The responsibility of the Muslims and the Jews in the West is tremendous: living together, both citizens of the same countries, they should raise their voices in the name of justice and mutual respect. In France, for example, one finds a unique situation; namely, the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe living together. In America, we find the same situation with two important religious communities sharing the same citizenship. That itself should be an ideal opportunity for people to learn to live in harmony. However, the reality is that problems are on the rise. While tensions have been incidental in the past, the situation has been exacerbated during the second intifada, and more recently, during the upsurge of violence in the Middle East. The trend appears to be that the Muslim immigrants as well as native European and American Muslims are becoming extremely sensitive to the events occurring in Palestine and are demonstrating their frustration quite overtly.
Malicious words, cries of “down with the Jews” shouted during protest demonstrations, and in a few cities in France, reports of synagogues being vandalized. One also hears ambiguous statements about Jews, their “occult-like” power, their insidious role within the media and their nefarious plans. After September 11th, the false rumor that 4,000 Jews did not show up for work the morning of the terrorist attacks against the World Trade center, was relayed throughout predominantly Muslim areas.
It is very rare to hear Muslim voices that set themselves apart from this kind of discourse and attitude. Often, one will try to explain away this phenomena being a result of extreme frustration and humiliation. That may be true, but one must be honest and analyze the situation deeply. Much like the situation across the Muslim world, there exists in the West today a discourse which is anti-Semitic, seeking legitimacy in certain Islamic texts and support in the present situation in Palestine. This is the attitude of not only marginalized youth, but also of intellectuals and Imams, who see the manipulative hand of the “Jewish lobby” at each turn or every political setback,
The situation is far too serious for one to be satisfied by simple explanations based on current frustrations. In the name of their faith and their conscience, Muslims must take a clear position so that a pernicious atmosphere does not take hold in the Western countries. Nothing in Islam can legitimize xenophobia or the rejection of a human being due to his/her religious creed or ethnicity. One must say unequivocally, with force, that anti-Semitism is unacceptable and indefensible. The message of Islam requires respect of Jewish faith and spirituality as noble expressions of “The People of the Book”.
During the initial phase of the Prophet’s settlement in Medina, prior to the conflicts of Alliances, the Prophet Muhammad sternly admonished: “He who is unjust with a contractor (Christians and Jews of Medina), I shall bear witness against him on the Day of Judgment”. Later, during a period of extreme conflict [between Jews and Muslims], eight Qur’anic verses were revealed to absolve a Jew who had falsely been accused of a crime by a Muslim. Mohamed constantly taught respect for all human beings, with all their differences. One day, he stood up out of respect when he saw a funeral procession nearby. When told it was that of a Jew, he replied “Is it not human soul?”
One cannot simultaneously neglect these teachings and continue to feed a tainted portrayal concerning Jews. It is the responsibility of Islamic organizations and Imams to send an unambiguous message about the profound link between Islam and Judaism; the recognition of Moses and the Torah as part of Islamic teachings; on the necessary contextualisation of certain equivocal texts within the Qu’ran; on mutual respect and the rejection of all forms of explicit or implicit anti-Semitism. This also means to acknowledge the horrors of the holocaust, by studying its ramifications, and respecting the pain and suffering which have shaped the Jewish conscience in the 20th century.
In order for all Muslim citizens to understand this teaching, there must be a corresponding set of actions. One has to fight feelings of victimization which colonize the spirit of many Muslim citizens in the West, especially those who are the most marginalized. The frustration within these communities leads to blaming of the other, the state, the police, and, “the Jew who does not like us and who manipulates us…”
It is here that Muslim intellectuals and the public authority should share the responsibility. The first step is to disseminate an Islamic awareness that is coherent and non-literal. It should emphasize personal responsibility and respect of others. As for public authorities, it is important that they encourage concrete actions which break the cycle of economic ghettos and encourage reform of social and urban politics at a local level. Whether we like it or not, unemployment and discrimination are one of the major roots of racism.
At another level, there is urgency for Jewish and Muslim representatives to start communicating and establish an honest dialogue in order to avoid knee-jerk, reflexive community responses that may undermine the principle of living together in harmony. Self-criticism must become a mutual exercise.
If it is necessary to condemn anti-Semitic language of some Muslims, it is also the responsibility of Jewish intellectuals, religious or secular, not to confuse the different spheres. An extreme right-wing Prime Minister, Jewish or otherwise, supports an ideology that must be denounced precisely for what it is. Criticism of Sharon for his atrocious past crimes and his current policy is not a sign of disrespect for Judaism, in the same way that criticism of dictators of some Muslim countries, one by one, is not an attack on Islam.
