Keith Lockwood is a dear American friend. He called me last week inquiring about the Riyadh explosion that took the lives of many innocent people. It was an interesting talk between two friends trying to make sense of a strange and changing world.
Keith wanted to know who committed those hideous crimes. “Crazy fundamentalists doing it in the name of religion”, I said. Then he asked me a “typical” question. “Did the Mutawaa do it?” I paused and answered, “You know Keith, the word Mutawaa usually refers to people who have dedicated their lives to doing good and being advocates of virtue in the name of Islam. But lately, the word has begun to carry the meaning of extremist zealot, of people who are hateful, racist and ignorant.”
I thought to myself: but that exactly explains what is taking place today in America. The American Mutawaa have taken over the White House and the whole world is hostage to their ridiculous policies.
Terror can come in various shapes and forms but it starts with a thought and a frame of mind, and the current American administration and its policies provide ammunition for various terrorist groups around the world to retaliate in order to defend their religions and nations.
Ignorance breeds terror. People fear what they don’t know. Osama Bin Laden has used people and interpreted religious texts, twisting their meanings to achieve his political objectives and on the way attempting to divide the world between believers and infidels. By the same token President Bush has used the Bible, specifically a verse in the book of Mathew, to come up with the phrase, “if you are not with us, you are against us.” His advisers (particularly the Zionist neo-conservative gang in the administration) jumped on the opportunity and played the religious card, pushing for further securities and guarantees for Israel in an unprecedented manner.
A war criminal like Ariel Sharon who heads a state that specializes in killing innocent civilians and annexing their land sees this as an opportune moment in time to continue his bloody policies.
Extremism in the name of religion has no place in today’s world. The holy books of monotheist religion need only to be interpreted in a peaceful and honorable manner and not to achieve self-glorification and continued hate. It is our responsibility as citizens of the world never to allow this to happen.
Arab News Features 27 May 2003
