(To receive a Word copy of this report, please email: cmdr@sifre.org.uk)
The Archbishop
of Canterbury's observer at the United Nations, Archdeacon Taimalelagi
Fagamalama Tuatagaloa-Matalavea from Somoa, (Tai) asked for guidance concerning
the attitudes of Muslims and Christians respectively to democracy, governance
and citizenship and other related issues.
How much shared understanding was there? Would there be a clash of cultures? In response to Tai's request, Amedee Turner QC, former MEP for
Suffolk, and a member of Tai's support group, arranged Round Table Discussions
(RTDs) in various parts of USA and in the UK.
To find
out how much agreement actually exists between the Muslim and the Christian
world-views in the area of global relations.
To
identify appropriate ways of expressing ideas, in language which is equally
congenial to Christians and Muslims.
To offer
the insights gained through the discussions to Tai, to inform her work as an
Observer at the United Nations.
The
topics listed include: democracy, freedom and self-government, civil society,
human rights, globally consistent justice and equity, respect for law and the
rule of law, materialism, cultural specificity.
Amadee
Turner approached James Atwell, Dean of Bury St. Edmunds with a proposal to set
up Christian/Muslim discussions on these themes in Suffolk. They held a meeting on 27 January 2004 with
Elizabeth Moore, Lay Education and Training Adviser of the Diocese of St.
Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and Cynthia Capey, Hon. Faiths Officer of Suffolk Inter-Faith
Resource who agreed to draw up an appropriate scheme together.
Although
the initiative for these particular Christian/Muslim discussions came through
Amadee Turner at the behest of the Archbishop of Canterbury's observer at the
United Nations, Cynthia and Elizabeth felt it was important to appreciate the
local context and to integrate this initiative into the inter-faith work that
was already going on in Suffolk. They
proposed to have 2 groups for Suffolk (one in Bury and one in Ipswich),
commencing in the Autumn 2004. The
Ipswich discussions would build on existing dialogue between interested bodies
and would connect to the regular Forums of Faith. The Bury ones would seek to draw in new people as speakers and
participants and to involve Churches Together in Bury and the St. Edmundsbury
Borough Council as partners.
The
subject matter would be approached under four main topics
Each
session would be introduced by speakers with a competence in the subject
matter, to stimulate informed debate.
Participants would include Muslims from various backgrounds, and
Anglicans together with representatives of other Christian groups. It was hoped that there would be some degree
of continuity between the 2 groups and that it would be possible to set up
joint focus groups in the Autumn of 2005 to follow through particular interests
and concerns.
The
Ipswich series was launched by a Forum of Faiths public seminar on "What
do the Faiths teach about Justice" in the Crown Courts, Ipswich. It was followed up by 2 discussion groups on
Democracy and Human Rights and culminated in a Forum of Faiths seminar on
"What do the Faiths Teach about Democracy?" This was held in the Council Chamber of Endeavour House (HQ of
Suffolk County Council). The Ipswich
series aimed at a wider audience in order to reflect the multi-faith nature of
the community within which any Muslim/Christian dialogue takes place. Two
booklets have been published by SIFRE which contain the texts of the speakers
at the two Forums of Faith.
The Bury
group met on 4 Tuesday evenings in the early summer 2005 and the series was
incorporated into the programme of the Cathedral Education Group. Keynote speakers, Muslim and Christian,
introduced the topics. Panel members
from both faiths were invited to question and 'draw out' the speakers. Questions and discussion followed from the
audience.
The
keynote speakers came mostly from the Bury area of West Suffolk, but Muslims
from Ipswich were involved as keynote speakers and on the panel. Churches Together in Bury St. Edmunds also
provided panel members. The overall
audience came from a wide area of the county and included people of many
different churches and of several faiths. Well over 100 people were involved.
q Speakers' Profiles
q Notes on Session 1 - Globalisation and Consumerism
q Notes on Session 2 - Governance and Democratic Society
q Notes on Session 3 - Human Rights
q Notes on Session 4 - Justice and the Rule of Law
q Some Conclusions
q Islam and Its Peaceful Treatment of People of Other Faiths
Sue
Young is the World
Development Adviser for the Anglican Diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich. In
this voluntary role she is active in encouraging the church to campaign for a
fair deal for the world's poor. She is
a long time supporter of the Campaign for Trade Justice, Jubilee Debt Campaign,
Christian Aid and the World Development Movement. Sue's career has been in town planning, most recently developing
regional transport policy for the East of England Regional Assembly.
Asaf
Hussain is
currently Assistant Headteacher at Ixworth Middle School where he teaches 9-13
year olds a mixture of Mathematics, History and Geography. He has a degree in
Economics and Geography. He was born and raised in Bradford, West Yorkshire but
has worked and lived in Suffolk since 1995. His primary interests are in the
fields of Development Geography and in the global 'North/South' divide.
Mike
Dawson is the
Corporate Director for Community at St Edmundsbury Borough Council with
responsibility for the management of the Council's Environmental Health,
Strategic Housing and Leisure Services, he is also the lead officer for the
Council's Diversity agenda. Part of
Mike's role at St Edmundsbury is to encourage all communities to fully engage
in the governance issues relating to local community affairs and service
provision. He is also keen to facilitate people and communities to reach their
full potential and has recently established within the Community Directorate,
the Community Development Unit to lead this work.
Mojlum
Khan has a degree
in Business and Social Policy and work experience in retail management and
public transport. He is the manager of
the Bangladeshi Support Centre in Ipswich and visiting Imam at Hollesley Bay
Prison. He is a writer and literary
critic and a regular lecturer in Islam for SIFRE. Mojlum studied Islamic Sciences and Qur'anic Arabic at the Hijaz
College and is currently writing a book on Islamic Intellectual History.
Muhammad
Manwar Ali,
popularly known as Abu Muntasir in the Islamic community, has a B.Sc.(Hons) and
M.Sc.in Computer Science from London University and has worked in the IT
industry for around 25 years. Manwar
has also been involved in Islamic work for over 20 years across the country and
has extensive experience in teaching and Muslim social affairs. He is
especially loved by university students' Islamic Societies. His work has led to the establishment of the
UK Charity JIMAS (www.jimas.org) which reflects his activities in detail. He has successfully balanced professional
and voluntary Islamic activities while being blessed with a large family.
Gitti
Dunham works in
the field of human rights as a voluntary activist. She is on the International Issues Sub-committee of the Board of
Amnesty International UK and has a specific responsibility for the Central Asian
Republics. She also interprets for
Kurdish Asylum Seekers. She is a
convert from Islam to Christianity and attempts to relate her work in the field
of human rights to her faith as a Christian.
Graeme
Garden is a
Methodist Local Preacher. He was a Magistrate for 32 years, a member of the
Board of Visitors of Highpoint Prison, and Member of the Board of Suffolk
Probation. Since 1988 he has been a Member of the Commonwealth Magistrates and
Judges Association. He has recently
been appointed to HM Courts Board with effect from 1st April 2005.
Ahmed
Elsharkawy has a
degree in Medical Biochemistry and Islamic qualifications obtained from Egypt.
He is currently a full-time Imam at Highpoint Prison in Newmarket and member of
the trustees board of Ar-Rahman Academy for Cultural and Religious Activities
based in London. He is a reader on
Islam and science with a particular interest in Qur'anic Sciences.
|
Hosting: |
Andrew
Todd, Cathedral Education Group and Sub-Dean of St Edmundsbury Cathedral |
|
Chair: |
Liz
Pichon, Honorary Deputy Faiths Officer, SIFRE |
|
Speakers: |
Sue Young, World Development Adviser for the Anglican Diocese
of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich |
|
Panel: |
Claudia Pichon and Andrew Banbury, pupils of County
Upper School |
|
Guest: |
Amedee
Turner QC |
Amedee Turner
introduced the discussions, which have been set up as dialogues between lay
Muslims and Christians, discussing issues of global justice, democracy and the
rule of law. 80 of these discussions have been set up around the world, and the
results will form the basis of a report to the UN on whether there is evidence
for a so-called 'clash of civilizations' between Islam and the West.
The
speakers were introduced by Liz Pichon and the format explained: each speaker
would give a 15 minute presentation on the topic of Globalisation and
Consumerism and questions would follow from the panel and the floor.
She has
been asked to define Consumerism and Globalisation, their interrelationship and
importance in society and the relevance of Christian beliefs and values in
considering them.
From her
perspective as an economist, she defines Globalisation in terms of the
developments in technology, transport and communication which have taken place
over recent years. There is also the
definition used loosely by the general public that Globalisation expresses the
general idea that the world has become a 'small place'.
Globalisation
and Consumerism do interrelate in our world but it is not necessary or
inevitable that they should go hand in hand.
It is in theory possible to have one without the other.
There is
a tendency to think of Globalisation as inevitable but in SY's opinion it is a
result of deliberate policy which proceeds from neo-liberal ideology, as
promoted by the G8 countries which form 12% of the world's population, the
World Bank and the IMF.
Positives:
ease of communication around the world, food transport etc.
