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Faith leaders unite for peace after Fort Hood tragedy
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Spc. Kimberly Fitzwater, of III Corps at Fort Hood military post, bows her head during a moment
In the wake of the tragic shootings at the Fort Hood military base, religious leaders from all faiths are condemning this act of violence and urging us to unite in peace. Their plea for unity is critical because some are exploiting this atrocity to vilify Muslims. Muslims did not commit this heinous deed; it was the act of one man, a disturbed army psychiatrist named Major Nidal Malik Hasan who happens to be of Islamic faith. But, in committing this act, he went against every principle of his faith. So say the numerous Muslim organizations in the U.S. that have spoken out against the attack.
This groups include: The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim American Society (MAS), the Muslim Public Affairs Council-DC (MPAC-DC), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council (AMAFVAC). The Council on American Islamic Relations went so far as to say,
“We condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest terms possible and ask that the perpetrators be punished to the full extent of the law. No political or religious ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence. The attack was particularly heinous in that it targeted the all-volunteer army that protects our nation. American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured.” (Source: Reuters)
So, as people of faith, what should our response be? I had the opportunity to ask Mohammed Abu-Nimer, an Associate Professor at American University’s School of International Service. Dr. Abu-Nimer is an expert in conflict resolution who has worked to build peace in war torn areas around the world, including: Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Northern Ireland, Philippines (Mindanao), Bosnia, and Sri Lanka. His growing up Palestinian in Israel makes him keenly aware of the sensitive issues surrounding these terrible tragedies. When I asked him how we can unite in faith to condemn this act and promote peace, here’s what he said:
“Bring [your Christian] faith to calm the community by saying, ‘Our faith tells us to be loving to our neighbors and peaceful in dealing with grievances.’ That’s a way to bring your faith into reacting to such a horrendous attack against the soldiers—as opposed to bringing your faith to promote hatred, exclusion, and provocation. Several Muslim organizations quickly declared and condemned the act saying their faith does not support it. That’s also a form of bringing in faith.
When I went on to ask him what our greatest barrier is to world peace, he replied:
Our greatest challenge lies within our own hearts and minds. [To foster peace], we [need to] negotiate a mental space so that we can see—that despite our differences— we can identify with each other and live together respectfully in a meaningful way.
So today, as we pray for everyone affected by this terrible tragedy, let’s challenge ourselves to create space in our minds and hearts to live together respectfully, appreciating each other’s different faiths and uniting in peace.
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