Singapore's Cardinal Goh wishes Muslims a joyful E'ld Al-Fitr, invites to work together for peace

In his Hari Raya message, William Cardinal Goh, Archbishop of Singapore, has wished Muslim brothers and sisters a holy and joyous E'ld Al-Fitr.

"May God’s abundant blessings be upon all of you as you celebrate the feast of E’Id Al-Fitr. We rejoice with you that, with the return of large-scale Ramadan bazaars and fairs, you will be able to celebrate the festival with your families and friends with more festivity and merry-making than in recent years," the cardinal said.

In his message, the Cardinal echoed Pope Francis' words when he addressed the Muslim leaders at the Mosque of the Sakhir Royal Palace in the desert region of western Bahrain in November 2022.

"God is the source of peace. The God of peace never brings about war, never incites hatred, and never supports violence. We, who believe in Him, are called to promote peace with tools of peace, such as encounters, patient negotiations, and dialogue, which is the oxygen of peaceful coexistence. Peace cannot simply be proclaimed; it must be helped to take root” through “prayer and fraternity,” said Cardinal Goh.

Pope Francis visited the archipelago last year to participate in the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence.

In his message of friendship and solidarity, Cardinal Goh recounted that the Grand Imam gifted the Pope with a painting of an excerpt of the Document of Human Fraternity.

The document promotes peace and a culture of mutual respect, is a joint statement signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh Amed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, on February 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi. The document is otherwise known as the Abu Dhabi Declaration.

Cardinal Goh said the Pope had also gifted the Grand Imam with a model of an olive tree in gold leaf symbolizing peace, noting that the two gifts "reminds us of God, the Light of the heavens and the earth."

The cardinal has invited the Muslim brothers and sisters to carry on promoting peace together.

"In the footsteps of our two faith leaders, let us continue to work together for peace to take root in our nation as brothers and sisters in humanity. Let us pray for the light of God’s guidance on fostering a culture of encounter and understanding, listening and dialogue between believers of all faiths," the Cardinal said. 

Cardinal Goh has also invited the Muslim brothers and sisters to "continue collaborating to carry out good deeds of fraternal love, service, and charity, especially to those in need, bringing His light to others and illuminating them with His mercy and compassion." 

"To this end, may we be lamps that burn brightly for God, not just during the festive period, but all year round, " the cardinal concluded his message. 

Islam is the third biggest religion in Singapore, constituting about 15 percent of the population.