RELIGIOUS SITES MUST BE PROTECTED AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS ARE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS

Having worked on supporting better Jewish and Muslim relations for the last 7 years, I can honestly say that I have felt despair over the last week. Once again the Al Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock mosque compounds in Jerusalem have been drawn into the politics of those who want to make it a Muslim and Jewish conflict, something that is so readily accepted within Europe and the US and which is so far from the truth of what I hear on the ground in the region. The conflict should not be seen through the prism of a Muslim and Jewish conflict and those on either side who push this, push a very dangerous line by using religion in what is a conflict of resources.

Just before any reader attempts to blame any one faith, I must say that no particular religious community in the City is clean of this charge. There is instigation and counter-reaction and so the cycle continues, but the last 10 years have seen the increased use of faith and it’s symbolism within Jerusalem which is a very worrying trend. All religious sites deserve the respect and the protection of their sanctity within the City. Has it not been said that whoever has charge of this Holy City has the weight of the world on their shoulders and the added responsibility of global peace? Has it also not been said that each decision on faith related sites in the City needs a lifetime of thoughts before any action is taken? Yet, what we see today can ignite a regional crisis and before we blame another faith community, should we not ask ourselves the question, “Is my faith about peace and the protection of life and belief?” I think this is the core question that people of faith ask themselves at some point in their life and this question is very relevant in the context of what is happening in Jerusalem.

Yet, whatever the future holds, Muslim and Jewish communities in Jerusalem will have to learn to live with one another. Today, respect and understanding towards each other are sadly missing and power dynamics play heavily on activities and the way that each community views each other. What I hope is that religious sites are not drawn into the conflict and that politicians do not use them. The last person that did that, a certain Ariel Sharon, started the Second Intifada and both communities I know are tired of the violence. Furthermore, Jerusalem needs no more violence, oppression and blood and the life of a Palestinian Muslim or Christian Jerusalemite should be viewed with the same value as the life of a Jewish Jerusalemite. Their differences in faith do not mean that one person’s life is more superior to another for every faith believes in the sanctity of all life.

I for one will always defend the right of any faith to practice and to practice in safety and security. No faith group should practice their faith at the detriment of another. For example in Arab countries in my opinion, the loss of Jewish communities through fear to Israel was a loss that affected them financially and socially and that is why the loss of Muslims and the Islamic identity in Jerusalem will be a loss for the City in the future. Jerusalem is a city for all of the three Abrahamic faiths and I for one will defend the rights of all three faiths to practice to the hilt. Whoever uses religion to cause divisions and to drive wedges in the history of the City should ask themselves; is this what God really wants? I for one, think not.

Mughal India and the Link Between Muslims and Jews: A Forgotten Story

In 1858, the last great Mughal ruler of India was violently sent into exile into Burma where he eventually died in exile in 1862. A liberal, cultured and deeply cohesive community in Delhi which was nurtured by Bahadur Shah Zafar, (the last Mughal of the line of the Timur (Tamerlaine) line which had been in India for over 320 years), was fractured. The fabric of Indo-Islamic civilisation which had been stitched together by the Mughals so that Hindu and Muslim rights were protected, was violently torn apart by the England based East India Trading Company.

Yet what was the cause of this violent ejection that saw over 40 children of the King butchered and murdered with no mercy being shown by soldiers of the East India Trading Company? These mercenaries ripped the heart out of India and they supported the first rapacious multi-national corporation that went onto govern and hold whole countries to ransom.

