Of Muslims And Jews

Following is an article-post I wrote at a Jewish Forum in 2004:

Hello All

News From Afghanistan

You all must be wondering what a Pakistani Muslim is doing at a Jewish Journal. Well, I also felt a miniature awkward when I was about to register here. That's because I felt what would my friends say if they know that I am a member of a Jewish Forum. But then I notion "Who cares. Jews are also humans and we share the same Earth".

Well, my thoughts might be carefully a miniature unconventional by most people, especially in my part of the world. Luckily, I was never fed with the same hatred against Jews that most of my Muslim brothers are fed with. Although I don't unquestionably blame them for this, but I feel that I am one of those habitancy who are blessed with an ability to look at the problems with a balanced approach. I attribute this trait not only to my family, but also to very competent Islamic Scholars that I had the opening to study Islam from in Pakistan. I also reconsider myself lucky because I had the opening to study in United States while I was pursuing my Masters in that country. That exposed me to a variety of dissimilar cultures and ethnic backgrounds.

I cannot say that I agree with the policies of President George Bush or that I reserve Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, but I am very much clear in my mind about one thing: Violence in every shape and form is Wrong either that be in the form of an Israeli tank shooting at civilians, a Palestinian suicide bomber killing Israeli civilians, habitancy banging planes in Wto, or Us army bombing civilians of Iraq/Afghanistan and declaring it as "collateral damage".

From anything I know about Islam, violence is condemned strictly in my religion and there is no justification of killing innocents, destroying land or cutting trees even while the time of war. I think most of our problems in today's world have arisen because of a estimate of factors: firstly everybody thinks that he and his religion is the true religion and every one else will go to hell, secondly, most habitancy shy away from dialogue and there is transportation gap between peoples, and thirdly, the cycle of revenge continues non stop in dissimilar parts of the world.

When I was studying in Us, I used to be a member of the "Muslim Students Association". Once the head of "Hilel" the Jewish student connection approached me and told me that the notion of God is very similar in Islam and Judaism and I couldn't agree more with her. She was so right and she even took the pamphlet from me describing the notion of God in Islam. It was my first direct encounter with a person belonging to Jewish faith and it was such a pleasant taste that I would never forget it. All the time we had smiles on our faces and we wanted to talk - break the shackles and talk.

I know that the seeds of hatred are gift too deep in people's hearts but i urge most of the brothers and sisters arrival to this forum to do anything you can to promote peace and dialogue, just as i try to do that with habitancy belonging to my country and faith. Lets all try together and make the world a best place for us and our children. Lets love all humans either they be Jews, Christians, Muslims or habitancy belonging to any other religion. Lets save others' children's lives as we would save our children's lives while distress. Lets stop this war in the battleground, war in the media and war in politics.

According to a verse of Quran which means "One who saves one life, saves the whole humanity and one who destroys a life, destroys the whole humanity."
May God bless us all.

Of Muslims And Jews

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