LDS and Islamic leaders meet and discuss cooperative relief efforts
August 6, 2009 by DH
Filed under Mormon Asia
Mormons and Muslims have partnered numerous times before in helping to bring aid to people in need across the world and recently some of the leaders of these efforts met. At the invitation of the LDS Church some senior leaders of Islamic Relief USA toured LDS facilities and met with some LDS Church leaders in Salt Lake City.
Here are a few of the highlights of the article entitled “LDS, Islamic leaders share relief efforts” from the Deseret News:
- Though the history is more extensive, joint efforts in the past that were mentioned in the article include assistance in response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami in December of 2004 and the May 2006 Indonesian earthquake.
- After the Tsunami the LDS Church donated water, food, hygiene kits, medical supplies, body bags, blankets, clothing and provided long-term aid in the form of constructing homes, schools, health clinics and water sanitation systems and more.
- Of note in regard to the Indonesian earthquake assistance one of the Islamic leaders is quoted as saying:
“In May 2006, Islamic Relief provided a Boeing 747 jumbo jet to transport the $1.6 million of relief supplies provided by the LDS Church after the Indonesian earthquake killed nearly 5,800 and left another 1.5 million homeless.
“We know the area, we know the people — and the church had the commodities,” said Sufian, who long has been Islamic Relief’s primary contact with the LDS Church. “The church said ‘Let’s do it.’ And they did, with no strings attached, no price tag and no attempts at conversion.”
- This quote:
Which begged the question: Are both sides are willing to continue?
El Bendary recalled being asked that same question four years ago in Islamabad, Pakistan, following a joint LDS-Islamic Relief project there. “I said to them, ‘I hope it’s a partnership for life.’ “
Ayoub, who made his first-ever visit to Salt Lake City last week, said in recent meetings with the Jordanian government, “the church was really highlighted in the talks.”
- Islamic Relief USA was formed in 1993 and is part of the larger Islamic Relief Worldwide
- The LDS Church officially partners with more than 1500 registered NGOs and charitable organizations in welfare and humanitarian efforts.
- A few similarities between Mormons and Muslims:
“Fasting, donations, interests in welfare and humanitarian efforts are tenets shared by both faithful Muslims and Mormons.”
Those are just some of the highlights, quotes and my paraphrasing of the actual article from the Deseret News. For the entire article see here:
LDS, Islamic leaders share relief efforts - Deseret News
Further, if you are interested, here is the news release from the LDS Newsroom about the LDS Church’s response to the Indonesian earthquake in 2006.
Muslims and Mormons Work Together to Rush Aid to Indonesia Quake Victims – LDS Newsroom
