The history of Muslims testifies that their civilization did not abandon the framework of fraternity in dealing with the followers of other religions, drawing on the legal principle that reads, “They have the same rights and duties as the Muslims.” This means that non-Muslims can keep their religions and beliefs, as Islam guarantees their freedom to practice their rituals. It also ensures protection of their churches, places of worship and all their religious and social practices. This does not mean Muslims were angelic or infallible in dealing with non-Muslims, or that no tension or violation existed, whether by Muslim rulers or subjects. These mistakes occurred, but were only exceptions that, though few, were inescapable in any society where religions, races or sects multiplied. History never recorded the outbreak of a war in the East between Muslims and Christians. This was the result of a purely legal dictate in Islamic Sharia, namely that the Muslim rulers are bound to protect non-Muslims and ensure their security and safety. It would be unreasonable for the Muslim army to be tasked with protecting the Christian citizens, and then be allowed to declare war on them or participate in a war launched against them!

There is no need to remind that Islam has nothing to do with the terrorist attacks committed in its name, stigmatizing it in the West as a barbaric, bloodthirsty religion and its followers as savage beasts. Audiovisual and print media were mobilized to broadcast such horrible attack with the purpose of instilling such negative image of Islam in the minds of the youth in particular. I affirm that neither Islam nor the Muslims have anything to do with these reprehensible crimes. I call upon world scholars and intellectuals to stand united against terrorism as a common enemy. I also call on the clergy in the West to contribute in correcting the wrong image of Islam and Muslims in the minds of Westerners.

Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif, the largest Muslim religious authority in the world, reaches out to major religious institutions in the West, not to “build” bridges of fraternity and acquaintance with them, but rather to “restore” and consolidate those bridges. This is meant for religions to stand together in the face of this danger, and to remind people that terrorism is a devilish act, and not an act of believers in Allah Almighty and His justice. I do not know how people can believe that Islam is a religion of terrorism, while the majority of its victims are peaceful Muslims, including men, women, and children! In my opinion, it is time for the churches in the West and the mosques in the East to congruously declare, “No to such frivolity committed in the name of religions, nor to messing up with the poor, the needy, and the wretched, who lose their lives as a bill for a war with which they have nothing to do.” This declaration should be made because powerful decision-makers slackened in stopping these wars that have wreaked havoc on our Arab world.

Besides, the youth – who represent the power of the future, should assume their role in promoting the culture of peace, fraternity and acquaintance, and also in dismantling the culture of hate, bringing down the walls separating civilizations for narrow authoritarian purposes, and building bridges of mutual understanding and dialogue towards a worthy human life in the twenty-first century. I, personally, am counting on you, young people, in making a future free of wars like those that had plagued my generation the last two centuries.