Muslims should be
accepted by others as peace-loving people but there is a lot they should do themselves
A search for Common
Security and Global Citizenship
By: Muhamed Jusić (Novo vrijeme- Sarajevo, 1. November, 2013.)
Many of our global problems that we as
humans face are deepened, if not created, by our ideological, cultural,
religious and many other entrenchments that make us always look for enemy and
his movements instead of trying to a understand other`s point of view and
accept that our problems and challenges are common, even if we see them from
different perspectives.
That is why it is important to take
notice of any initiative which does not divide our problems to “ours” and
“theirs” but looks at them as common challenge. One of such attempts in dealing
with problem of religious radicalism and abuse of Islam by militants is
Professor Dr. Mustafa Cerić`s Declaration on Common Security and Global
Citizenship, issued recently in which he is expressing the sense of the Bosniak
nation regarding the 15th April 2013 deadly Boston Marathon bombing and the
22nd May 2013 horrific act of violence on the streets of London, where the holy
phrase "Allahu Akbar" has been used and the holy name of Islam has
been abused.
Professor Dr. Mustafa Cerić is former
grand mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina and in that sense spiritual leader of
religious Bosniaks who are autochthonous European traditionally Muslim nation.
Today he is President of the World Bosniak Congress that was inaugurated in
Sarajevo on the December 29th 2012 as a global national voice of the Bosniak
nation in the aftermath of last genocide in Bosnia. He is also member of many international
Islamic and interfaith organizations and is internationally renowned for his
efforts in promoting peace and interreligious dialogue.
This newly published declaration is
significant in many ways, not only because of his approach but also because it
comes from someone who, for decades, represented Islamic community of religious
Bosniaks who see themselves as intermediaries among Western and Islamic civilization both of
which they historically belong to. Not only that, but many of them who survived
worse atrocities including genocide in Srebrenica during the Bosnian war
between 1992 and 1995. see themselves, and that seems to be guiding idea of Dr.
Ceric, as those who are invited to call for peace, dialogue and coexistence in
the World. It is this moral credit of genocide surviving nation that gives
special meaning to this call for understanding and condemnations of violence
perpetuated in their name even though they as nation and religious group have
nothing to do with it.
This statement is in many ways sequel
to his first Declaration of European Muslims which he issued in the aftermath
of the New York attacks in September 2001, the massacre in Madrid in March
2004, and the London bombing in July 2005. It was issued in July 2005 at the
East London Mosque and received a great deal of international attention and was
warmly welcomed by Westerns and Islamic leader alike.
In this new declaration which is
endorsed by Islamic Forum of Europe, Dr Ceric calles for us all to search for
Common Security and Global Citizenship. He asks the so called West to accept
Muslims as peace-loving people and not to blame all Muslims and Islam for
irresponsible actions of few:
Whereas in the Boston Marathon
Bombing, three people have been killed and more than hundred wounded by a
terrorist attack, and in Woolwich an off-duty British soldier was killed, and
whereas these acts of violence have been attributed to Muslims with a
perception that they are inspired by Islamic teachings to commit massacre of
innocent people in such horrendous manner;
Whereas following the Boston Marathon
Bombing and the horrific act of violence on the streets of London, with the
blood on hands of a killer with a meat cleaver, Muslims live under the heavy
pressure of a collective guilt for “Islamic terrorism,” which is constantly
portrayed as if that is Islamic in nature;
But at the same he time calls on
followers of Islam, Muslim scholars and
intellectuals of all schools and denominations to come together and issue a
strong statement for the Common Security and Global Citizenship against those
who are using the name of Allah and Islam in a wrong way:
It is not first time in history that a
religion is misinterpreted by prejudices of those who are stuck by their hatred
toward the Other; it is not first time in history either that a concept of a
faith has been misguided by their own followers into the opposite direction;
and it is not first time in history that the victims of prejudices must realize
that a misconception about them will not go away by itself. They must rise up
and speak out about their real concept of life, faith, culture, peace and
security as a part and parcel of humanity. But not only speak, they must act in
a convincing manner so that what they say that they believe, preach and teach
is in practice of their own life. A personal example is more powerful than a
thousand of words of an empty preaching. Indeed, the Muslims must admit that
there are irresponsible men among them who are doing disservice by their wrong
service to Islam. No one understands and accepts what some violent individuals
and groups are doing claiming the noble name of Islam. They are spreading
misconceptions about Islam and Muslims in such a way that generations to come
will have hard time to clear that up. An injustice does not justify another
injustice. The Muslims are advised by Allah Almighty that they should promote
peace and do justice even to their enemies in order to change their heart and
make them their friends: - Good and Evil are not the same. Therefore, you
should always promote Good and thus if there is an enmity between you and him,
he might as a result of your goodness become your sincere friend.- says Ceric
in his declaration which will soon be presented to internatonal odience in
cappital cities of Western and Islamic world.
Full text of the
declaration can be downloded here:
