Salaam - April 2012

THE IMPERATIVE FOR CROSS BORDER COMMUNITY BUILDING

Thomas V Kunnunkal SJ

1.     As we look at the world today, there are so many good reasons which make us feel happy about the tremendous progress that the human race has made during its long history. There has been a quantum jump in this journey of progress in the recent decades. How did this astonishing human progress take place? Even a cursory survey of human history would reveal the startling reality that the numerous inventions, events and progress steps that took humanity forward came as a result of contributions from many. An individual may have worked over a long period of time and made a discovery, but he/she was backed by a team of close collaborators. No culture group, or a religion or even a whole nation can claim that the progress that it has made and the status it has achieved are due to the efforts of any one exclusive group, based on religion, ethnicity or any other factor. Rather, it was the result of numerous inter-cultural and inter-ethnic contributions over a long period of history. For an example, we see this demonstrated so vividly in the long history of Europe or in the much shorter history of America. The bottom line: we need collaboration and mutual support to make greater progress. 

2.       As true as this good feeling is also the bad feeling when we see that, in a world of abundance, so many humans experience hunger, disease, hatred, fear and the threat of violence etc. In spite of the tremendously high levels of accomplishments, in various sectors of life, our human behaviour with others so often and so closely mirrors what we see on the TV screen about the Animal Planet. Strange but true!

3.     As a nation, India too has had such a long history of evolution. None of us would reasonably claim that the present status and accomplishments of India have come from any single religion or ethnic or cultural group or region. On the contrary, we would readily accept that it is the result of the numerous and significant contributions of a very large number of culture groups. It is the strength of India, as also of other large countries, that we are multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural.  India is the home of several world religions. This is our strength.

4.     Every religion, culture or region wants to preserve its identity. This is indeed their right. But in the current contexts, wide open spaces have emerged in the modern world of today, spaces created by reason and by scientific research no less than by the inner search and spiritual quest that many seriously engage in, to find answers to the question: who am I? and who are we humans? As a result of this search, we see that religion and science, at odds earlier, are beginning to engage in a process of dialogue. Today, Science and Spirituality, Physics and Metaphysics, Religion and Reason are seen as bipolar realities of a dialectic that seeks a new synthesis. We surely need borders and identities. But when we push those borders and identities too hard and are not willing to cross and go beyond those borders, we become less and less human. It is heartening to witness the several movements that are currently searching for new answers for our times so that religion continues to hold meaning for today’s life and living, especially for today’s educated young, many of whom have professional training and updated competences and want to base their faith and meaning structure with support from reason.

5.     Therefore, in our modern world of today, to be religious is to be also inter-religious; to be cultural is to be also inter-cultural; and to be human is to be inter-human. “In the name of God” so many horrendous atrocities have been committed, not only in the past, but continue to be done in today’s world as well. That is why, modern man’s behavior continues to mirror the behavior patterns of the Animal Planet, with this difference that we use very sophisticated weapons that we have developed to destroy others. It is in that context that every religion needs to engage in a critical and scientific evaluation of its own current practices, prescriptions and actions to see if these humanize or dehumanize persons and communities and take appropriate steps to bring about needed reform, where we find we are becoming less and less free, less and less human or more and more exclusive. Similarly, each religious community needs to engage in the study of other religions, in order to understand its basic ethos and perspectives and appreciate these, as a necessary step to be a good citizen of today’s world. Such study will help remove several of the myths, prejudices and stereotypes we often nurture about persons of other faiths and traditions. In our present day work places, whether in business or industry or in many service institutions, like a school, college or hospital, we will often encounter work-mates, class-mates and staff-mates from different cultures and religions. Developing the ability to engage in warm and friendly interaction and enter into synergistic alliances between the members of these groups and the ability to thus function well in that mixed group are crucial competences or life skills needed for personal growth and for one’s own promotion as well as for the proper functioning of the institution or business.

6.    Therefore, the obvious agenda for the human family and in fact, the most urgent agenda, is to engage in Cross Border Community Building (CBCB), namely build human communities across those borders that presently divide us and which make us less and less human. There is no salvation (wellness) for our world except in and through community. Knowledge and technology alone will not save us. We need to humanize ourselves. We become more human and humane when we find a place in our hearts for the other, especially for those who are from other religious or cultural traditions or social conditions and thus become truly sons and daughters of our inclusive God, our common Father, who holds all whom He has brought into life as persons precious to Him.  

Christian-Muslim Relations: Learning from the past and building the future

Victor Edwin SJ

INTRODUCTION

The Islamic Studies Association (India) and Saint Francis Xavier Movement (Italy) jointly organized a one-day international seminar on Christian-Muslim relations on the theme: “Transforming Prejudices into Acceptance and Understanding Christian-Muslim Relations in India” in Delhi on 2 January 2012. The Seminar brought together practitioners of interreligious dialogue from India and Italy.  It explored the challenges in Christian-Muslim relationships in India, in the context of the four-fold dialogue strategies: Dialogue of Life where believers from different religions living as neighbors, share each other's joys and sorrows; Dialogue of Deeds where believers from different religions cooperate for the common good in accord with shared values; Dialogue of Theological Exchange where believers from different religions seek to understand each other’s religious heritage and Dialogue of Religious Experience where believers from different religions share their spiritual riches, the fruits of their contemplation and prayer.

Fr Thomas V Kunnunkal SJ (President, Islamic Studies Association) and Prof Leo Fernando (Professor of Church History at Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi and a representative of Saint Francis Xavier Movement in India) along with Prof Ambrogio Bongiovanni (President, Saint Francis Xavier Movement) were the key persons in organization and execution of this seminar. Prof George Gispert-Sauch SJ and Fr Thomas V Kunnunkal SJ moderated the sessions. This account presents briefly: first, the rationale behind this seminar; second, a summary report on the presentations and discussion that occurred during the seminar, and third, the fruits that were gathered on that day.  Thanks both to Kunnunkal and Gispert-Sauch for their assistance in making this report.

