Even if the title may, at first glance, present unrelated notions, let me assure you they are, in fact, quite closely connected. The good news is that Eid is approaching in a few days and Muslims worldwide will be celebrating after fasting in the month of Ramadan. I wish everyone, not just Muslims, a Happy Eid and such happiness that only peace and tranquillity can bring. I wish the celebration of Eid to be reflected in actions of care and kindness to fellow human beings.
The bad incident of 9/11 which shocked humanity 9 years ago still brings agony and painful feeling to the families who lost loved ones. We should remember victims in our prayers and work hard together to prevent such tragedies from happening again. We need to join our hands together to prevent such a bad act from taking lives of innocents.
The ugly will happen soon, when some people are considering burning the Quran in public. I fear that this might lead to a reaction similar to the one caused by the cartoons depicting the Prophet, may peace be upon Him. Such ugly scenes will distract people’s attention away from the real humanitarian causes: Haiti, Pakistan, Somalia etc.
My advice to Muslim colleagues is not to react emotionally and impulsively to such a challenge. Be to them like a fruitful tree: when they stone it, it will bear its fruit to them. Two wrongs don’t make one thing right; evil shouldn’t be answered with the same measure.
Let us celebrate Eid, remember our beloved ones from 9/11 and advise our brothers and sisters that humanitarian thinking is the path to peace, partnership and a better world.
The good, the bad and the ugly, only a couple of days apart this month.
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