Clashing of the worlds

It was six months ago that I started my daily routine at Muslim Academy, a job that meant to merely fill in my calendar, and add some extra income. Since I started working for Chris, I met many extraordinary people, normal people, like me, who sought a way to fill in the tremendous gap that lies between our two civilizations. I am a westerner, raised in liberal community, where self expression, freedom of thought and action are taken for granted. When I started reading about Islam, and countries in which it is predominant, it struck me as odd that human rights, a concept that is revered and highly determinative in the West, has very little meaning in the East. Liberties, which I understand to be my born right, hold little value. I thought, at first, that this was a clear signal that everything the media conveyed about Islam was indeed true. After some time, and much reading, I started to realize that the differences I noticed, do not necessarily mean that concept I know as human rights, freedom and personal liberty do not exist in Islamic world. Instead, these concepts are viewed differently, through religion. Where laws of state dictate behavior in the West, Koran dictates it in the East. This concept truly is hard to understand, since most countries in the West have a secular government system, that dictates everything, from social norms, business practice and legal issues.

Differences between us, as big as they are, need not be unsurmountable. In my opinion, establishing communication, something this site is trying to do, is the best way to overcome differences, and establish trust and mutual respect. While I do not agree with some aspects of Islamic law, especially those that are deemed as hardline, I find the general concepts presented in the Koran highly familiar, brotherly and all together compatible with those that can be found in Christianity. Both religions preach love, respect and non-violence, and all we need to do, to ensure a better understanding, is to actually follow these commandments, and do so wholeheartedly. Change will come, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in a month, but it will come.

 

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