Negatives:
fragility of the financial market has a destabilizing influence, manufacturing
jobs moved out of the UK, small subsistence farmers dependent on large
multinationals, spread of contagious diseases such as SARS, the environmental
impact of global travel.
The
losers are the poor who are vulnerable to shifts in international prices. In recent years the number living on 1$ per
day has grown from 1.1 billion to 1.3 billion.
We are
involved in these issues through our shopping and travel choices.
Consumerism
is selfishness which causes the problems of Globalisation - she sees
Consumerism as worse than Globalisation.
We should perhaps be thinking in terms of sufficiency of consumption.
Lastly,
the effect of Globalisation can be exaggerated. A lot of communities live at the purely local level and this
number is increasing. They are isolated
from the rest of the world.
On
Consumerism - in the Bible it is clear that our role is to love God and our
neighbour, and the Bible has a bias for the poor. We are encouraged to build up our treasure in heaven and share the
world's gifts with each other.
We need
more of a people-centred, spiritual approach.
On
Globalisation - we are told the importance of our neighbour, defined as anyone
who needs our love. We should think of
how our behaviour affects others, buying coffee, investing, etc. More importantly, we should speak out about
the impact on the poor of the speed by which money is moved around the world,
e.g. by moving a call centre from one country to another. The poor are vulnerable to such changes and
also to changes in the environment. We
should remember the prophetic tradition in the Bible - should consider how
these violent swings could be counterbalanced.
The
doctrine of the universality of the Church already embraces the idea that we
should 'think globally, act locally'.
Jesus is the true vine and we are the branches, connected to Christ and
to each other.
Christian
roles include advocacy for the poor, prayer, and sacramental action by local
action against injustice (Jesus driving out money changers, relating to the
outcast - lepers, women, children).
1. If
Globalisation has sufficient safety nets is it acceptable or should it be
abandoned for another model? How strong
should the nets be? We should reform
the IMF, World Bank and the rules of international trade - the rich nations
shouldn't impose their trade rules on the whole world. More power should be given to the UN to
arrange global redistribution of wealth, as this is done within nations and
smaller communities.
2.
Deglobalisation? Concentrate on
production for local communities rather than for export, social security,
micro-credit systems and local currencies.
We can engage with this on a local level.
AH has
lived in Suffolk for ten years and so speaks as a member of the local community
and also a member of the (small) Muslim community in Bury St Edmunds.
He began
his presentation with a quotation from the beginning of the Koran:
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being,
the All-merciful, the All-compassionate,
the Master of the Day of Doom.
Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour.
Guide us in the straight path,
the path of those whom Thou has blessed,
not of those against whom Thou art wrathful,
nor of those who are astray.
1. the
increase in trade around the world, especially large companies trading in many
different countries;
2. the
goods and services and social and cultural influences being the same all over
the world.
Consumerism
is the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of goods as the chief
object.
Consumerism
(or should it be hedonism) is not seen so much as a matter for debate.
Globalisation
is more controversial, with negative and positive views of it. He defines it as the increased flow of
capital from the South (or developing world) to the North (the rich nations).
Consumerism
is exemplified in the 'bling' culture of extreme consumption and show, e.g. big
jewellery, expensive cars etc.
It is
possible to view this positively if there is fair and just trade. However, this isn't the case. Large Northern operations have the advantage
over the Southern ones. There is a huge
difference between the cost of raw materials and the cost of the finished
product on the open market. The rise of
the multinational companies brings the profits back to the North.
Islam is
suspicious of global governance, e.g. GATT, the IMF, and the World Bank.
The
Koran stresses the importance of community.
Consumerism
is anathema to Islam. The Prophet lived
a simple life, which is seen as the ideal, with few material goods, which can
become idols.
The
world cannot support consumerism. Western
technology exploits the other 90% of the world.
Consumerism
has created an artificial demand - advertising tells people what they need and
they believe it.
Consumerism's
creed is that we live to consume.
Islam
teaches about the responsibility of businesses. The 'Hadith' - sayings of the Prophet - emphasize righteous
trade.
Big
businesses and governments have created the environment for Globalisation,
which has its roots in colonisation.
Globalisation
is not about goods flowing outwards to the rest of the world but capital
flowing inwards to a few control centres.
q Communication - technology has made it cheaper and easier
q Foreign Direct Investment - it has helped to reduce poverty where people have been able to take advantage of it.
q Environmental degradation - unrestrained logging
q Bigger poverty disparities
q People more materialistic
q Global Consumerism now forming a homogenous global culture
q Education is management and skills based - traditional academic subjects are neglected, as is morality
q Double standards in the way Western governments deal with human rights
q Diseases such as TB more rampant
Sura 83
v1-26
q the wicked will be called to account - those who use false measures
q a record will be kept of sins
q there will be a Day of Judgement
q the wicked will go to hell
q the good will be rewarded
Sura 2
v282
q Deals with the practicalities of trade
q provisions for writing down and witnessing contracts
q protecting the vulnerable from exploitation
q transactions take place in the presence of God.
In Islam
trade is strongly advocated - the Prophet was a trader. Trade should be fair and just.
Islamic
rules about trade include a tax of 2.5% on income and the practice of usury - charging
interest - is not permitted. This is
relevant when considering world debt - there is no safety net for the poor.
From the
panel:
CP: (To
AH) Does Islam teach that if someone cannot pay back a debt it should be
written off?
AH: It
depends on the context. Originally, if
the money for the loan was from the public treasury, then this might happen.
CP: Is
the prohibition about charging interest reflected in the laws of Muslim
countries?
AH: Pure
Islam would teach this. However,
colonialism has changed the financial systems of many Islamic countries in
relation to charging interest.
AB: (To
SY) Should Christians tithe (i.e. give one tenth of their income to the church
or to charity)?
SY: Yes,
this is a good idea on a personal level and should work as a minimum. However, it is not generally put forward in
churches. The Church is nervous about
talking about giving money.
Q from the floor:
Does the prohibition of usury have the potential to cause a clash
of civilizations?
AH: The
practice is different from the theory in Islam in relation to usury. No Islamic government prohibits usury
absolutely. The potential for a clash
of civilizations is there but it is not very strong, considering that the five
major banks are developing Islamic finance products.
Q from the floor:
Not
a question but a comment: the two presentations we have heard are very similar
- almost interchangeable, apart from the quotations from the Bible and the
Qur'an.
AH: Yes,
there is a lot of common ground on this issue - I'm not sure about the other
three topics.
AT: Islam
and Christianity teach about lowering our standard of living - how do we
respond to our position of being compromised?
AH: Islam
has seen both sides of this - both luxurious living and very plain living - I think
we should aim to take the middle road.
Q from the floor:
There
is a difference here between personal morality and public policy. We should make our own decisions on an
individual basis about this and not let small groups control public policy.
SY: I
agree that personal morality is important but I would disagree with the view
that we shouldn't try to stop things where we don't see them working. At the moment the market is in control.
Same questioner:
In
that case we should not vote for the EU as they have protectionist policies in
place. I am just warning about the harm
that can come from interfering in the market.
Q from the floor:
We
have influence when we work together.
Different denominations should seek common cause with each other in
working together on these issues.
Q from the floor:
Consumerism
is surely not all bad when the development of the fair trade movement shows
that the consumer can influence Globalisation.
SY: Fair
trade is only a part of the picture - we should also be looking at supporting
local trade because of the environmental impact of transporting goods.
AH: Fair
trade is only chipping away at the edges of the problem. We should make sure every trade is just and
businesses should be held to account.
Elizabeth Moore:
Do
any other countries manage better than the UK in giving people higher values to
live for?
AH: There
are Scandinavian countries such as Norway.
Huge amounts are given in aid to the South. Mostly groups rather than nations. Most countries are based on the capitalist model.
SY: The
UK is a culprit in protectionism. Poor
countries are forced to open their borders to international trade.
Q from the floor:
Is
the West guilty of thinking that we know what other people want? Islam represents the opposite ideal -
couldn't the countries in the Middle East exert pressure on the West by pulling
the plug on the oil supply?
AH: It's
more complicated than that because the Saudis have a lot of money invested in
the US economy. But yes, some Muslims
are worried about the seduction of Western materialism.
Other members of the panel were
invited to give final comments.
Elahe Mojdehi:
I
don't think there is a clash of civilizations, but a misunderstanding. We
should be civilized towards each other.
It is good that there are dialogues between Christians and Muslims.
AE: Muslims
and Christians agree that by the laws of God we need to live in a fair
society. Muslims refer to Christians
and Jews as people of God, people of the Book.
They recognize the same God and have many things in common. There is no clash of civilizations. Globalisation and Consumerism have been
introduced by secular systems. We
should go back to the law of God.
|
Hosting: |
Very
Revd James Atwell, Dean of the Cathedral of St James |
|
Chair: |
Cynthia
Capey, Honorary Faiths Officer, Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource (SIFRE) |
|
Speakers: |
Mojlum
Khan, Manager of Bangladeshi Support Centre, Imam for Hollesley Bay |
|
Panel: |
Elahe
Mojdehi, SIFRE Community Liaison Officer |
|
Guest: |
Amedee
Turner QC |
The Very
Revd James Atwell, Dean of the Cathedral of St James, welcomed participants.
