Bahrain’s openness, tolerance, co-existence commended by religious figures

Manama, Dec. 11 (BNA): Bahrain’s openness, culture of tolerance and peaceful co-existence in the era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa has been commended. Leading religious and social figures hailed Bahrain as a model to emulate of religious liberties, an aspect which rare to find in any other country. Secretary General of the Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA) Betsy Mathieson paid tribute to HM the King for endorsing the right to exercise freedom of religion and faith in the constitution. "I thank Allah that we have such a brave, compassionate, humanitarian leader in His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. His Majesty's determined insistence on our Religious Freedom, guaranteed by our Constitution, is the reason for Bahrain's growing global reputation as a shining example of multicultural, multi-faith, peaceful co-existence where we all live together in peace and harmony in the spirit of mutual respect," she said. "I firmly believe that if we are denied our most precious Right, our Right to Religious Freedom, then our spiritual health, spiritual education and spiritual expression are impossible and the serenity of true inner peace cannot be achieved. When this is missing then the human spirit is restless, starved of the calm fulfillment that only Religious Freedom can bring. This impinges on all areas of human life and leads to illness, stress, disillusionment, unhappiness, and opens the door to all sort of problems, including violence, as seen in societies where people are not free to worship unhindered," she added. "Religious Freedom is an absolute necessity for humans if we are to attain happiness, fulfillment, success and a harmonious peaceful existence. There is quite simply nowhere in the world as special as the Kingdom of Bahrain and there is no world leader who does more to promote world peace, love and compassion through Religious Freedom, than His Majesty the King. Religious Leaders around the world understand and praise this and I sincerely hope that His Majesty receives the global recognition he so richly deserves for his sincere commitment to Peace and that other world leaders will be inspired by His Majesty's example and implement the same Religious Freedom to their people," she also said. Paris Grand Mosque Imam Hassan Shalghumi described Bahrain as a glimmer of hope for peaceful co-existence between religious and diverse faiths. He said the chasm between religions widened in the aftermath of the deadly attacks in Paris, hailing Bahrain as a living model of tolerance, and peaceful co-existence between religions. He commended the efforts led by "This is Bahrain" campaign to show the world Bahrain’s experience which provides a glimmer of hope to combat the scourge of terror which is spreading its tentacles all over the world. In the aftermath of the deadly attacks in Paris, he said, many experts started saying that peaceful co-existence between regions is a chimera, but Bahrain has succeeded in achieving this equation. Director of the Conference of European Rabbis Rabbi Levin, who serves as a close adviser to the chief rabbi of France, and also serves as rabbi of the French National Gendarmerie, also Rabbi Moshe Levin, also praised Bahrain’s openness on other religions in the world. Rabbi Levin, who visited Bahrain recently and was honoured to meet His Majesty the King, said: "During my visit to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa this week, I was honoured to be seated next to His Majesty as an open sign of recognition amongst the inter-faith gathering and I shared with the King that the Jewish people are now celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah, which seeks to increase light in the world, and explained that in Judaism there is a concept: ‘a little light drives off a lot of darkness.’" "I told His Majesty that under his Leadership, Bahrain is a little light in a dark world of radical fundamentalism. I am gratified that HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa truly loves the Jewish people and under him they are granted favorable conditions by the authorities and they are free to worship in peace and safety and I will gladly share this with the world," he said. "I was only in Bahrain for one day but my welcome was so warm, so sincere that I already felt I was a Bahraini. It was a very special moment to be in the Synagogue in Manama to light the second candle for Hannukah with members of the Bahrain Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities joining together," he indicated. Meanwhile, the Vice President of Dhammakaya Buddhist society of Europe and Middle East Phrakrubhavanabuddhidham (Veera Virandharo) said: "It has been an honor to be an audience with His Majesty the King. It was the most beautiful experience by far, to be among wonderful people who have strived to create an ideal society, a multicultural peaceful society." "I have never seen a King or a leader of the country who has presented a strong effort to promote a peaceful multicultural society as His Majesty," he affirmed. "I had an opportunity to share my amazing experience in Bahrain to the President of the Buddhist Congregation and 93 leaders of Buddhist Centres worldwide in our annual meeting this afternoon. It brought us great joy to know that we have shared the same value. The President said that he wishes all the world leaders have shared the same ambition as His Majesty King Hamad," he added. On his part, Daniel Haroon Cohen said that he had lived within the peaceful-minded and tolerant Bahraini society, adding that he had never felt any religious of faith-motivated difference. "Hailing from a Jewish family, this has never been a prejudice to me and I did not find any difficulty to have friends", he said adding that he still has fiends from various nationalities and religions on the basis of mutual respect. "I believe tolerance starts with the leaders and spreads among people", this is what is happening in Bahrain down the generations", he said.