There is a monastery of Saint Catherine at Sinai. This monastery has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited monastic establishment in Christendom. It offers a concrete evidence of the inter-religious coexistence-indeed harmony-that has permitted it to remain unmolested in its overwhelmingly Muslim environment for close to fourteen centuries.
Two vivid symbols of this harmony are to be found within the walls of the monastery; the first is the mosque built by the monks for the Bedouins; second is the famous charter of protection granted by the Holy Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). The monks themselves are convinced that this charter, sealed with an imprint of Prophet’s own hands, was instrumental in maintaining security and safety of the monastery. The original document was written in Kufic Script By Hazrat Ali (AS), and taken by the Ottoman Sultan Selim back to Istanbul in the 16th century. The Ottoman copy of original is on display at the monastery.
The document states that wherever monks or hermits are to be found, on any mountain hill, village or any other habitable place, on the sea or in the deserts or in any convent, Church or Hosue of Prayer , I shall be watching over them as their protector, with all my soul, together with all my Ummah; because they [ the monks and hermits] are part of my own people, and part of those protected by me.
From:
Kazmi, R. S. (2008). Illumination And Non-delimitation. In M. S. Umer, The Religious Other (pp. 163,164). Lahore: Iqbal Academy Pakistan.
subhan Allah
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