Amedee Turner spoke briefly to explain the origins of the Dialogues and the
international process of which they are part, which he had initiated. He noted
that he had not come across any Dialogue which involved as many people as ours
in Bury! Cynthia Capey introduced
herself as Chairman, and introduced speakers and panel members.
Mojlum
prefaced his talk with some Arabic words from the Koran, where Moses asks God
to make him a good speaker so that he can go and persuade Pharaoh.
Mojlum
began by trying to define the words Governance and Democracy. He reminded us
that democracy comes from Greek words meaning rule of the people. Governance is
then the practical implementation of that.
Democracy and governance are tools for how people want to be ruled, and
how they interact with their leaders. Democracy is a mechanism for ensuring
checks and balances; Islam has no objections to that. There is no single 'right'
system of government and no single style of democracy - even in the Western
world systems of democracy differ. So it is hard to be clear about what is
meant when we speak of democracy being introduced to Iraq, Iran etc.
Mohammed
did not nominate a successor or lay down structures or institutions for
government. His guidelines. His successors were elected through a process of
consultation, with people chosen for their ability, rectitude and piety, not
because of their wealth, creed or family background.
Mojlum
emphasised that there has always been a gap between ideal and reality. There is
a good deal of chaos in some Muslim countries. However, although Muslims have
not practised democracy, they have not stopped thinking deeply about the
processes of government, and he gave examples of Muslim scholars and
philosophers who had explored these themes.
Mojlum
said that Islam sees law as a divine injunction. There are some fundamental
principles which are regarded as absolute. The judiciary is separate from the executive
in Islam.
Many
Muslims are struggling to come to terms with modernity and need help with
relating contemporary experience to the values and principles of their faith.
Mike
explained that he was speaking from the perspective of a local government
officer. We take for granted a democratic system in the UK though we may not
understand it fully, nor realise how it is different from other forms of
democracy.
Mike
emphasised the importance of engagement. He quoted Pericles in ancient Athens
who defined a citizen as someone who is interested not just in his own affairs
but in the affairs of state. Engagement means we must listen to people and meet
their needs. National and local issues may not be given the same importance eg
in newsreels, but it is the local ones which impact on people's daily lives.
In
trying to define the task of Governance, Mike suggested it involves 4 things:
Engaging with a community to establish its values, needs and vision; The
provision of services; Working in Partnership with a range of agencies; The
provision of systems of local government.
Mike
quoted from James Atwell who had said on recent TV programme that the ability
to practise faith in this country is a birthright. Mike suggested it remains so
only in so far as people go on believing this is important - this is an example
of engagement, or the danger from a lack of it.
Faith
issues can get complicated when they overlap with cultural issues; also those
of faith need to be aware of those who have no faith, and of those who have
faith but a distorted and damaging version of it.
Panel-Christine Surely when any 'absolute' has to
be put into practice that involves interpretation, and then it can no longer be
absolute, ie the same every time and for everywhere.
(second
question) In a multi-faith multi-cultural society how can you implement values
which matter deeply to people of faith but are not shared with others of
different/no faith?
Mojlum Muslims are well aware of the
mutability of human beings and their environment, that all is in a state of
flux. However there are certain things which do not change. These values are
not necessarily peculiar to Muslims.
(Chair: Please give an example) An example is how I should treat my
neighbour - the Islamic understanding is that I serve my neighbour not from any
selfish motive but from a desire to become closer to God. Stealing is wrong,
not just because I might get caught but because of the 'policeman in my heart'.
Panel-Elahe European countries and Islamic
countries all have some way to go in their practice of democracy.
Panel-Sarah Although there is no democratic
Muslim country, democracy and Islam are not in conflict.
Mike Democracy provides a forum for a
robust exchange of views. But to work,
this needs not just a system but an awareness of others in the system that
differ from you. The differences between those in the audience are not
fundamental differences.
How
history is taught in schools is significant; we too often teach history from
our own viewpoint and ignore others'
history, eg the contribution of Islamic countries to matters of public
health.
Q Would the panel agree that it is
essential to have a clear separation between state and religion in a multi
cultural society?
Mojlum Much of mediaeval Western world
was a theocracy. Muslim world for most of its history has had a hereditary
kingship. The relationship between
church and state seems to work OK in
the UK
Q But in the UK we are not governed
by religious law.
Mike But every Act of Parliament is
prefaced by a reference to the lords temporal and spiritual.
Q Whether or not law if of divine
origin, the question of interpretation is always at the heart of it. Eg what
'killing' means is interpreted in various ways so that some forms of killing
are 'accepted' in our society.
Q Following on from the question of
engagement - what would the Panel suggest Muslims and Christians can contribute
to society to enrich it from the best of their own traditions?
Panel
Martin William
Penn berated those who wanted to leave their society for a purer place. Issues
of morality keep bubbling up; there is a question about how far people of faith
should get involved in political processes and advise their faithful how to
vote
Mojlum There is nothing to prevent Christians
and Muslims working together for the common good.
Q that is good to hear, because there
is concern about Christian minorities being persecuted in some places, and this
gives hope for resolving this.
Q What do we mean by 'the people'?
Is there such a thing? Haven't we become completely individualistic? How can we
declare the 'will of the people;' in our own culture? Compared with (say) the
black peoples of S Africa, and the West Indians in S London who have a strong
sense of belonging to a people.
Mike Individualism has grown in many
places and structures for building community have to be introduced to them, but
in some parts of rural E Anglia there is still community spirit.
Q Serving our neighbour is a
principle which could be used positively in Government. It is a pity that
rulers mostly appeal to our own self-interest, eg in current pre-election
period.
Mojlum In his last sermon Mohammed
reminded people that they are all descended from Adam and that Adam came from
clay. We are related not just by blood but by our divine origin. This is like
invisible glue which holds us all together. The height of aspiration is not
wealth but closeness to God.
Q We should not speak about two
worlds but our one world. The Iraqis' passionate commitment to vote was
impressive.
Q Differences between Muslims
culture and our own are not so great as those between our values and those
emanating from Brussels: there is a worrying anti-religious movement there,
evidenced in attitudes to euthanasia, and the lack of disabled people visible
in the community in Belgium.
The
Chairman expressed appreciation to the speakers, and the panel and the audience
for their contributions and reminded people of the 3rd Dialogue the following
week.
|
Hosting: |
Philip
Webber of the Cathedral Education Group |
|
Chair: |
Cynthia
Capey, Honorary Faiths Officer, Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource (SIFRE) |
|
Speakers: |
M.
Manwar Ali, President of Jimas, Muslim Education Charity |
|
Panel: |
Elahe
Mojdehi, SIFRE Community Liaison Officer |
A member
of the Cathedral Education Group welcomed participants. Cynthia briefly explained the background to
the dialogue for the benefit of newcomers and introduced the speakers and the
panel.
Human
Rights derive from the inherent dignity and worth of the human person. They are universal, inalienable and equal.
This
means that they are inherent in every human being: they cannot be taken away
from, or surrendered by, any person.
Everyone has these rights in the same measure - regardless of race,
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social
origin, poverty, birth or status.
These
rights are enshrined in international and regional laws, the most famous and
most globally applicable being the United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. Every member country of
the United Nations (there are currently 191 member states) on signing the
Charter of the United Nations, which is a legally binding treaty, has also
agreed in principal to uphold the Universal Declaration of HR.
This
Declaration, which contains 30 articles, was adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly on 10th December 1948.
The date is commemorated every year, worldwide, as HR Day. The 30 articles establish the civil and
political, economic, social and cultural rights of all people.
The main
purpose of the Declaration of HR is to deal with a particular type of harm,
namely the abuse of power by the state and officials of the state. HR standards are intended to prevent people
from becoming victims of such abuse and to secure redress for them if they do
become victims. Some HR violations are
criminal acts in themselves, such as torture and unlawful killings by state
officials.
It is
important to emphasise that an HR violation is a particular category of harm
which can only be committed by a person dignified by the authority of the
state. Neither a criminal nor a
terrorist has that dignity.
When
criminals or terrorists injure or kill people, they commit serious criminal
offences, but they do not commit HR violations. It is against the background of international HR laws that
Amnesty International campaigns and holds states and their officials to
account.
During
the 20 years that I have been a member of Amnesty International, our mission
has expanded its boundaries, as has our global membership.
From
campaigning on prisoners of conscience, torture and the death penalty, we have
expanded our mission to include our current global campaigns, such as Stop
Violence Against Women, The Arms Trade and Corporate Responsibility.
As a
global movement, our membership is made up of people of many different
religious beliefs, including those who have no religious affiliations of any
kind. I am a HR activist because I
passionately believe that the violation of the rights of other directly
threatens the human dignity of the victim and dehumanises the perpetrator. But, equally passionately, I am a HR
activist because I believe it to be incumbent upon me as a Christian.
