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On
the threshold of the holy month of Ramadan- the month of fasting,
forgiveness,
compassion and inner purification- the Arab and Islamic nations are
very much embattled.
Afghanistan is being ravaged by war, there are more Muslim refugees
in the world than
among any other nation, Iraq has lost a million lives due to the
sanctions and the
Palestinians continue to suffer under Israeli occupation.
The
central themes of Islamic civilization have long been human
equality, justice and faith in
a
merciful God. Yet, the nation is becoming increasingly maligned for
its “terrorism”, its
hostility to the modern world, its opposition to
globalization and human coexistence.
As a
matter of fact, the true values of the Arab-Islamic heritage enjoin
human coexistence,
the
continual pursuit of knowledge and the assimilation and constructive
use of evolving
technology and science.
This
civilization, moreover, underscored the monotheism of Judaism and
Christianity while
preserving and developing the culture of the Graeco Roman world- and
transmitting it to the
west
of the later middle ages and the renaissance. The intellectuals,
philosophers, artists
and
scientists of classical Islam formed a culture of dazzling
achievement alongside
communicating a message of humanism, universalism
and compassion.
Undoubtedly, Arab-Islamic culture has witnessed decline- being
outpaced by a western
civilization that is generally more productive, more innovative and
more sophisticated in its
science and its social, economic and political systems. Yet, this
culture has much that can
inform the contemporary world- in terms of balancing faith and
reason, individualism and
social belonging, monotheism and diversity, technology and ethics,
nationalism and
transnational belonging, technical progress and an
environmental ethic.
Unfortunately, some of those that speak of Islam, the Arab world and
culture are reducing
our
reality in terms of “fundamentalism”, “terrorism”, “extremism” etc.
In the process,
substantial disinformation is occurring that is frustrating the
labors of those who wish to
describe with objectivity and humanism Arab and Muslim realities,
both in the west and the
east. In the meantime, we should pray for our enemies to show more
understanding and
fairness, for our rulers to be more just, for our scholars to be
wiser- and we should pray to
God
Almighty to have mercy on human civilization at this time of trial,
and at this moment of
sanctity.
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