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A mother’s wishes
for a better world

A friend of mine asked what I wish for the world in which my son will grow up. It was a hard question in terms of what I really want for him to have and feel in this world. I thought, and prioritized three wishes: a world with no support of terrorism in the name of Islam, a world with more forgiveness and a world with more secular democratic governments.

No support from any Muslim for terrorism is the greatest wish of mine. The cowardly terrorist attacks in London show me that Muslims have failed to produce effective theology against terrorism perpetrated by Muslim extremists. We have an urgent need for popular Islamic theological thought that absolutely rejects the Muslim extremists' interpretation that permits the killing of everyone who stands in the way of establishing their rule.

On the home front, I worry if my son will come across terrorists and al-Qaida sympathizers in his lifetime.

I wish that mosques in America would be more of a source of positive spirituality and inspiration, the way it was in the mosques I visited in Istanbul, Turkey. I entered many mosques and felt embraced, and surrendered with serenity. I wish the same for my son when he goes to mosques here. I wish that he listens to inspiring, creative and uplifting Friday sermons instead of highly politicized and polarized ones that I have heard in my lifetime.

My second wish is for forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean to forgive and forget. Personally, forgiveness is a way to learn from past mistakes and do better for the greater good. A recent story touched my heart in many ways. In Egypt there was a family feud for the past 10 years between the rival clans of Abdul-Halim and the Hanashat that started because of a fight between children. The feud resulted in the death of 22 members of the Hanashat clan in a deadly attack. In May of this year, members of the Abdul-Halim, the killers of the 22 Hanashat members, walked into the Hanashat village carrying their own funeral shrouds, special clothing used in Islamic burials. Their goal: to be forgiven or to die. The scene was intense, and these men were agonized by the unknown: Will they be forgiven or will they die? Leaders of the Hanashat received them, embraced them and publicly forgave them. The Abdul-Halims begged for forgiveness so that 22 of them would not be killed in return.

There, forgiveness worked for the greater good. The world should learn from it. I wish that Israelis and Palestinians will find a way to forgive each other for the greater good. Forgiveness does not come easy, but the fruits of such a choice come in abundance to all people involved.

My third wish is for the creation of secular democratic governments that protect the rights of all people, regardless of gender, race or religion. I wish for governments that strive to eliminate threats to democracy such as religious extremism and terrorism. What happens in one corner of the world affects all of us.

Son, I wish to you wisdom from the past and strength for your future. I love you.

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