To
illustrate this, I am faced with the difficult task of unravelling before you
the contents of my faith which, I suppose, is something akin to the baring of
one's soul. Before doing so, I must
point out that I have no theological qualifications; neither do I presume to
speak for other Christians. Just as
each human consciousness is unique, so is each individual's understanding of
his or her faith.
The
great religions of the world lay down the fundamental doctrines of their
faiths, but each individual's understanding of them remains unique to that
person. This is particularly true of Christianity which, unlike Judaism and
Islam, is not based on law. This
exposes the mystical doctrines of the Christian faith more to individual
interpretation.
Those of
you here, who are familiar with the New Testament, do not require me to tell
you that Christ is represented as one who brings us liberation and that his
work and teachings are chiefly directed towards the poor, the needy, the
outcast and the marginalized. In
Matthew 25. v 35 He even identifies with them to the extent that He says:
"...when I was hungry, you gave me food;
when thirsty, you gave me drink;
when I was a stranger, you took me into your home'
when naked, you clothed me;
when I was ill you came to my help,
when in prison you visited me."
Rich
though the New Testament is with examples of Christ's mission to the weak and
the victim, in order to illustrate the link between my faith and my work in the
field of HR, I need to delve deeper into the most basic doctrines required of
any believer and without which there can be no orthodoxy. I need to demonstrate how my understanding
of the Christian revelation, compels me to do what I do. For this we will examine together some of
the fundamental doctrines of Christianity and the implications they have on how
we perceive the world and our place in it.
What are
some of these fundaments doctrines?
q That God is the creator of all things, seen and unseen and the his nature is love
q That God was incarnate in Jesus Christ
q That the Holy Spirit is ever present on earth, working in the affairs of men
q
That God's ultimate goal is to build His Kingdom on the
earth. Hence we pray: "Thy
Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Each of
these statements, as I understand them, reveals a God who is intensely involved
in nature, in man, in the affairs of men and in the whole historical
process. Moreover, a God who gives
self-revelation through historical events.
A God
whose nature is love is forever active and creative; for love is not an
emotion, but a creative process, a process through which the creator has
forever placed Himself at risk through His creation. This makes the very act of creation a sacramental mystery. It means also that the creation of the world
not only initiates history, it initiates at the same time the human struggle
and, more importantly, the process of salvation. It is in time, in history and as man in Christ that God fulfils
his ultimate revelation and, creation in turn, acquires its full meaning.
The full
significance of God's action in history can be understood only when it is put
in the context of the eschatological promises, which are the elimination of
misery and exploitation as a sign of the coming of the Kingdom. Hence, the very struggle for a just world in
which there is no oppression or servitude is itself a process which proclaims
its approach. This task of building the
Kingdom on earth, which was initiated by Christ, has been entrusted to us. For we, with Christ, are joint heirs of it.
My
conclusion from this is not so much that one day, if we are worthy, we will
escape from the earth to be with God in heaven, but that God is willing,
desiring and active through history to establish His Kingdom here on earth,
with us as the chief architects of that kingdom. However,
this
eschatological promise cannot be fulfilled unless we are willing to become
involved in the task of building it.
Christ
is not just the Truth, He is also the Way.
The Truth is not just a matter for contemplation, for then it will
become static. The Truth must also be
the Way. The process of building the
Kingdom, of ridding the world of injustice and servitude requires a total involvement
with the human condition: humanity in
the context of history. This demands an
identification with those who suffer, as Christ himself did, even unto death.
The true
Eucharistic feast is partaking of the broken body of humanity with which God
has already identified through the broken body of Christ. Otherwise, the memorial service of the
Eucharist of which we partake symbolically in the church will remain nothing
more than just a symbol.
Cynthia
thanked Gitti and observed that the Human Rights of Asylum Seekers were not
fully respected in the UK. As an example,
midwives were reporting that some mothers, made destitute by our asylum system,
were then having their babies removed from them because they were homeless and
couldn't care for them!
(Manwar's
talk was based on this paper, prepared by himself. We are printing it in full here.)
In the
Name of Allah the Most Kind the Most Merciful
Human
Rights as a phrase came into use over a long history of human development and
experience against injustices of many kinds and proportions. In dialogues with
Judaism, Christianity and Islam we do find certain principles and practices
enshrined in them that offer justice, mercy and rights to mankind, but none of
them codify them as a separate institution under the rubric of Human Rights.
Some
people claim that the world first derived the concept of basic human rights
from the Magna Carta of Britain which was drawn up 600 years after the advent
of Islam. The truth is until the 17th century no one argued that the Magna
Carta contained the principles of trial by jury, Habeas Corpus and control by
Parliament of the right of taxation.
Human
rights in the context of Islam are those that are granted by Allah.
In Islam
ensuring what is good and beneficial is of paramount significance. Benefits are
understood to accrue if the objectives of the Islamic Law (Shariah) are met.
The objectives are generally five:
q faith or religion
q life
q reason
q family & descendants
q property
Whatever
assures the preservation of these five goals is deemed beneficial and whatever
fails to preserve them is corruption and wickedness and its removal is
beneficial.
It is a
significant and obvious fact of history that religion has always been the
primary source of mankind's knowledge of morality. No age ever ignored it
except this one.
In Islam
all that is in the Qur'an and the Sunna is, per se, in accordance with human
interest, at large, for the Creator knows, and wants, what is best for human
beings.
Islam is
a complete way of life based on a distinct creed in total submission to Allah.
The outcome one hopes for thereby is success and being blessed in life and
eternal happiness in Paradise avoiding Hell altogether. Islam promotes social
justice, fair distribution of wealth, and acknowledge attempts that make human
agency dominant while at the same time pay respect to God's sovereignty.
To
follow the path prescribed by Allah is for our intelligence what the natural
order is for all the other elements.
If
anyone slew a person -
unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land -
it would be as if he slew the whole people.
[Chapter al-Maidah (5): 32]
Say:
"Come, I will rehearse what Allah has (really) prohibited you from":
do not join anything as equal with Him;
be good to your parents;
do not kill your children on a plea of want -
We provide sustenance for you and for them -
do not come near to shameful deeds, whether open or secret;
do not take not life, which Allah has made sacred,
except by way of justice and law:
thus does He command you, that you may learn wisdom.
[Chapter al-An'am (6): 151]
The word
nafs used in these verses is general and applies to any human being
whatever the person's religion, nationality or race.
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "One
who kills a man under covenant will not even smell the fragrance of
Paradise." [Bukhari]
If any
one saved a life, it would be as if
he saved the life of the whole people.
[Chapter al-Maidah (5): 32]
O you
who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible):
for suspicion in some cases is a sin:
and do not spy on each other.
[Chapter al-Hujurat (49): 12]
O you
who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own,
until you have asked permission and saluted those in them:
that is best for you, in order that you may heed (what is seemly).
[Chapter an-Nur (24): 27]
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) went to the extent
of instructing Muslims that a man should not enter even his own house suddenly
at inopportune time without indicating so that he may avoid seeing e.g., his
mother, sister or daughter in a condition they would not like to be seen.
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) forbade the people
reading others letters.
Protection
of Honour Especially Respect for the Chastity of Women
O ye who
believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others:
it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former):
nor let some women laugh at others:
it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former):
nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other,
nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames:
ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness,
(to be used of one) after he has believed:
and those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.
O ye who believe! avoid suspicion as much (as possible):
for suspicion in some cases is a sin:
and spy not on each other,
nor speak ill of each other behind their backs.
Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?
Nay, you would abhor it.
But fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most-Merciful.
[Chapter al-Hujurat (49): 11-12]
Contrast
the above with how the law of defamation works in our society.
A Muslim
must not abuse a woman of any kind, no matter what her religion or camp she
belongs.
Do not come near to adultery:
for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).
[Chapter
al-Isra (17): 32]
And in
their wealth and possessions (was remembered)
the right of the (needy), him who asked,
and him who (for some reason) was prevented (from asking).
[Chapter adh-dhariyat (51): 19]
This
injunction was given in Makkah where there was not any Muslim society.
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "It
(zakat) will be taken from their rich and given to those in the community in
need." [Bukhari & Muslim]
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "The
ruler is the guardian of him who has nobody to support him." [Abu Dawud]
All
human rights activism in the modern world properly traces its origins back to
the campaigns to abolish the slave trade and then slavery itself.
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "I
shall myself be a plaintiff against three kinds of people on the Day of
Judgment. Of these three, one is he who enslaves a free man, then sells him and
eats (from) this money." [Bukhari]
After
the occupation of America and the West Indies, traffic in slave trade continued
for 350 years. Ports in Africa came to be known as the Slave Coast. According to British authors around 20
million free people were enslaved for the British Colonies between 1680 and
1786. 75,000 alone were sent in 1790 as slave labour. Chained, one on top of
another, on planks 18 inches wide, they were shipped worse than cattle. During
the journey 20% painfully perished. Altogether around a 100 million slaves were
traded by the European countries.
By the
time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, all the old slaves of Arabia had been
liberated.