The eventual annihilation of Mughal India was based on a number of steps, some of which included the aggressive and heavily xenophobic attitude of Victorian Evangelists whose work in India tilted relationships between Europeans and Indians so that neither culture or race interacted anymore on an equal basis. It also led to the end of the era of the ‘White Mughals’ who preceded them and who were far more understanding and empathetic in their relations. (These were English men and women who became part of the Mughal tradition and who learnt Urdu and married local women). Furthermore, to add to these strained relations, the introduction of greased cartridges to lubricate the round shot fired from new Enfield rifles introduced around 1856 meant that Hindu and Muslim sepoys would have to bite open these cartridges that were made of cow and pig fat. For Hindus and Muslims, this meant a direct threat to their identity and faith and rebellion after rebellion in Northern India broke out with these sepoys rallying to Bahadur Shah Zafar as to the true ruler of India. Their arrival in Delhi, the seat of Mughal India, would mean that on their defeat, the British enacted a brutal vengeance that led to the destruction of Delhi and to the end of Mughal rule in India. It also meant the killings of hundreds of thousands of Indians by direct or indirect punishment.

Yet, Mughal rule in India was not only about maintaining the fragility of the stitched fabric which symbolised Hindu and Muslim co-existence in India. It also covered Jewish communities since Jews from Persia and Afghanistan became courtiers of the Mughal emperors within Agra and Delhi. These courtiers became deeply influential as was, for example, the influence of a naked Sufi poet who was an Armenian Jew. Sa’id Sarmad became an adviser and spiritual guide to the son of the Great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Dara Shikoh become more and more enthralled with Sa’id Sarmad, (also known as Muhammad Sa’id). It is said that numerous elements may have played a part in the eventual demise and death of Sa’id. These could have included his anti-authoritarian reactions, his nudity, his close links with Dara Shikoh and thereby his ability to possibly influence Mughal India, or his love for a Hindu man named Abhai Chand with whom he spent many years. Finally, his own spiritual journey which led him to believe that there was no God, may have led to his ultimate demise and his death in the mid 1600’s. Yet, this is only one example of the interaction and interfaces between Mughal India and Jews and such stories are seldom told. The story of Muhammad Sa’id or Sa’id Sarmad may have ended in tragedy, yet at its foundations lay the open engagement between Muslims and Jews and how many more stories such as these have been lost? I for one know one thing. Judging by the beautiful works and poetry of Bahadur Shah Zafar, my ancestor, the acrimonious relations we see today between Jews and Muslims would never have been part of the social narrative.

“NATURAL ALLIANCES: MUSLIM AND JEWS SHOULD BE MAKING EVERY CONCEIVABLE EFFORT TO BRING BOTH FAITH COMMUNITIES TOGETHER”

So many blogs, articles and ‘specialist’ pieces make the case that Jews and Muslims are increasingly becoming suspicious and fearful of each other. Polar stories make out that both communities just see each other through the prism and lens of the Middle East and when Gaza’s and Jenin’s take place, both communities increasingly caricature each other. To some members of British Jewry, Muslims are seen as an ‘insular community,’ with extremist voices and messages. ‘The other,’ the narrative goes, promote Anti-Semitism and have taken on the mantle of Christian Anti-Semitism, swallowing it whole and giving life to Muslim Anti-Semitism. Counter to this are the narratives within some Muslim communities, that there is a growing influence politically and socially by members of British Jewry who use extremism to keep Muslim communities under pressure. The narrative goes on suggesting that some anti-Muslim activities come from members of British Jewry and that Israel and the protection of Israel at all costs, is the over-riding agenda for these individuals. Further narratives also suggest that web-sites are being set up that twist core Islamic text and media from Muslim countries so as to promote half truths and to further caricature Muslims.

These narratives are not only dangerous, they perpetuate conflict, are emotional and have little basis apart from basal irrational fears that run counter to the history of Jewish / Muslim relations. Since the issue of Israel / Palestine has come into the discussion space between Muslims and Jews, both communities have attempted to bestialise each other and to create new mental ‘security barriers’ when there should not be any. I for one will not accept these twisted and destructive narratives and I will not have my narrative and my future written by others. My fellow brothers and sisters are not only Muslim ones, but Jewish ones whose rights to life, security and freedom to worship I will defend to the hilt.