RATIONALE

India is a home of different religions, cultures, languages, traditions and ways of life. These cultural and religious traditions are woven together in such a way that, while every culture and religion keeps its uniqueness, it also gets genuinely related to the others. As a result the Indian landscape presents a rich mosaic of life styles of varied colours and patterns. Christianity and Islam, the two major religions that emerged from the West Asian soil, found their home in India. Christians and Muslims have contributed in a large measure to India in the fields of education, health, art, architecture, music, painting, administration, and literature, and in this way they helped to develop a new way of being Indian. They enhance the beauty of India as a pluralistic society. In short, unity in diversity defines India.

How do Christians and Muslims relate with each other in India? There are references regarding harmonious relations between them in the early Christian-Muslim history. However, the Jesuits’ debate with Muslim theologians and lawyers in the Mughal court (from February,1580) and later Protestant missionary Karl Gottlieb Pfander’s  debate (1803–1865) with an Indian Muslim theologian, Rahmatullâh Ibn Khalîl al-'Uthmânî al-Kairânawî (1818-1891), impacted Christian-Muslim relations adversely. Both Christian and Muslim debaters wanted to establish the truth of their own religions, as they tried to undermine the faith of the other.  Scholars like Christine Schirrmacher pointed out that these debates deepened prejudices and mutual suspicion of one another.

These negative experiences continue to affect Christian-Muslim relationships even in the present times. Hence, Christians and Muslims need to ask themselves how to build up relationships afresh for the present times. They will fail in this venture if they allow the burden of the past to weigh upon them. One way of overcoming misunderstanding and ignorance is to reach out to the other. 

Every year the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue reaches out to Muslims wishing them on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr. In India, the Islamic Studies Association (ISA), founded at a Consultation called by the Dialogue Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India in March 1979, reaches out to Muslims by establishing contacts with Muslims through its quarterly Salaam and through its bi-annual conventions. The members of ISA especially Fathers Christian W Troll SJ,  Paul Jackson SJ, Desiderio Pinto SJ and Pushpa Anbu SVD through their writings and teaching of Islam and Christian-Muslim relations in many Catholic seminaries help Christians to understand Muslims and their faith better in the light of the teachings of Vatican II. The focus is on reaching out to Muslims.

In November 2004 His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan launched the Amman Message to clarify to the world what true Islam is. The Message denounced violence that is propagated in the name of Islam. Following the Amman Message, in July 2005, His Majesty King Abdullah II once again issued another document called the Amman Interfaith Message intending to establish full acceptance and good will between Jews, Christians and Muslims.  These two documents were endorsed by a large number of Muslim scholars and Muslim theological Institutions. Following these important historical developments, on October 13, 2007, 138 Muslim leaders signed and sent to 28 Christian leaders including the Pope a document entitled A Common Word Between Us and You, inviting both Christians and Muslims for dialogue and to work for peace in the world.  

These recent positive exchanges and efforts for ‘reaching out to the other’ are a welcome sign. These individuals and groups of Christians and Muslims as well as a number of official bodies of these two groups of believers shun polemics and strive to find new ways to understand and respect one another and so to build a peaceful future. Their exchanges while scholarly are made with sympathy, respect, and understanding. Both draw from the very sources of their faith as well as from the lessons learnt from past history.  Rooted in their particular religious traditions, they are also open to new challenges and opportunities that arise both locally and globally. Any serious theological reflection on Christian Muslim relations therefore needs to be attentive to the past history as well as the present ‘glocal’ situations (global and local). Hence the papers of the seminar dealt with Christian Muslim relations in India and also in Europe especially in Italy and Germany, where the members connected with Saint Francis Xavier Movement, the co-organizers of this seminar, are active in improving Christian Muslim relations.

PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION

Rev. Dr Packiam Samuel (Director, Centre for Study of Religion and Cultures, New Delhi) in his inaugural address briefly presented the history of relationships between Christians and Muslims over the centuries. In his overview, he emphasized the contexts of perceptions and attitudes and presented a historical insight into Christian-Muslim relations.  He suggested that, in our times, we need to work towards acceptance, understanding and appreciation of each other’s religions. He approached the subject sensitively as a theologian and practitioner of dialogue. Following his lecture, a book titled “Windows on Dialogue” was released by Dr Samuel. Dr Theresa, one of the members of Saint Francis Xavier Movement received the first copy. This was followed by presentation of papers.

Prof Desiderio Pinto in his scholarly paper, Muslim and Sufi Contributions to the Indian Cultural Heritage, made clear that dialogue has been taking place between Islam and Hinduism for centuries at almost all the levels of Muslim life in India: literature, poetry, music, mysticism, theology, revelation, festivals, magic, politics, and social stratification.  And Indian Islam at one time or another and for one reason or another adopted many Hindu customs and practices, and also beliefs.  However, he said that   Indian Islam have always kept more or less in contact with the centers of the Islamic world, Mecca and Medina, through its ulema (the keepers and teaches of Islamic law and doctrine) and also through the Haj.  He further said that this together with the attention Indian Muslims give to the Quran and Hadith, have resulted from time to time in reform movements that have tried to restore the Islamic faith to its pure form among Muslims in India.  Even though these efforts have not been completely successful, they carry on together with new movements constantly emerging, this work with renewed energy and zeal.  Further, Muslims are acutely aware that they are imperfect Muslims, far from the ideal model community that God created for all peoples when he revealed his Qur’an through the prophet Muhammad, and they all agree that this model community that existed at the time of Muhammad is something they must all strive for, if not in fact because they are too weak, then at least, in word and desire: the ummah is not just past history but also the future towards which all humanity cannot but be drawn.  The emphasis is not on integration with other faiths (though amity with other religions is also important), but on keeping the contract mentioned in the Quran (9/10), a personal contract with God that each Muslim must make at least when he or she reaches the age of reason.  The Muslim sells himself to God as a slave in exchange for paradise, and then lives out this contract by following the Quran, the Hadith or sunnah, and the sharia, whatever the cost to his life and possessions.  If he cannot live out the contract in all its aspects in practical life, then he must at least say that he should and must try to live thus.

