Chapter 1
Religious And Peace
First: Working Papers
1 –Islam and Peace
H.E. Shaikh Fawzi Fadhel Al Zafzaf
Following the 11th
of September incidents, enemies of Islam
Started spreading rumors that Islam was
connected to tourism and terrorism was linked to Islam. This
is the fraudulent claim propagated by the enemies of Islam
to conspire against the religion, while in reality Islam is
the religion of security, safety and affection. Numerous
Koranic verses and Prophetic saying show that Islam is
closely connected to peace, Islam forbids attacking the
soul, honor or property of a Muslim or of non-Muslim.
In God’s words; “That if anyone slew
person, unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in
the land, it would be as if he slew the whole people…” and
in the Prophet’s (Prayers and Peace be upon Him) words: “The
Muslim is whoever people feel safe from his tongue and
hand”, while another saying by the Prophet (Prayers and
Peace be upon Him) goes:
“Whoever hurts a person from another
faith would become my enemy on judgment day”.
Islam linked fighting to
self-defense or to protecting the faith and not out of love
of warfare, this is confirmed by God’s words”.
Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do
not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgress
peace and the exception is war.
*Head of El Azhar Permanent Committee
for Inter-religious Dialogue.
Islam established
many humanitarian rules and regulations that should be
observed by Muslims during war, like making peace with their
enemy if they show an inclination towards peace, or if he
raises a white flag to surrender as stated in the Holy
Koran: “If they lean towards peace lean towards too…” the
Koran also stresses refraining from hurting the weak
especially the elderly, women and children, and from
destroying crops or animal wealth, throughout history these
orders were demonstrated by numerous examples, one of the
most outstanding examples was the Muslim Khalifa Abi Bakr El
Sedik’s advising his military leader Ossama Bin Zeid of the
following orders:
“Do not kill an old man, a child or a
woman, do not cut down a palm tree or a fruitful tree, and
do not slaughter a cow or camel except to eat…”
It is also wrong to confuse
Islam as a faith, a law, orders and
Morals with the behavior of some people
who call themselves Muslims, but who no longer follow
Islamic principles. This phenomenon is not particular to the
Islamic religion, it can also be seen in other religions and
beliefs like Christianity and Judaism. An example is the way
Christian Serbs behaved towards Muslims from Bosnia
Herzegovina, while all true Christians condemned the Serb’s
behavior. The problem is in the way most media channels in
the United States and in some European countries focus on
this incorrect idea of linking Islam with terrorism, while
justice and fairness require that the act be attributed to
the perpetrator and not to his religion.
* * *
2-Religions Versus the Challenge of Peace
from the Christian Perspective
Dr. Youssef Kamal El- Hag*
According to the message issued by the
late Pope John XXIII
More than 40 years ago, and which was
entitled “Peace on Earth” no social peace could be
established without 4 cornerstones: truth; justice,
affection and freedom. Two months prior to Pope John XXIII
Death he dedicated this paper to
researching all aspects of peace. The message was his last
message to the world and received an unprecedented universal
approval that transcended all religious, as well as all
sectarian and political differences. The Papal message
pointed that peace is centered around the human being’s
basic rights and the duties accompanying those rights
constituted the main axis of public welfare, whether at the
level of each individual country or at the level of the
entire universal human race.
The “Peace on Earth”
message changed the existing equation of the twosome of war
and peace, which said “If you seek security prepare for
war”. And became “If you seek security prepare for peace”
thus the case of war”. Peace became a four-sided divine
order, which had its proper substance, philosophy, path,
goals and special culture.
Religions in their mission to establish and maintain
universal peace face major challenges they have to
tackle under a political and human rights order that
still shirks the obligations related to the individual’s
rights, to independent nation’s rights as well as to the
rights of minorities. It is believed that religions took
a decisive step to face these challenges in the Assize
meeting, held on 24 January 2002 at the invitation of
His Holiness Pope John Paul II, within the framework of
*Counselor to the Committee of
International Relations with Muslims affiliated to the
Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.
The day of “Prayer for peace”. Which
gathered the biggest number of religious dignitaries in
history, including 30 Muslims. This gathering showed the
religious dignitaries strong resolve to face the phenomenon
of the spread of violence and hatred on earth in the name of
religion, this resolve was developed in the historic
document issued by this meeting and which was called the
“Ten Assize Principles on Peace”. And which included the
following:
- To pledge to abandon all violence
and war in the name of God or religion, all followers of
religions have to do their utmost to uproot the causes
of terrorism.
- To promise to raise members of
various ethnic, cultural and religious groups to respect
and value each other, in order to attain brotherly
coexistence between them.
- To pledge to support the culture
of dialogue among individuals and people as a preamble
to establishing real peace.
- To be prepared to defend every
human being right to a decent life in accordance with
his cultural identity, and his right to freely establish
his own family.
- To refuse to conside3r differences
between religions an insurmountable obstacle.
- To pledge to forgive all past and
present injustices.
- To pledge to champion the poor and
the weak.
- To promise to embody the cries of
those who refuse to capitulate to violence and evil.
- To encourage efforts aiming to
strengthen friendship between people.
