Approaching the West — Page 94
A pproaching the West—94 Americans should be made aware of the miserable condition of Palestinian Christian and Muslim refugees. We need to be more sympathetic to their plight and right to return to their homeland to live a decent life. Moreover, human rights of religious minorities need to be protected. American public in general and the faith-based communities in particular have to become more vocal and more effective in safeguarding human rights of the suffering–be they Muslims or Christians or any other faith community. Similarly, humanitarian help needs to be provided to the victims of war in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Muslim and Christian civilians in Palestine. Churches in America need to work closely with moderate Muslims. We must try to guard against judging Isl ā m by double standards. We interpret differently the violent texts in the Bible in their historical contexts, but we pick up verses from the Qur’ ā n to prove as if Isl ā m teaches perpetual violence. Christian faith leadership, whether Catholic or Protestant, instead of demeaning Isl ā m and the Prophet of Isl ā m, should condemn attacks on Isl ā m that are done regularly through the media, and by some Christian leaders. Christian attacks on Isl ā m or the Prophet Mu ḥ ammad do not help solve the problem. They actually aggravate the present tense situation. No Muslim ever, even the most hateful and radical ones, shall insult Jesus or Moses. They express their full reverence for them as the prophets and chosen ones of God. We need to wage an information war against the hate- preaching Mull ā s and against their perverted ideology of Jih ā d. The A ḥ madiyya Muslim Community has taken the