A Muslim Approach to Dialogue in Jerusalem in the New Millennium
By MUHAMMAD HOURANI
In my country there are two nations: the Palestinian Arabs and the Israeli Jews, and although they are cousins, they are quite different, each with a distinct culture, religion, and language. Perhaps this is why both sides have for so long failed, both literally and metaphorically, to understand each other. The clash is particularly apparent in Jerusalem - a city which is supposedly united, but in fact consists of two entirely different entities. In the western part lies the Jewish city, which in Hebrew is called "Yerushalayim," while on the eastern side lies the Palestinian city, which in Arabic is called "Al-quds al shari."
The union of these two cities, achieved in 1967, was actually imposed on the Palestinians of Al-Quds against their will, and they have rejected it ever since and refused to become part of the State of Israel. They have been separated from the rest of the West Bank or, rather, the West Bank has been separated from Jerusalem, and this separation has severed many families and caused many injustices. Arab Jerusalem is currently inhabited by some 170,000 Palestinian Arabs, mostly Muslims with some Arab Christians, all speakers of Arabic. In the Jewish part of the city live some 300,000 Jews, all Israelis and Hebrew speakers.
These two cities, forced into an arbitrary union, are of utmost importance and holy to all three monotheistic religions. Followers of these three faiths should have the right to freely and peacefully visit their holy places, but this right is denied to Palestinians from outside Jerusalem, who are prevented from entering their holy city by the ongoing military closure imposed by Israel.
Let me elaborate on the importance of Jerusalem to Muslims. For us, Jerusalem is the Dome of the Rock, Al-Aksa Mosque and Al Burak, where the Prophet Muhammad kept his horse during his nocturnal journeys. Jerusalem also contains 34 mosques, 27 of which stand within the walls of the Old City and are visited daily for prayer. Jerusalem also contains many houses belonging to Sufi orders, practitioners of Islamic mysticism, the graves of 24 Muslim leaders and 15 Muslim graveyards. Jerusalem has been a part of Muslim history and identity from the very emergence of Islam until today. Its many meanings for us include victory, defeat, sacrifice, and continuity.
Given Jerusalem's significance to Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, it is high time for the followers of these three religions to begin to seek ways of living together in the holy city peacefully. Toward this end, I would like to present the following religious and historical Islamic views on coexistence.
A Basis for Dialogue in Islam and the Quran
One major obstacle to the peaceful coexistence of Palestinians and Jews in this country lays in the fact that every holy place is of great significance to both Islam and Judaism, and yet each religion claims exclusive rights over these sites. The conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians is not only over a small piece of land which each claims as its own, but over the historical-religious basis of both nations.
Because Islam emerged after Judaism and Christianity, it was natural for Islam to adopt the symbols of monotheism established by its predecessors. Thus the three monotheistic religions share some of the same holy books, as well as some of the same prophets, from Adam through Abraham, Moses, and the rest of the biblical prophets. Naturally, then, they also share many of the same holy places: Joseph's grave in Nablus, the shrine of Abraham in Hebron, and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
If we look at the Koran, we see that a great deal of space is devoted to the founders of Judaism and Christianity. In fact, accepting all of the holy books as well as all of the prophets preceding Muhammad is considered a precondition to the Islamic belief. Moses, whom Muhammad considered his closest friend and guide in pure monotheism, is said in the Koran to have joined the negotiations between Muhammad and God with regard to daily prayers in Islam. The third chapter in the Koran is devoted to Moses's family, the sons of Abraham. King David's place in the Koran is also one of great honor, and the text of the twelfth chapter centers around Joseph, the son of Jacob, and is in fact very similar to the text of the Old Testament.
The Koran contains numerous mentions of the Jews - approximately one third of the book relates to the Jewish people - and it cannot be denied that many of them are negative; however, we must not forget the Koran's positive attitude toward the biblical prophets and holy books. It is important to emphasize that not all of what is written about them is negative. In the Koran, the people of both Christianity and Judaism are called "the people of the book," a name which appears 24 times. They are also called "the people of the villages" (five times) as well as "the people of the city" (four times) and the "people who read the holy books" (two times). But what is the significance of these names?
In the context of desert life, in which the Beduin, an illiterate people, were perpetual wanderers, a high value was placed on the ability to read and write. The Prophet Muhammad sought to create a reading nation, like that of the Jews, and to provide his people with a book similar to that of the "people of the book." It is no surprise, then, that the Koran begins with verses promoting reading: "Read, read in the name of God the Creator" (XCVI.1). Moreover, the prophet understood that such goals could only be attained in the context of a stable lifestyle, and so the Koran presents a negative outlook on Beduin and their wanderings.
