There is not a day that goes by in Iraq in which a horrific act of violence eclipses a previous horrific act of violence. I was particularly appalled by the Baghdad University bombing, where at least 65 students and faculty were killed as they headed home from classes. It seems these bloodthirsty criminals are competing with one another in their brutality and viciousness.

It is truly tragic. The Qur'an tells us to "let your goals be everything good" (5:48) and to "help each other to kindness and conscience" and to "not help each other to crime and animosity." (5:2) Yet, these criminals do the exact opposite. In a recent bombing, two powerful car bombs exploded in a busy market, killing dozens of innocent human beings as they shopped for food and other items. According to an NPR reporter, an Egyptian man was spotted filming the bombing from a nearby rooftop!

How could this man simply sit by and watch as innocent human beings die? And with each attack comes a ruthless counterattack, and more innocent victims are created. Why? Why are Sunnis attacking Shi'is? Why are Shi'is cleansing neighborhoods of its Sunni inhabitants? What is the difference between a Sunni and Shi'i anyway? Aren't they all Muslims? Don't they all declare that "There is nothing worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is His Messenger"? Doesn't that make them brothers in faith? Doesn't that bond mean anything?

At its essence, the difference between Sunni and Shi'i is purely political: Shi'is believe that political leadership should reside in the House of the Prophet (pbuh), while Sunnis believe the people should elect their own leaders. That's it. Must people die because of this difference in political philosophy?

Yet, the vicious violence in Iraq is no longer about Sunni vs. Shi'i. It is about revenge and counter-revenge. It is about attack and counter-attack. Each Sunni attack must be countered by a Shi'i attack. The violence has taken on a life of its own, and each group had fed into the monster of revenge. It is the fulfillment of the Prophet's statement: "Near the establishment of the Hour [Day of Resurrection] there will be days during which religious ignorance will spread, knowledge will be taken away, and there will be much Al Harj, and Al Harj means killing." (Bukhari)

It is the return of the Arabs - by which I mean a return to the ignorance of pre-Islamic Arabia. The Arabs were a fiercely sectarian and tribal people. Their motto was "Support your brother right or wrong." Thus, if a criminal, a murderer, is in your tribe, you would defend him to the death, literally. Wars were fought between tribes because a tribe will defend a criminal amongst its ranks. The Arabs made a living out of fighting one another. They would even change the calendar - actually delay the Sacred Months during which fighting was prohibited - in order to continue the fight against other tribes. They lived in sheer chaos, with no sense of the rule of law. They lived in sheer anarchy, in a world in which might was right.

They were this way until the light of Muhammad (pbuh) shone on the sands of Arabia. The Noble Messenger of God (pbuh) changed the entire Arabian order and took barbarians and made them into scholars, philosophers, doctors, lawyers, and dignitaries. The Prophet (pbuh) changed the entire paradigm of Arab life. He taught the Arabs that the bond of faith was stronger than the bond of blood and ancestry. He taught them that the believers were brothers, even if they came from archenemy tribes. Under his illustrious tutelage, the Aws and Khazraj - the tribes of Medina who killed each other for generations - became one family. This was a concept completely alien and unheard of before Islam.

The Prophet (pbuh) affirmed the old Arabian motto: "Support your brother, right or wrong." Yet, his affirmation turned the old adage on its head. The Companions told the Prophet that they understood how to support a brother who was wronged, but how can one support his brother when he does wrong himself? The Prophet (pbuh) answered, "He prevents his brother from doing that wrong." Thus, the tribe will not defend to the death a criminal in its ranks. Rather, it will take that criminal to account, and more importantly, it will prevent its members from committing crimes in the first place. This was a concept completely alien and unheard of before Islam.

Yet, as time has passed, the light of the Chosen One (pbuh) has faded into oblivion. The Arabs have returned. Now, the Sunni and the Shi'i are the new tribal entities; they are the new Aws and Khazraj. Now, the Sunni tortures and kills the Shi'i for no other reason than being a Shi'i. The Shi'i tortures and kills the Sunni for no other reason than being a Sunni. Aren't they both Muslims? Are not the believers one brotherhood? Not any more, for the Arabs have returned.

