It saddens me tremendously as a Muslim, and as firm believer in peace and non-violence as the ideal means to settle disputes among nations and individuals, to hear of the recent brutal attacks on innocent people, in Europe and elsewhere, perpetrated by criminals, apparently brainwashed by Isis, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and like-minded groups.
Regardless of the identity of the victims, such acts of violence and hatred constitute crimes against humanity. The claim by the perpetrators that they are Jihadists waging their criminal acts in the name of Islam is false and preposterous. The organisations they allege to be ‘inspired’ by should be identified for what they really are: enemies of Islam and Muslims who distort and manipulate religion to suit their own pathological ideologies, as I argued at length in a recent article, entitled ‘Religion and Violence’ (December15).
What is more frightening, however, than the heinous attacks themselves are the shockwaves and messages of hate they send all over Europe and the entire world. Increased Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism, fanaticism, vilification of immigrants and refugees, and a host of other negative feelings are just some of the byproducts, which such attacks unleash.
Ironically, these are the very feelings, which the masterminds behind these acts wish to engender. They want to create an atmosphere of terror, hatred, and fear. Elements of the extreme right in Europe readily play into their hands and become their ‘best allies’. By cultivating feelings of hatred for Muslims and foreigners in Europe as the root of all evil, they feed the propaganda machine of Isis and similar groups, emphasising that the West hates Islam and that Islam is, therefore, at war with the Christian world.
They poison the minds of some susceptible and frustrated Muslim youth, in war-torn countries and troubled economies, with this dangerous nonsense. Millions of law-abiding Muslims living in Western countries, contributing to their welfare, as doctors, academics, engineers, technicians, and hard workers earning a decent living for their families pay a high price as they fall victims to suspicion and discrimination.
To counteract the hate propaganda of extremist groups and their acts of brutality, military means are necessary, but not sufficient. We need also to work collectively to eradicate the root causes of turmoil in the world: wars, conflicts, poverty, and above all ideologies of hate, which flourish in the aftermath of civil wars and collapse of states.
In this respect, the super powers have the greatest responsibility, as it is evident from the current chaotic situations in countries such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Libya. However, there is also a moral responsibility incumbent upon all of us. As mentioned above, terrorism and extremism thrive on hatred, and the antidote to hatred is not more hatred, but an abundance of love.
It is important, therefore, for Muslim scholars, together with their Christian colleagues, as well as dedicated academics and researchers from secular institutions, to join efforts, working through conferences, symposia, seminars, school curricula, and other fora, to raise the public awareness of the vital necessity for a “culture of peace” to be spread all over the world. Unesco should serve ideally as the lead agency for this endeavor.
A valuable resource for this enterprise is the rich culture shared by Islam, Christianity, Judaism, as well as oriental beliefs and philosophies, which emphasises the concept of God as a loving and forgiving being. In particular, the core Christian belief of God as pure and unconditioned love has a strong resonance in Islam.
The rich Muslim Sufi tradition can be of great value in this respect as a potent antidote to extremism and fanaticism in all their forms and guises
Jesus Christ teaches us to love and forgive even our enemies and detractors; while Prophet Muhammad, whom the Quran describes as a messenger of mercy to humankind, emphasises that we cannot be true believers until and unless we love each other.
With the rise of radical movements in the Muslim world, the fact that one of the finest traditions of mysticism, namely Sufism, flourished under Islam has been forgotten, or sidetracked, by many inside and outside the Muslim world. Sufi figures such as Al-Hallaj (858-922), Ibn Arabi(1165-1240), and Rumi (1207-1237) enriched the human conscience, and emphasised that love is the essence of religion in a manner echoed and shared by great teachers of Christianity, such as St Augustine (345-430) and St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274).
The Andalusian philosopher and Sufi, Ibn Arabi, was particularly influential in preaching religious tolerance, acceptance of all faiths, and spreading Islam’s message of love. Particularly in his poems, he expressed strong Universalist ideas verging on pantheism.
In a beautiful poetic piece, he wrote:
“My heart can take any form
A meadow for gazelles
A cloister for monks
A Ka’ba for circling pilgrims
The tablets of the Torah
The scrolls of the Quran
My creed
My faith
Is love wherever its caravan goes!”
Ibn Arabi was, in fact, accused, by some of his contemporaries, and in later centuries until today, of being a heretic and a non-believer, because of his daring views. Followers of Wahhabism, for example, repudiate him and all the Sufis as disbelievers and enemies of the faith of Islam. Revival of the teachings of Ibn Arabi and other Sufis is very much opposed by orthodox jurists whose teachings feed much of the extremist and jihadist ideologies currently plaguing Islam and distorting its noble universal principles.
We need concerted and global efforts to disseminate a culture of peace and love, and to cultivate it in the minds of all people, especially the youth. It is the responsibility of religious and secular scholars alike to be at the forefront of this universal endeavor. The rich Muslim Sufi tradition can be of great value in this respect as a potent antidote to extremism and fanaticism in all their forms and guises. Let us all strive, therefore, to make this year, and all the years to come, a Season for Love.
Saadun Suayeh is a former ambassador of Libya to Malta.