Asylum as Sacred Duty: Interfaith Insights and Practical Approaches

Executive Summary The concept of asylum is not modern: it has deep historical and religious roots that far predate modern legal frameworks. This paper traces that lineage from the Ancient Near East and classical antiquity through Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, showing how each conveys a shared duty to welcome the stranger. In the contemporary world, asylum is legally established under the 1951 Geneva Convention and international refugee law, with primary responsibility held by States. Yet this responsibility is increasingly challenged by restrictive policies, deterrence practices, and nativist discourses that undermine protection, while recent developments such as mass deportations and violence along migration routes illustrate the fragility of asylum systems. Advocacy and accountability are crucial to ensure that states uphold their responsibilities under the Refugee Convention. Simultaneously, the vital role of non-state actors, especially faith-based organisations has become increasingly important in providing additional assistance and care to displaced people. This paper argues that a comprehensive understanding of asylum requires attention to both the binding responsibility of states under international law and the distinctive and complementary role of religious traditions and faith-based organisations in practising and advocating the ethical imperative of welcoming the stranger. While states bear the legal responsibility to uphold international refugee law, faith-based organisations contribute through humanitarian assistance, accompaniment, advocacy, and community-based support. Religious traditions can, moreover, provide an ethical foundation for strengthening asylum systems, and promoting refugee inclusion.