Nevertheless, while seeking to lead a people who would remain stationary and master the arts of reading and writing, Islam did not seek to deny the validity of the other monotheistic religions. Other people were permitted to have different beliefs and attitudes. In fact, many Koranic verses deny the prophet the right and authority to force his values upon others, because the issue of faith is in the hands of God, and God alone has the power and the right to judge people. Furthermore, Muhammad was asked to behave with utmost magnanimity toward those who opposed his new religion, and to separate himself from them in a peaceful way.
The multiplicity of religions and nations in the world is no coincidence; it is a manifestation of the Lord's desire for pluralism. God created man and woman, the different people and the different tribes, so that they would get to know one another and work together in order to spread the Divine word - the word of monotheistic belief. Accordingly, the Koran demands that dialogue be held among the different religions in order to build the foundations of peace.
A Call for Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence
I therefore turn to my Muslim colleagues and ask them to join in the dialogue of peace. In a world that has become a global village, and in the era of electronic communications, there is no place for a policy of "we and them." In our worldwide village, there is no room for the dichotomy of Dar el-Islam and Dar el-Harb - the world of peace and the world of war - which existed in constant conflict with each other.
We must join the rest of the world in building a future of prosperity, happiness, and peace for all. It is the duty of each religion to create a better future for its believers, and so we cannot retreat, nor can we continue to hark back to the past instead of looking forward to the future.
Friends and colleagues: In order to bring about such a future we must adopt some of the values of the modern world, including democracy and equality, pluralism and peace. For more than 200 years the Islamic world has been trying to open up and become a part of the modern world in the areas of economics and politics and through participation in international organizations and cultural activities. We must increase our efforts in this direction, for our sake and for the future of our children.
Many may not want to hear what I have to say about the political situation in this region, but I feel it is my right and duty to make the following statements: It is time for both Palestinians and Jews to abandon the slogan "This country is all mine." The solution to our conflict lies in historical and psychological compromise. I believe that in the last five years a change has taken place in our country, and it is our duty to help all the sons of Abraham - the Palestinians and the Jews - to find a place under the sun of our Holy Land.
A Special Plea for Peace in Jerusalem
In Jerusalem, both sides must strive for a peace based on justice, not one maintained by military force. A just peace will encompass economic, educational, and social development for all, as well as a joint effort to preserve this holy place, which is one of the many blessings of God.
In order to achieve such peace, it is not enough merely to listen to each other and to understand each other's fears; we must find and focus on signs of hope that will help us to transcend those fears.
Although we live side by side in Jerusalem, we do not actually live together. Each side has its share of fear and suffering, but we must stop blaming each other. We must look to our shared religious values to overcome our differences, even as we remain deeply committed to our respective traditions.
The Abrahamic tradition to which we are the heirs reminds us of our distinctive identities, as well as our shared heritage. The shared heritage and belief in one God summons all believers to be peace-makers. We should affirm the holiness of the Jerusalem for all three faiths and recognize the rights of all to worship in their own way. We should affirm that claims made in the name of tradition cannot exclude or nullify the claims of others. We must also affirm the sanctity of every individual's life, integrity, and property and condemn all violence and violations of human and national rights.
Dialogue in the New Millennium
You may wonder why I have not mentioned the approach of the new millennium in my discussion of interfaith dialogue in Jerusalem. The reason for this is that the third Christian millennium has no relevance to the concept of redemption in Islam. Muslims follow the Islamic calendar, according to which about 600 years remain before our big turning point and chance at redemption will arrive.
Nevertheless, because we share the same holy places and the same spirituality, I believe that members of all three faiths - Muslims, Jews, and Christians - should be aware that the second millennium is coming to a close and the third about to begin.
At the turn of the millennium, large waves of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world are expected to visit Jerusalem. They will want to share with us Jerusalem's unique sites, holiness, and spirituality. We should welcome these visitors to our city and prepare it for their arrival. The millennium offers us a chance not merely to begin, but to continue and to deepen our interreligious dialogue. We must focus on making that dialogue as creative and constructive as possible. Through our hospitality, we can demonstrate how intent we are on seeking peace and striving for peaceful coexistence among our peoples.
Finally, we must pray that Jerusalem always remain a place of reconciliation and dialogue so that its unique character may nurture and sustain peace, love, and solidarity among all the families of the earth.
Muhammad Hourani is a senior researcher and director of the Desk for Dialogue and Teaching for Peace at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Co-founder of the Center for Teaching for Peace at Jerusalem's David Yellin Teacher's College and Children of Abraham, which promotes Israeli-Palestinian cultural dialogue, Hourani is a doctoral candidate in teaching for peace in multicultural society at Sussex University in Brighton, England.
Toward the Third Millennium
Trialogue in Jerusalem: Jews, Christians, and Moslems
The 1998-99 Lecture Series
Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
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