Article July 5, 2004 Issue

PRAYER FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

PEACE ISN'T JUST POSSIBLE—IT'S NORMAL

By Rosalie E. Dunbar Photographs By Lloyd Wolf

'Love is the liberator.'
(Science and Health, p. 255)

If Boldness is a stellar virtue in the prosecution of war—as some strategists believe—then it's even more important to the pursuit of peace. And among the places in the world that need such boldness right now, especially spiritually based boldness, is the Middle East. The first part of this article and the sidebar below provide some perspectives on conditions there, from people who have given much thought to the region. The second part explores the role prayer can play in bringing peace.

Ghazi Khankan is director of Interfaith Affairs at the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury, New York. Born in Syria, he has lived in the United States since 1954. He prays for peace with justice every day. But he adds that while prayer is part of his daily routine, "You have to work for peace with justice." And one way he does this is through the interfaith dialogues at the Islamic Center.

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