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A Call for Coexistence
Episode 1
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the
Ever-Merciful. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS).
If we look around us, we’ll identify many problems;
problems between our countries, problems between us as Muslims. All these
problems have brought us here today with an initiative for coexistence.
For example, in Iraq, thousands are being killed
and I am not talking about occupation but I mean because of sectarian
differences. The same is happening in Palestine. I know that there could be
external powers involved in Iraq and Palestine, but at the end of the day, if we
learn to live with each other in peace, no one will be able to influence us that
way. Even in Lebanon that used to be a token of love between the different
sects! Their differences were the source of their welfare! But now they have
started to clash. In Darfur (in Sudan), I was under the impression that all
these killings were between Muslims and non-Muslims, until I woke up to the
realization that they are all Muslims! I realized that all over the Arab world,
we have a big problem in agreeing with each other! You might think that this
program is a political one! But in fact, it is not.
Look at our homes! Parents and children are living
in separate islands. Divorce rates are escalating drastically. Look at the
youth! They can’t find anyone to talk to. Consequently they have isolated
themselves, resorted to drugs and from there they are headed to extremism,
delinquency and corruption.
In our schools and universities, there is no
dialogue between the teacher and the student. The courts are so full of cases
arising from nothing but disputes and clashes. Even in the mosques, we had the
hearts to start fights and clashes! The concept of coexistence is not taught in
our schools or universities. How come we never find courses on communication
skills? I haven’t heard of a Friday sermon that tackled this topic before. I
haven’t heard of bedtime stories or board games having this issue as their main
theme.
The concept of teamwork is utterly missing from our
industries, companies, universities, and scientific research. In Europe the
companies are merging for added power while we are being scattered around. But
when it comes to us, we can’t work with each other.
Even the Muslims living in the West have isolated
themselves; refusing to coexist with the new society that surrounds them. We
need to offer them a way in which they can smoothly integrate with the societies
they are living in, without dissolving or losing their identity.
Let’s imagine that this is the circle of my
thinking and this is the one of your thinking. If we keep away from each other,
the two circles will always be distant. But if I want to be successful I always
have to work on the common overlapping area. Let us work on enlarging it. A
scholar once said, “Now I can see clearly because I have mounted everybody’s
shoulders the day I heard everybody’s opinion.”
What is coexistence?
There are two objectives for this program. The
first one is to instill the idea of coexistence. The second objective is to
provide you with the needed skills to achieve coexistence. Whenever I use the
term “the other” people instantly jump to one conclusion that I’m only talking
about the West. No!! Psychologists tell us that “the other” is a term used by
people from their early childhood, when they started coexisting with all the
external factors surrounding us.
The first lesson Allah taught to all humanity was
coexistence; if you (mankind) will descend to the earth, then you must learn how
to live with each other. Allah says what can be translated as, “And recite
to them the tiding of the two sons of Adam with the truth as they offered a
sacrifice, (Literally: sacrificed an all-sanctified sacrifice) (and) it was
(graciously) accepted of one of them and not (graciously) accepted of the
other. One (of them) said, “Indeed, I will definitely kill you.” (The other)
said, “Surely Allah (graciously) accepts only of the pious” (TMQ, 5:27).
“The other” was used here though we’re talking about two brothers; each had his
own way of thinking.
The one who is able to coexist is always a person
who is self-confident, strong, open-minded and civilized. That’s why Islam is
so open to the whole world, because it’s a profound religion and a complete way
of life. It has all the factors that enable you to be a good Muslim, yet at the
same time so open to the other.
Coexistence does not mean dissolution, or loss of
one’s identity, faith or character. Coexistence as a concept exists between two
parties: both of them must interact mutually. Let me say this to the Western
countries; you can’t enforce your culture on me and then expect me to coexist.
You can’t enforce our youth to be a carbon copy of your own culture, and then
ask us to coexist. You can’t occupy our country, and then ask us to coexist. We
are calling for coexistence between two parties who respect each other’s
wishes. This program will tell all the stories of coexistence throughout our
history because I want all the youths to be proud of their identity. So coexist
but never forget your roots. You have a global mission. You will be open to
the whole world, yet proud of your own Muslim identity.
