It wasn’t just a question. It was a short history lesson on Muhammed, the liberator -- Muhammed, the author of constitutional law.
Yesterday, at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, President Bush spoke on the Iraq war and the quest for a fully free world. Then he took questions, the most interesting of which was this one, from a young woman in the audience:
Woman: Morning, Mr. President. I have a more general question about the United States’ work to democratize the rest of the world. Many have viewed the United States’ effort to democratize the world -- especially nations in the Middle East -- as an imposition or invasion on their sovereign rights.
Considering that it was, in fact, the Prophet Mohammed who established the first known constitution in the world – I’m referring to the constitution he wrote for the city of Medina -- and that his life and the principles outlined in his constitution, such as the championing of the welfare of women, children and the poor, living as an equal among his people, dissolving disputes between the warring clans in Arabia, giving any man or woman in parliament the right to vote and guaranteeing respect for all religions, ironically parallel those principles that we hold most precious in our own Constitution.
I’m wondering how might your recently formed Iraq Study Group under the U.S. Institute for Peace explore these striking similarities to forge a new relationship with Iraqis and educate Americans about the democratic principles inherent in Islam?
Bush: Great question. I believe that the terrorists have hijacked a peaceful religion in order to justify their behavior. I thank you for bringing that to my attention. I will pass on your comments to James A. Baker, who is one of the chairmen of the group going to Iraq.
See, you said something really interesting. Initially, you said, people view America imposing its beliefs. … If you believe that freedom is not universal, then it could be viewed as an imposition of beliefs. I’m not saying to countries, you’ve got to look like us or act like us, but I am saying, you know, give your people a chance to be free. … And as you said, it doesn’t necessarily run contrary to what the Prophet Mohammad said.
Progressive Islam. Islam’s more creative approaches to society and human rights should receive much more attention. Muhammad might not have talked in the modern language of democracy, but he did set the Arabs and Persians on a path of increasing freedom, tolerance and innovation.
There’s a reason Muhammed’s image is on the U.S. Supreme Court building. He believed in the rule of law, and it wasn’t the rigid sharia law some now enforce. Somewhere in Middle Eastern history, tyrants derailed the forward progress that Muhammad began. There’s no time better than now to get back on track.
Frank Warner
محمد كان في قديم الثقافة ، لكنه طلب من الرجال والنساء على السير في طريق الحرية والتسامح والمساواة.
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