 

His presentation brought out the delicate balance, which Indian Muslims maintain, between their spiritual legacy, built around the Qur’an and the Hadith, and their centuries-long fruitful interaction with their Hindu neighbors.  When Muslim faith came in contact with Indian world-view, it resulted in a composite culture. This composite culture expressed itself in many forms of art and in life styles, and remains a crucial element that supports the secular foundations of the modern Indian State. This composite culture is not a recipe for Muslims to compromise on their faith. Rather they remain committed to the core call of Islam, to submit oneself to God in the path of the Qur’an and of the Hadith. In other words they find themselves both authentically Indians and genuinely Muslims. We will quickly note two important points: first, that on the face of right wing Hindu nationalism, this Hindu-Muslim cultural interaction and its fruit, the composite culture, should be preserved and strengthened in order to preserve and strengthen the secular foundations of modern India and build a peaceful nation; second, the West can learn a few lessons from this Indian experience of multi-cultural pro-existence as they are increasingly becoming multi-religious and multi-cultural.  

Dr Farida Khanam in her paper A Reflection on Muslim-Christian Dialogue in India according to the Views of Prof Christian W Troll and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan made a brief reference to the Catholic Church’s efforts in Christian-Muslim dialogue with reference to Prof Troll. She made a clear presentation on Maulana Khan’s understanding of dialogue. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (b.1925) is considered to be one of the significant contemporary Muslim religious thinkers from the Indian subcontinent. His writings have been attracting a considerable body of readership.  His religious thinking is also exerting some influence on the thinking of many Muslims in India and elsewhere.  His al-Risala Movement was established in 1970 to propagate the ideals of Islam in a peaceful way. Its publications are attracting the attention not only of Muslims but also of non-Muslims.

Maulana Khan’s understanding of religion - ‘din’ - is central to his religious thinking. He explains that Islam has come to convey the proper understanding of the link between God and humanity. Man and woman are servants of God and consequently fear and love should mark their relationship with God. Islam prepares them for the last day the Day of Judgment.  According to Maulana Khan, this understanding is the essence of Islam. He points out that the political discourse about the establishment of the Islamic State based on Qur’anic injunctions does not form the central message of Islam. Dr Khannam is the daughter of Maulana Khan. It was very enriching for the participants to listen to Dr Khannam as she explained the religious thinking of her father.

However, it must be mentioned that the paper did not attempt to make these two thinkers (Maulana Khan and Professor Troll) interact with each other. One of the crucial questions should be: where do these thinkers base their arguments for religious freedom? How do they approach the issue of conversion: changing one’s faith according to one’s convictions? It is common knowledge that freedom of religion is one of the burning issues that confronts the modern world in many regions of Asia and Africa. In that context, it should be mentioned that the recent Al-Azhar Bill of Rights, Al-Azhar, Egypt’s premier Islamic institution, issued a document on basic freedoms on 11 January 2012 to serve as a reference for Egypt’s new constitution. The document lists freedom of belief, opinion, expression, scientific research, and art and literary creativity as basic rights for all citizens that should be respected using Islamic references and traditions to back up those values.  These two documents are excellent and pave the way for mutual understanding and building up a modern State on solid foundation of human rights.

A Jesuit scholar, in a personal email to the author of this report, mentioned: “BUT... Islam cannot open the door to freedom of faith and religion without betraying itself and putting into question the vital issue of conversions which is a cornerstone of orthodox Islam. My feeling is that by ‘freedom of religion’ they intend ‘freedom of worship’ and they play upon this ambiguity.” All these indicate that there should be a lively on-going dialogue on these crucial questions to deepen the understanding between Christians and Muslims.

 Ahmet Favad made a presentation on Gülen Movement and Christian-Muslim relations.  He said that this movement is an apolitical cultural movement that regards the issue of ignorance, poverty and disunity as three major enemies of mankind and it offers education, poverty relief and humanitarian aid, charity and dialogue, as remedies to these social ills. It would be worth mentioning here that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi,  Turkish scholar and intellectual wrote: “Our enemies are ignorance, poverty and conflict. We shall wage a holy war against these three enemies with the weapons of Industry, Learning and Unity.” The Gülen movement is named after Fethullah Gülen, scholar, writer and poet who inspired many in Turkey and abroad. The number of followers is not exactly known. In May 2008, Gülen was listed by Foreign Policy magazine among the top hundred public intellectuals in the world.  Gülen movement works for global peace and sees interfaith dialogue as an indispensable component of this endeavor to the way that leads to that end. Gülen believes that interfaith dialogue is a must today and the first step in establishing it is to forget the past, ignore polemical arguments and give precedence to common points which far outnumber polemical ones. Gülen mentions four fundamental universal values that are sustained by religion to be promoted in interreligious dialogue namely love, compassion, tolerance and forgiving. Gülen consistently argues in favor of democracy and consolidation of democratic process and further suggests that Islamic principles of equality, tolerance and justice support democracy. 

 In a recent Conference of Jesuits Among Muslims in Rome (September 2011) presenting his views on this movement, Prof Thomas Michel SJ concluded: “‘Are Gülen and the Hizmet community friends or foes?’ I must answer that they are our friends. They are the kind of Muslim interlocutors for an active dialogue for which we have been searching since the time of Nostra Aetate.” His comment helped Islamic Studies Association (ISA) to get in touch with Indilogue Foundation run by Gülen followers in Delhi. Now ISA has begun to work together in projects of inter-faith relations since last few months.  

Dr Reeta Bagchi, an associate professor at Jamia Hamdard University presented her reflection on interreligious dialogue. She is one of the collaborators of Saint Francis Xavier Movement in Delhi. She said that for a harmonious and better quality of life there is need for a national as well as global awakening to establish a new social order with major values of different religions, integrated with our human life style. In such a civilization of love and mutual respect, there is no scope for clash of civilizations and the various communities will co-operate for the welfare of all through creative inter-faith dialogue. Today the various issues like global warming, terrorism, poverty and women’s empowerment are being taken unitedly rejecting the very idea of any clash in faith and practices. Vivekananda had said -- `Bring all forces of good together, do not care what be the color, but mix all the colors`. That is the multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-linguistic, multi-regional fragrance of India.

Victor Edwin, a PhD student on Christian-Muslim Relations at the New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia, reflecting on his experiences with Muslims said that deep dialogue and religious conversations cannot avoid serious theological questions. While reflecting on possible responses, he came to realize that one should keep within the teaching of the Church so that one’s responses remain Catholic, while being aware of the complexities of the history of Christian-Muslim interactions. Sensitive responses can be developed only if the person doing dialogue is gifted with a heart that listens and discerns and a mind that is aware of the history of Christian-Muslim relations.

