Today in some Islamic countries of the Middle East and Central Asia, radicalism and ignorance are so widespread that even in the Middle Ages, the Islamic world was far from this prejudice.
Author: Bakhtiyor Hamdamov
Religion should be based on wisdom and not on violence and discrimination.
The struggle of Chinese dynasties for power has long been forgotten. Today, China is a single country, and all Chinese people are working hard for its progress and prosperity.
I have always wondered why there are so many religions and faiths in China, but they never quarrel with each other. One preaches Confucius (Confucianism), the other is an adherent of the ideas of Taoism, and the third is a fan of Buddhism. After all, these are different religions and different views on the universe ... But all this does not prevent the Chinese, the life of a single nation, to coexist peacefully and building a new China with the most powerful economy in the world.
One day I asked my Chinese friend: what is the secret of your unity, despite the fact that you profess different religions?
I was amazed by his wise answer:
“The secret of Chinese success lies in influencing the ideology of the three doctrines, which maintains a balance. The first is the teachings of Confucius, based on humanity, truthfulness, wisdom, and faith. The second is the doctrine of Taoism based on the imitation of nature and patience (inaction) and, finally, the Buddhist doctrine, which is experience, rigor, and self-discipline, knowing the limits of one's beliefs, and respecting the beliefs of others. These three teachings do not oppose each other, but rather complement ... But you forgot about the fourth major religion of our country, Islam, - he said with a smile. After all, we have never considered Islam as a foreign religion, and our Muslims as outcasts. Muslims have always been full members of our society and their role in the development of China is essential.”
Indeed, during our visit, we have witnessed that the Chinese people, with their patience, zeal, enlightenment, diligence, and, most importantly, patriotism, have made their country one of the most developed countries in the world over the past twenty years. Because their daily motto is "keep up with the times".
I often think. What about us Muslims? One God, one religion, one Prophet (s), but this does not prevent us from constantly quarreling and destroying each other. At the same time, one of the main precepts of Islam is ignored, since the second of the biggest sins in Islam is the murder of an innocent person. The verses of the Qur'an clearly state that killing a person, regardless of whether he is a believer or not, and also regardless of whether it is committed intentionally or accidentally, is the worst sin, since this is an encroachment on the creation of the Creator, on His property.
But unfortunately, today in some Islamic countries of the Middle East and Central Asia, radicalism and ignorance are so widespread that even in the Middle Ages, the Islamic world was far from this prejudice. Otherwise terrorist organizations like ISIS*, Muslim Brotherhood*, Al-Qaeda*, East Turkistan Islamic Movement*, Taliban* would have allowed such geniuses as Al-Khwarizmi, Ibn Sina, Beruni, Zakaria al-Razi, and Ibn Al- Haytham, who laid the foundation for the development of modern science, live and create freely? Unlikely…
If we look at the rich spiritual heritage of our ancestors, we will understand that the great representatives of Islam, along with the famous philosophers of the world, including China, put truth, faith, conscience, and, finally, a person above all irrational religious disputes. Today, unfortunately, the Islamic world is in a difficult position. The reason is that the purpose of these senseless efforts of sheikhs, akhunds, and mullahs at all times was to sow discord among people and therefore achieve power and wealth in this way.
The rejection of science, modern civilization, and new technologies, as well as being limited only to religious teachings, have led us to this state. We are accustomed to blaming everyone except ourselves for all our troubles. Think for yourself... If we, Muslims, with our ignorance did not create a ground for disagreement and enmity, could such superpowers as the United States and Western countries manipulate the Islamic world? And the fact that these countries, creating and financing such projects as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Jabhat-an-Nusra *, the Taliban, and the Islamic Movement of East Turkestan * destroy traditional Islam, and set up these terrorist movements against states that are not pleasing to them, like Russia, China or the countries of Central Asia, is no longer a secret.
On one of our trips to China, our group was invited to get acquainted with the activities of the Ningxia Desertification Prevention Project, which was very interesting and instructive. At the meeting, Wang Youde, the leader of the project, who is considered a hero by many in China, stressed the need and importance of preserving nature, turning deserts into parks and gardens, more important than political debates in the West and efforts to democratize the entire planet in its own image.
- I have two sworn enemies, - said Mr. Wang with a smile - the war and the desert. I am a Muslim, and if Arab sheikhs, or the leaders of Al-Qaeda or the Islamic Movement of East Turkestan, came instead of you, I would, according to the custom of local Muslims, make them do creative work, that is, grow plants in the desert. I would tell them that true jihad is when the desert is turned into a garden, and no unjust blood is shed.
I involuntarily thought… If all Islamic theologians and ulema were like Wang Yude, a simple Muslim worker from China, there would never be wars and bloodshed in the Islamic world.
*The organization is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities.
