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