Now, the Sunni countries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt are sounding alarms about the rising influence of Iran. In fact, some reports have stated that Saudi Arabia recently warned the United States that it will not sit idly by and watch the Sunnis in Iraq get slaughtered by the Shi'is (read: Iran). The mess in Iraq threatens to turn into a regional Sunni-Shi'i war. Yet, aren't they all Muslims? Are not the believers one brotherhood? Not any more, for the Arabs have returned.

What's more, not only have the Arabs returned to Arabia and Mesopotamia, but they have also been sighted in sub-Saharan Africa. In Darfur, Muslims are killing Muslims; Muslim men are raping Muslim women; Muslims are destroying mosques and tearing up copies of the Qur'an. A genocide of Muslims is being committed in Darfur, and the perpetrators are fellow Muslims, with the genocide being committed under the neglectful eyes of the Muslim world. In a world that has beheld the footsteps of the Prophet (pbuh), how could this ever be?

Did not God say:

"If two parties of believers contend with each other, make peace between them. Then if one of the two acts unjustly to the other, fight the side that transgresses until it goes back to the order of God. Then if it goes back, make peace between the two fairly, doing justice, for God loves those who do justice. The believers are one brotherhood, so make peace between two brothers of yours, being conscious of God so that you may receive mercy." (49:9-10)

Are not the Fur and the Janjaweed Muslims? Are they not brothers of one another? Not any more, for the Arabs have returned.

Sadly, the Arabs have been found all across the Muslim world, and they have decimated the once glorious civilization that was created by the Prophet (pbuh) and his faith. And this situation will never change until the Muslims change their own selves: "God does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition." (13:11) Fourteen centuries ago, the light of the Prophet (pbuh) led the Muslims to drive the Arabs out of Arabia, hopefully never to return. Sadly, the Arabs have returned, and it is high time for the Muslims to drive them out once again.

I hate to sound cynical in the face of such tragedy. But they're doing it because of their deeply held Islamic beliefs.

Hesham says that this behavior has "returned". I think it never went away; our current history of infighting is little from every other period in Muslims' histories. Its recurring feature of human behavior to band in groups and want to fight the "Other". Sometimes religious feelings can dampen these trends, sometimes it looses its power and these tendencies unleash thier destructive and even self-destructive powers...I'm afraid we're stuck with such barbarism until qiyamah.

Some Sunnis do not like Shi'a because they also curse Abu Bakr, Uthman, and Umar. So as long as they curse them, you can't really expect Sunnis to respect them.

<< Sadly, the Arabs have returned, and it is high time for the Muslims to drive them out once again.>> As a non-Muslim who is trying to be supportive of the elements of moderation, whether progressive or fundamental, in modern Islam, would appreciate substantive and specififc information about how Muslims might "drive out the Arabs" as Mr. Hesham calls for?

This is a completely ridiculous article. The Sunni and Shiite are fighting and Hesham Hassaballa says this is the “ignorance of pre-Islamic Arabia.” This fighting is not unique to Muslims. This sort of fightingis going on all over the worldamongst non-Muslims. Hesham Hassaballa leaves out the Uniteed States, Britain and its allies bombed Iraq and destroyed its infrastructure, rounds up thousands of Iraqis and jails them without justification, makes decisions when elections are to take place and whether the results are valid, benefit more from reconstruction projects than the Iraqis, can break into jails to release prisoners against the Iraqi's governments wishes. (Remember when two British men where caught disguised as Arabs carrying explosives and weapons in their car? Their fellow British soldiers broke into the jail they were in and helped them to escape)
see http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20051015&articleId=1089
The U.S., Britain, Israel and Iran are contributing to the chaos with their agent provocateurs.

As for Darfur, those activists who are crying crocodile tears for the people of Darfur leave out the role the Untied States and other countries have contributed to fuel the conflict.
See http://allthingspass.com/journalism.php?jid=165
These phony activists never said anything about the genocide in the Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, etc. It is because they benefit from the sales of weapons, exploitation of natural resources and slave labor in these countries by Western Countries. Ironically, while Ethiopia has joined the United States in its war on terror, it has its own problems with genocide. See http://www.mcgillreport.org/darfuranuak.htm

And other than destroying the United States, Randall, you'e suggestion for *internal* Muslim self-reform is...what?

Thanks, Omar, couldn't have said it better. Just goes to show that the off-balance extremists are certainly not entirely located among "the Arabs who have returned".

