The Sikh community in the region will support the call of the UAE Higher Committee of Human Fraternity to all people to make Thursday, 14th May, 2020, a day to pray to end the coronavirus pandemic.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, praised the initiative.
Sheikh Nahyan said that His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has been the driving force behind the ‘Pray For Humanity’ initiative. He added that the Ministry of Tolerance will spare no effort to ensure that people of many different faiths and beliefs will pray to rid the world of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sheikh Nahyan said the Ministry will invite all government and private organisations, families, students and members of the various communities to join the prayer. The Ministry will also organise a virtual session for scholars from different religions.
Mr Surender Singh Kandhari, the Chairman of Gurunanak Darbar Sikh Temple, issues a statement to support the campaign.
“I am pleased to be part of this great initiative. This is the time when the whole come together to pray for humanity, peace and prosperity. We will pray to God to give us strength, courage and happiness in these challenging times,” he said.
The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, called on religious leaders and faithful around the world to a day of fasting, prayers and supplications for the good of all humanity on Thursday May, 14 for an end to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
The statement was issued in 14 languages, Arabic, English, Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian, Persian, Hebrew, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Swahili, Indonesian and French and reads as follows:
Dear fellow believers in God, the All-Creator, our brothers and sisters in humanity everywhere, Our world is facing a great danger that threatens the lives of millions of people around the world due to the growing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While we reaffirm the role of medicine and scientific research in fighting this pandemic, we should not forget to seek refuge in God, the All-Creator, as we face such severe crisis. Therefore, we call on all peoples around the world to do good deeds, observe fast, pray, and make devout supplications to God Almighty to end this pandemic.
Each one from wherever they are and according to the teachings of their religion, faith, or sect, should implore God to lift this pandemic off us and the entire world, to rescue us all from this adversity, to inspire scientists to find a cure that can turn back this disease, and to save the whole world from the health, economic, and human repercussions of this serious pandemic.
Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See, President of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity (HCHF), stressed the importance of this humanitarian call to action, inviting all people wherever they are to join in prayer on May 14th to Pray For Humanity.
Judge Mohamed Abdel Salam, Secretary-General of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, HCHF, said: “The overwhelming response with this call for prayer from leaders and peoples around the world is a true testament to human solidarity and grants us hope in achieving global unity based on human fraternity principles for the safety, security and health of all mankind.”
More Scholars Support
Several Islamic organisations and Iftaa houses from around the world have announced support to the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity’s call to pray for humanity on Thursday, 14th May.
Othman Battikh, the Grand Mufti of Tunisia, while praising the initiative said that Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders must come together and pray to God to unite humanity for helping the needy, regardless of religion, nationality or colour.
Dr. Nazir Ayad, Secretary-General of Al-Azhar Islamic Research Centre, welcomed the call and urged peoples of the world to join this humanitarian appeal.
Other religious leaders and scholars who announced their support and participation included Salah Mezhiev, Grand Mufti of Chechnya; Mohammed Ammanullah, Chairman of Islamic Research Foundation in Myanmar; Dr. Hussain Al Shafie, Member of Al-Azhar’s Council of Senior Scholars; Dr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Haddad, Grand Mufti and Director of Iftaa’s Department in the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD); Mohamed Ali al-Husseini, Head of the Arabic Islamic Council; Sayyid Ibrahim Khaleel Al Bukhari, Chairman of India’s Ma’adin Academy; Ali Al Amin, member of the Council of Muslim Elders, and Dr. Jamal Fouda, the Imam of Al Noor Mosque in New Zealand.
The Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich, has affirmed his support for the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity’s call on religious leaders and faithful around the world to a day of fasting, prayers and supplications for the good of all humanity on Thursday May, 14, for an end to the novel coronavirus.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) acting General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca has invited all member churches to observe a global prayer day on 14 May.
“Many of our people are experiencing fear and uncertainty, as well as trauma, separation, isolation, and even death in their families or in their church communities,” said Sauca.
“As we continue to navigate this global health crisis, world unity through prayer reflects our willingness to care for one another,” continued Sauca.
The presidency of the Evangelical Community of Egypt has supported the call of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity to pray to God for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt, called upon all churches in Egypt to unify their prayers to save humanity from the great danger of the pandemic.
The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew addressed a prayer on Sunday in favor of the treatment of patients and the support of all those who are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople referred to the initiative of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, and called upon all religious leaders and believers of various religions to intensify their prayers to save humanity from the great danger of pandemic, on May 14.