Muslims and Jews are far closer in many arenas than they are with other faith communities. The unity of God and the oneness of God is a fundamental principle of both faiths. This is a central point and should not be overlooked. It is powerful and the indivisibility of God is at the core of both faiths. That is why one reason why Muslims can eat Kosher food if Halal is not available since the sacrifice is to a single and all powerful eternal power. Also, our faiths are based on Prophets. Samson, Noah, Isaac, Moses, Abraham and many, many others all play a central role in our faiths. They were the link between God and man, a link which stayed eternal because of their sacrifices. Both faiths also believe that the wisdom and light of God came through the Prophets and each carried messages and the desire to spread these messages from the Almighty. Where Islam differs, is that it places onto Jesus the mantle of a Prophet of God and to Muhammad (peace be upon Him), the mantle of being the last Prophet of God.

When I have visited synagogues, I have found their structures very similar to those of mosques. The lack of stylized images, the rejection of any form of idolatry, the leading of the prayers by the Rabbi or Imam and the pointers towards Jerusalem and Mecca all show a similarity in the structure of worship. There are obviously differences in the number of men that can conduct a service within Judaism, yet even with the prostration elements within the faiths, there are similarities. Prostration had a role within Judaism and continues to do so within Islam to this day. It must also be said that Jerusalem holds a very special place within the hearts of Muslims. Whilst Muslims pray towards Mecca, the fact is that one of the two Qiblas and prayer points is Jerusalem and it will always have a special place within the hearts of Muslims. It is fact that both faith communities and their prayers and thoughts move towards Jerusalem at points in their prayers. Therefore, the beauty of Jerusalem is that it will and should always remain a place where all of the three Abrahamic faiths can find solace, religious rejuvenation and a link with God.

You see, it is not just the faith elements that bind us; it is also our shared histories. Islam in its purest sense means a relationship and submission to God. In essence, this means that Judaism and Christianity fit within the faith. Yet, if I look at the history of when Islam came into being within the Arabian Peninsula around the 6th Century, the fact is that there were Jewish tribes that were present in those regions. Islam and Muslims grew and they came across and shared their futures with these Jewish tribes. Some of these Jewish tribes sided with the Quraysh who were polytheists, yet there were those who worked with and interacted with Muslims. Some tribes made pacts with Muslims and the Prophet himself entered into strategic alliances with some Jewish tribes. Yet, the closeness of our two faiths came into being when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) married a Jewess called Saffiyah who was with him when he died. She converted to Islam and theirs was a marriage based on tenderness and the Prophet (pbuh) confronting some of the xenophobia that was directed against her. On numerous occasions, Prophet Muhammad stood up against the xenophobia of those who attacked Saffiyah because of her heritage and the Prophet time and time again made it clear that those who were closest to God were those whose hearts were clean and without the scourge of hate.

So why have both communities become so fearful of one another? Even in terms of our histories as minority communities in Europe, there seem to be some strong similarities. In fact, one of the events that socially activated me was the genocide in Bosnia against 250,000 Muslims. In the early 1990’s the continuing pictures of attacks on innocent Muslims in Sarajevo, Gorazde, Tuzla and many other villages and cities made it clear that minority communities were not even safe on the borders of Europe. It brought home the fact that two hours away from London, Muslims were being killed because of who they were and because of the faith that they believed in. That for me made me think about what took place over 60 years ago in Europe. For me, this is why it was exceptionally important for me to understand the pain and sense of deep cultural, religious and human loss that Jews felt. This single event activated me to ensure that I came out of my comfort zone and came out to listen to the narratives, feelings and thoughts of others. The pain of other communities should the pain of all of us and if anything, this helps us each to put ourselves in the shoes of those who may be suffering and helping them when they need that support. The mass killings and butchery of Muslims in camps like Manjaca and Omarksa should not be forgotten; so we should also not forget the camps of Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen and the many many others that traversed across Poland and the Balkan States, put there by the Nazi war machine.

