Faith and Interfaith: Is there no sanctity for human life and places of worship?

"I felt anger and disappointment towards those terrorists, who are defaming the name of Islam.  In the Holy Quran, it says if you kill one person, it is as if you’ve killed mankind (5:33)."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Interfaith Council at TCNJ | Cross-post
By Amtul Mussawir Mansoor | November 8, 2010

A few days ago, I read the following headline:
“A suicide bomber killed 67 people Friday at a mosque frequented by tribal elders opposed to the Pakistani Taliban. Hours later, three people died in a grenade attack on another mosque associated with anti-Taliban militia (Yahoo News).”

A few days later, I read this headline:  “Iraqi authorities reported that at least 57 people were killed and nearly 70 wounded during an attack by militants on the Our Lady of Salvation Church where more than 100 people were held hostage Sunday.  An al-Qaida-linked group, the Islamic State of Iraq, claimed responsibility.”

Is there no sanctity for human life? Is there no respect for places of worship? I felt anger and disappointment towards those terrorists, who are defaming the name of Islam.
 In the Holy Quran, it says if you kill one person, it is as if you’ve killed mankind (5:33).  They are clearly not following the teachings of Islam.  Most people may not know this in Western society  and may associate Islam with terrorism and fuel Islamophobia.  But then I saw a glimmer of hope! Through interfaith cooperation we can clear misconceptions not only about Islam, but also about Christianity, Judaism, Atheism, among other major world religions and philosophical beliefs.  This will promote respect, and interfaith relationships about mutual beliefs.

I know for a fact that no religion in this world promotes killing but rather promote peace, compassion, and kindness.  Let’s focus our energies towards that!  A small step can go a long way. Let’s set an example for the people of Pakistan and Iraq!  They are trying to “Americanize/modernize” many aspects of their societies, let us hope that they also include the aspect of interfaith in their modernization!


-Amtul Mussawir Mansoor is the President of Interfaith Council at TCNJ



Read original post here: Churches are being attacked, Mosques are being attacked…what has the world come to?


Amtul Mussawir Mansoor, a biology major at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) also holds interests in religious studies and Arabic. She is the president of the Interfaith Council at TCNJ and works to build interfaith relationships and clear up misconceptions about Islam.  Amtul Mussawir Mansoor can be reached at amtulmansoor@gmail.com.