posted February 21, 2005 12:00 PM              

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Since the tragedy of 11 September 2001, religion took centre-stage above all spheres of life, in both the United States and the Islamic world.

Religion is the deepest part of human civilisation. Since time immemorial, religion has been a moral and spiritual anchor for mankind. A Muslim scholar, Malik bin Nabi, rightly said, "Civilisations were born in the shade of temples."

Religion is a complex phenomenon and can be used as a practical guide for peacemaking and an effective tool for inciting war.

The intensity of religious text, and the easiness of interpreting them in very different - even contradictory - ways, adds to the complexity of this issue.

Citing religious scriptures serves as an illustrative example. Prophet Jesus said: "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Mathew 5:9), but he also warned his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on Earth, I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Mathew 10:34). Prophet Muhammad affirmed: "I am the Prophet of Mercy", but he also said: "I am the Prophet of War".

Most Christians the world over, view Jesus as the Prince of Peace, a belief shared also by Muslims, but Christian fundamentalists in America look at him differently.

In their view, he is not the Jesus known for turning the other cheek (Matt 5:39) but a Jesus "from whose mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations; he will rule them with an iron sceptre" (Revelation 19:15).

In her insightful book, Forcing God's Hand, the American writer Grace Halsell noticed that some Christian fundamentalists transformed Jesus into a "five star general".

A courageous columnist from The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof, condemned these violent and intolerant views in his article Jesus and Jihad, (published on 17 July 2004).

Kristof argued: "We have quite properly linked the fundamentalist religious tracts of Islam with the intolerance they nurture, and it is time to remove the motes from our own eyes. We should be embarrassed when our best-selling books (the Left Behind series) gleefully celebrate religious intolerance and violence against infidels."

Therefore, the Bible might lead some Americans to love Muslims and seek just and fair ways in dealing with them, and it might lead other Americans to hate Muslims and to believe that only a war of extermination.

American history did not experience the bitter conflict between the state and the church in Europe.

Secularism never had deep roots in American culture or politics. The church and the state lived within this country in harmony and peace. Most American presidents, from George Washington to George Bush, are devout Christians.

If a professor of tafsir (exegeses of the Quran) becomes a president of any Muslim country today, the American media would fiercely condemn him and his rule as a "regime of mullahs", and the French media would condemn him as a "regime des barbus" (regime of the bearded ones).

But President Jimmy Carter was teaching tafsir (exegesis of the Bible here) in one of the churches of Washington DC during his White House years. Carter's book, Source of Strength, is a collection of his biblical lectures at that church; another instance of how religion and politics are intermingled in America today.

Muslims need to understand this aspect of American personality in order to deal with American people in a more profound and passionate way.

A misleading tendency to believe that a religious America is necessarily an anti-Muslim America should be avoided.

Religious phenomenon is more complex and difficult to grasp. History teaches us that religions have produced the most fanatical warriors as well as the most compassionate peacemakers. The crusader of the 11th century and Martin Luther King are both a product of the same Bible.

The influence of religion on human souls expresses itself in diverse ways. This holds true for Islam and Christianity, Americans and Muslims alike.

Therefore, the Bible might lead some Americans to love Muslims and seek just and fair ways in dealing with them, and it might lead other Americans to hate Muslims and to believe that only a war of extermination, as described by the Book of Joshua, is the solution in dealing with Muslims. Both visions have roots and influence in American culture today.

In America, there exist two schools of thought on the relation between the Islamic world and the US. One of them is in search of a common ground with Muslims; the other is "drawing the battle lines".

The two schools of thought are in conflict within the American religious culture at this moment in time. The victory of either one will have a far-reaching impact on our world.

The first school of thought is eloquently expressed by Charles Kimball, a Baptist minister, in his article Is Islam the Enemy, published in Sojourners Magazine (November-December 1998).

Kimball wrote: "While Christians and Muslims will not come to complete theological agreement (with one another or among themselves), we can arrive at a sound mutual understanding.

