After Sept 11th and its tragedy people in the west especially in the U.S changed their general view about us, Muslims and Arabs, to worse than it was.

That’s why? Because of a terrible act that we all condemn it. But we don’t usually ask ourselves why did that happen? Why did they do that, if they really do it?

It is a reaction. A reaction of ignoring our rights and our lands. I know it’s an extreme reaction but if we should fight terrorism, we should fight its reasons.

Part doesn’t represent the whole. And the doers don’t represent their religions. For example, suppose we have a family consists of dad, mom and two sons. If the two sons committed a crime, the police wouldn’t’ arrest the whole family to put them in prison. They would just arrest the two sons. Therefore, we cannot accuse Islam that it’s a religion of terrorism because some Muslims acted badly.

My aim is to clear our look as Muslims and Arabs and make it better and to remove any misunderstanding has been made by many aspects in our society and religion.

(1) Islam, the heavenly religion, was sent from god. God who has the perfection of everything. And as there is no heavenly religion on earth calls for terrorism and hatred. So, how a heavenly religion does calls for hatred and violence!!?

Our religion, Islam, calls for the natural humanity manners such as peace, love, and co-operation to live in a world filled with good. Even it’s called Islam and that’s very similar to the Arabic word “Salaam” that means peace.

(2) Islam ordered us to fight terrorism everywhere and every time but may ask how? Was there terrorism before 1400 year (the days of prophet Mohamad)? The answer is yes. The prejudice is terrorism. Killing innocents is terrorism slavery and more and more and more. So, our religion ordered us NOT to kill old men, women, or children in wars or even we must not cut a tree or a plant. That’s because we should not kill innocent people or any other living creatures as a concept of respecting our humanity. (Nor take life-which Allah has made sacred……….)

(3) In Egypt, we all as Egyptians, Muslims and Christians, live together with ties of love and friendship. It’s a good example for love in Islam. Being a Christian I an Islamic country doesn’t make you live in fear and troubles.

(4) I think one of the tolerance and peace aspects is us. Yes, we as a team representing our country Egypt in many activities. And a great friendship project that connects us already with students from the states to discuss, solve, and share. So, how could we be intolerant ad violent while we are doing such a great things like that? These activities encourage the sense of sociable and as I know, the violent are usually not.

So, these conclusion shows us how Islam and Muslims are tolerance and nice. The mistakes may be in us but Not in the religion.

So please think of us, feel us. We are human. We have rights. We are all human whatever our nations, religions and colors.

I’m saying it from my heart. Let’s forget all these barriers and remember one thing our humanity, our uniting.

By:

MOHAMAD HAMZA

Orman i*EARN Team

Cairo-Egypt