We all have heard it and Muslims have said it over and over again; Islam means peace. Actually in lexicology it means a rope, or a chain; perhaps you've heard another expression; 'to hold fast onto the rope of Allah' - is peace. That is what Allah tells the Muslims to do in the Qur'an. Islam literally means submission; submitting one's will and necessarily one's actions to the will of God; 'Allah'.
What I want to know is that since the Qur'an is always leaning Muslims towards peace, instructing them how to have peace with others, with Muslims and non-Muslims, with the creation in general, and with their Lord; Rabb, then why do we always hear in the media about how bad an idea it is for Muslim children to be studying the Qur'an? Since the Qur'an is instructing them in Peace, why are the non-Muslim governments so hell-bent on stopping Islamic education? There is nothing in the Qur'an that instigates war. There is nothing in the Qur'an that encourages the Muslim army to commit genocide. There is nothing in the Qur'an that comes close to the violence that we read in the Old Testament (except scenes of Hell); kill the Palestinians wherever you find them? Even kill the pigs, or the foxes? Okay, maybe I'm getting somewhat carried away, but read it and you be the judge; which is more against peace in the middle-east? The Bible or the Qur'an? Are the writings or speeches of evangelical Christians in America, or the writings of Muslim preachers in the Middle East? I think if you are honest, you can safely say that Muslims in the Middle East want peace, even peace with Israel; but not at the price of freedom, or religion. They have tried for Peace, over and over again.
It is Israel that does not want peace. And it is America that in so following the lead of Israel, not vice-versa, as some think; honestly, wants to propagate the myth that Islam means war; war by the sword; live and die by the sword, and is in fact the one creating mayhem in almost every country on the planet, and is in fact the one which encouraged and even helped the 'kamikaze'/ suicide mission on September 11, 2001 to its own end; endless wars for the Muslim world with Israel, and its supporters/ stooges. Otherwise, the prophecy will not be fulfilled? Haven't you noticed how every second film churned out of Hollywood in the recent past is either a conspiracy movie, an alien/monster movie, or a movie with aliens and prophecies, or aliens telling us we're bad, we only want war and deserve to die? Only (if) we're Americans we get to live? (Even) Americans fight Americans in a new twist? They figure, since the explosion in American-born Muslims, why not? How could you tell one apart from the other, is the implied premise for movies such as Die Hard 4, Echelon Conspiracy and XIII Conspiracy. It seems as if the battle lines are always being drawn, or even redrawn.
To me that's the real reason that America, the leader, among other countries like Britain under Tony Blair, was gung-ho to go to war in Iraq. Destroy a Muslim country. Destroy a vibrant Muslim economy, and destroy the lives of millions of Muslims. They have pretty much been able to do that so far. Not only Iraq is suffering but so too countries such as Sudan. Because Sudan is an Islamic country,
though it does not have a Muslim government based on 'Shariah' until now, it is seen as a threat. Yes, a threat to what? Muslim children in Sudan like children in most
countries throughout the world, are being educated a foreign brand of culture. They are wearing jeans and t-shirts just as much as Muslim shirts. The girls are wearing more western style clothing on their night out, wherever that is. When visiting relatives, or friends, they usually wear a pretty skirt and blouse, not a one piece loose-fitting 'thobe'. That was only ten or even fifteen years ago.
But the Qur'an is studied in schools and is a relevant part of the Sudanese Muslims' lives. Like many followers of other faiths Muslims there have perhaps forgotten the real essence of the Book. Ten or fifteen years ago one could hear a Sudanese Muslim speaking about his anti-American views, or the greatness of the man Saddam Hussein, with whose picture they proudly adorned their living room. An act, which itself is a sign that culture is dominant over religion. In Sudan it is the Sudanese culture and lifestyle, not as yet the American culture; fashions, or lifestyle that dominates mindsets. Have things changed dramatically since then? One must go to newspaper periodicals I suppose, or sit and have a conversation with a person from Sudan. Is there an Islamic revival, or a fall out due to the bombardments and media campaigns to change the Muslims? To me it is not the main issue here. It's not so much 'what's on the outside vs. what's on the inside'. The main issue to me is whether or not Muslims in the Sudan like Muslims everywhere else want peace? The problem is that if they don't ever get to really read their Book, will they understand that the main purpose of the Book is and always has been to teach them how to live in peace? In fact that will be the determining factor in our progress, or not, towards peace in the middle-east in particular, and peace in the world, in general. Once their country is at war with the Christian/Jewish dominated world, it may be impossible to reflect on the reasons. Many books have been written about how to fight a war, but how many have been written about how to stop a war, or how to create a peace? It seems in the west there just isn't enough insight to be able to write such books. Or it's not something the west is interested in.
In this decade, Muslim youths perhaps will begin to see that grabbing onto any culture and lifestyle are not the best or obvious choice. Maybe they will see that to learn to be a true Muslim will give them the purpose in life which everyone craves? For an individual that is peace in practical terms. If they keep their Islamic schools, or at least study the Qur'an in depth at schools (even if it means only Friday Schools, if it comes down to that) still maybe this generation of school children will not be lost. If this generation of school children is lost, and ignorant of the real meaning of Islam, then don't you see; chances are they would go in any direction in search of that feeling; the feeling that I am somebody with a mission, living life with real purpose. The purely "Cultural Muslim" will become hopefully not someone who straps a bomb to his waist, but then what kind of person besides? Someone thinking only of himself, to fulfill desires, a drug addict, or only a diabetic couch potato? In all the scenarios mothers and fathers will be bereaved of their "culturally Muslim" child unless Muslims win the war against Qur'an.
This war has begun in other people's lands but eventually could spread to our own lands, wherever we may be. It has even had casualties in America and Britain. While the war against the Qur'an is an uphill battle for the West, it is not one Muslims
should ignore, but defend against at any cost. Otherwise, the meaning of Islam would be completely distorted even to them. All the evil sayings against Quran have not succeeded to extinguish its eternal light, but have shrouded it in mystery at times, and hurt followers of the Qur'an with tactical exaggerations about their religion, or blatant lies at other times. So much so that some Muslims have doubted their own beliefs, while worldwide Muslims' hearts have cried, "when will the help of Allah come?" a famous Qur'anic verse, presently, in context about Palestine, or Iraq, or numerous other place where innocent Muslims are being slaughtered. It is when they believe the lies that the victims blame themselves. But thanks to the diligence and writings of scholars, educated Muslims, and Islamic groups, CAIR?, for one example, and Dalia Mogahid (for an example of a Muslim educated woman and defender of Islam), the tide of Islam phobia has not been able to sweep the hearts even of uneducated, or shaky Muslim masses.
http://www.chatislam.com/
http://www.chatislam.com/
With faith and courage, Muslims and Muslim organizations, or societies, Muslim groups, Muslim scholars, educated Muslims of all backgrounds, Muslim writers and thinkers, and their Arab American friends and supporters, of any creed, and friends and supporters of Muslims worldwide have been able to defend Muslims, Islam and the Holy Qur'an very adequately, even eloquently and always with superior knowledge and strength. If and when the West wants peace with the Muslim world, I have one suggestion, sit with them and (re) read the Qur'an to negotiate a better) peace.)
