Open Letter to my Iraq Christian Brothers and to the so-called Bagdadi caliphate
There is a unique distinction in the great religion that has been established by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad: this distinction lies in its very name. “Islam” means “Peace” indicating the structure on which this religion is based. Peace. Peace with a capital P, is inherent to Islam, it is the motor; it constitutes its very essence, its reason being. If Islam is a religion of peace and that peace is established in all spheres of life, then, as a logical consequence of our assumption, it should also sustain an inter-religious peace.
It is not conceivable that a religion claim which essence is based on Peace is in some areas, intolerant or deadly. It is necessary that in all spheres -economic, religious, social, etc.- that religion provides and assumes benevolence vis-à-vis others.
And Islam ensures that cohesion and universality in all spheres. With this letter, I wish to draw the world’s governments attention to consider the situation of Christians in Iraq but in the light of several elements.
The attitude of the Prophet of Islam against Christians
This part of the letter is mainly destinated to the famous Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, auto proclaimed caliphate, whose heinous and atrocious acts can in no way be affiliated to Islam. Respect for the religious feelings of others is a core value within Islam. The founder of Islam, Muhammad, was well-aware that respect for religious feelings of others depended on peace and social cohesion. Examples abound concerning respect of religious feelings of others here and I will do a selected reading thereof.
One of the most striking examples of the tolerance of the Prophet of Islam vis-à-vis the Christians is that of a meeting which took place in a mosque, with Christians. At the end of the discussion, Christians stood up and asked permission to leave the mosque because it was their prayer time. The Prophet of Islam said that the mosque is the house of God and they could pray together, in the mosque, if they wished. This is the first offshoot of the inter-religious dialogue. I then turn myself to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and ask him to stop using the name of a saint Caliph of Islam for his evil deeds and unrelated to the sublime religion of Islam. Muslims do not need his caliphate as they do not want to get into a bloody war with Christians!
Rather, I would say to my Christians brothers of Iraq that I would like to come to their churches, get to know them! Muslims want to share with them and not decide between Christianity and Islam! My Christians Brothers ! I’m sorry if these mens of unspeakable savagery, kill your friends, family and loved ones. In reality, your families are ours, your friends are ours and your relatives are ours also. We are equally upset that these acts of unspeakable barbarity, are committed. But they are not under Islam: these people have no religion.
The Charter of St. Catherine in Sinai
Some people of ill will could oppose us that we do not have written these Ahadiths and that they were collected by Muslims and they are wrong. Although we believe these Ahadiths as authentic and there is no doubt in it, we can meet those same people that the Prophet of Islam also, by writing, endorsed one of the largesinterfaith peace charter of Humanity. This is the Freedom Charter Muhammad sent by the monks of St. Catherine at Sinai in 628 after JC. Let’s read some of the provisions of this charter:
“This is the document that Muhammad (saw), son of Abdullah, the Prophet of God, who warned, has documented so that there remains no excuse for those who come after.”
Here, the Prophet of Islam also aims Muslims to come. He continues:
“I recorded this document in writing for the Christians of East and West, for those who live close by and for those who are entrenched in distant lands, for Christians living today for those who have to live in the world in the future for those we know and those we do not yet know. “
The Prophet of Islam targeted here Christians in general, alongside Christians today in Iraq. Just by what I just wrote, it is the duty of a Muslim to bring this to the attention of Christians living in Iraq on this charter. And my Dear Brothers in Iraq ! I am telling you ! Islam has never called the killings of Christians. I find it important to pass on the message that Muhammad, the messenger of peace did. From the outset, Muhammad writes down as:
“If Muslims violate the charter, they will be considered violators command and the command of Allah.” “It is forbidden for Muslims to persecute, abuse or even bring a person into trouble. No priest shall be harmed or expelled from his church simply on the basis that he is a Christian.No Pilgrim shall be detained because of tthe kind of pilgrimage that he did practice. “
Call to Christians and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Alas! Despite all this, some people do not recognize the Prophet of Islam to its true value. He never ordered, my Dear Christian Brothers to dislodge you. He has always advocated the protection of places of worship, protection of believers, whatever their spiritualities were. Look for a moment, my Dear Christians Brothers, to this verse of the Qur’an: “There is no compulsion in religion”! How can we kill in the name of religion after that? Especially since the killing of a human being returns to that of the whole of humanity according to the same beautiful Book?
Now I address to the so-called al-Baghdadi. I tell you, in the eyes of Muslims, you’re unbearable. You take the name of the first rightly guided Caliph of Islam to create confusion in the public mind and to better mitigate evil designs. Your alleged caliphate, and you are well aware of this, is not Islamic at all. First, because it belongs to God to elect his representative on earth, it is not in the power of a man to proclaim himself a caliph. How can we proclaim caliph such a beautiful religion openly and murder of Christians?
You have neither the spirit nor the stuff or anything that reminds the respected Abu Bakr, the first Caliph of Islam. You are a murderer, ignorant of all basic principles of Islam. You did not assimilate all the teachings that were bequeathed by the Prophet of Islam. Stop for a moment to claim Islam and if you really have the courage to face your responsibilities and your actions, say openly to the whole world what are your vested interest. You are not Islam, do not represent Islam and will never represent Islam. If you decide to pursue this fierce battle and to tarnish the name of Islam, then, according to the Holy Qur’an, don’t forget that there is an everlasting justice, which is God’s Justice. Ponder on that.
All my thoughts to my Iraqi Christians borthers who were murdered.
Asif Arif
Elève-Avocat & Chargé d’enseignement (TD) à
l’Université de Paris Dauphine
Categories: Catholicism, Catholics, CHRISTIANITY, France, Hypocrisy
In its definition Islam is the submitting to the will of Allah and not peace. However Islam is strong in teaching “Peace’ it is the foundation of Islam by our prophet Mohammed (pbuh)Christians and Jews have shared with Muslims over the centuries in peace. It is only those who do bad things in the name of their perspective chosen religion that makes the wounds of brotherhood bleed. It is the Zionist agenda to divide and conquer and spread false messages between our religions to create a confused world for their gain. Christians and Muslims alike believe in the same things for the most part. We should ask Allah for his forgiveness and understanding between our brothers and sisters
Peace is integral part of Islam and it is achieved through submitting one’s self to Allah.
Muslim and Islam are technical (Istilahi) words. These have a standard meaning and we need not open the dictionary for its meaning.
Truly, the basic meaning of Islam has the root of submission. But it is not necessary to go to that meaning. Just like Salaat and Zakaat have well known meaning. If we look into the basics of Salaat and zakaat in the dictionary, we will go far away from the actual usage of the words. Zakaat may then be limited to Tazkiyah or purification.
I give an example here, of the word “Tawaffa” as used in the Quran. It has a set meaning of taking the soul and leaving the body. It can mean sleep or passing away peacefully.
Maudoodi sahib wanted to keep Jesus a.s. alive in body some where. He said, “One meaning of tawaffa in the dictionary is to take completely.”
I wondered why Maudoodi sahib had to open the dictionary for a word which had a set meaning, well defined by its usage in the Quran.
I wonder if we can take the meaning of Islam as Peace and the meaning of Muslim as Peaceful. That would be more easily understood compared to “The Submitter”.
The meaning of Muslim as Peaceful would help us in interfaith dialogue.