The Prophet (SAWS) taught us that the Muslim
who interacts (i.e. coexists) with people and is patient in enduring their harm
is better than the one who doesn’t interact and hence is not harmed by them. So
don’t think that you are better because no one is harming you.
Coexistence is when we live with each other and
accept each other for what we are. Coexistence is when we argue with each other
and respect each other even in our differences. Coexistence is when we accept
each other’s presence and establish common grounds even when we disagree.
What does Islam say
about coexistence?
You’ll be proud to know
what Islam says about coexistence. The first thing Islam teaches us is that it
is not shameful that we are so different! It is a universal law since it is in
our nature to be so different. The greatest creation made by Allah is the human
mind. There is no way that all human minds can be identical. How come you
accept that we are so different on the outside, yet you do not want to accept us
being different in the way we think? Your son has to be different from you; he
can’t be a carbon copy of you! If you believe in a certain sect or follow a
certain school of thought, you can’t expect everybody else to be identical to
you. If you accept this, then you have covered half of the way to overcome this
problem.
Islam even says that these differences between us
enrich our lives. Allah says what can be translated as, “…and We have made
you races and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted” (TMQ, 49:13).
This sentence “that you may get mutually acquainted” has a very vast
meaning in Arabic that encompasses: exchanging benefits, getting along, making
use of each other’s ideas and exchanging economic interests.
Allah says what can be translated as, “And help
one another to benignancy and piety” (TMQ, 5:2). This ayah (verse)
is not just for Muslims but for all mankind. Let’s help one another in
combating the dangers of drugs, of the bird flu epidemic. The rest of the
ayah says, “and do not help one another to vice and hostility”
(TMQ, 5:2). So you can’t occupy my land, and then ask me to coexist with
you.
The Islamic civilization reached its prime when
different nationalities and backgrounds joined Islam. Had it not been for
Andalusia, which had flourished at the hands of the Muslims, Europe would have
never been what it is now. The United States is what it is now because of the
various ethnicities and nationalities that have blended together.
I’m challenging all of the constitutions of the
Western world to state a single phrase included in them that encourages their
people to go and get acquainted with others. The only constitution that has
such a phrase is the Qur’an. The West should not look upon us condescendingly
saying that it was them who invented coexistence, because this is not true.
Look at this great ayah, “And if your
Lord had (so) decided, He would indeed have made mankind one nation; and they do
not cease differing (among themselves). Excepting the ones on whom your Lord
has mercy, and He created them for that (end)…” (TMQ, 11:118-119). Another
ayah that stresses this meaning, “And of His signs is the creation of
the heavens and the earth and the differences of your tongues and colors.
Surely in that are indeed signs for knowledgeable men” (TMQ, 30:22).
The Prophet (SAWS) depicts this concept by
saying that Muslims, in their mercy and compassion, are like one whole body. If
one organ is in pain the rest of the body will ache with fever and insomnia.
The Prophet (SAWS) is giving you an example from your own body. A body
has various organs each with a different function and different role, yet when
they worked in union as a team they became like one unit.
The Qur’an is all in the form of a dialogue. It
conveys the various dialogues between the prophets and their peoples. The
Qur’an even conveys the dialogue of those who objected to Islam. Look at how
many times you’ll find the word “they said” in the Qur’an!
Look at “Surat al-Baqara”,
which outlines the methodology of Islam, until it reaches the
ayah
of “al-Kursiyy”, which presents the Islamic creed. The very following ayah
starts with, “There is no compulsion in the religion” (TMQ, 2:256). So
after placing the whole methodology between our hands, this ayah is stated to
the effect that no one is obliged to take this method. “So whoever decides,
then let him believe, and whoever decides, then let him disbelieve” (TMQ,
18:29). Everyone is left the choice to believe or not to believe.