He affirmed that polemics should never find a place in our dialogue. In the past it has only generated heat and never shed light. And in future polemics is not going to be different. Polemics was a model that generated prejudice and bias. It should never be a model for future dialogue. In a similar vein it could be said that compromising one’s faith in not dialogue either. If polemics represents hard heartedness then compromise implies shallowness. In dialogue, we need to be rooted in our faith and remain open to the Spirit of God that is at work within us.

He said that it was his experience that whenever he had reached out to Muslim friends, he always had returned enriched: a deep experience of the richness of his own faith tradition and of the beauty of the Islamic tradition. As Christians, he further said, we need to reach out to Muslims as our brothers and sisters. A lot of goodwill will be generated when we meet as worshipers of One God, who is our Creator and our Judge.

At the heart of his mission as a Jesuit among Muslims, he said that he tries to convey the message that he is a follower of Christ and wants to help his Muslim friends to love Jesus and come to meet him. 

As indicated in the beginning, a deeper understanding of the dynamics of Christian-Muslim relations would be achieved if one sees this question in the fast changing global context. Such consideration would throw a new light on issues related with Christian-Muslim relations and help the West to learn from the East and vice-versa. The following two presentations that come from Prof Ambrogio Bongiovanni and Dr Gudrun Löwner reflects this particular understanding.

Prof Bongiovanni’s presentation considered the historical, sociological and anthropological issues connected with Christian Muslim relations in Italy. He said that the Catholic Church made many efforts in this field at grass root level and at official levels to help the believers and society to take initiatives for dialogue with the Muslims. Many results can be observed in many places of the country. He said: “Islam is a faith marked by a change. There is an increasing number of youth expressing more and more willingness to be integrated and be part of a globalized and pluralistic world.” He affirmed that problems concerning the integration of Muslims in the Italian society have to be solved by both communities.  He suggested that the Italian society should overcome the “obsessions” about each other (West against Islam and vice versa) and concentrate on intercultural and interreligious formation for co-existence. Interreligious dialogue is the need of the hour, he affirmed.

In her paper “Islam in Germany: the success story of Dawa in Germany” Dr Löwner gave a lucid picture of Muslims in Germany. She pointed out that Islam is not a monolithic group in Germany. They reflect the differences that they bring with them from their lands of origin. One in every eleven persons living in Germany is a Muslim, she said, so that German society is becoming a multi-religious and multi-cultural society. This change from a predominant Christian society will not happen without fears. She said: “… the growth of Buddhism and Hinduism is not understood as threats. However, there are many complex problems associated with the establishment of Islam as a permanent religion in Germany.” She noted two issues related with minarets and the head-scarf. Minarets and the head-scarf symbolically announce that Muslims are no more guest workers, and that through their permanent presence Islam has come to stay in Germany. This is unsettling though unavoidable. Demography has changed and will continue to change in the times to come. How does one deal with a multi- religious and multi-cultural society? India has integrated the differences and presented them, to put it metaphorically, as a salad bowl or as a mosaic. Everyone has a place of honor in the integral vision of India as one country. The diversity is preserved neither by pushing the religious and cultural differences to private sphere nor reducing them into a melting pot. This Eastern wisdom may give a clue for the West to deal with their changing cultural milieu. 

FRUITS

These exchanges are beautiful examples of Christians and Muslims reaching out to one another. They underline the importance of mutual understanding and the need to work together for justice and peace in the world. While reaching out to the other they will learn and discover afresh the other.  The pre-judgments and prejudices will vanish and personal relationships established.

It was very revealing for the Christian participants to realize that Muslims constantly interpret Islam in new and refreshing ways. Their interpretation is deeply rooted in the foundational sources of Islam, the Qur’an and Hadith.  The Gülen Movement (Turkey) and Al Risala Movement (India) with which Mr Favad and Prof Khannam, speakers of our Seminar, are associated are very important movements that remain encouraging examples of this trend. The signs of the times demand both Christians and Muslims to reach out to one another.

The papers from the India and Europe clearly showed that learning from one another is crucial for a sane world.  The discussion helped the participants to recognize that the West is marked by the flames of Enlightenment and the East is marked by rays of Wisdom and both need to complement one another for life in the global village. The secular perspective from the West was missing in the seminar proceedings and that was one of the weaknesses of the seminar. 

The participants recognized:

·                    Every religion is unique and need to be respected for its unique history and traditions.  Both Christians and Muslims should listen to one another and understand the way in which they explain their faith.  Listening to the other marks the starting of a genuine dialogue. In this dialogical way we grow and contribute to world peace and to the well being of all communities.

The participants learnt:

·                    There is a lot of good will across religious boundaries. We need to build bridges across to live a connected life.

·                    Both the East and the West need to share and learn from one another.

·                    A lot of intercultural and inter-faith exchanges happen at the global level. These exchanges should be multiplied at local levels.

·                    We need to search for partners in dialogue. Many people of good will are found everywhere.

·                    Dialogue is a way of life. It must be lived consciously.

SUICIDE BOMBERS

Paul Jackson, S.J.

A request to put “suicide bombers” in context got me thinking. Possibly a more accurate expression of what my friend had in mind would be “Muslim Suicide Bombers.” This will be my topic. It might be helpful to go back to the beginning, much like the first words of the Bible – “In the beginning...” The setting of our story is early seventh-century Arabia, with special reference to Medina, which is 400 kilometres north of Mecca, where Muslims situate the beginnings of what is believed to be the Word of God – the Quran. The initial revelations took place there between 610 and 622. Muhammad was accepted as a prophet and became the religious leader of his band of followers. By 622 they were compelled to leave Mecca. Muhammad responded to the invitation of a group of delegates from the faction-ridden town of Medina and went there as an arbitrator, where he became the political leader, in addition to being an acknowledged prophet and religious leader.

