India, and certainly the United States or America, has one of the world’s most diverse religions, sects, faiths and languages. In an article written by Saudi colleague Fahad Al-Ahmad said in America alone, which is the main destination for migrants and the oppressed, thousands of religions and sects are recognized and the followers are allowed to freely practice their rituals without being disturbed because they are protected by the law.
In the United States, there are more than 47 Islamic sects and thousands of original Christian churches and those who have defected, not to mention the devil worshippers and those who worship a star or idols of their own.
In India there are more or less the same. Al-Ahmad asks: Why did not religious wars and sectarian conflicts occur in America in spite of all this religious, linguistic and ethnic diversity? Why do these countries enjoy all this calm and peace, which is not enjoyed by any Muslim state, pure in its Islamism?
He answers: Because America is a secular state and its Constitution does not care about the beliefs of other people or their religions. Secularism is not considered infidelity or heresy or degradation or disintegration, as some ignorant describe or believe.
In fact, secularism means freedom of belief and non-interference of the state in the religious practices of citizens and residents. Certainly where secularism exists people are not treated on the basis of race, religion or belonging.
It is enough to infer the greatness of secularism that all countries in the developed world are most humane when it comes to treating another human being and even the refugees and those who walk their roads. These secular countries provide the entire world with food, medicine, medical treatment and industry they need.
To the contrary religious states have nothing to offer to others other than hatred, despise others, spread hatred and grudge and fight those who do not belong to them and prevent their entry into their countries.
Secularism works for co-existence. It does not oppose those who wish to work for others but rather facilitate and protect their rights to practice whatever they want.
If we look at Israel, which some of us consider an enemy state; we find that it is superior when it comes to democracy, civil liberties, justice of its judicial system and secularism.
Although Israel seeks to become a purely Jewish state from the religious point of view, the roots laid down by its early Zionist founders are secular at heart, not religious, and that is what remains of its international reputation.
The Israeli army has soldiers from all religions and sects available in the state in spite of their recent fear of everything that represents Islam and Muslims. Its Knesset (parliament) has Arab, Muslim, Christian and Druze members.
Recently, Israel appointed attorney Hanaa Al-Khatib as the first female ‘magistrate’ in the Israeli courts. We are still thinking about permitting a woman to go out in the open or confining her to within the four walls of the house to the extent that those who think that he is one of the ‘great thinkers’ in this poor nation sees it as an American plot not to allow women to leave the house without permission.
I am not here to polish the image of Israel or defend it, but it is a wakeup call to learn from those who are better than us, even if they are our enemies. I call to abandon racism and our sectarian fanaticism. This racism and this abhorrent fanaticism will inevitably destroy us in the end.
By Ahmad Al-Sarraf