Muslims love a peaceful existence - EDITORIAL

6 November 2020 04:07 am - 17 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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There is much hate against the Muslims the world over and even those practising the faith preached by Prophet Mohammad in Sri Lanka wouldn’t tend to think otherwise.
The 9/11 Bombing of the Twin Towers in America, the Easter Sunday Church bombings in Sri Lanka and the beheading of a woman recently at a church in France are, according to radical thinkers, associated with the Islam faith.

Here in Sri Lanka the ruling Sri Lanka People’s Freedom Alliance (SLPFA) decided not to seek the support of Muslim parties when it successfully contested the 2019 Presidential Elections. What must be then understood as the bitter truth is that not only radical thinkers even the country’s powerful lawmakers would not give Muslims much of a chance to establish themselves as a political force.

It is in this backdrop that we must set the record straight that the majority of these Muslims shouldn’t be labelled as aggressive trouble makers. If one observes the peaceful lives led by Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Jordan this mindset would change.

Amani AL-Khatahtbeh, an individual with roots in Jordan, is a Muslim lady who stood up to establish a Muslim identity for herself and other females of the Islam faith. The tool she used for this was MuslimGirl.com which is termed the number one Muslim women’s blog in the USA. Why USA? This is because she had most of her education there; in a country where its citizens look suspiciously at any Muslim woman who wears the hijab or the scarf. She also wrote a book Muslim Girl, ‘A coming of age’ which is loaded.

Much of the book’s content highlights the fact that Muslims the world over, especially in Europe, are subject to threats and harassment. She writes, ‘Media networks implicated Muslims and the Islamic religion and sort to relate terrorist acts to the Quran, amplifying connections between the Muslim identity and violence’.

She highlights two facts in the book. One is her attitude to meet aggression with aggression and use the teachings in the Quran to strengthen her resolve as a Muslim lady with a backbone. The second is her reservations about how the male Muslims in the community respond passively or too peacefully when those following Islam have been at the receiving end. She writes, ‘Our behaviour caters to non-Muslims victimising us inevitably at our own expense. We’ve tried to convince the public that we’re peaceful and harmless much to the expense of our detriment’.

This second point is applicable when analysing the issue Muslims face in Sri Lanka; being sidelined and intimidated because they are termed extremists.

Last year we witnessed a series of church bombings, carried out by Muslim terrorists, which erased all the hard work done by the Muslim community to establish businesses and build bridges with the Sinhala community. The worst response was Muslim business establishments being subject to a boycott by the majority Sinhalese. While the rubble was being cleared and the churches were being repaired we heard about qualities of humanity surfacing from towns like Naththandiya, Thunmodara and Mallekelle. At a time when these towns came under attack from 500 outsiders the Sinhalese villagers came to the rescue of the Muslim families. For the record the Rural Development Committee of Thunmodara even extended an apology to the Muslims in the village who were intimidated. It’s in this same village that just after the Easter Bombings that the Muslims said sorry to the Sinhalese majority of the country by putting up banners condemning the heartless blasts.

All this roughing up of Muslims is happening and the reason for this as Amani AL-Khatahtbeh puts it in her book is because ‘Muslims have felt compelled to disempower themselves even further to showcase the peaceful nature of their religion in a situation that under any other circumstance would have required a strong-headed response for security’.

The rest of the world needs to put that effort to realise that the Muslim and the terrorists, who state they practice Islam, are two different entities and we need to stop being prejudice. This Muslim community loves peace and it’s the responsibility of the majority of the people to create that environment for a peaceful existence.

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Comments - 17

Raymond Punchingho Friday, 06 November 2020 05:58 AM

Bullshit!. The Koran itself is based on the presumption that the world belongs to Abraham's descendants and no on else. Even teh prophet Mohammed (blessed be his name) committed murder in his so called Jihad campaigns (Historically proven). He burnt a Jewish tribal leader alive and then took over the man's wife.

Charles Horenegae Friday, 06 November 2020 06:53 AM

"Muslims love a peaceful existence" What a lie! They should be exterminated. They are threat to the world.

W M Fernando Friday, 06 November 2020 07:16 AM

Individually muslims are not bad. Collectively they are silent if numbers are less and when their numbers grow attempts are made to establish their identity by force and override others identity. It is happening wordwide.

Kinmal Juntan Friday, 06 November 2020 09:03 AM

How about pork?