Look at how the Qur’an talks about the common
grounds in, “Say, “O population of the Book, (Or: Family of the Book, i.e.,
the Jews and Christians) come to a level word between us and you, that we
worship none except Allah, and that we do not associate anything with Him, and
that some of us do not take to themselves others (Literally: some “others”) as
lords, apart from Allah”” (TMQ, 3:64). Look at how gentle is this ayah
addressing non-Muslims, “And surely, either we or you (only) are indeed
upon (right) guidance or in evident error” (TMQ, 34:24). So how about the
dialogue between us Muslims!
Meditate this great ayah, “O you mankind,
be pious to your Lord, Who created you of one self, and created from it its
spouse, and from the two disseminated many men and women” (TMQ, 4:1). We
all came from one source: Adam and Hawwa (Eve).
This is what unites us with each other.
Do you know what the Prophet (SAWS) did once
he reached Madinah? He called for spreading peace and greetings, feeding the
hungry, and observing kinship ties. The Madinah at that time was full of
clashing tribes like: Aws and Khazraj. He fraternized between the Aws and
Khazraj tribes. Next, he built the mosque where the whole society would
gather. Then, he renamed the city of “Yathrib” to be “al-Madinah” meaning “The
City” so as not to be attributed to any particular tribe. Then he issued a
constitution addressing the Jews, the disbelievers, the Muslims and everyone,
asking them all to live in peace. I don’t know of a constitution calling for
coexistence, like the one made by the Prophet (SAWS) in Madinah.
To all those who are afraid of Islam, and to those
who refuse to add religion in the syllabuses for fear of extremism, I want to
suggest the exact opposite. I want you to teach them the real Islam so they
know how to coexist. If you dread extremism; then teach your children proper
Islam. I want to fulfill Allah’s saying, “so be pious to Allah, and act
righteously among yourselves (Or: make a reconciliation after differences)…”
(TMQ, 8:1).
The Prophet (SAWS) told us that thrashing
out our differences and reconciling is even better than fasting, night prayer,
and charity. By Allah, our intention from this program is, “Surely the
believers are only brothers; so make a reconciliation between your two brothers,
and be pious to Allah, that possibly you would be granted mercy” (TMQ, 49:10).
The Prophet (SAWS) also told us that things that cause strife between
us, act like a “shaving” device that “shaves” our religion off, not our heads.
Allah says, “You have been the most charitable
nation brought out to mankind…” (TMQ, 3:110). So I’m proud of that, but at
the same time I’m capable of coexisting.
The relation between coexistence and development
Let me ask you this: How can we propose to develop
ourselves while we can’t even coexist? It would be a catastrophe. If I want to
establish development, then why don’t I build over what I have? I want to tell
you a nice story about a boat that was in the sea, in a place where the sea
meets with the river. The fishermen wanted some fresh water desperately. They
signaled a faraway ship sailing to the west to send them some water. The
captain told them, “Are you asking us for fresh water when it is right under
you!” And I’m saying the very same thing: the fresh water is right there with
us; our history.
Honestly I have to tell you that right now there
are some who are trying diligently to drive us all back into wars and strife; to
the times of the crusades because they want to sell weapons and make fortunes.
So instead of hostility we’ve come to propose Islam’s viewpoint. The first
ayah that comes in the Qur’an addresses the Lord of the worlds, “Praise
be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds” (TMQ, 1:2), and the last ayah
in the Qur’an addresses the Lord of mankind! , “Say, “I take refuge with The
Lord of mankind” (TMQ, 114:1). Hence, the Qur’an is a universal
book. So be open, coexist without dissolving or losing your faith.
Overview of the coming episodes
Starting next episode we will be telling you the
stories of the four Imams (Islamic scholars): ash-Shafe’yy, Abu-Hanifa, Malik
and Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal. We are not going to discuss them from the point of view
of Islamic jurisprudence. We will focus on coexistence intertwined in the
stories of the four Imams.
One last thing, if you want to interact with us
then access our website
www.amrkhaled.net after each episode. Post your comments, your criticism,
and your objective views,
Finally, may the
Peace of Allah be upon you all.
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