Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock, said Sigmund Freud, describing the moment when humanity turned from barbarism into civilization.
Civilizations arise when humanity flourishes with pluralism and acceptance, and when love and coexistence replace racism and ego.
The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan knew this when he unified the emirates into the state of the United Arab Emirates to serve as a civilized example in the Arab region. He valued and respected the right of a human being to choose his beliefs and thoughts.
True faith in God begins when we know that He is not exclusively restricted to any certain sect. The creator of the universe wants to be reached in various ways. Every man reaches for Him in his own way.
Destruction begins when a certain sect tries to impose its way on others. It starts when a man kills another man in the name of God, instead of trying to convince him of his way. In the first case, he would be brutally fighting God’s will for diversity, while in the second he would be respecting God’s words: “And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation, yet they cease not differing.” (Pickthall: Surah Hud: 118).
Today, Sheikh Zayed’s sons are taking the same civilized approach that their father had introduced 40 years ago. They present the true nature of Islam, which embraces and respects the human mind and the freedom of choice.
The civilized UAE government has granted land in the capital of Abu Dhabi to the Indian community to build a Hindu temple, thereby making an example of enlightenment that rejects hatred and racism.
Presenting the true nature of Islam will not be achieved by words and conferences to exonerate ourselves from what the terrorists do. It can only be achieved by deeds.
ISIS and Boko Haram do not talk. They act. And thus we should not confront them with talk, but rather with action.
Through its actions, ISIS makes Islam a religion of blood and slaughter, while through its actions, the UAE makes it a religion of love and tolerance. This is a manifestation of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s speech at the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal, when he said: “We will fight hatred with love.”
I wish that we will apply this here in Egypt. For it is shameful that the Indians, who are not UAE nationals, can build a Hindu temple there, while the Copts, who are Egyptian nationals, must obtain a license to build or even renovate a church here.
We will not achieve real renaissance except when sectarianism disappears forever.
I salute the United Arab Emirates and hope we can take after it.
