Happy are those who find fault with themselves instead of finding fault with others. (Muhammed)

Over the last fifteen years or so, there has been a great deal of ignorance and misinformation about Islam. This saying (hadith) from the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, reminds us how closely aligned our religions are (see Matt 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42). There have been many throughout history who have used religion to justify the evil in their hearts. We should not be surprised that it is happening today. What of the decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland ‘done in God’s name’?

Given the pluralistic society in which we live, our task is to ensure that young people have a clear understanding of Islam, beginning with the fact that the name of the religion comes from the Arabic word for ‘peace’. We believe in the one God. Middle Eastern Christians use the Arabic word for God, ‘allah’. And most importantly, we should struggle with ourselves to be the best person we can be (the true meaning of ‘jihad’) before pointing the finger at anyone else.

Have a great week!
Patrick