OmarG,
I am assuming you are asking about Muslims who live in predominantly Muslim countries. I have no suggestions for "internal" self-reform. I trust that there are Muslims, living in predominantly Muslim countries, that are trying to reform their religion. But the mainstream media does not show them, instead they like to show bearded men, burning American flags and chanting anti-American slogans.

This is not the way to build bridges between East and West.

emjayinc,
If you want to be "supportive of the elements of moderation, whether progressive or fundamental," you can try to stop the United States and other Western countries from engaging in regime change and supporting brutal dicatorships who do their bidding. I suggest you read this article called "'Leave Us Alone,' Iranian Reformers Say"
http://www.progressive.org/node/4253

Interesting point, RandallJones. However, what I'm really looking for at altmuslim and similar exchanges of open minded opinion and factual information is not particularly about how to affect non-muslim nation states, other than the usual democratic ways. I feel I can best contribute to "building bridges" with Islam by supporting moderate Islam in my dealings with other non-Muslims. What I'd like here is specific information that will enable a grass roots guy like me to accurately respond to the daily stream of misinformation, prejudice, skepticism, suspicion, and even just old-fashioned bigotry I come across in my daily affairs, among both Muslims and non-Muslims. Non-Muslims are the ones I'm particularly focused on, because that's where I happen to be most of the time. It seems to me that much of the resistance I see has to do with the very "Arabs" Mr. Hesham has described, and the sincere doubt that there are any effective ways in which moderate Muslims can reform them.
And, by the way, I was specifically cited the "elements of moderation, whether progressive or fundamental, in modern Islam". I have pretty good ideas what I can do about supporting, or not, progressive or fundamental elements of moderation in the US or other Western countries.

I think it boils down to the fact that as acutely aware muslims are of western empire games, we're also aware of the violent mindsets within our communities. We (and countless other nations) have no real influence over the policies, practices and influence over the American-British-Israeli axis of greed ..


..BUT, we do have a significant amounts of vested interest in the international muslim communities value system and functioning .. not to forget the religious obligation that takes precedent. As much as I appreciate the support, the fact is that muslims (like Africans and other developing nations) are driving for internal reform that can raise us to equal power bands with the west, instead of perpetually violent attempts to destroy development as a means to restore order. Thats the way i think of early muslim expansion anyways.

And when it comes down to it, muslims in muslim countries need some form of open and internal dialogue (without fear of reproach) in which more constructive and ethical voices are not be undermined by the noise of sectarianism and violence. Whether that comes in the form of a government or not. It must come from somewhere. While influenced by lobbyists and small but powerful voices .. westerners at least have their center. Muslims want their center too.

emjayinc,

You may have a ìgood idea about supporting ... elements of moderation in the US or other Western countries,î but that doesnít mean you are very effective in making changes in the government. While we have many freedoms in Western countries, we really do not have much effect in changing our governmentsí foreign policies. But this is something we must keep on working to try to change.

Ghulam,

Itís true that Muslims ìhave no real influence over the policies, practices and influence over the American-British-Israeli axis of greedî But as I have said to emjayinc, non-Muslims do not have much influence on their governmentsí policies either.

I believe that Muslim countries do have ìopen and internal dialogue,î but it may not always be without fear of reproach. But Western media rarely recognizes human rights activists and instead focuses on giving images of the Muslim world as: women dressed in black, from head to toe, without a voice and bearded men burning American flags and making violent anti-western statements.

Randall, this article is not ridiculous, your response is ridiculous! You didnít even address the issues it raised at any meaningful level! Just because ìThis sort of fighting is going on all over the world amongst non-Muslimsî as you say, So What?! It doesnít mean Muslim infighting is ok!! What are you trying to say there?

This article isnít about the foreign invasion of Iraq. Itís about Muslims killing Muslims and the pointless tension between countries simply because one is majority Shia and the other is majority Sunni. Itís basically asking ëWhy arenít Muslims united in todayís world?

Its absurd to blame all Muslim infighting on non-Muslim countries (although oddly, you added Iran to the list of countries purportedly fomenting chaos in Iraq~ thereby contradicting the overall ìits all non-Muslim countries faultí theme to your response). As uncomfortable as it is, there actually is sectarian violence in Iraq committed by Iraqi Sunnis and Shia without outside influenceÖ and dealing with it by pointing the finger at the US or other foreigners wonít help anyone.

I thought this was an excellent article, well done Hesham Hassaballa for asking the hard questions.

Andraa,

I didn’t say it was all the non-Muslim’s fault so I did not contradict my self.

