Ramadan and Lent: Gérard Testard defends Christian and Muslim fraternity

In his first column, Gérard Testard, a Christian engaged in interreligious dialogue, shared a message of peace, fraternity and unity between Christians and Muslims. His intervention, imprint of benevolence and spiritual depth, highlighted the importance of cultivating fraternal relationships between the two communities, based on the common values ​​of faith and shared humanity. Gérard Testard is a member of the association “Ensemble with Marie” which “brings together Christians and Muslims from all horizons, wishing to participate in the construction of a civilization based on love and peace, in respect of the identity of each”

Gérard Testard’s chronicle report

A Greeting message for Ramadan

Gérard Testard began by addressing his most sincere wishes on the occasion of Ramadan, a monthly month for Muslims. He expressed his wish that this period be marked by the blessing of God and that it is an opportunity to strengthen the links between Christians and Muslims. “You are my friends, but you should not stop there,” he said, calling for going beyond the simple greetings to build a real fraternity.

He recalled that Christians and Muslims are “brothers and sisters in humanity”, a truth that must guide their relations. To illustrate this idea, he cited a text signed jointly by Pope Francis and the Imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt, in which he is written: “Faith leads the believer to see in the other a brother to support and love. This sentence, according to Gérard Testard, sums up the very essence of faith: to recognize in the other a brother or a sister, and to act accordingly.

Ramadan and Lent: Spiritual times to strengthen faith

Gérard Testard stressed that Ramadan and Lent, which coincide this year, are periods conducive to reflection and strengthening of faith. He invited believers of the two religions to take advantage of these spiritual times to “fortify their faith” and to “see in the other a brother or a sister”. He insisted on the importance of three essential axes to build fraternal relationships:

1. Dialogue as a path: exchange, listen and understand the other.
2. Common collaboration as conduct: work together for the common good.
3. Reciprocal knowledge as a method: to learn to know the other to overcome prejudices.

Fraternity: a shared responsibility

Gérard Testard recalled that the fraternity, the third term of the motto of the French Republic (“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”), cannot only be carried by the State. “It is up to us, basic men and women, to take care of this mission,” he said. He everyone called on to act concretely to reduce fears, fight against ignorance and go beyond clichés.

He shared his personal experience, evoking the “real Muslim brothers and sisters” on which he can count. With the movement he directs, Marie, he organizes meetings between Christians and Muslims in cities, interventions in schools and prisons, with the aim of promoting fraternity. “We can get out of the inter-self and individualism,” he insisted, calling to go towards the other, even when it requires an effort.

“What did you do with your brother?” »: A universal question

Gérard Testard then mentioned a passage from the Koran (Sura 5, verses 27 to 32) which tells the story of the sons of Adam, Cain and Abel (called Kabil and Habil in the Koran). This story, marked by jealousy and violence, ends with a powerful lesson: “He who saves only one man is considered to be if he had saved all men. This sentence, according to him, illustrates the power of conversion and fraternity.

He also recalled that this story is found in the Bible, where God poses to Cain the question: “What did you do with your brother?” “Cain’s response,” Am I my brother’s goalkeeper? Is a question that still resonates today. “We are faced with this same responsibility,” said Gérard Testard, calling everyone to wonder: “Am I my brother’s goalkeeper? »»

A call for action and reflection

Gérard Testard invited Christians and Muslims to take advantage of this time of Ramadan and Lent to go beyond their “excess of individualism”, their “folds of identity” and their “access of jealousy”. He recalled that we are all “brothers and sisters in humanity” and that this fraternity implies responsibilities.

“Yes, I am my brother’s guardian,” he said, calling everyone to meditate on this issue. He concluded his intervention by referring his listeners to this reflection: “Am I my brother’s guardian?” “, A question which, according to him, can guide our actions and our daily relationships. Gérard Testard’s speech was a vibrant plea for the fraternity between Christians and Muslims. By relying on sacred texts and his personal experience, he has shown that faith can be a powerful vector of rapprochement and love between communities. His call for action and reflection resonates as an invitation to build, together, a more fraternal world.