It is also exceptionally important for both communities to see the diversity of opinions and communities within both faiths in the UK. The singular ‘Muslim’ community concept does not exist and I would also argue the same around the concept of a singular Jewish community. Within Islam, its history is one of diversity. The first convert to Islam was a woman called Khadija who was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In fact, it was her who informed him that the visitation from the Angel Gabriel (Jibril) was a sign of his Prophethood and she was therefore the key driver to the Prophet understanding that he had a mission. Additionally, the first man to make the call to prayer (the ‘Adhan’) was a Black man in Islam, called Bilal. There are numerous instances in Islam where women led in many areas and today the range of diversity and languages that make up Muslim communities are higher than other faiths. The history of Judaism is also one which has crossed Europe, Asia, Africa and even as far afield as India. Today, one of the few remaining examples of that diversity are the Ethiopian Jews. So our histories and faiths are not monolithic. They are changing, fluid, dynamic and consistently adapting and shifting in order to survive within the different geographical locations of the world.

Moving onto the issue of the threats on the horizon affecting both faith communities, the threat of the Far Right is obvious. No longer can this be regarded as a threat that is non-existent. Who would have thought that today, we would have a London Assembly being represented by the British National Party? Who would have thought that in areas of our country there is a growing tide of disaffection with the mainstream political parties which means that more and more people are regarding the Far Right as an option? Yet, today, there are areas in the North of England where the Far Right is becoming entrenched and playing off one community against the other whilst promoting themselves as ‘mainstream’ politicians. Mainstream they are not, threats to our cohesion and the future stability in our country, they are. We must therefore come together and work towards reclaiming the political landscape. Without that, we are on a slow but slippery slope that will come to haunt us in the future.

Furthermore, our communities should not be brushing against each other and especially so when the Israel and Palestine is thrown in the mire. Both Muslims and Jews are driven within their faiths by a sense of social justice. That social justice is based on the respect of human and civil rights and the protection of life. It is in the core of both faiths. There are many within both faiths in the UK who strive for this within the context of the Israel and Palestine question. There are also those within Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) and Israel. (I have mentioned those within Gaza since there are families that want this peace, if at least to be left alone after the immense social and economic pressures that have been placed on them. Lumping all within Gaza as ‘potential threats’ is counter-productive and simply plays into the hands of those who want to perpetuate a continuing war and heightened tensions.) Yet, the Israel / Palestine question is the only narrative that seems to over-ride our relationships, as if it is all encompassing and all enveloping and it should not be! What happens 2,000 miles away does have impacts, though it should not be the over-riding element that blurs logic and reason. Nor should it be the only lens through which we see each other. If we do that, we build a future of conflict and a future that plays into the hands of the Far Right and others who seek to drive a wedge between us.

Saying that, it is essential that British Muslims engage in a transparent and open manner with the State of Israel and its civil society structures. These relationships need to be built before we attempt to take on the differences on the Israel and Palestine question and we must not shy away from discussing this though for anything to change, the State structures and some within Israel should not lump British Muslims as a threat or a potential fifth column. This will be risky for Israeli politicians but we have to be courageous. For British Muslims interested in playing a role in constructive discussions and for those who want to help, (even if that help is for the Palestinians), personal courage to engage and to listen to narratives within Israel will be required. This will lead to ideas that can generate positive activities or it may lead to disengagement. Whatever the outcome, this engagement must take place since the policy of disengagement with Israel has failed. It is also a fact that disengagement means no chance to play a role in the future of an area that is holy to both Muslims and Jews. Disengagement also helps no-one, least so the Palestinians and it does nothing to better relations between Muslims and Jews.

Now, I know that none of the proposals around engagement are easy, but there has to be another way. We have reached stalemate on the Israel / Palestine question. Pro-Israel social activism merely encourages pro-Palestinian social activism. Demonstrations merely produce counter-demonstrations. Caricatures and racist statements around Palestinians merely produce more grotesque caricatures and racist statements Jews. The ‘middle’ voices simply get drowned out. If we do not see the logic of alliance building, then our tomorrows will not be safer than our today’s. Is that a future that you and I will want for our children? I am also fed up of the voices of division and yearn for those voices that re-enforce the strong links between our communities. Let us together, isolate and alienate those voices of separationism whose only role is to drive that wedge between us. Shine a light on their shadowy resting places we must; for in doing so we sew the seeds of bridge building and therein lies our safety and security.