The respect that we have towards Judaism should not be subject to suspicion once we denounce the unjust policies of the state of Israel. To foster this type of amalgams, we will end up creating chasms between communities and that is certainly to empty the ethical content of our common Western citizenship based on the values of justice and equality.
Muslims and Jews alike should stop feeding sentiments of victimization, and reconsider the discourse that one is creating towards the other. In the name of a common ethics of citizenship, our dignity will be based upon our ability to know how to be critical, transcending one’s creed, a state, or an organization without considering that it “clearly” a manifestation of anti Semitism or Islamophobia. It is exactly this type of intellectual requirement which one must teach and which will help all Jews and Muslims to offer to their faith, and to their respective belonging, the magnitude of a self-conscience based on universal principals, and not a closed-minded ghetto identity.
In Europe and in America, the conditions are right to bring these challenges to light. What remains is the mutual commitment to a constructive self-analysis and to refuse the destructive temptation of selective condemnations.
This text is translation of an Op-Ed published in Le Monde, December, 23 2001
Hi Dr. Ramadan!
I am happy to see that you have expanded your website to include your thoughts and the opportunity for some discussion.
I am really surprised and disappointed that no one else has responded to this important and accurate message.
I have witnessed all that you have mentioned and was so disappointed in the lack of my friend’s sensitivity and sensibility.
Please explain further the reasons you believe that Muslims would make such comments.
I’d like to think that when I was a child it meant something to be taught kindness, and respect for others. I really believed that these were essential attributes to live by and that would mature and intensify as I grew older.
I cannot understand how some people who call themselves a member of a religion, who practice some aspects of what a religion teaches, can forget how to live with others. How can a person hold a basic belief such as ‘be respectful to others’, but then choose to not apply it to all aspects of their lives? This doesn’t make any sense.
Even your sourcing the Prophet’s (PBUH) words is affirming that religious people cannot think for themselves. Why couldn’t good old common sense be enough for people to understand that in order to live a good life and to live together, we must want to be respectful, we must want to care, and we must want to be empathetic towards others… and not to feel hate, to point blame, to call names, etc.
We need to want to apply the values that we have been taught if we truly want to live in peace with ourselves, and with others.
People need to think more, to learn more, to want to be more reasonable and more understanding, and to try harder to live with peaceful ways.
Such lessons are learned in silence and solitude, from just listening to the wisdom that can be found within the heart, the mind, and the Soul.
Maybe people do not know the true meaning of values such as respecting others. If this is the case, then there is something very wrong in the way people are living their lives. Examples lead the way… what are parents teaching their children?
I hope all is well with you and your family. I will remember to say some prayers for all of you.
Heidi in Ottawa, Canada
Dear Dr. Ramadan,
it is the first time I read about you today at Prospect magazine, so I don’t know much about you but my first impression is that you sincerely try to build bridges.
I am born Christian but feel very close to Muslim as well as Jewish people.
The essence of a human being is the Spirit and Soul – the intellect comes then. When we follow our heart – Spirit and soul – then there are no differences which cannot be overcome.
The world is in a very difficult and dangerous situation and I believe we are right in the middle of an evolutionary step which- if we take it the right way will move everything forward otherwise……
Spirituality beyond doctrines…is the very answer – we are all part of the ONE – in all our individual freedom and developments….
I pray for you and all the wise people who understand their great responsibility!
All the best
Michaela
I often wonder whether or not Muslims and Jews reflect on their history together. It was of course, tainted with conflict, as all history is. But there were also periods of great collaboration, cultural flourishing, and great acceptance of each other’s faiths. I like to think of Salahuddin and Maimonides. Muslims love to remember the heroism of the great Salahuddin who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders. Yet we forget his level of acceptance of others which he demonstrated by employing the great Jewish philosopher and physician, Maimonides, as his court doctor. We should not let our current history taint the positive points of our shared past, or allow it to prevent us from seeing the possibility of a shared future together.
Salaam Brother Ramadan…
You provide excellent solutions to combating anti-semitism but what is the proof from qur’an and sunnah for not saying racist slurs like, “kill jews” or jew jokes. If i tell a friend of mine to stop he says ‘so what, their killing muslims’. It annoys me greatly.
ws
Iqbal