This year has been a difficult one with Covid-19 causing so much fear and anxiety in people around the world; as the virus dominated the news with reports of infection rates and restrictions, it sometimes felt as if all other news had faded into the background. When we have a common enemy this great we don’t need the added burden of conflict with one another.
Other stories have been prominent for a time, for example the Black Lives Matter demonstrations held to protest police brutality in the USA, but now terrorism by Muslims has reared its ugly head in France, firstly with the brutal murder of teacher Samuel Paty, then with the murder of three people in a Nice church. Inside a church, is nothing sacred? Teacher M. Paty was murdered after a lesson on freedom of speech in which he showed caricatures of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him. He had warned his students beforehand and, understanding the pain it would give them, told them to leave the classroom or look away. Yet this lesson enraged the murderer enough for him to carry out a brutal murder.
Of course this has led to a great backlash against Islam and Muslims despite the fact that Islam, in truth a peaceful religion, does not permit such acts. As His Holiness, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community stated:
“Our religion does not permit terrorism or extremism under any circumstances and anyone who claims otherwise acts against the teachings of the Holy Quran and contrary to the noble character of the Holy Prophet of Islam.”
Westerners have been quick to support the French President Emmanuel Macron who has vowed to root out ‘Islamist terrorists’ while Muslim leaders, led by Turkey’s President Erdoğan have condemned him for his attitude towards Muslims. More tension and conflict when we need to stand together.
His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke about rising tensions between the West and the Islamic world:
“We consider this to be a source of deep regret and a means of further undermining the peace and stability of the world. We must all join together to root out all forms of extremism and to encourage mutual understanding and tolerance.”
Tensions between the West and Islamic countries have been ongoing for many years and the cycle of violence shows no sign of ending. Where understanding is needed to douse the flames of hatred, it is absent, replaced by quick, hot-headed retaliation which only serves to escalate the worsening situation.
Muslims do feel pain at attacks on their religion and the character of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, but should a true Muslim get angry and retaliate? His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad has explained:
“When the person of the Holy Prophet is attacked, rather than exhibiting momentary passion, burning flags, causing damage and destruction and attacking embassies, reform their deeds instead, so that the others do not get a chance to point their finger at them.”
Now with the murders of three worshippers in a Nice church the situation has become all the more dangerous with the threat of escalation even higher. Muslims who are outraged by attacks on the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, should take a breath and ask themselves what would he have done? A man who ordered places of worship to be protected, who forgave his most bitter enemies, would not celebrate these violent responses, rather he would be pained to see what is being done purportedly in his name. And it’s so sad that those who believe in God could do harm to others who believe in Him and are actually in the process of worshipping Him.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community across the world has always publicly stood shoulder to shoulder with fellow citizens in times like these, joining in remembrance vigils and offering help where needed. This is what the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, would have wanted his followers to do because this is what his teachings and actions have shown us. Only by standing together can we build understanding and have a chance to finish this cycle of conflict the world is in.
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