The first panel of the Cordoba Forum featured presentations by Nedal Alteneiji of the Zayed House of Islamic Culture in the United Arab Emirates and Francesc Xavier Marn Torné, PhD in Philosophy from Ramón Llull University, who discussed the spirituality of Abraham’s fidelity. The moderator was Dr. Mara ngeles Gallego, senior scientist at the CSIC’s Institute of Languages and Cultures of the Mediterranean and Near East.
During her presentation, Dr. Nedal Alteneiji described the Abrahamic Family House project, which is currently underway in Abu Dhabi as a call to human fraternity. “Through tolerance and coexistence, this project confirms the UAE’s role in welcoming all religions”. “It is a one-of-a-kind symbol of coexistence and peace between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity”, she emphasised.
According to Dr. Alteneiji, the Emirates’ territory has been a haven for centuries for all religions, which have been able to practise freely, with tolerance, generosity, and hospitality for more than 7,000 years. “Abu Dhabi is the new Cordoba, with an effective coexistence of Abrahamic religions that allowed the sciences and knowledge inherited from the Greek, Roman, and Chinese civilizations to be transmitted to Europe”. “At the time, Cordoba’s scholars were Arabs, Christian students spoke Latin, and Jews served as intermediaries between the two because they spoke both languages”,she recalled.
Dr. Francesc Xavier Marín Torné dedicated his lecture to the figure of Abraham, who is considered by the three monotheistic religions to be their spiritual father.
“Abraham is the link between the three religions, revealing their deep bonds”. “It is the point of convergence from which they inherit the essence of spirituality and which constitutes a shared foundation, transcending the historical vicissitudes they have experienced over the centuries”, Dr. Marín said.
The doctor also emphasised Abraham’s status as an immigrant: “He is always on the move, facing difficulties with God’s strength. It is a lesson to be learned: life is fleeting, and we are passing through, but faith in God encourages us to keep going. He was recognised as a patriarch by all three religions despite the fact that he was neither Christian, Jew, nor Muslim”..