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) freed as many as
63 slaves. Aisha freed 67, Abbas liberated 70, Ibn Umar liberated 1000 and Abdur-Rahman
purchased 30,000 and set them all free. The problem of slavery was solved
within 40 years in Arabia.
"The
reason slave trading stopped has nothing to do with a moral crusade or
righteousness, but simply because people felt that the profits to be gained
from not having it far outweighed those ever gained with it. As a result, in
1807, The Abolition of Slave Trade Act was passed, followed in 1833 by the
Abolition of Slavery Act, freeing all slaves in the British Empire and bringing
to an end one of the not so glorious British institutions."
[http://britishhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa060400a.htm]
It is
well known and clearly understood that in Islam no one can be imprisoned except
in pursuance of justice.
The
Kharijites used to abuse Ali openly and threaten him with murder. Ali would set
them free and tell his officers, "As long as they do not perpetrate
offences against the state, the mere use of abusive language or the threat of
use of force are not such offences for which they can be imprisoned." Abu
Hanifah said that Ali said, "As long as they do not set out on armed
rebellion, the caliph of the faithful will not interfere with them."
No
bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another.
[Chapter
al-An'am (6): 164]
Do not
let the hatred of some people
in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque
lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part).
[Chapter al-Maidah (5): 2]
O you
who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah,
as witnesses to fair dealing,
and let not the hatred of others to you
make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice.
Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah.
For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.
[Chapter al-Maidah (5): 8]
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "I have
been ordered by Allah to dispense justice between you."
No one is above the Law but are equal
in front of it
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "The
nations that lived before you were destroyed by Allah because they punished the
common man for their offences and let their dignitaries go unpunished for their
crimes. I swear by Him in whose Hands is my life, even if Fatima the daughter
of Muhammad had committed this crime (of theft) then I would have amputated her
hand."
O
mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female,
and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other.
Indeed the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah
is (he who is) the most righteous (and heedful) of you.
[Chapter al-Hujurat (49): 13]
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "No
Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any
superiority over a black man, or the black man any superiority over the white
man. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay."
[Baihaqi]
Islam
recognizes the Right to Co-operate and not, the Right of Association, the Right
to Protest, Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Conscience and Conviction,
Protection of Religious Sentiments and the Right to Avoid Sin. The way they are
guarded, permitted or constrained do not necessarily coincide with how they are
preserved in secular constitutions, but as to which system affords them in a
better way is debatable. There is also the vast area of the Rights of Enemies
in Islam which is complete, precise and fully accommodates the goals of the
Shariah outlined earlier. All of these aspects can be readily proven from the
Qur'an and explained through the Sunnah with great clarity.
1) It is
a creed without God - Fifty years after its proclamation, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights has become the sacred text of what Elie Wiesel has
called a "world-wide secular religion." UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan has called the Declaration the "yardstick by which we measure human
progress." Human rights has become the major article of faith of a secular
culture that fears it believes in nothing else. If idolatry consists in
elevating any purely human principle into unquestioned absolute, then human
rights look like idolatry.
2) Human
Rights can be suspended and used as a fighting creed. The armed forces of the
Western powers have been busier since 1989 than they ever were during the Cold
War, and the legitimising language for this activity has been the defence of
human rights. The gulf in international law between the non-intervention
language of the UN charter and the interventionist implications of the human
rights covenants has never been bridged. It is now viewed by many as nothing
more than a justification for Western moral imperialism. Economic globalisation
steamrolls over local economies, and moral globalisation - human rights - follows
behind as the legitimising ideology of the global capitalism.
3) In
the secular context we never know why we have them. The way it stands, it only
protects the core of negative freedom, (abuse, oppression, cruelty), it is an
account of what is right not what is good, it is individualistic, and does not
explain why we have human rights. The right to subsistence is as necessary for
human agency as a right against torture.
Article
1 of the Universal Declaration: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards
one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
It briefly declares many foundations:
Free and equal personhood
Equal dignity
Equal creation or endowment
Equal brotherhood
Human agency
The
Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings of God) said, "Each
child is born in a state of fitra, but his parents make him a Jew or a
Christian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have
you ever noticed any (young animal) born mutilated before you mutilate
them?" [Bukhari and Muslim]
We have
bestowed dignity on the children of Adam [...]
and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of Our creation.
[Chapter (17): 70]
4) A
secular defence of human rights depends on the idea of moral reciprocity: that
we judge human actions by the simple test of whether we would wish to be on the
receiving end. Human rights doctrines appear to assume that if the punishments
and incentives of governed societies are taken away, human rights norms will
remind people of the requirements of natural decency. But this assumes that the
capacity to behave decently is a natural attribute. Where is the empirical
evidence that this is the case?
If
reason rationalised the Holocaust, so the argument goes, then only an ethics
deriving its ultimate authority from a higher source than reason can prevent a
Holocaust in the future.
Likewise,
in 1959, Isaiah Berlin argued that in the post-Holocaust era awareness of the
necessity of a moral law is sustained no longer by belief in reason but by the
memory of horror.
5) The
crisis of human rights relates to:
first of
all to our failure to be consistent - to apply human rights criteria to the
strong as well as to the weak;
second to
our related failure to reconcile individual human rights with our commitment to
self-determination and state sovereignty; and
third to
our inability, once we intervene on human rights grounds, to successfully
create the legitimate institutions that alone are the best guarantee of human
rights protection.
6) Human
rights need a theology in order to explain, in the first place, why human
beings have "the right to have rights." Max Stackhouse, a Princeton
theologian, argues that the idea of human rights has to be grounded in the idea
of "transcendent moral laws."
Michael
Perry, a legal philosopher at Wake Forest University, argues, for example, that
the idea of human rights is "ineliminably religious." Unless you
think, he says, that the human beings are sacred, there seems no persuasive
reason to believe that their dignity should be protected with rights. Only a
religious conception of human beings as the handiwork of God can sustain a
notion that individuals should have inviolable natural rights.
What do
we feel we can do as a local community?
"The loud silence of the international community is more powerful
than the bullets."
Silence
means complicity.
We must
use our public space more to bring things out into the open. We must deal with our local communities
before turning our attention to the international scene. Muslims do not mix enough with non-Muslims. My Asian school friends were racist against
whites. We need to break barriers and
build bridges. Our people have not
understood (come to terms with) our presence here.
This
highlights the significance of raising awareness. Christians are being humiliated in Africa, yet Islam gives
freedom to practise any religion. The
Quran recognises this even when the religion concerned is opposed to Islam!
In what
ways does the application of Shariah rely on particular rulers? Does Shariah violate Human Rights when a
hand is chopped off?
That is
a violation of human rights!
A true Islamic
state does not yet exist.
Human
Rights allow everyone to believe what they choose.
Saudi
Arabia, where Shariah law is followed, has the lowest rate of crime. We have to follow the rules of God if we are
to live in a secure environment.
The
problem is the misapplication of penal law.
There are checks and balances within Islam. The Khalif (or the prophet?) suspended hand chopping in time of
famine. Shariah and checks and balances
are close to Human Rights. In Saudi
Arabia the crime rate may be the lowest, but the law is used
discriminately. Penal Law should be
suspended until it is clear how it should be applied. There can be too much influence from foreign scholars.
Jewish
law was similarly severe but there had to be witnesses to crimes in order for a
conviction leading to punishment. (The
example of stoning adulterers had been brought up.)
Human
Rights are confirmed by the law or taken away by the state. They are not eternal. Muslim law is open to interpretation. Christian Law is internal, through the
conscience.
Human
Rights are a secular moral statement, and they are not acceptable to all
people. With regard to stoning, there
is the gospel story of the woman who was caught in adultery. She was brought to Jesus and he challenged
those without sin to cast the first stone.
They all went away. Judaism no
longer upholds stoning as a punishment.
Israel
today does not adhere to Human Rights!
I would
like to explain the original meaning of "Habeas Corpus" - the body
had to be produced as evidence in cases of murder.
Reference
was made to issues surrounding capital punishment in the USA.
Regarding
the laws about an eye for eye, hand cutting etc in the Judeo-Christian
tradition, they can be interpreted as symbolic rather than to be taken
literally; they are affirming the need for fair redress. Is this so in Islam?
I
understand it symbolically - a strong statement to stop people in their tracks.
Human
Rights are limited to the individual in relation to the state and do not cover
economic and social inequalities. They
do not apply to multi-nationals. Human
Rights need reforming as times change.
The European Convention is more comprehensive than the Declaration of
Human Rights.
In the
Ipswich series of Muslim/Christian dialogue it was pointed out that in Islam
there is more stress on human responsibility than on Human Rights. Muslims are called to reflect the compassion
of the Creator God. In the Jewish
Bible/Christian OT, the ruler has the responsibility of a shepherd, to care for
his people. In Paul's letter to the
Romans in the New Testament he says that Christians are called to share in the
birth pangs of the new creation, to accept the pain of working with God for the
healing of the world. This is echoed in
the Breaking of Bread at the Eucharist.
All three Abrahamic faiths seem to me to be best understood at a
sacramental level. Unfortunately some
of our texts are interpreted by people in ways which exclude others rather than
including them.
