Letters

Write for The Iranian Editorial policy

Monday
July 9, 2001

Islam uniquely terrible?

I wrote "Fact or fiction" in reply to "The first stone" written elegantly by Ms. Setareh Sabety. I and many other like minded people thank you for allowing all to voice their opinions in iranian.com, a platform freely available to voice one's opinion. Since then, I have received a number of responses to my letter. The common theme in all was "Fact and Fiction about Islam". Your readers comment inspired me to shed light on to the subject of faith and spirituality.

Why, I ask myself, am I reading more than ever, in the past 24 years about brutality, torture, hanging, head chopping, stoning and human rights abuses by the so-called Muslim states? I have often asked myself, why is this only happening to countries governed by Islamic law? Is there something uniquely terrible about Islam? Is there something inherently embedded in the mind of people that bring forth this kind of atrocities from their regimes? Nothing good has come out of Islamic states such of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and of course Iran?

Let's start with the basics. Let me get this point across. I am not here to preach nor to promote any religion. We all have heard enough of that. Our life has been made miserable amply by those who are supposed to be the flag barers of Islam. In fact, religion is a private matter and should be practiced, not preached. I firmly believe in this with all my heart.

You ask then, why am I writing this? Why am I talking about the issue that is so taboo these days. Why am I talking about Islam that has brought so much controversy in the West. By know, everyone of us inside or outside of Iran have come face to face with the familiar term of "Islamic terrorist", specially those who travel abroad, whether Europe, U.S or the Middle East.

I wondered about my religious conviction and so I went on thinking, who needs faith and spirituality? And for most part, unless it involved me directly, I dodge the bullet. Having been born in a Muslim family that did not put much emphasis on religion (not sure it was good or bad), I came to know Islam as most people do today: a shell devoid of a core.

Being forced to believe what was preached to me by those who themselves never practiced, left me with a distorted version of Islam and confused me about the state of spirituality. I heard this phrase too many times "Islam said this and Islam said that". I didn't really know what Islam said or IF Islam said anything at all.

Unlike any other religion known to man kind, Islam contains more myth, misconceptions and personal interpretations of unauthorized kind than any other religion. Among the great religions of the world, Islam is no doubt the one that is least known and appreciated by the non-Muslim world.

The recent resurgence of military and militant groups inside Islam has caused a renewal of feelings and sentiments that have been harbored for centuries and a new spirit of crusade against the only major religion that appeared in history after Christianity. This has caused many Western layman and intellectuals to ask, "What do 'the Islams' have in mind now"? (A horrible form used by many instead of the correct term, Muslims.)

Years went by, while living in the West, and I decided to take the matter in my own hands. Once and for all, find answers to my questions about Islam, specially the one that had preoccupied my mind for so many years, Are there things uniquely terrible about Islam?

I went straight to the source of Islam. Years ago, I had been given a copy of the Qur'an for my birthday by an American friend of mine. I decided to read it word by word with English commentary hoping to find answers. I read it with my heart and soul over 10 long years. What I found has been enlightening to say the least.

What I have experienced has been tremendously positive. I have come to respect everyone's faith. To know that there is only one God and love is the only doorway to him. That real Islam is a deep and unquestioning trust in God, the realization of the truth and of the three-fold aspect of religious life: That of Islam, complete surrender to God, Iman (eiman), unquestioning faith in Him and His wisdom; and Ihsan (ehsan), to do right toward others and act righteously with your neighbors.

Now let's go to the other end of the spectrum. They say, knowledge is power, and I say knowledge is more than power, it is the absolute driving force of our being. I no longer allow my mind to wonder about Islam. I have found many answers to my questions if not all.

I know that those who do such heinous crimes in the name of Islam, are destroying Islam by their very own actions. I know now that hanging , torture, head chopping and stoning to death are not part of the Islam that I have come to understand and believe in. There is not a single verse anywhere in the Qur'an that prescribes violence of any kind. It is the beastly nature of those who are driven by hate, greed, and fear of losing power that commit to such inhumane acts of taking another human being's life in the name of justice in Islam.

Now, I beg you, next time when you come across an article or TV report (plenty around these days) that portrays Islam or any other religion as vindictive and cruel, take the time to know facts from fiction and don't let the actions of a few tyrants defile your spiritual growth.

Peace and love,

Saffari

Comment for The Iranian letters section