This influx of refugees meant that arrangements had to be made to look after them. A time-honoured source of income for the Arabs of the region was to raid and loot caravans. Muhammad also resorted to this practice. In his earliest extant biography, translated as The Life of Muhammad by Guillaume, it is instructive to read about the first six recorded raids. Muhammad himself led three of them, but did not go on the other three. The only fighting recorded was that one arrow was shot. Sometimes no caravan was found. On one occasion a caravan with a very large contingent of guards was spotted. It was not attacked, as it would have been too dangerous to do so. The ideal situation was to encounter a caravan with a smaller contingent of guards than the attacking force. A skirmish would take place. Some of the fighters would get wounded. The guards could then honourably surrender and boast about how bravely they had resisted the large force of attackers, and have some wounds to prove it. The attackers would then depart with the confiscated goods. The aim was clearly to rob, not to kill, but the honour of those attacked had to be preserved.

“Death before dishonour” was no empty slogan for the Arabs of Muhammad’s time. It expressed the core of an Arab’s identity. Wounds inflicted during battles were much like the injuries sustained by modern sportsmen, but with the added halo of being “marks of honour.” In Arab society of the period poets fulfilled the role of the media of our own days. We know how the media can deal with individuals or groups. For example, while the Indian cricket team was on a winning run the Indian media presented Dhoni, the captain, as a world-class sportsman. Now, after the England and Australia fiascos, he is being roundly condemned. His hefty bank balance will undoubtedly cushion the blow to his pride! The Arab, on the contrary, had few possessions. His greatest treasure was his honour. That had to be safeguarded at all costs. This meant he could not do anything that would expose him to the ridicule of the poets. That was something he could not bear! Muhammad clearly understood this when he led a large group of his unarmed followers on pilgrimage from Medina back to Mecca. A large band of fully armed Meccans rode out to meet them. They could easily have killed them, but that would have exposed them to the taunts and ridicule of all the poets of Arabia. That was not an acceptable option for honourable Arabs! Negotiations took place, and a compromise was reached.

After the death of Muhammad in 632 Abu Bakr was elected as the new religious and political leader, but was not considered a prophet. As a method of dealing with tribal factionalism Abu Bakr sent armies on external missions. These Arab warriors were still imbued with their hallmark sense of honour. Their conquests brought them much booty, but there was now the added dimension of being instrumental in spreading God’s kingdom, as embodied in Islam. If a soldier was killed while trying to do so, he would be a – ghazi – a man who was killed while fighting for God’s cause. God would naturally reward him with the joys of paradise, as delineated in the Quran, and embellished by Tradition. The aspects of personal honour, quest for booty, and spreading Islam coalesced to form a powerful motivating force to fight bravely, yet honourably. This meant killing only those who fought against them. There was no question of killing unarmed civilians, women or children. Moreover, although it was clearly recognized that some attacks were so dangerous they could be termed ’suicidal,’ yet the actual killing was done by the enemy. There was not even a concept of our modern “suicide bomber,” where a Muslim kills himself or herself as a means of killing others. Moreover, these ‘others’ are nowadays usually ordinary citizens – mostly Muslims – going about their normal activities such as shopping in the bazaar, praying together or joining in a funeral procession. Clearly, nothing in the early formative period of Islam can be adduced as a precedent for this contemporary practice.

It is instructive to take a closer look at the word ghazi. Platts gives the first meaning as “One who engages in a warring expedition.” This focuses our attention on the act of fighting in a battle. Its emphasis is on fighting courageously, and so the word also became used to denote a conquering hero. Perhaps the religious connotation is best gleaned from the recorded exhortation of the Prophet in 623 at the beginning of the battle of Badr: “By God, in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, no man will be slain this day fighting against them (the Meccans) with steadfast courage, advancing and not retreating, but God will cause him to enter Paradise.” If we look at another word in the same dictionary, shahid, we read “A witness; one who is slain in the cause of Islam; a martyr.” It is interesting to note that the basic meaning of the Arabic root of the word shahid is “to bear witness.” If we look up the Greek verb underlining our common English word, ‘martyr,’ we find that it also means “to bear witness.” It is the current word for a martyr in both Hindi and Urdu.

A subtle shift underlines this change. Attacks on caravans in Arab society were not for any ‘cause,’ but purely and simply for material gain. Implicit in the whole process, however, was the felt need to safeguard one’s honour. The main aim of the suicide bomber, on the other hand, is ideological. In its purest form, the suicidal attack means striking a blow for the cause of Islam. All other considerations, including rational discourse, are considered of secondary importance. For example, by what stretch of the imagination or rational thinking can a suicide bomber’s attack which kills about forty Muslims gathered to shop in a bazaar, pray in a mosque, or participate in a funeral procession, be regarded as a blow “for the cause of Islam?” It goes against all the tenets of Islam, as briefly indicated earlier on. It also negates the clear prohibition of suicide. It is worth recalling that this discussion is about the ‘purest’ form of suicide bombing, not about its clear sectarian or political manifestations, although these are not necessarily excluded in any particular attacks.

The sad thing is that the actual bombers consider themselves to be martyrs in the cause of Islam, destined for the delights of Paradise, if men, or to become “pure angels,” if women – as one apprehended female suicide bomber expressed it. The cold, calculating ‘handlers’ of such people have shed all vestiges of humanity and concern for others, even for their Muslim compatriots, not to mention the brain-washed bombers themselves. They have their personal agendas, but seek justification for sending young people out to certain death, as well as the deaths of many innocent people, by taking refuge in the notion of ‘victimhood.’ They project themselves as ‘victims’ who have a God-given right to adopt any form of protest against their imagined victimization. It is instructive to ask a simple question concerning the media portrayal of attacks by suicide bombers: “Is the focus on the identity of the bombers and their alleged grievances, or on the victims, so cruelly deprived of life or limb?” A prominent ‘victim’ would be considered worthy of news coverage, but ordinary citizens would be considered simply as one more victim contributing to the total number. Shock and grief lay hold of the victims’ families and friends, but the media scarcely ever give their names, let alone a description of them. Both handlers and perpetrators milk their own claimed ‘victimhood’ for all it is worth, yet ignore the very real victims of their own suicidal attacks.

Underpinning their claim to sympathetic understanding, if not downright approval, is the ultimate origin and focus of all Christian sympathy for victims, namely, the reality of the Crucified Jesus. We need not dwell on the Passion of Jesus, from the heart-rending struggle in Gethsemane to the agony on the cross, to realize that He was a victim of human cruelty and injustice. Christians, however, believe that this is not the ultimate reality of what their senses can grasp. They believe that the pierced heart of Jesus is symbolic of the life-bestowing love of the heart of Jesus. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). This death that leads to life is in stark contrast to a death that leads to further death! 