- To pledge to push rulers of
nations to exert efforts to establish a world of
solidarity and peace based on national and international
justice.
Religions
have four fateful missions: the first is to educate
inhabitants of the earth, especially the new generations,
about the four principles of peace. The second is to
remind the rulers of the nations that in order for peace to
prevail in the political reality of nations, the rights of
individuals and groups should also be respected. The
third is to remind the international community that
peace is an individual entity, and that the role of
religions here should transcend just reminding, to help
establish an international authority that would have
necessary powers to oversee the international community
welfare. The fourth is that religions should recover
real peace between them, through mutual appreciation, true
affection, magnanimous forgiveness and continuous and
fruitful dialogue. Finally I will repeat words pronounced by
Pope John Paul II in a 1998 meeting: “The position of the
Church and of individual Christian towards other religions
is governed by honest respect, deep empathy, and friendly
cooperation, wherever and whenever this is possible and
propitious”.
* * *
3 – Religious Freedoms for
Non- Muslims in Islamic Society
Mr. Salah Eldin Kaftaro
I will directly broach the subject to
give you a picture of public religious freedoms enjoyed by
non- Muslims in an Islamic society throughout history.
First: Freedom of belief, freedom of practicing
religious rites and of safeguarding
Their houses of worship. Islam in no equivocal manner
acknowledges the principle of faith for all people, as
no one is forced to embrace Islam, but people can be
invited to the faith, as in God’s words “No coercion in
religion”. Since the dawn of Islam and up to the present
time, this position was confirmed by numerous historical
evidences, starting from the message of the Prophet
“Prayers and Peace be upon Him” to the people of Negran,
followed by the Prophets recommendations to Maaz Bin
Gabal his representative in Yemen, and on to the
“Oumareya Pledge” made to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
The Pledge guaranteed the inhabitants of Jerusalem’s
religious freedom and freedom to perform their rituals
and keep their temples, and finally observing the
factual coexistence of Muslims and Christians in the
Islamic world. I then compared this state of affairs
with the blatant attacks on religious freedoms that
occur today, like the suffering of Muslim and Christians
Palestinians alike, and the attacks carried on Muslims
religious freedom in many parts of the world, like in
France when the authorities forbid women to wear the
legitimate Islamic veil.
*General
Director of the Shaikh Ahmad Kaftaro Complex in Damascus.
Second:
freedom of thought and education, as spreading education
among all social groups was one of the bases established by
Islam to build society in the Islamic nation. There is no
Islamic law that prohibits non-Muslims to think freely, to
get an education or to establish their own schools in
keeping with their religious principles.
A proof
of the freedom enjoyed by non-Muslims, is the Prophet
“Prayers and Peace be upon Him” returning all the Torahs,
which fell into the hands of Muslims following the Khyber
victory, to their Jewish owners.
Third: Freedom of travel, as non-Muslims could travel
everywhere within the Islamic State, wherever and whenever
they wished. The Prophet’s “Prayers and Peace be upon Him”
agreement with the Christians in Ayala (close to the Gulf of
Akaba) reiterated their right to travel freely by sea or
land to pursue trade.
Fourth: freedom of work, of employment and occupying
government posts: there is nothing in the Islamic law that
bars non- Muslims from being employed in any profession or
posts, except posts of a religious nature. Throughout the
Islamic State various eras, many non-Muslims occupied
important executive position, and enjoyed the right to
practice all their delegates in representative councils.
Fifth: Social freedom, non-Muslims were never forbidden
the right to practice all their own social activities within
a framework of warmth between them and their fellow Muslims,
in application of the Lord’s words: “God forbids you not,
with regard to those who fight you not for your faith nor
drive you out of your home, from dealing kindly and justly
with them, for God loveth those who are just”.
Prophet
“Prayers and Peace be upon Him” always visited non-Muslims
who were sick, and non-Muslims religious celebrations were
common in Islamic society. The dwellings of non- Muslims
were never separated from the dwellings of their fellow
Muslims, as was the case in many countries of the world in
relation to ethnic minorities.
Finally, based on the fact about the oneness of religion
that gathered all members of humanity under one umbrella, I
have to reiterate that this divine religion can change the
map of the world by turning it into an ideal space for
collective living for followers of all divine religions,
within a framework of mutual recognition of the right of
each other to live in peace each on their lands, of their
right to have their holy shrines and to have their
specificities respected, and finally it will also make the
world submit to the arbitration of eternal divine laws. I
also invite Arab followers of divine religions to play a
more effective role towards the problems of Palestine and
Iraq, and I suggest establishing a joint Islamic-Christian
committee to communicate with international religious,
intellectual and humanitarian organizations in order to
bring to light all the human rights violations that occur in
the world, especially in Palestine and Iraq.
***
Second: Discussions
Participants had the following opinions and comments:
·
Peace and harmony between
Christianity and Islam are deeply
Rooted in time, even if they differ in
some of their beliefs they both enjoin what is just and
forbid what is wrong. They fuse into the melting pot of a
unique God, which unites them on an affection that should be
embodied by acts and not just emotions, especially under the
harsh conditions they both have face in the Arab region.