"Living out the best of our religious traditions, we can participate with one another in good works ... . Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews.

"Many non-Arabic speakers, confused by the name Allah, have not made this connection. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. In the Middle East today, the 12 to 14 million indigenous Arabic-speaking Christians pray to Allah just as the French pray to Dieu and the Germans to Gott.

For Muslims there is no ambiguity: the one true God is the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and everyone else in creation."

Charles Colson, another Baptist minister, draws upon the latter school of thought, in his article Drawing the Battle Lines, published in Christianity Today magazine (7 January 2002).

He wrote: "While Islamists want to enforce a theocracy, most Christians live peacefully with competing value systems. Christians believe in winning people through love, not conquest."

More alarmingly, he looks at the Muslims' grievances over a few US foreign policies as an existential conflict, concluding: "Like it or not, ancient world views are again struggling for domination; we do not all worship the same God".

Muslim scholars have a long and healthy exchange of interfaith dialogue with the Vatican and the Catholic leaders the world over, but I would argue that a sincere and profound discourse with the American Protestant leadership is critical.

Fortunately, most Americans belong to the first school of thought. A major section of the American clergy opposed the invasion of Iraq, and affirmed that this invasion was not befitting the criterion of a "just war", elaborated 1600 years ago by Saint Augustine, and acknowledged by most Christian theologians. I attended an informative lecture on this issue presented by a dear friend of mine who is a Methodist priest.

A letter titled, Confessing Christ in a World of Violence, signed by 200 American Christian leaders, de-legitimised the preventive war doctrine.

The authors and signers of this historic document condemned what they described as a "theology of war emanating from the highest circles of American government" and "seeping into our churches as well".

They criticised the "Imperial hubris" of some American political leaders, and their claim of "divine appointment", arguing that "whenever Christianity compromises with empire, the Gospel of Christ is discredited". They warned against "political idolatry exacerbated by the politics of fear".

On a theological and moral foundation, the document's writers and signers rejected the notion of pre-emptive war, affirming that "Christians have a responsibility to account for the cost [of war], speak out for the victims, and explore every alternative before a nation goes to war".

By the same logic, they rejected "the false teaching that a war on terrorism takes precedence over ethical and legal norms", affirming that "some things ought never to be done like the torture and deliberate bombings of civilians, and the use of weapons of mass destruction, regardless of the consequences".

Unfortunately for both America and the Muslim nations, the voice of American peacemakers is not heard enough in their own country, let alone in the Islamic world.

That is why most Muslims know a lot about fundamentalist warmongers, because their voices are very loud and their insults against Islam are widely publicised.

But Muslims are not acquainted greatly with the peacemakers who better represent the American culture and personality. We need to focus deeply on the American religious map, and we must avoid over-generalisation.

Declaring war on American people at large, the way some Muslim extremists want, is morally wrong and politically stupid. Defending the Islamic land and people does not justify such a declaration of war. Muslims have lost the American political elite a long time ago, but they have not lost the American people yet. If they lose the American people by resorting to blind violence, then in fact they are the real losers.

A Muslim scholar, Malik bin Nabi, rightly said, "Civilisations were born in the shade of temples."

An American-Muslim alliance for peace is crucial. Most American clergy and Muslim scholars would be happy with such an alliance, though the preachers of Armageddon and terrorism might not.

Muslim scholars have a long and healthy exchange of interfaith dialogue with the Vatican and the Catholic leaders the world over, but I would argue that a sincere and profound discourse with the American Protestant leadership is critical.

The purpose of such dialogue should focus on a deep diagnosis of the roots of the misunderstanding and enmity. A mutual search that would lead both Muslim grievances and American concerns into consideration is more significant today than diplomatic compliments and theological debates.

The future of mankind depends partly upon a sincere understanding between America and the Islamic world. I hope our religious, intellectual and political leaders will recognise the magnitude of this issue and act upon the maxim: Better late than never.

[Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti is a Mauritanian writer living in the US.]