America, like Al-Andalus, also has been a pluralistic society, in which Christians, Jews and Muslims have not only peacefully co-existed, but thrived together. However, we must not let what happened to Al-Andalus happen to America.
Source/Credit: Cleveland Jewish News
By Zohaib Zafar | October 26, 2017
For more than 700 years, Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in a highly successful society that produced historical giants, such as Averroes, Ibn Arabi and Maimonides, among other artists, scientists and thinkers.
Many Jewish temples are named Beth Shalom, including here in Ohio. I find the name Beth Shalom interesting because it reminds me of mosques in my religious community that are named Baitus-Salam.
Both Beth Shalom and Baitus Salam mean “house of peace.” Beth or bait means house, and shalom or salam means peace. Yet, the name of our places of worship is only a minor commonality of Jews and Muslims. We both worship one God and believe the Torah is a holy book. We should not only respect each other, but defend one another in this increasingly intolerant world.
Judeo-Muslim values, which included tolerance, were responsible for what Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the late fourth khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community called the golden age of rationalism. This occurred in Al-Andalus (most of present-day Spain).
For more than 700 years, Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in a highly successful society that produced historical giants, such as Averroes, Ibn Arabi and Maimonides, among other artists, scientists and thinkers. This golden age was ended when extremists, motivated by a perversion of Christian teaching, expelled the Jews and Muslims out of the Iberian Peninsula.
America, like Al-Andalus, also has been a pluralistic society, in which Christians, Jews and Muslims have not only peacefully co-existed, but thrived together. However, we must not let what happened to Al-Andalus happen to America.
Regardless of how Jewish-Americans and Muslim-Americans feel about the state of Israel, we should all agree that conflict overseas shouldn’t dictate our relations here in America.
Zohaib Zafar
Brecksville
Read original post here: Perspective: Overseas conflict shouldn’t affect us | Zohaib Zafar
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