By Amb. Hamdi Saleh

At the heart of all religions lies an emphasis on morality and social justice. Yet today,
there is a widening divide between the wealthy and the underprivileged—both within
individual nations and across the world as a whole.
The call for social justice is at the core of all three Abrahamic religions: Islam,
Christianity, and Judaism. Each has designed a formula for advancing social solidarity
and justice, and for assisting the underprivileged. The problem is that, in practice,
these formulas are not pursued, and the crisis of social injustice is creating serious
discord within each society and in the international system at large.
An Arab thinker, Mr. Ali Al Shorafa, devoted his career to promoting the concept and
practice of social justice. He examined the concept as it is crystallized in the Holy
Quran and suggested a practical process that would allow societies to avoid the crisis
of the widening gap and the hatred between the rich and the poor. He points out that
this is a national security issue for most Islamic countries.
As a manifestation of this call, a conference is being organized in Houston, Texas,
inviting speakers and practitioners from the three Abrahamic religions. The
conference will focus on reviving the spirit of takaful — the Islamic concept of mutual
support and social solidarity — and explore the parallel principles emphasized in the
three religions, pointing toward their shared commitment to justice and compassion.
The conference will emphasize that the three monotheistic religions recognize social
justice as foundational to building a stable society in which peaceful coexistence and
cooperation can prevail. It highlights the urgent need to rebuild the collective
commitment to social justice and the moral principles that drive it.