When the
police and criminal justice bill was pushed through, the clause about religious
hatred was dropped. Would it have
helped?
No - we
must not restrict free discussion.
Things must come out into the open if we are to deal with them. Through globalisation national states have
been reduced to economic entities. The
religious hatred clause was to assist globalisation!
What is
going on in schools?
Wonderful
things! RE is not evangelistic - it is
about making people think. Children are
challenged to go deeply into matters of life and death and human experience as
religious issues. 12/13 year olds are
dealing with the spiritual concepts of light and darkness. Human Rights are examined in detail.
"Evil
prevails when good men do nothing."
It is better to be open and honest and face up to difficult issues.
The
chairman brought the evening to a formal close, but many people stayed on to
continue the discussion, as in the previous sessions.
|
Hosting: |
Canon
Andrew Todd, Sub-Dean of the Cathedral |
|
Chair: |
Liz
Pichon, Deputy Faiths Officer, Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource (SIFRE) |
|
Speakers: |
Ahmed
Elsharkawy, Imam of Highpoint Prison |
|
Panel: |
Elahe
Mojdehi, SIFRE Community Liaison Officer |
Andrew
Todd welcomed participants. Liz
explained the arrangements for the evening and introduced the speakers and the
panel.
"God
enjoins justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbids indecency and
abomination and wickedness." [surah Nahl; 16:90]
There
are a number of Quranic injunctions commanding Muslims to do justice. Right
from the beginning, Allah had sent Prophets and messengers with three things
which aim at rendering justice and guiding the entire human society to the path
of peace. The first of these is Revelation, which commands Good and forbids
Evil. The second is Justice, which gives to each person his due. The third is
the strong arm of the law which maintains sanctions for evil-doers.
Justice
is a command of God and whoever violates it faces grievous punishment. God says
in the Holy Qur'an: "Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and giving
to Kith and Kin, and He forbids all indecent deeds, and evil and
rebellion"
Prophet
Mohammed (PBUH) was asked by God to do justice. God says: "Say: My Lord
has commanded justice"
Islam
stresses that justice must be done equally to all, even if it's to be done
against one's self, or one's parent or relatives. There must be no difference
between rich and poor. All are servants of God, and must be judged according to
the Book of God.
Some
people may be inclined to favour the rich, because they expect something from
them. Some people may be inclined to favour the poor because they are generally
helpless. Partiality in either case is wrong. We are asked to be just, without
fear or favour. Both the rich and the poor are under Allah' protection as far
as their legitimate interests are concerned, but they cannot expect to be
favoured at the expense of others.
The
legal system of Islam originated from the direct commandment of Allah; but
there is the power given to man in order to interpret and expand Divine
commandment, by means of analogical deductions and through other processes. The
very first source of the Islamic legal system is the Holy Qur'an. The second
source is the Sunnah practice of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). The third source
which may be classified as both consensus of opinion of scholars and analogy
provide detailed understanding derived from the Qur'an and Sunnah, covering a
wide spectrum of problems that arise in the course of man's life.
The
Quranic injunctions, from which is derived the Islamic legal system, are
further explained and translated into practice by the Sunnah of the Prophet.
Sunnah literally means a way, practice, rule of life; and refers to the model
behaviour of the Prophet in what he said, did or approved. Thus it became a
very important source of the Islamic legal system only second in authority
after the Holy Qur'an.
Besides
the Qur'an and the Sunnah, the consensus of opinion of the learned men and
jurists plays an important role in Islamic law since it provides a broad
vehicle of progress and reconstruction. Analogical deduction is also recognised
as the source for the Islamic legal system since it gives an instrument to cope
with the growing needs and requirements of society. But such analogical
deduction is based on very strict, logical and systematic principles and is not
to be misconstrued as mere fancies and imaginations of men.
The
central notion of justice in the Islamic law is based on mutual respect of one
human being by another. The Just society in Islam means the society that secures
and maintains respect for persons through various social arrangements that are
in the common interests of all members.
Behind
every legal, social or political institution of Islam, there is a divine
sanction which every believer is expected to reverence no matter where he
lives. He cannot change his own whims into laws. There are the limits of Allah,
imposed in order to curtail man's ambitions and devices. Lawful and unlawful
are clearly mentioned and these are the boundaries which every Muslim must respect.
If he transgresses any of these limits, he is doing wrong or committing a
crime.
In
reality, these limits provide safeguards of the rights of men and nations and
give men sense of responsibility to God and hence to the entire mankind. These
limits stop him from being inhuman, and make him respect the blood and property
of another man, and give equality of treatment to all individuals, male and
female before the law.
In
commercial dealings, these limits provide for respect for contractual dealings
and the prohibition of usury and gambling. In the case of individual conduct,
these limits provide for the prohibition of intoxicants and not to do injustice
to others and give charity to poor relations and provide for the strict law
governing inheritance. In the dealings with nations, these limits provide for
respect for treaties, and give a strict code of conduct for one's dealings with
one's fellowmen by not destroying even the enemies' means of sustenance, and by
showing mercy to the surrendered enemy.
Transgression
of such limits exposes the individual to a severe punishment. All jurists admit
the harshness of such punishments but at the same time realise their long-term
benefits to members of the society. Also, due to its harshness, a punishment is
not applied unless a series of strict conditions and criteria relating to the
crime committed are fulfilled.
To
conclude, judicial power, according to the Islamic law must always operate in
conformity with equity, even to the benefit of an enemy and to the detriment of
a relative. Islamic law does not allow the slightest modification in the rule
of perfect justice. It firmly establishes the rule of law, eliminating all
differences between the high and the low.
Graeme
Garden introduced himself as a lay Christian who has served 50 years as a
Methodist Local Preacher, a recently-retired Magistrate of 32 years experience,
who has also been responsible for training Suffolk Magistrates; a member of the
Board of Visitors at Highpoint and Board member of Suffolk Probation Board; a
member and more recently a Council Member of the Commonwealth Magistrates
Association which has enabled him to see and study judicial practice sin many
countries. He has recently been appointed a member of HM Courts Board which now
has responsibility for running the Unified Courts System.
Graeme
Garden began by quoting the saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do'.
We might think that those who live in a country should obey its laws but there
are situations where there is real or perceived conflict between the law of the
land and religious principles: eg cutting off hands as a punishment for theft
may be sanctioned within Islam, but Article 3 of the European Convention on
Human Rights prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading punishment. However, another part of the Convention
permits the practice of one's religion - subject to the limitations of civil
law. In other words there is an absolute right to hold religious beliefs but
the practice of those beliefs may be limited.
Christian Conscientious Objectors are a similar example.
Graeme
said that Christians' attitude towards law and the implementation of it is
based on belief in a Trinitarian God and the twofold principle of Love God and
Love Your Neighbour. Just behaviour is
enjoined by both OT and NT. Christianity and Islam share the conviction that
God is concerned with our progress in this life and He ultimately is our Judge.
Another
current issue relevant to the 'When in Rome....' issue is the recent decision
by a High Court to permit a school student to dress according to the Islamic
dress code when attending her school.
Justice
means that it is wrong to detain Muslims without charge or trial or evidence in
this country. It is wrong to brand all Muslims as terrorists.
Christians
and Muslims both have a global vision and what happens internationally is of
concern to us. Some Muslims view America as a rapacious evil power. America's
own record in Vietnam/Cambodia and its own use of WMD should be considered.
There
are Muslim Magistrates and Judges. In the judicial system efforts are made to
ensure that ethnic minorities are properly represented with regard to the area
where the Court is situated. Religious
diversity is allowed for in Court procedures, eg a Koran is available for the
purpose of taking the Oath, as a matter of course.
Graeme
believes that the UK operates a fair legal system which has been carefully
honed to fulfil the needs of all Court users.
In some parts of the world there is corruption, with Governments
interfering with the judicial system, or where people who are innocent as well
as guilty people are imprisoned to serve as cheap labour. It is essential that
people of Faith defend the rights of the individual and the high standards on
which the UK judicial practices have been established.
1. A
lawyer in the audience suggested that we can't talk about justice in the
abstract - it needs to be contextualised.
When we talk about justice we need to talk about the consequences of
offending against it, ie if X is done, Y follows. Ahmed replied that justice
needs to be given a context first within ourselves, to be part of our own
personality in your dealings with yourself, your family and community. Both
justice and mercy are attributes of God.
Elahe referred to a picture of justice as the trunk of a tree whose
branches are compassion, mercy, modesty etc. Graeme noted the importance to
Christians of Jesus' saying Judge not that you be not judged.
2. An
audience member suggested there is not so much conflict between the Christian
and Muslim positions as there is between those who speak from a faith
perspective and those who come from the 'secular' position.
3. The
same questioner was interested in Ahmed's experience of the attitude that
imprisoned criminals have to the law. Ahmed said that he experienced criminals
living in comparative luxury in prison - and it is expensive to keep people
there. Yet the reoffending rate is high. But the victims of crime are suffering
grief and misery. So in his view what happens in prison is not 'justice' in any
way that would satisfy the victims of crime. Graeme expressed a more positive
view; he thought prisons in this country were much more humane than in some
other places in the world and that sentences were effective-though he did not
believe in long sentences. Another audience member commented from experience on
the different conditions in prisons in the region. Ahmed explained the four categories of prison.
