A letter To the Ambassador of the United States of America [Archives:2004/762/Opinion]
By Mohamed Al Asri
Alnaderah, Yemen
For the Yemen Times
I do like to write and share with you some thoughts about the current situation or rather conflict between Islam, and the west. This is to you, to read and to convey to both houses of the United States Senates, and the house of congress.
Firstly, I'd like to make it clear that I am not qualified to speak for either side, but for three reasons I'd like to try and be useful and help both sides better understand one another, and heighten awareness of their common interests, these three reasons are:-
1- I am a human being, and would like all humans to live in peace, and with understanding.
2- I am an ordinary Muslim, and a Muslim who knows his religion, and has a strong faith in Allah, and who does not want any harm to come to any people or any of Allah's creation.
3- I am a Yemeni American, and do not want to see any Muslims oppressed (or any other people for that matter), at the same time it would, and will, make me sad to see America as less then what it is today. In this time and age, a person or a nation must be careful whom he or she associates, and acknowledge that a persons behavior can reflect positively or negatively on the behavior of others. I believe we all agree that we all want to be good, but our actions can make others react either way – good or bad, in speech or actions.
Going to the matter (or the conflict) between the Muslims and the west, lets talk about the Muslims first. The Muslims are just human beings, who believe in the one and only God – Allah. And that Allah teaches them in the Quran (the Book of Allah) that a person must be good in every thing he or she does – even to the point of a thought, because Allah says that every body will be accounted for all their actions, and who ever does not do good, even to the point of a thought, Allah will punish.
The teaching of Islam is a vast subject, but this is a summation. You see, a Muslim is not a complicated person to understand, in fact, if a non-Muslim needs to know a Muslim, he does not need to investigate him, he merely has to read about his Islamic teachings.
Because a Muslim bases his life on his Islamic teachings, he or she is an open book for every one to see. The Muslim thinks that if he can hide something from others for some reason, he or she can not hide it from Allah. At the same time he or she does not fear any thing, except Allah, because no one can give punishment nor reward like Allah. Therefore that's it. For the common good a Muslim can be controlled or kept a friend but on the other hand, with selfish aims or unjust provocations, he or she can give his or her life – and that's the philosophy which he bases his LIFE on. Other words in defense of the “right” they have two choices, either victory or martyrdom.
Now about the west, the Muslims are very frustrated with the west (the head of which is the U.S. – although the whole world can be held responsible for forgetting the Palestinian Israeli conflict) for shutting their eyes and turning a DEAF EAR to the Palestinians and also now in Iraq.
At this time in history, no nation on the face of the earth is openly colonized except Palestine and Iraq. At the same time, the west keeps promoting the way of Democracy, freedom and human rights. How can it be believed when the saying – democracy, freedom, and human rights whilst doing the opposite?
This is very hard to understand or believe. Can we ask the west to put themselves in the shoes of the Muslims? George Washington told the British 'no Taxation without representation', and the early Americans fought the British until they gained their independence.
Israel does to the Palestinians what in the name of humanity, no other people could do, and at the same time, speaks the rhetoric of democracy, freedom and human rights. This can not be accepted. Things have come out into the open in the past several years, whilst the world went back to the dark ages in its way of thinking, thus, it is sad to see that this in this modern age, where humans have learned to conquer outer space, they can not find ways to peace. Instead we see the oppression of people, and nations invading other nations, and using the blessing of modern technology to aid in killing other human beings in Palestine, and now in Iraq.
I should advise Israel that it is better for them (and the whole world as well) to correct their behavior against the Muslims starting with the Muslims in Palestine and in Iraq. Again it is partly because of them (as some U.S. officials stated very falsely that Iraq was a threat to Israel, and to the whole world) that Iraq was invaded.
And now the Jews are using the power of the U.S. as boxing gloves to settle old disputes as they think. As I stated in my 3rd reason previously, I will advise the U.S – and the whole west – they should restudy the terms of their relations with the Jews because the Muslims do not worry about Islam, Islam is God's-Allah's religion, and whoever thinks to erase Islam from the face of this earth, they have to declare the war against Allah.
And as a Muslim, I deeply think there is no match to his power. The Muslims are now the weakest nations in the world, and carrying out a war against them by the Jews by the help of or by the west is no match. It would be a carnage that should be avoided if we use open minds in this new age of knowledge. What we all have today is many different kinds of blessing, I believe this is a test from God-Allah to see if we use it for the benefits of humanity or against it.
As a Muslim with other Muslims, we all agree that Islam does not threaten any one, we like to live up to its teachings, and we deeply believe that it is a mercy from God-Allah to mankind, living up to its teachings is very satisfying and rewarding to us, nothing in the whole universe will make us compromised it, and that's how we feel about it. We like to share this great bless with non-Muslims, but however, it goes back to them, they the only ones who decide to choose it, on their own free will, we can not force any one in any way possible. Jews, Christians, and others, are just people like us, and we should like one another. It is our actions in life that make us dislike one another, for example, a person who drinks Alcohol or takes Harmful drinks which cause him to do unwanted acts that cause harm to himself and others, people dislike this person, because of his life's habits and his dangerous behavior.
This is only one example, the Muslims do not hate the Jews but, like I said, we hate their behavior and the crimes they commit against us, and that's the essence of all disputes among all people, even between family members from the beginning of time.
We as humans today have to educated people more than they ever have been, also we have the means of communicating in many ways, to understand our differences and base our agreements on the common good for mankind, not for individuals or selfish personal gains. We the Muslims, are willing to face non-Muslims in any way they choose, we prefer peacefully.
