LOSING THE OPPORTUNITY
Differentiate Between Islam and Muslims
THE White House in February 17-19, 2015 invited law enforcement officials, Muslim leaders and lawmakers for a three-day conference titled “Countering Violent Extremism”.
This was a great opportunity for Muslims. However, Muslims failed to avail this opportunity for two reasons: some of their organizations boycotted the conference, while those who participated engaged in only registering their complaints and resentments against the West.
This was a negative response that goes totally against the Islamic spirit. Islamic teachings categorically ask Muslims to face every situation with a positive mind and utilize the opportunities present with any situation.
Muslims should have participated in the White House conference with a positive mind and used it to present the universal teachings of Islam. But, they lost this great chance.
This was not the first time that Muslim leaders failed to avail such an opportunity. The reason for this lies in confusion—the inability to differentiate between Islam and the Muslim community. They try to show Islam as a true religion, but justify practices of Muslims which are not in accordance with Islam. This bigotry will not work. It has caused great harm to Muslims in modern times as they have not been able to present the true face of Islam to the world.
Today's age is one of openness. It offers numerous opportunities and platforms to freely present the message of Islam. The community based thinking of Muslim leaders has become a self-defeating hurdle in availing these opportunities.
Islam needs to be understood according to the Quranic teachings and the Muslim community should be judged in this light rather than by the principle—‘my community, right or wrong’.
There is double jeopardy trying to prove Muslims as innocent—first, no such endeavour will prove Muslims as innocent in the eyes of others and second, Muslims will be unable to present the true teachings of Islam to people. This is the tragedy why Muslims have suspended the Islamic mission of conveying the message of God to people.
