In about ten days (27 Rajab), some Muslims will mark the anniversary of Isra' and Mi'raj, the Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey and Ascension. While this is not a universally-recognized holiday among all Muslims, it is a time when some pause and reflect on the lessons to be learned from the Prophet Muhammad's experience:

• the importance of Jerusalem in Islam;
• the schedule and value of daily prayer;
• the relationship among all of God’s prophets;
• and how to be patient in the midst of adversity.

This week, hundreds of religious and social leaders are meeting for the World Conference on Dialogue in Madrid, Spain. This interfaith discussion is sponsored by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and organized by the Muslim World League.

In a meeting with the press last week, the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Abel Al-Jubair, announced the vision behind the conference: “The idea (for the conference) stemmed from King Abdullah’s view that there are universal values that are common to all faiths, and that if we focus on those universal values there is a lot more that binds us as human beings than divides us.”

The opening and closing ceremonies of the conference are being broadcast live by many national and satellite TV stations in the Middle East, and the conference has been praised in the regional press. Muslims are very keen to engage in interfaith dialogue, despite accusations of close-mindedness.

More: Interfaith Dialogue in Islam - What Does the Qur'an Say?