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[In my past posting deploring the attacks on Iraq's
Churches, I wrote about the centuries of 'brotherhood' which bonded Muslim
and Christian Arabs. In fact the Christians stood shoulder to shoulder with
Muslims to fend off the Crusaders. My own first hand experience in Lebanon where
there is a sizeable Christian population, was that of warm friendship which
exists between the two communities.
As Islam strictly prohibits the
destruction of places of worship - churches, synagogues etc. - even in war
times, one was at a loss to hear of the bombing of churches in Iraq.
Unfortunately the invading US army has shown no compunction destroying
numerous mosques and desecrating the sanctum and sanctorum by trampling holy
books inside, and committing murders of wounded people who had taken refuge
there. But Muslims must exercise a higher moral and ethical standard, so,
the question is what explains the bombing of the churches?
Iraqi dissident, novelist and painter Haifa
Zangana's personal experience directs us to potential culprits. On her visit to
Iraq, she met the Head of the Baghdad Centre for Human Rights, Prof. Abdul
Latif Omaiyah. In a media interview, the professor strongly criticized the
occupying forces for the plight of the Iraqi citizens. Within 11 hours he was
murdered.
Already 250 academics and scientists have been
murdered. She says from day one of the invasion, scientists and academics have
been targeted for murder. She wrote :"The US-led occupation forces
presented themselves as champions of liberation, freedom and democracy. What
they have achieved is chaos, collective punishment, assassinations, abuse and
torture of prisoners, and destruction of the country's
infrastructure."
Why on earth would the patriots of Iraq, and even
foreign Muslim fighters (if any) murder their own academics and scientists?
Why would they murder a humanitarian like Margaret Hassan, which is sure to
tarnish their image in the eyes of the world? In fact who are really behind the
ugly beheadings? Likewise, who are behind the bombing of churches which is meant
to show Muslims as intolerant?
Reports indicate that there are
numerous MOSSAD agents hunting down Iraqi scientists and killing them.
We hope Muslims' efforts to rebuild churches is not
misconstrued as an act of penance, but an as act of solidarity with
their fellow Christian Iraqis and, as a message to those criminals who wish to
split them and set them against each other.]
Muslims to help fix Iraq
churches
By Thomas Monnay Staff Writer Posted November 25 2004 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-smuslims25nov25,0,6835697.story?coll=sfla-news-broward When he read about the bombings of five Catholic churches in Baghdad on the dawn of the first day of Ramadan, the Rev. Paul E. Edwards cried. Then the pastor of St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Weston appealed for help. In response, leaders from two South Florida Muslim organizations are pledging to work with Catholics to create awareness about religious persecution and to help rebuild the churches. Representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations -- CAIR -- will address congregants at St.Katharine's at 10 a.m. today during a Thanksgiving service. "I will let [them] know that Muslims stand side-by-side with them at this time of trial and tribulation," said Altaf Ali, CAIR's Florida director. "We want to show that in America, we can be a coalition of interfaith [groups] that work toward the best interest of humanity." Mary Ross Agosta, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Miami, hopes the dialogue at the church at 2700 Glades Circle will cement better relations. "This is a wonderful opportunity for two religious communities to come together, especially on this day of Thanksgiving," she said. "As we join together in prayer, we ask God for peace in our lives and in our countries." The initiative comes after Edwards wrote a column that was published Nov. 5 in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In it, he said he cried after learning of the church bombings on Oct. 16 and the deaths of 12 people in similar incidents in August. Edwards wrote that Catholics and Muslims have been at odds for centuries, including the times of the Crusades, when Catholics committed excesses in Muslim nations. The Catholic Church has apologized and "disavowed any harm done to Muslims by our ancestral brothers and sisters," he said, adding it's appropriate for the Muslim community to denounce persecution of Catholics and support Catholics around the world. Ali said CAIR officials would ask local Muslims to raise money to help repair the churches. He already met in private with Edwards to express his concerns about the incidents. Edwards said offerings collected by his congregants at today's service would go toward the rebuilding effort in Iraq. In Miami, Sofian Abdelaziz, director of the American Muslim Association of North America, said his organization would also help. He said he would try to broadcast in Iraq a recorded message that condemns violence against Catholics and calls for Muslims to help protect places of worship. "This is a shame to hear about it," he said of the bombings. "By Allah, if I don't condemn it, I will carry the sins." Ali said he would invite Edwards to address 1,000 participants at an interfaith gathering in February in Broward County. "I don't expect to change the world. I just expect to make a difference at St. Katharine," Edwards said. "We're looking to make a positive impact on interreligious relationships in our community." Thomas Monnay can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 954-385-7924. Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest".
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