IRAN ATTACK IS ON THE HORIZON

IRAN ATTACK IS ON THE HORIZON

The issue of Iran’s nuclear programme has been raging as a political debate for the last 3 years. There have been moments when it looked like Israel might launch a strike though the United States has been the alternative vehicle through which diplomacy has been used as a carrot for engagement with Iran.

Yet, even with President Obama’s recent address to the Iranian people and to the Government of Iran it looks like there is no thawing in US and Iran relations. The case of Roxana Saberi, a citizen of both the US and Iran and who has reported for the BBC and other media outlets has just been sentenced to imprisonment within Iran for charges that include spying for the US. This case will no doubt cause some further friction between US and Iran relations though I strongly belief that she will be released in due course and then expelled from the country. That will be the resolution to this affair since Iran knows that it needs US engagement and tacit support in the future. Keeping Roxana in prison for a prolonged period of time is not an option. Alternatively, the US knows that Iran is fast becoming a key regional power and player and one of the consequences of the invasion of Iraq has been to strengthen relations and intelligence ties between Iran and Iraq, something that the US never considered would happen even though the signs were all there. In fact, prior to the invasion of Iraq, Arab governments had made the case that an invasion would probably mean that a future Iraqi Government would probably be closer to Iran than to some of the Arab Governments in the region.

The fact is that the longer the US and Iranian relations do not thaw, the greater the chance of an attack by Israel. That attack has in my opinion already been planned for and simply awaits a time for execution. That decision to execute the plan becomes more and more relevant as American troops leave from Iraq and the more the US feels that diplomacy is not working. Furthermore, overflights for the attack will be through Iraq and this is where US and Israeli co-operation will take place since the US is in complete dominance of Iraqi airspace and jamming and other technology can easily be employed throughout the bombing route whether in Iraq or whether in Iranian airspace itself.

There are other indicators that an attack on Iran has been planned for and simply awaits execution. The Israeli Government has been promoting bomb proof shelters and the need for every new building in the country to have this. Fines are being attached to the proprietors of any building who do not have a bomb proof shelter and these amount to tens of thousands of sheckels. There are also adverts which indicate that new gas masks will be supplied and local newspapers have been advertising the time taken for residents in large cities to reach shelters from the moment the public alarms go off.

All of this indicates pre-planning for a military attack that will possibly mean retaliatory attacks against Israel. An attack on Iran would certainly mean that the possibility of missile or bomb attacks would significantly rise , at least in the short term. The future does not look as though it is one of peace, but of further military attacks that will no doubt have worldwide impacts. I hoped that I am proved wrong.

Turkey: A Force for Positive Change

I recently visited Turkey on a fact finding visit with my colleague, Cllr John Oakes. The visit took in civil society organisations, key AK Party members, Members of Parliament within Turkey, newspapers like Zamaan and religious leaders who are creating and shaping the landscape of Turkey. What I have found is a country of such vibrancy and new thinking that I am shocked at the level of mis-understanding that is promoted against this country.

For example, the charitable work that is being undertaken by organisations has seen support being sent to countries around the globe, with Turkish charities being allowed to work in countries where other charities have not been able to enter into. And this work has been conducted with no 'song and dance,' just with the quiet belief that the right to life of every individuals is sacred.

I have also seen something that I have not seen elsewhere. Turkey is a Muslim country completely at ease with where it is. The AK Party and the leadership of the country promotes democratic values and engagement and with the desire to be part of the EU. Yet this is done with respect for core Islamic values and with an inclusiveness towards the secular groups within the country. Islam always has and can sit side by side with democracy and the empowerment and protection of the rights of individuals.

This visit has therefore shown me that Turkey has to be engaged with and is an essential partner for peace within the Middle East. The longer the EU keeps Turkey out of the 'club,' the more it ceases to capture real opportunities and partnerships that can and must be developed.