It's hard out there right now for people of the Islamic faith in this country.
Phrases like "Ground Zero Terror Mosque" permeate throughout the media, as what was a New York City issue became a national debate.
A mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn., was threatened and even had property destroyed by suspected arson attacks.
So-called "patriots" and "true Americans" threatened to and did burn the Quran, the holy book of Islam, Sept. 11.
Have we as a nation lost our collective minds?
Islam, one of the fastest growing religions on the planet, is truly a religion of peace, and the people who choose to be members of that faith do so because of a genuine desire to worship and live as they see fit.
Being a member of the Muslim faith does not automatically make someone a member of a suspect class, even in a post-9/11 world.
Fanatic Islamic terrorists are to true Islam what the Ku Klux Klan is to Christianity--a violent perversion of a noble faith.
Rather than immediately condemn all Muslims as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers, we should take time to discover more about the Muslim faith before we make rash decisions and judgments.
There is joy to be found in discovering our similarities and knowledge to be gained in seeking and understanding our differences.
More knowledge and more understanding can only lead to our betterment.
It is when we remain obstinate and refuse to make an effort to learn that we become like the terrorists we've come to hate, hardened by a rigid ideology and worldview that isn't a true version of reality.
Muslims are not the enemy; ignorance and blind hatred are.
Islam is not evil; bigotry and intolerance are.
There is more that unites us than divides us, if we would only take the time to learn and observe.
Alabama isn't traditionally known for its tolerance and religious understanding, but Auburn is (mostly) an exception.
The Auburn Islamic Center is a haven for Islamic students and professors.
There is also a Muslim Students' Association on campus.
Ansab Ali, president of the Muslim Students' Association, said the group has regular inter-faith dialogs, discussing both the similarities and differences between Islam and other religions (from "Arms Wide Open," B1).
After all, any student of theology can tell you that Christianity, Judaism and Islam all share a common origin: Abraham.
According to scripture, Abraham was the father of Judaism (through his son Isaac, born of his wife Sarah) and of Islam (through his son Ishmael, born of his servant Hagar).
The main disagreement inherent in the development of those two faiths seems to be about whom upon God bestowed his blessing, with both faiths claiming theirs is the truly blessed one.
While the two brothers spent most of their lives apart from one another, developing the families and bloodlines that would become our modern faiths, they did manage to come back together and unite for a time: to bury their father upon his death.
By that story, we're all just distant cousins involved in a family spat we inherited from generations that came before us.
But, in times of trouble and sadness, we can and will come together.
While family may disagree at times, there is still love there.
Love our Muslim brothers and sisters.
Show kindness.
Show respect.
Be willing to learn from diverse cultures and others. Living should be learning.
If we do these things, perhaps the sons of Isaac and Ishmael can unite once again, this time in a permanent bond of friendship and love.
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