Earlier this week, the National Council of Churches, the
Islamic Circle of North America and the Islamic Society of North America issued
a joint statement saying they were "deeply saddened that military action
against Iraq" had begun. And last Friday, several hundred prominent Jews,
including many rabbis, took out a full-page ad in ((ITAL))The New York Times((ITAL))
headlined "Why Jews should oppose war on Iraq."
Each of the three Abrahamic faiths has a long and beautiful tradition of
scholarly exploration. Islam, Christianity and Judaism have all adopted a moral
reasoning on what may or may not constitute a just war. The basic criteria of
each religion for a just war are nearly identical to the rules of engagement
set forth by the United Nations. The most important standards are the concepts
of "necessity" and "proportionality."
The "necessity" element includes two components: attempts at peaceful
redress and the imminence of the danger posed. Hans Blix ((ITAL))et al.((ITAL))
inspecting and disarming Iraq's arsenal was a clear attempt at peaceful
redress. Billions of dollars and thousands of lives could have been saved had
we increased Mr. Blix's staff tenfold and given him six more months to disarm
Iraq.
"Proportionality" requires that civilian casualties be minimized. If
the loss of civilian life and order is grossly disproportionate to the
importance of the military target, then the campaign cannot be justified. What
immeasurable and disproportionate costs will there be in occupying a sovereign
nation for several years, rebuilding essential social infrastructure,
instilling a new "democratic" regime, and maintaining stability in
the country and region?
Pope John Paul II has argued tirelessly against a new war in the Middle East,
calling it "a defeat for humanity." Former President Jimmy Carter
stated recently: "As a Christian, and as a president who was severely
provoked by international crises, I became thoroughly familiar with the
principles of a just war, and it is clear that a substantially unilateral
attack on Iraq does not meet these standards." Prominent Jewish groups,
including the Shalom Center and Tikkun, have raised a flag against the war as
well.
With the war already in full gear, many may see opposition to it as moot. On
the contrary, the solidarity amongst people of faith shows that we who oppose
the war on moral and religious grounds do so as adamantly now as before it
began, and earnestly pray that a quick and just resolution will spare the
innocent lives of Iraqi women and children and promptly bring our soldiers home
safely.
As a Muslim-American, it is my duty to stand up against injustice, regardless
of the perpetrator and the victim. Muslims worldwide continue to categorically
condemn the actions of Sept. 11, 2001, and will continue to emphatically oppose
this war in Iraq. It is my earnest hope that people of all faiths will band together
and try to bring a just conclusion to this unjust war.