April 21, 2025– We learned with sorrow the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, who throughout his life promoted dialogue and mutual respect among religious people, and especially between Muslims and Christians. In the spirit of the message of Jesus (peace be upon him) of humility and standing by the weak, he advocated for social justice, the rights, and dignity of all people, especially the poor, the marginalized, and refugees. He spoke and wrote passionately about our collective responsibility of protecting our common home, the Earth.

Pope Francis exemplified humility, openness, and commitment to inter-religious dialogue. During his 2019 visit to Abu Dhabi, he pioneered the publication of the Document on Human Fraternity and he encouraged Catholics to engage in dialogue with Muslims and members of other religions worldwide.

In remembering the spirit of mutual respect and compassion that Pope Francis has consistently championed, we recall the visit of Mr. Fethullah Gülen to the Vatican and his meeting with the late Pope John Paul II in 1998. That historic encounter was a powerful symbol of the importance of dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect among different faiths and cultures, which is kept alive by the volunteers of the Hizmet movement.

It is our wish that Pope Francis’ legacy will be carried to life in the form of a more advanced level of dialogue and joint service to world peace among the followers of all religions and traditions in the world, especially the Abrahamic religions.

We send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Catholic world and all those who have been touched by his message of compassion, peace, and human fraternity.

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