4. An
audience member asked about the actual implementation of the law, court system
etc in Islam. Ahmed explained that there were the same components in any trial
except that there was no Jury. Muslims deem it important to consider the
circumstances in which a crime has been committed, and a Judge is entitled to
investigate these.
5. Another
audience member asked whether Islamic law applied to all within a Muslim
country whether or not they were Muslims.
Manwar explained that in such countries Jews and Christians would be
allowed to practise personal behaviour in accordance with their beliefs.
Conversely, no Muslim can demand in the UK the cutting off of a hand as
punishment for theft because he has no authority to do so - the law of the land
applies (although some extreme groups challenge this).
6. Discussion
moved on to how far law takes account of advances in society, eg technological
and medical advances. The legal system
in the UK seeks to take account of these by taking account of the balance of
public opinion about (say) medical advances - at least, it does in theory.
Ahmed pointed out that very soon after the death of the Prophet people started
to come across unprecedented moral situations. Over the centuries and now,
Muslim law has achieved flexibility by being interpreted by skilled Muslim scholars.
The questioner queried whether this meant a self-appointed oligarchy decided
things - ie that the people were subject to a law that they did not help to
formulate. Ahmed explained that the scholars have people's views relayed to
them, and they take into account what line of action would benefit the
majority. Manwar expanded on this by saying that these experts were selected
for their service to the community and their depth of experience; in the
implementation of Islamic law not everyone has an equal say because people are
not equally knowledgeable and experienced.
7. The
discussion returned to the re-offending rate which was quoted as being 70%.
Does prison merely create networks to enable more crime later? Would
restorative justice, requiring people to face their victims, make people change
for the better?
8. Another
question was gently raised about aspects of Islamic law which seem to outsiders
barbaric, eg stoning a woman who has become pregnant through an adulterous
relationship, or cutting off a hand for stealing. Ahmed replied that not all
such harsh punishments were carried out - historically, they had sometimes been
replaced by a fine. However, he though it important to take into account the
victim's point of view. A punishment
such as cutting off a hand which appeared 'barbaric' was justified if the
possibility of it ensured security. He also pointed out that the Prophet asked
victims of crime to forgive the wrongdoers. Another member of the audience
pointed out that these 'barbaric' laws were part of the tradition inherited by
Judaism and Christianity, not just Islam - all 3 faiths have had to work out
how to interpret them. A panel member pointed out that a 'barbaric' punishment
like hanging has been abolished only recently in this country.
9. Another
questioner asked whether it was considered right within Islam to overthrow a
ruler who was perceived as going against Islamic law. Manwar replied that Islam
did not favour anarchy; in such a situation patience would be the counsel -
nothing should be done which would lead to greater harm.
10. Graeme
Garden said that in his experience most people doing Community Service had been
convicted of drugs offences, not of burglary or violence. A questioner asked if
Muslims tended to be convicted of, or to avoid, particular offences. This led to a discussion about the kinds of
people who end up in prison, the age-profile, and the reasons why these people
might be led into crime. The fact that
most prisoners were under 30 might suggest that the basic 'problem' was a lack
of moral guidance and proper socialisation during adolescence.
11. Ahmed
reflected on the fact that 10% of the prisoners at Highpoint, 98n people
currently, are Muslim. Two thirds of these come regularly to worship, and the
majority of these are very devout. They
find God more readily in prison than outside - perhaps because they have the
chance to hear about and explore their faith, and to worship. A similar
phenomenon with regard to people coming to Christian faith in prison was noted.
Liz
Pichon, as chairperson, brought the discussion to a close. She thanked all those who had participated,
and said that there would be various opportunities for people to follow-up the
series. Forms were available for
people's suggestions. She also pointed
out that the report of the dialogues would shortly be accessible on the SIFRE
web-site www.sifre.org.uk
There is
no need for a clash of civilisations, if by that we mean between Christianity
and Islam. They share common values and
it is vital that they reinforce their commitment to these values by reminding
each other of them! The challenge for
both faiths (all faiths in fact) is to resist the forces of materialism and selfishness
- that is the real clash of cultures.
Christians
and Muslims worship a God of mercy and compassion who cares for the poor and
needy. They also both believe that God is a God of justice who expects his
followers to work towards a just society.
Globalisation and trade are not wrong in themselves - but trade must be
fair. The highest aspiration for
mankind is not wealth but closeness to God.
There is
no one form of democracy and there is no Islamic state. Christians and Muslims can work together in
the UK for the common good. We can also
work together to resist some of the values emanating from Brussels. Christians and Muslims are also citizens of
one world.
We must
also recognise and honour each other's history and traditions. Both faiths teach respect for values
enshrined in the Declaration of Human Rights, but lay more emphasis on our
responsibilities. Muslims and
Christians have a duty to treat everyone fairly, to save life, to free slaves,
to feed the hungry.
The
ethical teaching of Islam and Christianity is founded upon a theological
premise - the nature of God. For
Christians and Muslims, the notion of human rights should be sustained upon the
premise of the sacredness of human beings as the handiwork of God.
We must
continue to interpret our scriptures and traditions in the light of rigorous
study and analysis to meet the new challenges which face each generation. This process is fundamental to Islam.
We must
apply our principles to everyday life and to practical problems including the
treatment of prisoners. What kind of
punishments are appropriate? How can our faiths help to rehabilitate offenders?
It is
important that we act locally together as well as thinking globally. It is also vital that we feel able to speak
to each other freely without worrying about causing offence. There must be honest.dialogue between us in
all our public spaces.
All
groups within the community have a responsibility to work towards the well
being of the whole community. Minority
groups need to become more integrated, the majority need to become more
welcoming and inclusive. Muslims and
Christians can together encourage this process.
There
needs to be a greater understanding of the basic principles of Islam,
particularly with regard to relations with people of other faiths. Please see below the article which Elahe
Mojdehi has compiled on this subject.
Studying
together shared stories and sacred texts
Further discussion on democracy and other issues (women's rights,
peace-making).
Shared meals and fellowship
A Christian/Muslim/Jewish pilgrimage, to Andalucia
Working with statutory bodies and wider community to tackle contemporary
issues.
Compiled by Elahe Mojdehi for
Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource, May 2005.
In the Name of God the Most
Compassionate the Most Merciful
The
Arabic word "Islam" means "submission". The very name Islam comes from the Arabic
root word 'salama' which means peace. Thus, by this very simple linguistic definition,
one can ascertain as to what the nature of this religion is.
Islam is
a religion which is based upon achieving peace through the submission to the
will of Allah. In a religious context it means attainment of peace, inward and
outward, through voluntary submission to the will of God.
"Allah" is an Arabic word means The
God, which is used by all Muslims, particularly Arab Muslims and Christians
alike. Islam is a religion of peace,
mercy, justice, forgiveness, virtue, inclusiveness and human dignity for all.
Every
Muslim starts any new beginning "In the name of God, the Most
Compassionate the Most Merciful".
This is a constant reminder to compassion and mercy in our day to day
dealings
Every
Muslim greets another by saying:
As salaamu alaikum - Peace be upon you.
The holy
Qur'an is the record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel
Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. The 114 chapters of the Qur'an have remained
unchanged through the centuries and are still memorized and read by Muslims all
over the world.
Muslims
believe in One, Unique, and Incomparable God. They believe in the
Day of Judgment and individual accountability for their actions. Muslims
believe in a chain of prophets beginning with Adam and including Noah, Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus (peace be
upon them all). God's eternal message was reaffirmed and finalized by the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). One becomes a Muslim by affirming,
"There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God''
Qur'an
defines The mission of the prophet as:
"We
have sent you forth as a blessing and mercy to mankind."(21:107)
When
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was asked:
"What is Islam?" his reply took less than a minute, showing
the simplicity of the religion and its accessibility by all. He said: "Obedience to God, and
kindness and compassion to humanity."
Islam is
not a new religion; message of Islam is the same truth that God revealed to all
His prophets throughout history.
In addition
to believing in the holy Qur'an, Muslims also believe in the holy Torah and the
holy Gospel.
''It
is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what
went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus)
before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment
between right and wrong)."(3:3)
The holy
Qumran affirms our belief in all of God's Prophets without distinguishing among
them. The faith of a Muslim is not
acceptable unless he believes in all of the Prophets who preceded prophet
Mohammad (PBUH). This is such an integral part of the faith.
"Say
ye: "We believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham,
Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and
that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one
and another of them: And we bow to the God. (Q.21:136)
People
of the Scripture are further granted a special consideration in Islam.
'those who believe, and the Jews, the Christians and the Sabians, whoever believe in God and the Last Day and does good, they shall have the rewards from their lord and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.''
