The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs Participates in a Ceremony Honoring Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak on the Occasion of His Receiving the King Faisal Prize
You can find some photos at the end of the text.
The selection committee for King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam awarded Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak, the first Lebanese, Dean of the Maqasidites, and the Secretary General of Lebanon's National Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue, this award at the beginning of 2024, in view of the great services he provided to society and humanity, and for his contributions and work in promoting Islamic-Christian dialogue as well as relations dialogue and communication between different people.
On this occasion, the Head of the National Dialogue Party in Lebanon MP Fouad Makhzoumi held a dinner in honor of Dr. Al-Sammak at his “Al-Bahr” residence in Beirut, on Thursday 27 June 2024. Attendees were the Mufti of the Lebanese Republic His Eminence Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian, spiritual figures and clerics, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, current and former MPs and Ministers, Arab Ambassadors, Mayors, representatives of associations, media figures, as well as MP Makhzoumi’s work team and his group in various institutions.
During the ceremony, MP Fouad Makhzoumi delivered a speech in which he enumerated Al-Sammak’s achievements, his effective role in bringing religions closer together, and his contributions in promoting Islamic-Christian dialogue and communication between people. He also stressed “the necessity of ending the war in the South…, and putting an end to the crisis of the presidency of the republic...”. Makhzoumi hoped that “Dr. Al-Sammak will be a role model and that others in our country will see that the sense of responsibility, whether political or social, and in all aspects of society, is truly a way of life and will bring people together, regardless of the diversity of religious affiliations, sects, and cultures.”
For his part, Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak thanked MP Makhzoumi for his hosting, mentioning that that “practical devotion to dialogue stems from his belief in Islamic Sharia and Islamic jurisprudence and that diligence is a duty.” He also cited the words of Imam Al-Shafi’i: “My opinion is correct and may be wrong... and the opinion of others is wrong and may be correct!”. He pointed out that he worked with many colleagues on the issue of Islamic-Christian dialogue within Lebanon, the Arab world, and the entire world. He renewed his thanks to MP Makhzoumi and the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, which awarded him the award for his role and writings in Islamic-Christian relations.
In his speech, His Eminence Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian thanked MP Makhzoumi for his generous invitation, pointing out that “Dr. Al-Sammak is a prominent figure in Lebanon and a prominent figure in the Arab and Islamic worlds,” adding that “he is known to everyone for his morals, culture, career, and contributions, and he is an essential pillar of Dar Al-Fatwa in Lebanon.” His Eminence said that “Dr. Al-Sammak has known fingerprints in organizing the relationship between Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Vatican State,” noting that “he was behind the conference that was held in Cairo in the presence of His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Sheikh of Al-Azhar the Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb.”
In his turn, Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech in which he said, “Mohammad Al-Sammak is first and foremost the living and exemplary model of a human being who is a believer, a great believer, that is, a religiously committed person, who was not lead to the hell of fanaticism or rejection of others. Religious faith, and the practice of rituals, are for him an internal spiritual matter through which he interacts with the Creator, the Creator of creation and the Giver of life, in a relationship of love and gratitude for His blessings... Religious faith according to Mohammad Al-Sammak is not a weapon directed against others, against his partners in the homeland, society and humanity... Faith according to Mohammad Al-Sammak is, in addition to worshiping the Creator and thanking Him for Taking care of His servants, is a mean of preserving the homeland, maintaining civil peace, and preventing sedition, which will curse those who awaken it.”
At the end of the gathering, MP Fouad Makhzoumi offered to Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak an honorary shield, wishing him continued success.
