April 23, 2025
“Indeed, we belong to God, and to Him we shall return.” (Qur’an 2:156)
The Islamic Center of Southern California extends its heartfelt condolences to our Catholic neighbors and the global Christian community on the passing of Pope Francis—a spiritual leader whose legacy of compassion, justice, and interfaith dialogue resonated across faiths.
In a time when headlines harden hearts and faith communities are too often pitted against one another, Pope Francis reminded the world of the power of bridges—of humility, care for the poor, and the pursuit of peace.
From Los Angeles to the Vatican, may his commitment to human dignity continue to inspire all of us—Muslim, Christian, and beyond.
We pray for comfort for those mourning and for renewed unity among people of faith.
Pope Francis was a beacon of compassion and an unwavering advocate for inter-religious understanding. His efforts to bridge divides between faiths deeply resonated with our community. In 2013, Dr. Maher Hathout shared reflections on the Pope’s tone and actions, describing them as “a source of hope” in a time when genuine gestures of humility were rare. Mahmoud Abdul-Baset, then Chair of the Religious Committee at ICSC, echoed these sentiments following the Pope’s washing of the feet of Muslim inmates, saying the gesture marked “a new kind of relationship” between Catholics and Muslims. (Read more here)
Pope Francis’s leadership—including his 2013 Eid message encouraging mutual respect between Christians and Muslims (read the full letter here) and his historic 2019 co-signing of the Document on Human Fraternity—will continue to stand as milestones in the pursuit of interfaith cooperation.
May God envelop him in mercy and reward him for his commitment to peace, justice, and the dignity of all people.
May his legacy be a guiding light that reminds us—people of faith—of our shared calling to uphold compassion over cruelty, humility over pride, and unity over division.
And may we honor his memory not only in words, but through our collective actions to build a world rooted in mutual respect, love for our neighbors, and care for the most vulnerable among us.
