Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- People are still being killed in the name of a God who never asked for human sacrifices. Unarmed hostages are abducted and executed by improvised courts, which pass death sentences on the basis of so-called religious edicts. In the meantime the ranks of aspirant suicide bombers, people ready to blow themselves up if they can kill others at the same time, seems to be never ending.
One wonders what is the position of the wise men of Islam in the face of these facts? An interesting panorama of different positions in the Muslim community was revealed in a programme recently shown on Italian television.
From Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Ouedraego, youth leader at Ouahigouya Mosque, said: “I volunteered to go to Iraq like many other young Muslims from all over the world. I went to fight a war. I was ready to fight and to die, certainly not to commit suicide in order to kill. Islam does not demand suicide-homicide. I hope Muslim and Christian believers will find the path to collaboration”.
From Egypt, Imam Ibrahim Reda said: “In the name of the All Merciful and Compassionate Allah the Prophet told us to who mercy to all our brothers whatever their religion or race. Anyone who beats or kills another human being whether Christian or Jew is cursed. Islam looks with mercy on other religions. Allah said: do not use force to convert people to Islam. Mohammed always showed mercy to everyone. He showed mercy to the Jews when he entered the city of Madina. He visited the sick even those who were Christians, Jews or non-believers because they were God’s creatures. Egypt is an example of peaceful co-existence among religions. We no not hate Judaism. Hatred arises when people want to take other people’s land or homes. In Islam there is no hatred for Christians or Jews. Personally I would like the West to understand that Islam is not based on fundamentalist movements. We are not preachers of terrorism. We are preachers of peace. We are willing to help the cultivated people of the West build a civilisation founded on dialogue, like in Egypt. This is the way to destroy terrorism which is born of poverty and oppression”.
But unfortunately not everyone is of the same opinion. For example
Mohammed Addullateef a publisher in Cairo: “Murder is forbidden by the Commandments and by the Koran. But there are special cases like Palestine for example. Because their children are not allowed to go to school, their people are stopped in the street, deprived of even the bare necessities of life; the Palestinians feel they have no future. The Palestinians think that by committing suicide they are protecting the life of others, sacrificing their life they give life to other who are suffering”. Mohammed Chaudry, President of the New Jersey Center for Understanding Islam answered him: “Islam condemns suicide. If you are attacked you can fight back and you can be willing to sacrifice your life. But you may not attack others”. (Agenzia Fides 29/7/2004 righe 42 parole 562)
