Gift of Love: The world’s first ever interfaith anthem echoes powerful call for peace

By Saneela Jawad

Hailed by the Guardian as the “most famous British Muslim in the world,” Iranian-born, British singer, songwriter and composer Sami Yusuf is back with the release of his latest song ‘Gift of Love’ to mark the World Interfaith Harmony Week earlier this month.

A year after he launched his moving cry for help for the people of Syria in his song ‘Silent Words,’ his new Interfaith anthem was released on February 2 to promote a message of peace, love and brotherhood – a powerful and necessary one for the world right now that deserves everyone’s attention.

Taking place annually during the first week of February, the World Interfaith Harmony Week is an initiative originally proposed by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2010 and delivered to the UN by Jordan’s Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad. Just under a month later, it was unanimously adopted by the UN to “promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith.”

Known for his captivating ‘spiritual music,’ the United Nations’ World Food Program celebrity ambassador was approached by a member of the Jordanian royal family to write and film the anthem for World Harmony Week.

“If you boil all the religions down, it’s really the love of good and love of [one’s] neighbor that they all emphasize. And that’s the message we’re trying to spread,” said Yusuf. “I got to fulfill my dreams. Because for the first time I get to put the core of my message and essence of my humble works in an anthem. It was amazing.”

Yusuf and his team spent two weeks filming the video across various locations around Jordan including Wadi Rum, Petra, the King Hussein Mosque in Amman and Holy sites in Occupied Jerusalem.

Drawing on all faiths and the universal message of togetherness, peace and love, the video has already made waves on social media and is a wonderful approach to showcase and celebrate interfaith endeavors across the globe at a time when discrimination, sectarianism and religious intolerance is so often seen on the news.

As Yusuf best put it in one of his earlier songs, ‘Healing’:

“Healing, a simple act of kindness brings such meaning/ A smile can change a life let’s start believing. And feeling, let’s start healing”

In a world where people have become despondent by the violence happening around us, it is heart-warming to see strides still being made to organize, promote and celebrate interfaith initiatives and a powerful message of timeless importance – the simple call to peace, harmony and love.