There has been global outrage and rightly so over plans announced by a Florida based Pastor one Terry Jones to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks which falls today (Saturday). US President Barack Obama has sharply criticized the pastor’s plan and even calling it a “stunt”. As rightly observed by many people such act of intolerance will not only threaten the lives of American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq but it violates American principles of religious tolerance. Obama has gone on to warn that the Koran burning would be a “recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda” and other terrorist groups looking for people willing to “blow themselves up” in American or European cities. The burning of the Koran is not the right way to remember the tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attack on American soil. While no doubt there is bitterness and anger against those terrorists who massacred thousands of people, the way forward is to defeat the extremists who believe in the ideology of hate and use of violence. By burning the holy book whether it is the Koran or Bible, it will only encourage the extremists who are all the time looking at ways to gain legitimacy and be relevant. Pastor Terry Jones is no exception.
The other raging debate related to 9/11 is on the sensitive question of whether to allow or disallow an Islamic Center or a mosque to be built at Ground Zero, termed as the ‘holy site’ where the 9/11 terrorist attack took place. As in any debate, there are strong arguments on both side of the divide. Those, who oppose such a mosque at ground zero, point out that ultimately, this is not a question of rights, but a question of what is right. They strongly argue that building an Islamic Center or a mosque in the shadow of the World Trade Center will cause some victims more pain - unnecessarily - and that is not right. Their opposition is based on the issues of “location and sensitivity”. And there is nothing wrong in this argument. On the other hand those who support the move for building a mosque also argue their case. Newsweek writer and CNN host Fareed Zakaria who is a proponent of the Ground Zero mosque writes: “If there is going to be a reformist movement in Islam, it is going to emerge from places like the proposed institute. We should be encouraging groups like the one behind this project, not demonizing them”.
It is clear that the debate over a mosque at the site of the 9/11 attacks has valid arguments on both sides. The assessment of this column is this: what is now required is an honest dialogue that will lead to trust building and arriving at mutual understanding and benefits. Muslim leaders who are behind such a plan should also clarify and clear all doubts especially on the issue of location and sensitivity. They should take the lead in reaching out to the victims, the families who lost their loved ones during 9/11. It is also important not to politicize the mosque issue for electoral gains. A central point must be emphasized as the world and America in particular remember the tragedy of 9/11. No room should be given to those who encourage and extol acts of terror. Hopefully better sense will prevail over the Christian Pastor who thinks that burning of the Koran will make him a self righteous demigod of sorts. We need to isolate those who preach and practice extremism. Such acts as burning of the Holy Koran or Bible will only feed into the radicals. The need of the hour is to bridge the religious divide. A meeting point has to be worked out. While taking strong action against acts of terror, the US Government and the American people must continue to engage with the Muslim world. This should be the policy line post 9/11.