The holy
Qur'an talks about the mankind in the following Way:
"O
mankind! We created you male and female and set you up as a nations and tribes
so that you may know one another. The noblest among you in the sight of God are
the most pious and righteous of you.'' (Q.3:64)
If Islam
is based on the notion of peace, then how is it that some acts are done under
the name of Islam are contrary to peace? The answer is simple. Such actions, if
not sanctioned by the religion, have no place with it. They are absolutely not
Islamic and should not be thought of as Islamic.
The
foundation of Islam is base on oneness, Therefore the holy book needs to be
read and understood in its entirety.
The background to each sura should be fully understood and one cannot
take a verse revealed for a particular battle and conveniently leave out verses
and insist it is for the daily affairs of Muslims. These actions undermine the spiritual values of message of the
holy Qur'an and the image and sanctity of the Prophet of Islam. Doing so aids
those who have hijacked Islam for their misguided cause. Neither the Qur'an nor
the tradition in Islam justifies violence.
Ones who
persecute innocent people because of their faith are not welcomed to the House
of Islam, their use of Islam as a scapegoat does not make Islam what they
portray it to be. The holy Qur'an categorically prohibits coercion in matter of
religion by sheer of force. Islam teaches divine justice. Individual is
responsible for his own decision and acts.
No one as far as Islam is concerned, is held responsible for another's
decision actions.
Islam
continuously reassures man of his rights to freedom of choice and freedom to
use that God-given faculty of thought and reason. therefore man is expected to
reason things out objectively and systematically for himself. To question and
to reflect. No one should press other
to make a hasty decision to accept any of the teachings of Islam. Every man has that individual will.
No one
else can take that away that will and force him to surrender to the will of
God. One needs to find out and make
that decision himself. The faith is
only acceptable when one comes to it with its mind and heart.
The holy
Qur'an and Hadith vehemently insist on religious tolerance and the idea of
"no compulsion in religion."
The Holy
Qur'an explicitly says "There is no compulsion in religion".
At another place the Heavenly Book says, "Don't create chaos and
dissension on earth". It is an established fact that Islam is
basically and essentially the religion of peace, moderation and toleration,
having no place at all for any extremism or violence.
"Let
there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God has
grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks, for God is All
Hearing and Knowing''.
(Q. 2:256)
Islam
commands the Muslims to be just with people of other faiths, whether they be
Jews, Christians, or pagans. Islam calls us to treat them kindly and try to win
their hearts.
''And
tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner (unto those who
do not share their beliefs). Verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord
between men; for verily; Satan is man's foe .... Hence, We have not sent you
(Unto men 0 Prophet) with power to determine their Faith.'' (Q. 17:53,54)
Allah
commands Muslims to respect their non-Muslim parents and to accompany them in
this world in a good manner.
"Argue
with the People of the Scripture in the best manner except those among them who
act oppressively. Say: We believe in the revelation that has come down to us
and in that which came down to you. Our God and your God is one, and it is to
Him we submit ourselves as Muslims." (Q.29:46)
Here are
some verses from the Holy Qur'an in relation to the message of the prophet
which show how Islam at its core and at its source is a religion of peace.
''O Prophet 'We have not sent you except to be a mercy to
all mankind:" Declare, "Verily, what is revealed to me is this, your
God is the only One God, so is it not up to you to bow down to Him?' But if
they turn away then say, "I have delivered the Truth in a manner clear to
one and all, and I know not whether the promised hour (of Judgment) is near or
far."(Q. 21 107-109)
''Assuredly,
We have sent down the Book to you in right form for the good of man. Who so
guided himself by it does so to his own advantage, and whoso turns away from it
does so at his own loss. You certainly are not their keeper.'' (Q. 39:41)
''Obey
God then and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away (no blame shall attach to
our Messenger), for the duty of Our Messenger is just to deliver the message'' (Q. 64:12)
''But
if they turn away from you, (0 Prophet remember that) your only duty is a clear
delivery of the Message entrusted to you'' (Q. 16:82)
''Oh
Prophet exhort; you cannot compel them
to believe.''
(Q. 88:21-22)
''And
whoso takes for patrons others besides God, over them does God keep a
watch. you are not a keeper over them.
But if they turn aside from you (do not get disheartened), for We have not sent
you to be a keeper over them; your task is but to preach''
(Q. 42:6,48)
Say
to them 'Whatever good betides you is from God and whatever evil betides you is
from your own self and that We have (0 Prophet) sent you to mankind only as a
messenger and all sufficing is God as witness. Whoso obeys the Messenger, he
indeed obeys God. And for those who turn away. We have not sent you as a
keeper."
(Q. 4:79,80)
And
they ask, "When shall the promise be fulfilled if you speak the
Truth?" Say, "The knowledge of it is verily with God alone, and
verily I am but a plain Warner." (Q. 67:25-26)
(Noah
to his people) He (Noah) said "0 my people! think over it! If I act upon a
clear direction from my Lord who has bestowed on me from Himself the Merciful
talent of seeing the right way, a way which you cannot see for yourself, does
it follow that we can force you to take the right path when you definitely
decline to take it?'' (Q. 11:28)
(Three
Messengers to their people)Said (the Messengers), "Our Sustainer knows
that we have indeed been sent unto you, but we are not bound to more than
clearly deliver the Message entrusted to us.'' (Q. 36: 16-17)
To
every people have We appointed ceremonial rites (of prayer) which they observe;
therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but bid them to turn
to your Lord (since that is the main objective of religion). You indeed are
rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, (then say,) 'God
best knows (the value of) what you do." (Q. 22:67)
Here are
some sayings of the Prophet on how Muslims should treat their Non-Muslim
neighbours on a day to day basis as well as how governments should treat a
Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state.
"He
who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest, should not harm
his neighbour, should speak good or keep quiet." (Bukhari, Muslim)
"Whoever
hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me
annoys God." (Bukhari)
"Beware
on the Day of Judgment; I shall myself be complainant against him who wrongs a
Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state or lays on him a responsibility greater
than he can bear or deprives him of anything that belongs to him."
(AI-Mawardi)
I cannot
complete this work without remembering the wisdom of scholarship of Amir
Al-Momenin Imam Ali (Blessing of Allah upon him) on being a noble human being.
He
taught us that one hour of deep and sober contemplation is better than a life
prayer without understanding. He taught us to attach due important to sincerity
of purpose of life; that to live in purity and work with nobility of purpose is
a form of prayers. Man is recommended to dislike and abhor vices and
wrongdoing. We are taught that who acts with pity gives rest to his soul. We
are encouraged to learn from nobility of life of Moses, Jesus and Mohammad and
all other prophets (Peace be upon them all).
In a
letter to his son on treatment of others Imam Ali wrote:
'My dear
son, Do unto others as you wish others to do unto you. "Whatever you
dislike to happen to you, spare others from such happening". At another place he advises: "Do not
make yourself slaves of anybody". God has created you free man, do not
sell this freedom in return for anything. Remember that to oppress a weak or
helpless person is the worst form of tyranny. Do good to your brother when he
is doing harm to you. Be friend to him when he ignores you. Be generous to him
if he is not to you. Be kind to him when he is harsh and cruel to you.'
I hope
this reflection of mercy and compassion that I have learned from my faith, in
my journey of life will be an encouragement to fellow travellers of other
faiths to help them to look inwardly to their hearts and find the compassion to
understand Islam the way that Islam deserves to be understood.
Remember
always that in the teaching of the holy Qur'an people are constantly guided to
prefer Peace. Sanctity of life is underlined in the following Qur'anic verses:
"Whoever
saved a human life should be regarded as though he has saved all mankind."(Q..5:32)
A
positive step for people of other faiths is to reflect on their own history and
traditions too, and see that fanatics and extremists exist in every nation and
in the "followers" of every religion and usually their cause is related to non-religious factors. The
extremists who misuse and exploit Scriptures to justify their wrong deeds are
totally misguided. It is necessary to
have a unified stance in facing unjust, extremism and fanaticism. It is really a public duty where all of us have to
co-operate and participate. Moderates however are those who can bring dialogue
and mutual understanding into the future and accept with dignity what we differ
in. Diversity is a blessing and as a sign of God abundant generosity :
We only
need to create concrete and
positive outcomes of better
understanding. it is an insight that we desperately need to share. It can take
quite a while for everyone involved to grasp the ethos of dialogue. Our dialogue and cooperation hopefully will
be guided by the spiritual and ethical wisdom that are contain in our holy
scriptures.
''The
True servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk gently on the earth'' (Q. 25:63)
I would
like to sum up with the words of whom that is a 'Bridge' between people of all faiths, Jesus (PBUH), the one who
is deeply loved and respected by
all. Words that are the two greatest foundations on
which Christianity has been based.
''Love
the lord with your heart, all your soul and all your Mind.''
''Love your neighbour as you love your self.''
(Matthews XXXIII : 37,39,40)
An
Islamic Prayer:
Oh God
, You are Peace, from you come peace,
to you return peace, revive us with a salutation of peace and lead us to your
abode of peace.
I will
close by Islamic traditional blessing:
'May God's Love and Blessing be upon you'
Wa -s-Salamu Alaykum wa Rahatu-Lllah wa Barakatuh.