Christians and Muslims a year since the start of the Arab spring
Samir Khalil Samir SJ

Everything began a year ago when a young Tunisian, Mohammed Buazizi, fed up by poverty and police humiliation, set himself on fire. It was 15 December, and like a wildfire on a dry prairie, his sacrifice burnt its way from country to country. It all happened because the Arab world is going through tough times. People felt pain and wanted change. All they needed was spark for the fire to start.

The Arab revolution spread unevenly, depending on the country. In some countries, people were better prepared. In Tunisia, people are stronger and more mature and their former regime did allow protest from time to time. Where the regime was completely dictatorial, as in Libya, an external intervention was necessary. In the Syrian case, the situation is even more complex and it is unclear whether a solution will be found or not.

In some countries, like Jordan, very little happened, probably because their situation is not as bad as elsewhere. In others, nothing happened because population is largely uniformed; for instance, oil-rich Saudi Arabia, where people live well but do not know what are human rights, freedom and equality.

The Arab world and its needs

In any case, unrest this year in the Arab world was caused by the fact that people’s needs are not met. The first and foremost need or reason is poverty, which affects a good part of the population. However, the revolution was not their doing for they live in such grim conditions that the idea of revolution would not have crossed their mind. Others carried it out and they joined in, as in Egypt where 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. In Tunisia, the young man who set himself on fire was desperate because of poverty and unemployment. 

The second reason is the dismal level of youth unemployment. In our culture, the inability to start out in life is a source of humiliation. Unemployment means the inability of forming a family. In Europe, reaching the age of 30 without one’s own family is not a tragedy. In our countries, people start to think about creating their own family at the age of 20 with the expectation that they would have it by 25. But if you are jobless, that is impossible. In our countries, a man must be able to buy a house; a woman must bring the furniture. However, if they are unemployed, they cannot get marry and that is humiliating.

The third reason is ethical. It is the lack of dignity and freedom to express one’s opinions as well as the level of inequality. This is especially true for intellectuals as well as the middle classes. Other forms of discrimination, not necessarily religious, also play a role. 

Finally, television brings the rest of the world into people’s living rooms. People feel backward compared to others and wonder why it is so. At the same time, they hear that the president, the minister and others are billionaires. All this creates a sense of injustice, which felt as something quite personal.

All this created a sense of frustration that led to the uprising.

Islamist victory

Initially, the movement began spontaneously, from the grassroots. It had no real leadership and today we can see its consequences. Those who made the revolution did not reap the fruit of victory. They enabled others, who were better organised, to benefit for their work. It was such a setback, that some are already saying that it “wasn’t worth the trouble”.

I remain confident. Even though Islamists won, this step was necessary because it allowed other priorities different from theirs to come to the fore. Dignity, jobs, freedom, equality and democracy, were the reasons behind the youth-led revolution, not religion.

It is true that Islamists can now wield power. Now they can show that “Al-Islâm huwa l-hall!”, that “Islam is the solution” for everything. They will have to demonstrate that an Islamic system will solve the problems of unemployment, education, equality, democracy, finances, etc.

For the first time since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Islamists will exercise political power. It will be an important occasion to see in what areas they can provide concrete answers to real problems and in what they will not. It is also will be an important to see what type of Sharia they will implement, whether it will that of Saudi Arabia, where a woman was beheaded on witchcraft charges, that of Iran, which is blocking the country’s development, or some other versions. As for us, our view will depend on results.

What is certain though is that Islamists, especially Salafists, are using the Arab spring to impose their version of Islam. This was brought home to Tunisia (when they tried to impose the niqâb on women at Manouba University, the country’s best known institution of higher learning, and open a mosque near the campus) and Egypt (when many churches were attacked, crosses destroyed and soldiers assaulted women, leading to last Tuesday’s demonstration).

Education for democracy

In Egypt, the massive electoral victory (60 per cent) of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists now means that the former will have to prove that they deserve the electorate’s confidence. 

Their victory was inevitable. After 60 years of military rule, the democracy was but a faded memory. Yet, more than 50 per cent of the electorate came out to vote, and that is positive. The turnout in past elections did not go above 5-7 per cent. Egyptians refrained from voting knowing that the outcome had already been fixed. Under Nasser, the ruling party won 95 per cent of the vote with 5 per cent of voters casting their ballot.

Tunisia is a special case. Turnout in its recent election was at least 80 per cent. This is a sign that people are interested in politics and are prepared to participate.

Now it is time for young people to organise. Their societies and the rest of the world have taken the Arab Revolution seriously. But they need to plan and achieve unity; otherwise, all is lost. Unlike Tunisia, young people created dozens of parties in Egypt, splitting the vote and so they lost the advantage they had.

The ‘Egyptian Bloc’, a liberal party open to Christians and Muslims alike founded by billionaire Copt Naguib Sawiris, won 17 per cent of the vote. It is not much, but it is something.

This shows there is hope for the future. The movement must raise awareness among Egyptians about what is at stake. In addition to the economy, which is doing badly, it must focus on education. Egypt is particularly backward compared to other Arab countries. Its illiteracy rate is around 40 per cent (especially among women) and the quality of education is poor. This is why people vote according to religious affiliation rather than political analysis.

Despite attacks against churches, Christian-Muslim solidarity has given rise to a certain sensibility and movement for equality, hitherto impossible. Although minimal given the efforts, this is something positive.

The situation in Syria

Syria is where people realise the most what is at stake. Until recently, the Assad regime had appeared very stable. Now that situation is very serious and difficult. Information about is happening inside the country remains unclear. The bishop of Aleppo recently told me to be weary because what is said outside the country is different from what is said inside.

Nonetheless, some new things are emerging. For the first time, the Arab League took a clear position. It suspended Syria from the organisation and agreed to sanctions and more.

Of course, the League’s position is somewhat ambiguous. Syria is an ally of Iran, a predominantly Shia country, whilst the Arab League is almost entirely Sunni. The Arab League’s threats against Syria might thus be motivated more by this opposition than by love for the revolution. Whatever the case may be, Syrians for the past nine months have been willing to give their life to change the situation, and this is a truly new fact.

