by adel abadeer, Ph.D

Associate Professor of Economics

After the horrific terrorist attacks on September 11, I was glued to the TV. I cried and my heart wept for the victims and their loved ones, and again for the victims of blind anger in the streets of America. Then it hit me, and I cried for my own painful memories that suddenly came back and started to haunt me again.

I wish to share my views on jihad, American justice and the need to start effective and meaningful dialogues with other religions, beliefs and cultures in our ``global community.'' My views here are based on my readings, studies and personal experience as a member of the Egyptian Christian minority who lived in Egypt for more than 28 years.

Sometimes noble, and

sometimes oppressive

Jihad refers to the endeavor made by Muslims to obey and satisfy God's commands, seek God's way and resist temptations and sin. The two major categories of jihad are the self, or intra-personal, jihad and the collective, or inter-personal, jihad that is practiced at different community levels.

The intra-personal jihad, spoken of frequently in the Qur'an, can be noble in terms of resisting temptations, purifying the self and submitting to God. This concept appears in many religions and beliefs, including Christianity. The inter-personal jihad can be practiced through helping oppressed members of the same community, supporting other Islamic communities and by self-defense against external attacks.

However, jihad at the collective level, also spoken of frequently in the Qur'an, can be oppressive and unjust. I quote the following Qur'anic verses from Sura 9: Tauba (The Repentance) as one of many examples to articulate my point of view.

``Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued'' (9.29).

``The Jews call `Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth'' (9.30).

According to the above Qur'anic verses, God commands Muslims to fight those who do not acknowledge ``Islam,'' force the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) to pay the Jizya (tax on non-Muslims) and subdue them. Such commands are not provoked by any actions (attacks or declaration of war) taken by Christians or Jews. They are commanded merely for the fact that Christians believe in Jesus as son of Allah (God).

Christians in Egypt know the above verses, not because they read the Qur'an, but because they are constantly reminded of them in schools, places of work, religious programs on TV and radio and the weekly public sermons preached by Muslim clerics (Sheikhs) over mosques' amplified speakers.

Non-Muslim minorities are advised to submit to Islam, be subdued and not to resist such practices. Severe punishments occur when Christians publicly oppose unjust and oppressive treatments. Typically, Christians and other minorities know how to behave in a submissive and subdued manner.

Responding to the above commands is a form of collective jihad. It is clear from the verses that jihad at the collective level, according to Islam, can also be oppressive and unjust. Non-Muslim minorities remember these verses so often used to justify the practice of forced conversion to Islam (based on physical, political and economic hardships as well as discrimination) and to justify oppressing and subduing non-Muslims in many Islamic communities.

In summary, jihad is a concept that has been used in different ways in the Qur'an, other Islamic references and Islamic systems and communities. The actual use of the term jihad depends on the need for reaching certain ends. It can be very noble, but it also can be unjust and oppressive.

I believe that Islam as preached in America is less likely to cite or use these verses (or similar ones) that show the oppressive and unjust side of jihad, but I also believe that non-Muslim minorities in many Islamic countries (including ``modern'' Egypt) are constantly reminded of them.

Justice and the civil response

We are all created in God's image, to enjoy God's creation and share the joy with others. We also are called to seek justice and to redeem the poor and oppressed.

I ``understand'' the ongoing anger, sadness and despair in the streets of America. As stated above, I still carry some residual anger inside of me. However, with the help of prayer and seeking God and His guidance, we should be able to transform such anger and its energy into a great drive for justice.

The crucial step is to identify the terrorists, then track them and bring them to justice according to the horrific harms they caused. Such criminals are not worthy of the term ``war.'' They are not ``warriors''; they are just terrorists and criminals. We need to bring them to justice, and serve justice to the victims (the dead, their families and humanity overall) and to the criminals through firm and decisive punishments that match the severity and brutality of their acts. We need to restore the intended shalom in God's kingdom.

Blind anger also evil

We need to differentiate justice from ``blind anger.'' Blind anger makes us fall in the hand of the criminals who terrorized us in the first place. With blind anger, we further the terrorists' goals of tearing up the strong fabric of our community. American Muslim and non-Muslims citizens and residents form the Middle East and neighboring countries should feel safe in the working places and streets of America. Many of them came to this country seeking more hope, opportunities and freedom than what they experienced in their home countries. Like everyone else, they should be welcomed, loved and protected.

I have many Muslim and non-Muslim friends in the United States. I've talked to each of them since the last terrorist attacks just to check on each other, because I believe we are all created in God's image, we should be treated this way and we should treat others this way. The recent unwarranted wave of blind anger and hate crimes has added more victims to the list of the victims of the initial terrorist attacks. It just extends the scope of terror to more innocent people. I've cried for the victims of the initial attacks, and then I've cried again for the added victims of the blind anger and hate crimes, including an Egyptian friend who was shot dead in California on September 15, a victim of blind anger.

Civil dialogue: the road to sustained relations and solutions

We need to seek more understanding of true Islam: Islam as ``revealed,'' taught, preached and practiced in Islamic dominant countries, not the one preached (or marketed) in non-Muslim societies like the United States. This is one of the basic foundations for a sustained relationship and co-existence based on a real and genuine understanding and mutual respect. Thus far, the international communities have failed to reach this level of genuine dialogue, even if we take into consideration the recent international developments regarding human rights conventions and laws.

We need to discuss the concerns of the victims of religious practices. Many of these victims are voiceless and powerless (e.g., Muslims in non-Muslim communities and Non-Muslims in Islamic communities). The postmodernist's notion that different religions and beliefs share ``similar'' ethos and fundamentals (a reductionism fallacy) should be revisited.

We need to start afresh, exploring the fundamentals, structures and practices of different religions, beliefs, cultures and norms that are practiced in America and other countries in our ``global community.'' We need to open dialogues, at the bilateral and the multilateral levels.