As a Muslim I am expected to mourn the loss of life at all times and of all people and not rejoice in the death of any, even my worst enemies. Hence I mourn and I pray for the innocent victims killed ten years ago in New York just as I mourn and pray for the millions of innocent people killed in Iraq and hundreds of thousands in Afghanistan. As a Muslim I say, "we come from God and to Him we return." (Quran 2:156).
I pray that the indiscriminate violence comes to an end with the death of Usama bin Laden although recent history teaches us otherwise. The hanging of Saddam Husain did not bring peace to the people in Iraq nor the killing of Usama bin Laden will make the world safe. But a just world will inevitably give birth to peace and hence safety for all.
Retributive forms of justice does not allow the humanity an opportunity to experience true peace. Restorative justice does.
Although the nation was told by former President Bush eight years ago (May 1st, 2003), that the “Mission (is) Accomplished” in Iraq, but yet American soldiers continue to occupy Iraq until today. The then Presidential candidate Barrack Obama promised to end wars and bring back troops but after getting elected, President Obama broke his promise by sending more troops to Afghanistan. As a result of ongoing wars, hard working Americans are suffering and are unable to afford rising costs of education, lack of health care while losing jobs and homes.
Both wars, in Iraq and in Afghanistan, have given us tears and drained our treasure and both wars must stop now. Humanity has been a victim of much death and destruction while Americans continue to live in fear from the "other."
As a person of faith and conscience I am committed to imagine and work for a new paradigm that is void of violence in all its forms and full of love in every form. I invite my fellow Muslims to either take lead in restoring justice and peace for all people or join those who are working for the same cause.
"To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And to God will [all] matters be returned." (Quran 3:109).
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7 comments:
Well said and my own sentiment exactly! Blessings...
Shakeel
I agree with your comments.
I add that to achieve peace, besides ending the wars, we need justice for all people. Justice not only for Palestinians, but also for Israelis who are trapped with a settler-controlleg government. Not only justice for the inocent, but also justice for the guilty. To that end, I would have preferred to see vin Laden arrested and put on trial than assasinated.
This is beautifully put, Shakeel, and it highlights the great similarities between our faiths. None of us is so far apart as we may think....
Peace to you, dear brother,
Vicki
DEAR SHAKELL,
THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING FOR AND TO ME
RITA LOWENTHAL
Dear Shakeel,
All I can say is thank you my brother and amen for speaking for my heart as well.
In peace,
Susan Stouffer
You speak my mind, dear friend and brother. Jesus said: "Those that live by the sword die by the sword." Violence begets violence. We should have brought Osama to a fair trial. That would have been justice.
Unfortunately, bringing bin Laden to trial would have triggered the taking of hostages by militant groups and a lot of other violence.
Obama said clearly before he was elected that he would pursue bin Laden into Pakistan and find him "dead or alive"-- so no one can act surprised by that.
In an ideal world, the trial of bin Laden would have been feasible but we do not live in such a world
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