Syria has distinct problems, those of a totalitarian power structure facing an unarmed population. Neighbouring Arab countries are said to be providing financial aid to the rebels, but a Syrian or Arab mediator is needed; otherwise, there will be destruction.

For the first time, Turkey has come to the defence of Syrian rebels. Perhaps, it has its own hegemonic goals or maybe it is acting to meet its obligations as a Western ally. Or perhaps Turkey might want to promote itself as a model of moderate Islamic nation, despite its own less than stellar human rights record.

The situation in other countries

The future is uncertain in Libya. Islamist ideas are being articulated, but the country’s main problem is how to reconcile its many tribes so that they work together for its development. With industry still in its infancy, it is unclear whether it can move forwards.

Saudi Arabia did not experience any uprising (since it was nipped in the bud by the military), but people still want some change.

By contrast, in countries like Yemen and Bahrain, a revolution did take place, leading to some significant changes. Neither can ever be the same.

Morocco too saw some volatility but no revolution. Fear was sufficient to initiate some social reforms. Even before this, the kingdom had modified its family law (Mudawwanah), giving women more legal rights. 

All this suggests that people in the Arab world are seeking their own path.

What about Christians?

In general, Christians fear that Islamists will hijack the revolution. They, especially Salafists, scare us. A danger does exist, but cooperation with others is the only possibility to get the most from the situation. We should not be afraid. Naturally, working with the Islamists will be hard, but some Islamists have political plans and a desire to overcome their country’s backwardness. We must remain watchful to show them when they cross certain limits, when they violate certain rights, etc.

Dialogue is possible and useful on certain social issues. It is time we help and support each other, and show more solidarity towards non-Christians, and vice versa. It is time to work together against illiteracy, poverty, disease, etc. In the field of education and health care, Christians have already shown their generosity and professionalism towards everyone, Christian or Muslim. I think it is possible to work together with most people.

At the same time, we must defend justice, freedom of conscience, the freedom to live our faith and proclaim it; this way, we can implement the principle of equality. Egyptian Muslims speak of the “best religion”, an idea that finds application in the legal field. And of course, by best they mean Islam. For us, that is unacceptable.

Other forms of discriminations exist (men vs. women, rich vs. poor), and we must work against all of them, because they are contrary to the spirit of the Gospel.

Personally, I am not afraid of an Islamic regime. I am however concerned about intolerance. Many Muslims are also opposed to the Salafists who aim at imposing their intolerant vision of Islam (especially as it applies to women). As Christians, we cannot turn inward; instead, we must work with all those who are fighting for a society that respects human rights.

The Arab spring from a Christian perspective

Because they fear of the future, Christians tend to prefer regimes that are already in place. Such regimes are dictatorial in nature and that is a sin. If the government engages in violence, we must say that we are against violence, whatever its source, whether the opposition, ordinary citizens or the military.

We must say that we are for freedom, but not the excess of freedom that is bringing ruin to the West. We must be for equality and justice, for Christians and Muslims, for men and women. Now is the time for Christians to engage in cultural evangelisation, which is far from proselytising. 

Unfortunately, the fear of Islamism is pushing Christians to turn to the past. Most of them do not want to get involved too much in politics; they just want to live in peace. However, as a Christian, it is my right and duty to be politically active.

Given this background, we can understand the position of Syria’s bishops, who prefer the known over the unknown. However, the choice is not between good and evil, but between two evils . . . and the choice goes to the lesser of the two. Yet, our path is to say what matters.

Lastly, the West

The West has supported dictators and then ditched them. Now it is wavering. The West has been roundly criticised in Arab countries because of their reliance on countries like Saudi Arabia whose ideological foundations in the indirect source of Islamic terrorism. A country like the United States, which speaks about freedom and human rights, tends to be silent in the matter when it comes to the Saudis.

On Libya, Arabs believe the West was more interested in Libyan oil than in Libya’s freedom. In fact, it got involved only against Libya (as it did against Saddam Hussein and Iraq) and not other countries. With Syria, the West is cautious because that country plays an important geopolitical role. . . . On Syria, the West is not unified and its position is not based on clear principles and values.

I am not an idealist. I think that each country will pursue its interests first. However, since the entire Arab world is caught up in the Arab spring, it would have been better to come up with ways of how to support (or not support) these movements.

The policy towards Israel, which is one of main causes of the Mideast crisis, is an issue that leaves Arabs dismayed, especially after they saw Barack Obama do a U-turn on the same day, first backing a two-state solution and then changing his position during Netanyahu’s visit.

The same is true for his Cairo speech, which first conquered the Arab world, but was discredited months later when it became clear that his policies would not be much different from those of Bush. His credibility is now at all-time low. One has to be committed to principles in order to be a model for others.

The same is true for Europe, which is losing its religious and cultural identity. Unable to deal with its colonial past, it tries instead to hide behind a guilty conscience instead of showing that colonialism too had some value in terms of the dialogue of cultures.

In Europe, people are turning away from the local (usually Christian) religion. The relationship between Europeans and other world religions has become ambiguous. What is more, some governments appear at times to give preference to imported religions, whilst suffocating local ones. If France, for instance, denies is historical Catholic identity, it will not be able to deal with other religions. De facto, a form of schizophrenia has evolved, ranging from the secularisation of Christian festivities to the recognition of religions, other than Christianity.

For this reason, the Arab revolution can also help many young Westerners come to their sense. In Egypt and Syria, some people risked their lives for an ideal, that of a life of dignity, and for a whole people. How many people in Italy or Europe would be willing to do that?     Courtesy: AsiaNews

What is happening in Syria?

Mar Musa or Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi literally The Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian is a monastic community Syriac Catholic rite, situated near the town of Nabk, approximately 80 kilometers north of Damascus. Paolo Dall’Oglio SJ is the leader of this community and Sebastien Duhaut is an inmate of the monastery. Both Paolo and Sebastien tell Victor Edwin SJ about the present situation in Syria for Jivan. It is reprinted from Jivan.

Edwin: Kindly tell us the context in which the protests are taking place and the effect on Syria and its secular credentials? 

