Islamic Supreme Council of Canada to meet with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, promoting interfaith relationships

An Islamic Supreme Council of Canada delegation will be heading to the Vatican on Wednesday to meet with Pope Leo XIV.

The council has a focus on strengthening interfaith relationships since they allow everyone of different religions to live together in a peaceful and cordial society, said chairperson Prof. Imam Syed Badiuddin Soharwardy, from inside the Green Dome Islamic School in northeast Calgary.

It is a national Islamic organization that manages 42 Islamic centres, schools and food banks.

In 2017, Soharwardy was part of a delegation led by the Progressive Muslim Association that travelled to Vatican City and met with the late Pope Francis.

"The message that we wanted to convey to him is that we are human beings and we see the value in our relationship regardless if we do have a different belief system," Soharwardy said. "Those differences should not divide us. Those differences should inspire us to create dialogue, sit down, to understand each other, to work with each other. That is the way the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, all his life did."

This year, he will lead 22 delegates from various parts of Canada to meet with Catholic leadership to help build better relationships between the Christian and Muslim communities.

They are praying for Pope Leo's well-being after he was hospitalized earlier this month.

"We will also be visiting the Islamic University that is managed by the Catholic Church in Rome," Soharwardy said. "The Pope is the vice chancellor of that Islamic University. A lot of people do not know that the Catholic Church operates a Islamic University in Rome, near Vatican City. I visited it back in 2017. It's an amazing place to go and see how they are searching and learning Islam and Arabic language."

All expenses for the trip are paid out of pocket by everyone participating in the delegation, Soharwardy said.

He believes it will serve as a great educational experience for their council to learn more about one of the biggest religions in the world and the importance of building interfaith relationships.

"It gives us, as a Muslim community, to give the right view, the true view about building relationships with the people of other faiths based upon the Quran and based upon the teachings of Prophet Muhammad," he said.

'We can live in peace and harmony'

Islamophobia continues to be an issue in Canada and these discussions help educate others and reduce misunderstandings about their faith, Soharwardy said.

He believes that these conversations, as well as answering questions others have, play a vital role in breaking down barriers shared by small but vocal groups in Canada.

"We just want people to get to know Islam," he said. "You can be a good Christian and I can be a good Muslim. We can live in peace and harmony by having our faith together to ourselves. Why do we have to hate each other? Why do we have to hate? We are not bringing Sharia law here in Canada. If I needed Sharia law, I would have stayed in Saudi Arabia."

Since 2001 to 2026, Soharwardy has visited 451 churches to speak on Islam and condemn terrorism and violence.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he also hosted a course called Islam 101 to educate and answer questions that Calgarians had about his faith.

He believes it is every Muslim's duty to reach out to their community and explain that they are not visitors, but Canadian citizens responsible for safeguarding each other.

Soharwardy hopes the delegation to the Vatican will show that they are eager to meet with other faiths to work together.

"Right now, Canada is facing a lot of challenges and it is a time of unity, so let's work together and face these challenges that are coming," he said. "We would be more than happy to volunteer for any Christian, Jewish or any organization in order to build bridges with them."

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