What if a foreign power had bombed the infrastructure of the United States, jailed thousands of Americans without justification, decided when elections would be held and whether or not they were valid, and benefited more from construction projects than Americans did, don’t you think there would be fighting amongst the different racial and religious groups within the United States?

What about the fact that Saddam Hussein was executed for crimes he committed when he was an ally of the United States. The U.S. had given him strategic and financial support when he was committing his worst atrocities. When will the Western collaborators of Saddam Hussein be put on trial?

>>>What if a foreign power had bombed the infrastructure of the United States, jailed thousands of Americans without justification, decided when elections would be held and whether or not they were valid, and benefited more from construction projects than Americans did, don’t you think there would be fighting amongst the different racial and religious groups within the United States?

I think that there would overwhelmingly be fighting against that foreign power… I definitely can’t see suicide-mass murder bombing campaigns happening over there. The difference is that Shi’ites were suppressed and excluded from positions of power under Saddam in the most brutal manner and there’s no equivalent of that in the US.

The situation in Iraq is bizarre because it seems like Iraqi’s hate each other more than foreign forces! At a glance this doesn’t make any sense, but at closer inspection, this poisonous conflict has been brewing for decades and has only been unleashed by the stupid invasion.

>>>When will the Western collaborators of Saddam Hussein be put on trial?

They never will be. But still, that’s not the point. Forget about the West for a minute --- Muslims are massacring each other for absolutely no reason and this conflict threatens to spread throughout the Middle East if surrounding countries get involved. I think at this point in time, stopping a series of civil and international wars (in and between Muslim countries) in the Middle East is more important than seeing a few Western politicians go to jail.

Muslims shouldn’t view each other as enemies and it’s as simple as that.

Andraa,

How come Westerners weren't concerned about Christians massacring each other in Rwanda? Do you know that Anglican and Catholic priests and nuns were involved in the incitement of the massacres, as well as in the killings themselves?

Right now millions of Christians are killing each other in the Congo and Northeren Uganda, were are Westerners' concern for that?

You are just as bad as the Holocaust deniers when you say that the U.S. occupation in Iraq has nothing to do with the violence that is going on there.

Hisham,

I enjoyed very much this article,& like many others,u article well & from a deep sense of compassion & thoughtful thinking.

Though, I do have 1 small concern.I agree w the underlying premise that what we may be seeing (in Iraq, for eg) r signs warning us of the mentality that was generally prevalent in pre-islamic Arabia--the jahiliyya--a mindset that the Prophet warned us 2 work 2 safeguard against.But,some can see in the labelling "return of the Arabs" (or "Arabization") as a synonym for "jahiliyya" in highly racial terms--which can in turn invite associative connotations where one loses sight of "pre-Islamic ignorance" & focus instead on the "Arab" as a short-cut for degradation facing the Muslim world.

I believe your article seems 2 b well-intended & above & beyond such simplistic discourse.Yet,many (perhaps spurrd racial sensitivities or other views 4 whatever reason) can see this as opportunity to adopt ur words 4 things other than signalling concerns about pre-islamic ignorance throughout the Muslim world.

>>> I think that there would overwhelmingly be fighting against that foreign power… I definitely can’t see suicide-mass murder bombing campaigns happening over there.

Don't kid yourself. If the spectacle of Katrina or todays senseless highschool massacres don't give you pause to ponder .. just consider your own history, the ordinary social violence and the increasing gap between rich and poor in the US.

Exclusive to humanity. Everyone wants to be exclusive to humanity.

More to the point, perhaps, consider the increasing gap favoring "the poor" in the US and all but a few in the rest of the world. Don't see many poor trying to emigrate FROM the US. Why then assign parenthood of every problem by laying it at the US doorstep? Andraa, you've been trolled.

emjayinc,

Yes the poor don't emigrate from the US because the United States is a wealthy nation. The United Staes maintains its wealth by dominating coutries that have the natural resources it wants. The United States sells billions of dollars of weapons to developing countries that helps to fuel and perpetuate conflicts.

No one is laying all the problems at the US doorstep, but people like you will not even acknowledge the war crimes that the United States has committed not only in the Middle East, but also in Africa, Asia and South America.

Saddam Hussein was helped into power by the United States and the U.S. supported him whem he ws committing his worst atrocities. Saddam was put on trial. When will the Untied States put its war criminals on trial?