As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, dear Brother in Islam,

Mir Nawaz Khan Marwat

Having received your address from Sister Mariam, who you happened to meet in Rome, Castel Gandolfo, following her request to establish an islamic orientated communication between Austria and Pakistan and regarding the islamic request, as common union is prescribed to the islamic community, I write you these few lines, which, by the Grace of God, meet you in balanced condition.

Little to say, I attended the meeting in Castel Gandolfo, the year before and am, so to say the second person after Brother Zekeriya Eser, whom you should also have met in Rome, to be in closer communication with the Fokolare Movement, as an (by starting time) official representative of the Islamic Community in Austria. Even these contacts were started on the private level. They are still vivid.

And as such we could exchange our ideas concerning this cooperation with this movement, following the advice to seek mutual consultation, in order to harvest the God given benefits of actually learning from each other.

So I would like to know:

How "far" you have gone in cooperation with the members of the Fokolare movement?

And not wanting to give the undue impression of being too inquisitive, I will start to tell you our position over here.

There had been many meetings, gatherings and talkings between Muslims and Fokolare. It all started with Br. Zekeriya who had to meet an Austrian politician in cases of public disturbance, caused by tensions between turkish dominated muslim parts of the people in Austria and the rest of the people in town. This man, Dr. Pree, which you should have also met in Rome, was - even by this time, am member of the Fokolare.

And so Dr. Pree, we call him Brother Karl, thought to himself, inspired by Fokolare ideology and by political request, that a dialogue, a communication towards understanding and a peaceful social procedure with Muslims should be started by him with this men, Zekeriya Eser, who happened to be besides of what he was doing, also a official representative of the Austrian Islamic Society. But that is a different story.

We three undertook the first journey to Rome and also the first gatherings only we two were involved. This changed after about 2 years and now we reached the next step of cooperation, after communication.

Muslims and Christians had an own project together in an austrian wide "competition". And I think it went good and left goodly impacts all over. Al Hamdulillah - in these cases I have always to think: See - how enemies can turn to friends.

The kids had one hour on our small radio sender together, and it was big fun. Last Saturday we had Br. Karl and 2 of his Fokolare friends on air. And we have some other projects of acting together in peto.

Which is a theatre play about the forefather of Jews, Christians and Muslims - Abraham (as).

And an global network on "environmental healing", by changing former problems into profit and advantage.

The one is scheduled for September the other - so I hope - has started already.

Well, so far from Austria.

May Allah shower His blessings on you

As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmaullahi wa Barakatuh

Muhammad Michael Hanel

Karachi

Dated: 18^th January, 2003

My Dear brother M.M Hanel,

As Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

Wish you in the bloom of health and high spirit.

I have received your e-mail dated 13^th Jan. 2003 and have gone through it. I am grateful for the kind gesture. I wish you and all your colleagues happy and prosperous new year.

You are perfectly right that I had the honor to meet sister Mariam and brother Zekeriya Eser in Castal Gandolfo. It was a happy occasion to meet my brother and sister there. The convention was well organized and deliberations were very fruitful between Christians and Muslims.

I am of the view that such dialogue must continue for understanding, religious harmony and human brotherhood.

I highly appreciate your love for Islam and desire for peace.

You have asked about my relation and co-operation with the members of Focolare Movement. Let me tell you that I have very cordial and friendly relations with the responsible persons and members of this movement. I have attended many functions arranged by them. Many of them have been visiting my house. I am in touch with most venerable Chiara Lubich and we have frequent correspondence with each other.

She is the great exponent of peace, religious harmony and human Brotherhood.

The Focolare Movement is a step forward for understanding and bringing the followers of different faiths closer. I am happy that in Austria you the Muslims have been keeping good liaison with the members of Focolare Movement and are pursuing the path of peace together.

It is an undeniable fact that the Jews, Christians and Muslims have a common patriarch Abraham (as) and we all are the believers of Heavenly Books and prophets. We must abide by our own faiths and respect each other faith.

Let us work together for human brotherhood and peace and resolve the conflicts through religious harmony and tolerance.

You have also mentioned about the establishment of Islamic oriented communication between Austria and Pakistan. I highly appreciate your initiation and desire for such contact. You can safely rely on me, World Muslim Congress and other Islamic organizations in Pakistan for correspondence and exchange of views.

I wish you and all the members of Muslim community in Austria glorious future coupled with many laurels.

With profound regards and sincere good wisher.

Mir Nawaz Khan Marwat

Asstt. Secretary-General,

World Muslim Congress

Moderator, A.C.R.P.

International President, W.C.R.P