A small church in the U.S. state of Florida has called for burning copies of Islam’s holy book the Quran. They will advise against the “danger” of the “wicked religion” of Islam on Sept. 11 of this year.
How much opposition from people who believe in the Quran’s teachings will this beckon? Anyone can imagine.
This news ran around the world, and citizens protested in Afghanistan, where European and American military forces are stationed. The U.S. armed forces’ commanders worried that the danger for U.S. forces would increase. This is probably a natural reaction.
The construction of a free and tolerant society was the starting point of America’s foundation. The founding President Washington left behind these words: “To bigotry give no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” This church’s plans are clearly in violation of this idea.
The widening of the fissure between America and the Islamic world must be avoided. I want this church to do us all the favor of withdrawing their plans immediately.
Even now, the memory of the scene of the terrorists hijacking passenger planes and plunging them into the World Trade Center nine years ago is still new. The circumstances were based on the Islamic extremists’ animosity and distrust; the same extremists who opposed America, the world’s wealthiest and most politically influential superpower.
Former President Bush, who pushed into the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, could not suppress this anti-American sentiment. Change was in sight when President Obama, who touted reconciliation with the Islamic world, was inaugurated. He set out to mediate for peace in the Middle East and finally managed to withdraw troops from Iraq.
However, now it is being disclosed that concerning coexistence and confrontation with Islam, the bitter reality is that there is trouble domestically in America.
The plan to build an Islamic mosque near the World Trade Center is being opposed by citizens, and the project is being run aground. It is a plan to promote understanding toward foreign cultures; however, voices rose from the families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorists to say this was “an insult” to their sons’ memory.
Centered in places such as the Middle East and West Asia, there are 10 billion people in the world considered to be Muslim. Several hundred thousand Muslims live in the immigrant society of America where there are a great number of mosques. While religions do differ among the population, they are living in the same society.
Even in Europe, rejection of Islamic immigrants and the prohibition of women wearing veils have been occurring. Against the backdrop of an increasing focus toward minorities in a society, sources of anxiety, such as unemployment, are also probably increasing.
Now, if there cannot be coexistence with Islam, it will clearly be impossible for America to have either safety in the world or prosperity.
Last year, President Obama gave a speech at Cairo University and quoted from the Quran, Judaism’s teachings in the Talmud, and the Christian Bible, declaring, “The people of the world can live together in peace.”
We should overcome narrow-minded thinking and possess tolerance and generosity, accepting cultures that are different. I want American society to regain this tradition.
The initiative for showing a brighter image of Islam can and must come from within. Interestingly, Quran comprises complete Torah, the Gospel and the wisdom of all past culture and civilisations. It is brimming with abundant blessings for all humanity. So, what has gone wrong with it? The answer lies in its lack of understanding and too much emphasis on reading it. Saudi monarchy distributes millions of copies, free to every pilgrim. The Taliban learn it from their sanctuaries mostly scattered in Pakistan Tribal Belt. The biggest culprits are the Saudi Royalty. In first place Islam has yet to embrace democracy. Without democracy Saudi Kingdom is a square peg in a round hole. Its rituals are bordered on bigotry. Arabs mostly are illiterate, except in reading Quran, unemployed and poor. Saudi Shar’ia is more cosmetic than substance. Islamic Shar’ia exists nowhere. Shar’ia s a blessing, full of mercy, compassion and forgiveness as well as not to publicise another person’s faults. It emphasises on sharing one’s bread and butter with a deprived fellow. It increases with divine blessings in abundance. “A piece of date,” said the Prophet increases in volume as big as a mountain in Medina. This blessing is called ‘Barakah’. Sharing of food alone didn’t suffice for the deprived. It was the ‘Barakah’. Here is another unimaginable stimulus. God increases charity by 700 times (70,000 per cent). How come that the migrants from Mecca came empty handed. The helpers in Medina were ordinary agriculturists tending date palm trees. How come they tided over their needs and contributed funds for three major wars? The answer lies again God multiplied their money by 700 times. How Islam did eradicated corruption? As it is mentioned earlier, there are invocations bestowing “Barakah’. One of these is: O my Sustainer makes rightful earnings sufficient for me on the wrong and makes me self-sufficient out of Your own grace. This is putting the onus on God. The Quran declares: “There is no living creature on earth but that God owes it its sustenance. And what is most pleasing is that He does it free. Once a person places trust in Him, God’s grace and blessings open up for him / her. That is what followed when the early companions of the Prophet reached Persia, Egypt, Syria and North Africa and the next generations moved in the east to India, Malaysia and Indonesia, the people flocked to Islam. Both the Pastor who intended to torch the Quran and the furore that it generated in the Muslim world needed better understanding which fosters tolerance. The Imam in America needed only to convince the Pastor that by his action he was at same time was torching the Gospels. Take one example. Jesus Christ taught: “You will be born again.” The Qur’an sheds light on what will the followers of Christ do here for preparation of that Day. Tolerance comes much easier when one gets both is meaning and the reward attached to it. I am a one-man crusader trying to reach out to the Americans to share with them the blessings and abundant bounties God has bestowed on me. One good deed is counted ten times to one bad deed and good deeds erase the bad deeds. The issue of the mosque and the proposed Islamic Centre is unduly blown up. Respect the sensitive’s of the people we live with. Drop the publicity of the Centre. The prayers offered in devout devotion would count much more than the cosmetic Centre. The bottom line: It is an earnest endeavour to ease the tensions in the Arab-Israel conflict and strengthen Obama’s hands by suggesting tangible solution of the conflict in which both sides would be the winners. The only hitch lies in Palestinians embrace democracy and give a mandate to their President for signing the agreement.