On Saturday, 22 February, members from the NSW Region of the SSSIO visited the Baitul Huda Mosque in Marsden Park as part of its the Unity of Faith initiatives.
The SSSIO is a multi-faith spiritual organisation that recognises the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man and seeks the growth of the Unity of Faiths through connections within the faiths, developing understanding, and exploring the similarities of teachings and shared beliefs.
The group of 62 visitors, including 10 young adults and 20 children from its spiritual education program, received a very warm welcome at the mosque. They were given a brief tour of the mosque and had the privilege of listening to the Imam’s presentation on the Islamic faith and its teachings. A Muslim representative of the SSSIO also spoke to the congregation, sharing the oneness of the teachings of Islam and Sathya Sai Baba. The visit infused the group with so much curiosity, excitement, learning and gratification. It was intriguing to learn the various facets of the Islamic faith and their practices. Core messages of the faith, Love and Peace towards God and fellow humans, and the serving of society are very similar to Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings. It was also heartwarming to see the openness that the Muslim community extended in acknowledging that some use religion to promote violence and disunity, which is contrary to the fundamental Islamic teachings. One other similar important teaching of the Islamic faith and Sathya Sai Baba is to pledge allegiance to the country one lives in, not only one’s birth country. It was revealing to hear the true meaning of Jihad – overcoming one’s own ego – an internal struggle towards spiritual growth, another important similar teaching of Sathya Sai Baba.