We are very weak, and at the same time we see you unaware of your own weakness. As marshal arts experts say, if two people fight, one with a weapon his opponent bare handed, the bare handed, they say, is the stronger because the one with the weapon is only thinking of the weapon to fight with, when it is out of his hand his strength goes with it. This is one example, and here is a famous saying from the Muslims to whomever can understand it, “if you know your own ability over others, remember Allah's ability over you”.
We Muslims, are really weak in many ways nowadays, and under continued threat from the Jews, with the help of the west. However we can strengthen by just one thing – faith in Allah. This is all we need, and it is getting away from the path of Allah that has lead to our current weakness. I will say this for the love of America now, and I will give an example, I will be very sad to see America one day thrown needlessly out on the waste ground of history as a discarded worn out old boxing glove, that was used by a group of opportunists to fight for injustice, and against freedom for all.
Because I do not see today what I saw about thirty years ago, when I went to school and said the pledge of allegiance to the U.S. before becoming a U.S citizen. When I said it, I begin to think about the words and I thought that these were good words, and should be said by everyone in the whole world, not just American citizens.
Who does not want freedom and justice for all? Only corrupted people, these kinds of people need to be stopped in their tracks any time and any place. About twenty years ago, in Sanantonio, Texas, the Alamo city, I made my pledge of allegiance officially in a front of a judge and others. Here is my example, I think some of you might have heard it. It says 'a dull rock can cut off a tight robe', it does not matter how long it takes.
This is the strategy of the Jews and their blind followers in the U.S. government. Do they know how long it takes to erase some say a billion Muslims from the world? Do they think the whole world will close its eyes and ears, like it has done over Palestine and the invasion of Iraq, when the whole world was against it? Despite the wishes of the world, the U.S. and England propagated their false reasons and went on against the whole world and invaded Iraq.
More over, they said with their false intelligence that the Iraqi people would meet the invading forces from the U.S and England with welcome songs and bouquets of flowers. None of all that took place, and now history will tell, and the future will come. The Muslims say that they would like to see Mr. Bush remain in office some more, so that the sleeping Muslims can wake up. At the same time the Iraqis like the presence of the American forces and their Allies in Iraq, so that they can continue to take out on them as much revenge as possible for the children who died because of the U.S. sanctions which were imposed on Iraq for over a decade. For the common good of both sides I say Wake up America, the Muslims of Islam are not your enemy, or an enemy to any one. If the plan is to wage war on the Muslims, and their religion and you think you going win, I am going ask you first, are you truly wining in Palestine? Are you truly wining in Iraq? Please think, and stop all this, please recalculate your figures and formulas.
I've heard some rumors recently about a big program for the middle east from the west, and its leader is the U.S., I will ask, are you aware of what you do? Do you know where you are going?
To get to it, your command to us to compromise our religion and faith is not accepted by any of the Muslims of any of the Muslims countries. You might get your commands granted from the leaders of all Muslims nations, only because they timidly want to avoid your trouble – as you know your own behavior.
I think the world we live in at this time in history is a very cowardly world, because like I stated before, we have more educated people, but sadly injustice still prevails. I know for sure that all the Muslim nations cannot stand up to correct your behavior, even though they all feel the conspiracy today against them. Going back to the big program, I will say this, we the Muslims have many good common sayings this is one of them; it says, “take the advice of the one who takes the rock out of your hand (for attack), at the same time do not take it from the one who gave it, to attack.!” You know the number of Muslims all over the world, some say as many as a billion people. I repeat Islam and the Muslims are not any ones enemy. As human beings, all of us, are the common enemy of Satan. He swore to Allah, that he will make all humans sinners to God -Allah, except for a few who have faith, and guidance from God-Allah.
You people of the book – Jews and Christians – have rejected your religions, you thought you do not need religion, it is not useful for your societies, and most western nations, including the former soviet union, reject religions teachings and practices. However, this false thinking, as if 'nature' is the creator of all, did not solve your problems, and truly it will not. Now you are in the process of forcing us to do what you did – to do away with our religion of Islam.
I will say that you are wrong if you think that we will follow you, at the same time, we are stupid if we do. We are not forcing you to accept Islam, therefore what gives you the right to force us to reject it? This is not fair! If you reject your faith and do not want to go by your religions teachings, it is your own mistake, but we will be fair with you, we merely offer Islam to you, on your own free will, without any pressure. It is only for love of you, that we will share Islam with you. Knowledge does not decrease, and we have more than enough for all humans to use and benefit from.
Regarding your unfair conditions to us, we could say to you – you played with your religion, it is your fault, and it is true, we know your religion has been damaged by you and lost, Allah gives you a second chance by accepting Islam. This is not like what you try to do to us, this is not fair, even common sense can tell you that, if you have it. If you try to provoke us to do some thing against our faith, I repeat, we the Muslims love to give you peace, and your civilization needs peace, and love from one another. We can help you more then we can harm you.
We can help you wipe out aids, eliminate alcohol and drug addictions and unwanted teenage pregnancies which increase every year. We will help you build strong bonded, loving family units.
I can go on and write some more, but take this one more saying from the Muslims to you. it says “show the forbearing the point not the whole path.”! The whole path might be too long, and not the right time for it, though I hope that this makes as much sense to you as it does to me. I also pray to Allah, that he will give good sense to all of us to know and act for common good, for peace all over the world, all the time!
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[archive-e:762-v:13-y:2004-d:2004-08-09-p:opinion]
