The Generous Spirit Of Islam
Well, there once was a spirit of generosity in Islam. A time when respect was given to religions other than Islam. When a place of honour was still held in recognition of the precursor-religions, of Judaism and Christianity from which Islam took some of its classical ideas, and whose sages and prophets are still held in high esteem by Islamic scholars; certainly through their status by inclusion in the Koran.A time, long past, when Islam was in its full glory, and exercised its generosity freely, admitting to its teeming commercial, intellectual, political bosom the presence of Jewish and Christian communities within the global Caliphate. During that brilliant time in history when the arts were elevated to a status reflecting the greatness of intellectual and philosophical discourse, scientific discovery and mercantile success, infidels were accorded an element of respect, albeit with qualifications.
How inward-looking and degraded has Islam since become. Never quite recovered from its loss of territorial and spiritual hegemony in Europe; an assault on its Islamic consciousness and collective sense of honour, never to be forgotten, nor forgiven. The outward spread and the flowering of Islam shrivelled, and it turned into itself and ossified. The generosity of spirit dissolved, and the resolve for revenge slowly asserted itself.
In the very birthplace of Judaism and Christianity, both religions, much pre-dating Islam, are now scorned and their former esteem replaced by conscious revulsion. They represent now the antithesis in every conceivable respect of Islam's purpose. Even though Judaism now has its place once again in its historical birthplace, semi-secure in a state of its own, encircled by bitterly resentful Muslim countries.
Christianity is slowly being expunged from its cradle of existence, as one Muslim country after another gradually expresses its disgust over the presence of an "alien" religion, though social and political persecution. In the Palestinian Territories, Christians are slowly departing an atmosphere of threat and assaults. Christians are on the move out of Iraq and Lebanon, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
If this exodus of an ancient religion's adherents from their original home is distressing to their neighbours it's hard to imagine. People who once lived in peace and mutual respect no longer appear to be inclined to do so. So it's a little surprising and encouraging to read that a Saudi columnist, Hussein Shubakshi, writing in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat has taken it upon himself to warn of the potential ramifications for Arab society in the wake of this ongoing cleansing of Christian and Jews from Arab countries.
For one thing, he laments the validation of the claim that Muslim countries are incapable of religious moderation; by their rigid exclusionism inimical to the acceptance of the 'other'. "The Arab East was once a paragon of peaceful coexistence between different religious groups. Abundant evidence of this model arrangement could be found in school classrooms, trading companies and cultural projects", he wrote.
"This situation existed until the Jews were expelled from the Arab countries for the first time, which took place in the wake of the declaration of the Zionist state. The response to this declaration by the security apparatuses of several Arab governments was inane, in that they came to regard the Jewish communities with suspicion, skepticism, and apprehension, and tormented them in order to force them to emigrate from Arab countries.
"Jewish emigration from Arab countries had a significant negative impact on the material well being of society and on economic diversity in the Arab World. It is obvious that, today another wave of emigration is underway, and that the Arab world is being drained of its Christian residents. The rate of Christian emigration from Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Sudan and Syria has reached astonishing proportions.
"Palestine in particular is facing a plan to eradicate the entire deeply-rooted Christian presence from all its territories. With the spread of extremism and the prevailing lack of understanding of the basic principles of coexistence with the other - which were put into practise by the Prophet Muhammad himself - it comes as no surprise that an extremist vision dominates the religious discourse.
"This forcible expulsion is evidence of the narrow limits of tolerance and acceptance of the other - and the narrowness of these limits is clearly evident from the actual outcome. The fact that Christian Arabs do not feel secure and protected in Arab countries is a very grave problem, which must be dealt with immediately because without a solution, emigration will continue to exact a price that must eventually have to be paid by everyone, without distinction, including the Muslims themselves."
Well said. Now...what?
Labels: Middle East, Traditions, Troublespots
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, February 27, 2008
<< Home