Ghouse Friday, 06 November 2020 09:12 AM

Western media's attempt at labelling Muslims as a terrorist has succeeded. There are extremists in every community. The Muslim terrorists who kill innocent civilians don't possess adequate knowledge of Islam.

Prageeth Wijesinghe Friday, 06 November 2020 09:30 AM

Author Should have talked about 100 of people killed in the name of "disguised". Peace. When your existence threatened you talk about peace and co existing. Talk about force conversions in Pakistan, and annihilation of other faiths in Afghanistan. We know your tactics.

A.G.R.Silva Friday, 06 November 2020 02:57 PM

Muslims love peaceful existence as long as situation favours them.In Pakistan non muslims face death for cooked up charges against islam.To muslims others are infidels.

Johan Fernando Friday, 06 November 2020 03:03 PM

Are you suprised that people label muslim and islam as a violent religion?. I mean when did we see a buddist monk blow himself up in a forign country before?. Or when did any other religion demanded the girl or boy to convert before marriage. Islam is only peacefull for people who convert and accept islam.

Ralaharamy Friday, 06 November 2020 04:31 PM

Every Muslim in Sri Lanka was stereotyped as Zahran, by elements who orchestrated the blast from behind the scene. The Government did not bring sanity because they were keen not to be branded as Muslim-lovers or they just enjoyed it. No comments on Police. So much for patriotism.

Fakir Hussain Saturday, 07 November 2020 03:16 PM

well, Muslims should report to the authorities radicalized members in their community. Only then people will change their minds.

Kumar Saturday, 07 November 2020 09:31 PM

I was one of the two Buddhist students in the class with 16 other Muslim students and they were very friendly. I visited one of them after 50 years last year, he had grown a beard since I saw him years ago. However, I don't believe that can be extended to the radicalized younger population.

Ravikumar Sunday, 08 November 2020 09:52 AM

Could you please allow my comment as a response to your editorial. Is there any religion outside Islam in which it’s followers are easily turned to exceptional violence if they believe someone has uttered even a sentence negative about their religion ?

Deepal Samarasiri Sunday, 08 November 2020 12:58 PM

Our politicians really distanced us .

Larry Enas Sunday, 08 November 2020 04:37 PM

The Muslim community has to respect the rest of the world! Not the reverse! A set of laws made 1400 years ago for the Muslim community has no place nor relevance to non-Muslim peoples in modern society. And, no! I for one will not bow to your collective dictat!

Percy Sunday, 08 November 2020 09:00 PM

“Muslims Love Peaceful Existence” is analogous to “Mafia Loves Lawful Existence”. Daily Mirror you are making everyone laugh through their backsides.

firdhous Monday, 09 November 2020 01:17 PM

Big thanks for Daily Mirror for putting this on its editorial. A fire never break out without any courses. Similarly, the hatred campaign against Muslim has manifold influence. Of all the factors, the negligence of Muslim society in their religion as well and in world affairs is the major contributor to this fire. The Arabic word “Islam”, “Muslim”, “Salam” all have its rout with peace and tranquility of a society. But Muslims throughout the history have made mistake in understanding this important matter. The main reason for such misunderstanding is the concept of “Jihad” in Islam and the military confrontation of Prophet Mohamed with many of his opponents. Logically we may sort out this misunderstand but in Isamic point of view, it would be difficult to sort it out. Holy Quran states clearly that “the life on Earth is a test”. So proper understanding of the above concept of peace and “jihad” is part of the test. As usual passing a test needs lot of efforts.

firdhous Monday, 09 November 2020 01:17 PM

Big thanks for Daily Mirror for putting this on its editorial. A fire never break out without any courses. Similarly, the hatred campaign against Muslim has manifold influence. Of all the factors, the negligence of Muslim society in their religion as well and in world affairs is the major contributor to this fire. The Arabic word “Islam”, “Muslim”, “Salam” all have its rout with peace and tranquility of a society. But Muslims throughout the history have made mistake in understanding this important matter. The main reason for such misunderstanding is the concept of “Jihad” in Islam and the military confrontation of Prophet Mohamed with many of his opponents. Logically we may sort out this misunderstand but in Isamic point of view, it would be difficult to sort it out. Holy Quran states clearly that “the life on Earth is a test”. So proper understanding of the above concept of peace and “jihad” is part of the test. As usual passing a test needs lot of efforts.

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Muslims love a peaceful existence - EDITORIAL

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