Dall’Oglio: The current protests are a logical extension of the movement for democracy that is currently sweeping the Arabic world, from Tunisia to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, etc. They are also in line with past movements in Syria itself (Muslim brothers’ revolt in 1982, "Damascus spring" in 2000, etc.).

Syria has a long history of nationalist anti-imperialist positions. A part of its territory, the Golan, is still occupied by Israel, and obviously no peace treaty could be signed in those conditions (unlike Egypt or Jordan). Moreover, Syria supports the militant groups that defend the Palestinian cause (Hamas, Hezbollah). Last but not least, it has until now kept and even strengthened its alliance with Iran, the stronghold of resistance to Western strategic interests in the region. This proximity with the Shiite Islamic Republic of Iran also has a religious dimension, since the Alawites in power in Syria are a particular Shiite group.
Although this stance has earned the Syrian regime some support in its population and in the Arabic/Muslim audience, it does not at all immunize it against demands for political freedom, transparent elections and respect of human rights.

The geostrategic situation of the region is very complex and it is almost impossible to make predictions. Nearly all the actors, at the regional and global levels, are involved in the local developments. So far, there are Arabic Sunni actors (Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf countries, the Muslim brothers of Egypt and Jordan, the Hamas in Gaza, the Hariri group in Beirut, the Arabic Sunnis in Iraq…), non-Arabic Sunnis (mostly in Turkey, but also the Kurds), Shiites (Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, the new Iraqi regime), the West (US, Europe) and the other powers (Russia, China, Brazil, etc.). The most important negotiation is between Turkey and Iran.

So, how much Syria would be able to keep its secular credentials depends very much on the positions of neighbors and partners. A divided Syria would be more extreme in all its attitudes.

Edwin: Is there a fear among Syrians that Islamists or Islamist-leaning figures are taking over power?

Dall’Oglio: The fear does exist, especially among religious minorities: Christians, but also (and sometimes to a greater extent) among the heterodox Islamic communities such as Alawites, Druzes, Ismailis, etc.
Fundamentalist Islam (salafist-wahhabi) exists in Syria, but represents a small minority. The Muslim Brotherhood is far more popular, but should not be immediately labeled as “extremist”.

The fear of a political Islam has long been used by the Syrian authorities to justify a strong system of repression. We should not forget that this fear was also used by the West to justify friendship and commercial ties with Ben Ali and Mubarak, among other Arabic dictators.

As Christian minorities in the Islamic world, we should not be paralyzed by the phobia of a political Islam. Above all, this worry should not lead us into supporting policies and systems that are contrary to our ethical values.

Our long term future, inside the Muslim Umma, depends on good neighboring attitudes, theological appreciation of other religions and common militancy for human progress. At Mar Musa, our hopes and prayers go towards the peaceful maturation of both Islam and Eastern Christianity, towards promoting a full acceptance of pluralism, freedom of conscience and dignity and rights of persons and groups. 

Edwin: Are the religious minorities nervous about the future of Syria?

Dall’Oglio: Communities that have enjoyed a privileged position during the past decades obviously do not want to lose it. The situation is now blocked, with a symmetrical escalation in violence and deadly clashes that occur every Friday, if not every day. In some cities, we already see violent confrontation between people of different communities.
We all pray for peace. From Friday, September 23th, to Friday, September 30th, the monastery has organized a week of prayer and fast for reconciliation. The text of the call is available on our website: http://www.deirmarmusa.org/node/247.

Edwin: It is said that the diversity and unity of the protesters guarantee that Syria will not fall into sectarian conflict if the Assad regime falls. What is your assessment?

Dall’Oglio: This is rather optimistic. But on the ground, demonstrators and victims are mostly Sunnis, while religious minorities tend to support the regime. This gap constitutes in itself a factor of sectarian conflict, or even civil war. In case the regime simply “falls”, rather than transforming and opening itself, and without an alternative in sight, the risk of a Yugoslavian scenario should not be underestimated. Given the geography of Syria, and the interest of other regional powers in its breaking down, this would entail violent ethnic cleansing and finally loss of the national unity.

Edwin: Kindly tell us about your ministry at Deir Mar Musa?

Dall’Oglio: Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi is an ancient monastery located in the desert mountains of Qalamun. After two centuries of abandonment and ruin, it has been restored and now harbors a monastic community of monks and nuns, dedicated to religious dialogue with Islam, prayer, manual work and hospitality. Many Syrians of all religions continue to visit us, to stay with us for a few days, a few weeks or a few months. They find here a place of serenity, tolerance and introspection.
Our mission is to encourage a self-awareness of Christianity that goes beyond mere sociological belonging and, following Jesus’ example, puts at the core openness to the other, brotherhood and forgiveness. 

Edwin: What is your message for the Jesuits in South Asia?

Dall’Oglio: I want here to stress the importance of symbolical figures that can play a leading role in mobilizing spiritual energies for reconciliation, peace and brotherhood. In our region, “Middle-East” or “West Asia”, Abraham is most certainly the key-figure. He is the one who overcomes ethnic belonging to follow, as a pilgrim, the call of Truth. He is the common father of Muslims, Christians and Jews. That is why he is so important to us. In Arabic, we say “Ibrahim al-Khalil” (Abraham the friend of God), and al-Khalil has become the name of our monastic community.

We are among the founders of the Abraham Path Initiative, a program that aims at creating a common pilgrimage of the three faiths, crossing Turkey, Syria, Jordan and ending in the Holy Land with Jerusalem/al-Qods and Hebron/al-Khalil, the tomb of the Patriarchs. Of course, this idea can be the object of political-ideological manipulations or criticism, from the various parties involved. But we remain firm in our pursuit of a Godly inspired peace, fair and complete, based on the joy of living together and on the appreciation of religious diversity.

Abraham, if he had lived nowadays, would have been confronted, in this same region, by an incredible number of visas, stamps, “security walls” and border controls! This is why he remains an inspiring, disturbing and prophetic figure.

So I invite the Jesuits of South Asia to get interested in this spirit of Abrahamic hospitality, to spread it and to take part in it actively. We hope also, when peace will be established, that people from South Asia will come to visit those countries, not only in the pattern of Christian pilgrimage, but also in the one of Abrahamic harmony.