Especially on the land of Palestine,
where Muslim and Christian Palestinians are exposed to the
worst kind of injustice and persecution, and still ask for
based on international resolutions, through the
Creation of two independent states. All
Palestinians will never give up their fair demands no matter
how much pressure is put on them.
·
Islam and Christianity have
coexisted in the region since the establishment of the
Islamic State, this coexistence was reiterated by “El
Omareya Pledge” made to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and
was embodied by Muslims protecting Churches since then and
until the present time. This confirms that the culture of
peace and dialogue should be based on acts and not on
altercations; they should also be based on acts and demeanor
and not on altercations; they should also based on
conviction and on the common factors shared by the two
religions.
·
In spite of the established
coexistence and affection between religions, the problem we
face today is in the first place due to political reasons,
foremost lack of justice in the universe embodied in a
blatant manner by dictating decisions, and by imposing
control and demeaning conditions on people under the
umbrella of globalization.
·
The term “Crusaders” was first
coined in the west linking politics with religion, while
Muslims called those wars the “European Wars”. President
George W. Bush linked his invasion of the world to religion
when he claimed that his mission was to spread welfare and
democracy in the world, while a small group of Muslims
caused Islam to be linked with terrorism. International
public opinion recognized in the September 11 incidents once
again connected Islam and terrorism in people’s minds.
·
Sometimes there is a
contradiction between what is senior religious scholars say
in closed meeting rooms about tolerance, moderation and
peace, and what junior religions scholars do in other
locations, like inciting people towards extremism and
radicalism, which put the ordinary citizens at a crossroad
between the two trends, especially that they feel that some
governments support radical movements.
·
Scientific programs as well as
Islamic and Christian ideological results should both have
courage to enable both parties to draft a common course for
peace. Realization of peace and giving people in Palestine,
Iraq, Syria and Lebanon their rightful rights cannot be
separated.
·
Calling for peace under the
current excesses could be more evil than war itself.
Third: Comments
H.E. Shaikh Fawzi Fahdel Al Zafzaf
I will be the first
to join in calling for banning wars because
Islam does not condone the killing of
innocents, nor does not condone the senseless killing of
human beings, because we are propagandist of peace, security
and safety. But you have to direct your question to world
leaders who dedicate their might to attack others. Look at
the power that rules the world, it controls and directs
wars, we all read what the propagandist of freedom and human
rights did in the Abu Ghraib prison, could Sharon have done
what he did to the Palestinians, such as destroying their
infrastructure, killing innocent people, uprooting trees and
raking agriculture lands, without American weapons and
American support?
In answer to the question
about the role of religious scholars in preaching peace, I
would say that numerous and varied factors influence
society, there are media channels, schools and different
environmental conditions, so what would a religious scholar
do when he preaches sublime principles and is faced with
school curricula, media channels and families that encourage
bigotry?
There is a huge gap between
religious as directives, laws, principles and morals on one
the other side. But nevertheless we are all required to
abide by to those principles, values and morals.
I would also like to comment on the issue that invitation to
peace might be more evil than war, by saying that there is a
difference between and capitulation, and invites the Muslim
to defend himself, his property and his honor. The Prophet
“Prayers and Peace be upon Him” says: Whoever is killed is
killed in self-defense is a martyr and whoever is killed in
defense of his honor is a martyr”.
Dr. Youssef Kamal El- Hag
Peace without its
four pillars: truth, justice, affection and freedom, becomes
a meaningless word. If the world would like to establish
peace on solid bases the entire world order should be
reviewed, in order to take away the power of interpreting
the concept of “Right” from individual countries, and
entrust it to an effective international authority.
I do not agree that the
invitation to peace can be worse than war, since we want
peace as a value, because it constitutes the foundation of
societies. Furthermore there are no standards for real
justice at the national level, and no effective means to
apply them, but this should not force us to deviate from the
main goal, which is to make every effort to reach peace.
I will discuss from a
Christian perspective, the contradiction between some
religious directives, as well the position of Christianity
towards other religions. Throughout history, prayers that
were introduced here and there called for everything except
peace with other religions, which made Pope John Paul XXIII<
decide to amend some prayers recited on Great Friday. The
prayers contained words that offended Islam and Judaism,
currently all followers of the way Christianity perceives
Islam.
The issue of peace is not
the concern of politicians alone, so what roles are civil
societies and religions going to play? Who said that
political leaders are the only guardians of values that
should govern society? We are all invited to contribute to
peace, and as His Holiness Pope John Paul II said: “Every
citizen is a soldier of peace, as well as its guardian and
he has to raise his voice in order to establish the pillars
of this peace”.
I completely condemn
clerics who misbehave, but how can you condemn acts and
correct situations if the concept is basically unclear?
This is because the layman does not
understand the meaning of peace, except as the opposite of
war, while peace is much bigger than just refraining from
fighting.
It is undeniable that there
are acts that violate peace, and that these acts are
performed by followers of religions and not only by people
who have no religion, this is the reason religious scholars
held the “Second Assisi” to server the link between violence
and religion, as well as between resentment, hatred, racism
and religion, for that reason everybody is required to
cooperate for the sake of peace.
*** |