethical values and common foes. It is the duty of sincere Christians, Jews and Muslims possessed of belief, conscience and common sense to wage a common struggle against wickedness and the wicked, and to support each other in union and togetherness. This togetherness must be built on the principles of love, respect, tolerance, understanding, harmony and cooperation. All must bear in mind the seriousness of the current situation, and must strongly avoid anything that might lead to disharmony, acrimony and division.

There may have been misunderstandings between members of these religions in the past; that is a historical fact. Yet these have not stemmed from the essential natures of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but rather from mistaken decisions by states, communities and individuals, and generally from economic or political interests and expectations. Otherwise, one of the common aims of all three religions is for all people to live together in peace, security and happiness, and all three religions condemn conflict, which is itself a violation of this principle.

When we look at the New Testament, the basis of Christianity, the Old Testament, which is the basis of Judaism, and the Qur'an, the basis of Islam, we see that the best forms of speech and behavior are recommended in the context of mutual relations. The behavior which believers should adopt towards others is expressed in the Bible in these words:

"Always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (Thessalonians, 1: 5)

Jews are also told to treat people well in the Old Testament:

"Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say He is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts" (Amos, 5: 14-15)

In the Qur'an, our Lord has revealed the importance of proper morality, goodness, and responding to evil with good, in many verses, and has commanded Muslims to treat Jews and Christians, in other words the People of the Book, with good intentions and tolerance. It is openly stated in the Qur'an that the people of the Book, Jews and Christians in other words, are closer to Muslims than unbelievers (in other words pagans or atheists).

Jews, Christians and Muslims who believe in and serve God - albeit with different laws - are all charged with competing to do good deeds, spreading proper morality, and engaging in an intellectual struggle to build a model of the ideal society, a tolerant, humane one which respects freedom of thought and attaches importance to human rights. In other words, Christians and Muslims are called to live together in the manner revealed by God, and to compete in inviting others to the path of pleasing morality and goodness and to avoid evil. God has revealed in one verse how members of different religions need to compete in the performance of good deeds:

"We have appointed a law and a practice for every one of you. Had God willed, He would have made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what has come to you. So compete with each other in doing good. Every one of you will return to God and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed. (Qur'an, 5: 48)

Based on all of this, Muslims must approach the People of the Book with respect, love and understanding, and tell them of the Qur'an's call for a "rallying to a common formula" in the best manner possible. It is this call which is the secret behind an alliance between Islam, Judaism and Christianity:

Say "People of the Book! Let us rally to a common formula to be binding on both us and you: That we worship none but God; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than God. (Qur'an, 3: 64)

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