The Issue of Peace in the Muslim World and Required Western Actions

[Sohail Mahmood]

Today, Islam has acquired a bad image in the West. It is seen as a world of aggression, violence, intoleration, repression and political instability. That view is a gross media exaggeration. To simplify things, Islam is far from these caricatures of it. This is unfortunate, to say the least. However, it must be agreed that not all is in order in the Muslim world. It faced unprecedented challenges, the like of which has never happened before in history. It is simultaneously threatened from within and from outside its lands. On the one hand, the United States and NATO have intervened massively in the Middle East region and Afghanistan. The presence of massive Western military power is creating anxiety in the Muslims. They feel threatened by the Western intervention and are reminded of their colonial past era when they were subjugated by the European colonialists. Muslim weakness had resulted in the creation of Israel in the heart of the Arab world. The further expansion of Israel had humiliated the Arabs especially. The Palestinians have been wronged by the West and continue to suffer under the Israeli military boots. The Palestinians have been living under illegal military occupation for a long time. It is extremely stressful and painful situation for them. This brazen use of force by Israel and Palestinian suffering has caused resentment throughout the Muslim world. Ultimately, there can be peace once Palestine becomes free from Israeli military occupation. . Things will improve definitely in the Muslim world when Palestine becomes free from the Israeli yoke.

In a nutshell, Muslims are disunited, leaderless and weakened. On the other hand, the Muslim world has been attacked by radicalism from within. Unfortunately, Islam has been politicized in a manner not seen in history. The Islamic religion and civilization have been overtaken sort of by radicals. Islam has suffered as a result. The legacy of Jihad is only one legacy of Islam. Islamic legacies of scholarship and the softer side - Sufism- have been relegated to the background. The blame here is on the Muslims themselves, especially the intellectuals who failed to promote the softer side of Islam and let the radicals get away with their message of violence. The Muslims have only themselves to blame. The legacy of scholarship and Sufism must be promoted to counter Islamic radicalism. Islam believes in toleration and humanity. The Sufis preached peace, humility, love of all, simplicity and mutual toleration. This legacy has to be rekindled for the Muslim world to be at peace in contemporary times. Islamic Sufism has a lot to teach to the world. Sufi traditions and practices are to be nourished by all and are meant for all. Islamic Sufi poetry is breathtaking in its beauty and has a universal dimension for all humanity. A lot has to be done to change the situation in the Muslim world. This is an internal battle of the Muslims. This battle is for the hearts and minds of the Muslims, especially Muslim youth. The battle ground is of a different sort. The real thrust is education and it is the teacher that is in the forefront of the battle not the soldier. The activity is being waged daily in the classrooms of the Muslim world. The teachers and the university professors should confront Islamic radicals on a daily basis through their reasoned arguments. Of course, this task is formidable and can be frustrating at times. It must be repeated that the task is huge because Islam has been much politicized, as never before. Education and better economic opportunity is the key to defeat Islamic radicalism. The Global war on Terror cannot be won by military mans alone. Unfortunately, the Muslim world is failing in this internal battle. The overall state of educational institutions is pathetic. Bad governance, low priority, neglect and politics have ruined the educational institutions in the Muslim world. No worthwhile research is being carried out today. Apart from some military areas, the situation of higher education is indeed wretched, to say the least. Plus, weak and corrupt leaders have misplaced priorities. Valuable time is being lost. Obviously, education and economic opportunity must be a priority. Here the failure is glaring and also embarrassing.

Therefore, the solution is fighting on two fronts simultaneously. The battle grounds like the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderlands harboring the al-Qaida and Taliban remnants and the educational and training institutions throughout the Muslim world.

The West has a historic responsibility also. Clearly, the independence of Palestine must now become a high and immediate priority. The West must support the independence of Palestine because it is the right thing to do. There cannot have peace in the Middle East without an independent and sovereign Palestine. Muslims all over the world support the cause. It is not has that they are obsessed with the land issue. Muslims feel humiliated that Israel exists within a sea of Islam. It must be pointed out that it is Israel that occupied Palestinian land, and not the other way around, as some of Israeli supporters would have us believe. Israel has to vacate the land it occupied in the June 1967 war. It is simple as that. The civilized world cannot allow territory to be acquired through military means. International law and world public opinion is very clear on this issue. Hezbollah and Hamas are not terrorist organizations but liberation movements. Notwithstanding, there depiction in the US, these movements must get the official support of Western powers that they deserve. It needs to be clearly understood that there can be peace only if Israel vacates land occupied by military force in the 1967 war. All Muslims are united in support of Palestinian independence. Let the West deliver on this one. Everyone must understand this. The sooner Palestine becomes independent the better for all, and world peace. There is no compromise on this issue.
Meanwhile, we can and should concentrate on education and economic opportunity in the Muslim world. Issues of governance must be tackled immediately for that is the key to peace in the region. Unfortunately, there is no sign to indicate that these developments are going to happen soon. Tragedy waits around the corner as we sleep today.