Understanding Islam
Understanding Islam
In Indonesia today the world can see an example of a
democratic republic that is home to a large Muslim population.
The way Islam works in Indonesia can even be seen as a model for
many nation-states in this new millennium, including some of the
world's current trouble spots, because one of the realities of
today's new world is that all of us who inhabit this planet are
connected as never before in history.
Earth is a bright sparkling light that shines in the universe
like a beautiful, blue pearl. And to begin to understand its
bright majesty is in believing it and the stars and planets were
created by God, the Creator. Believing in God is why Muslims are
called Believers. God is also called The Light, The
Compassionate, The Merciful, and He is also Al-Malik, the Master,
for in His acceptance of you is one of the fundamental truths of
Islam, that "God guides to His light whom He will".
There is much evil done in the name of Allah in this world
today, and the concept of denying the existence of Jamaah
Islamiyah is in its own way a statement that such behavior and
loss of innocent human life can in no way be connected with the
message of The Recital, or as it is better known in English, The
Koran.
The continuing and festering sore that is the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict, in a place that is holy to the five great
religions, and which should be a shining beacon of God's love of
every human life, is a problem in need of solving by mankind,
united.
Mahathir's speech at the United Nations, the last words he
will probably utter as Malaysia's prime minister in that august
institution, were a reminder to us all that Palestine must exist
as a free, democratic republic and peace must return to that part
of the world, if this world is to be more peaceful.
Perhaps there is something in the Malayu Muslim combination
that leads to such a vision.
Perhaps more light can be shone upon that particular road map,
from that perspective. From the perspective of the Koran, the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the one instance where every
Muslim should support his Muslim brothers and sisters. And yet,
suicide is very specifically forbidden in Islam.
And the people of the Book, surely they must also be able to
live in peace.
GREG WARNER
Jakarta