I can’t find the words to express how I feel towards what is happening or what I hear about the last events in Istanbul and Al-Riyad, and I don’t think that the words "condemn" or "refuse" or "reject" are enough, because this is not the Islam that I believe in, and not the Islam that my parents taught me, I did not learn that there is a Moslem who would kill just for killing, nor even do something that holds the slightest possibility of hurting an innocent person, for a noble cause or not, as Islam says that the method should suite the goal, and we have to accomplish a noble goal in a noble way, and the noble, honest way will lead to more noble and honest ways. That is why I don’t understand, and I will never understand or recognize how we can kill civilians for any reason. I don’t believe that planting bombs in Al-Riyad City or in Istanbul, killing tens of civilians, is done to serve the cause of Islam, or has any connection whatsoever with Islam.

For that, I as a Moslem say that what is happening in Al-Riyad, Istanbul and Algeria cannot be for Islam, as I have never read anything in Al-Quran or in the Prophet’s sayings that allows killing for killing itself, and I remember Abu Baker, the first Khaleefa in Islam saying in one of his recommendations to the Islamic soldiers: "do not kill a child, nor a woman, and never cut down a tree". So how can what happens today go along with these sayings, and how can those people allow themselves to use Islam for killing, and destruction in the name of Islam. Anyone who saw the pictures of those women, men, and children in Al-Riyad or Istanbul, or Algeria cannot believe that the person who planted those bombs even believes in GOD not alone Islam, and GOD can never allow killing and destruction for any noble cause, as GOD is love and peace. So how can we kill for life, or destroy for peace? We can never reach peace through killing, destruction, or hatred.

I know that what I say is strange to this world that is filled with violence, destruction, hatred, wars, occupation, and house demolition, but I think that every human being should hold high humanitarian principles, and believe in peace, justice and love, and should provide every effort to stop this bloodshed, and this wave of violence that is wrecking the world, without differentiation between civilians or military people, and goes beyond all borders. Is there a hope that all forces of peace and love will join together? That all those who believe in humane morals and principles will form a strong and recognized moral force in this world, which will stop all forms of violence, and those who use religion and democratic values in order to reach goals that totally contradict these morals and values? Violence is good only for occupation, for regions under dictatorship, and for war merchants who wish to increase their fortunes by using and manipulating poor peoples.

For all this, believe me when I say that I would like to scream out here that I am against all these explosions, and that my Islam is different from those who kill children and women, no matter what are their reasons. I even wish that I could stand in the middle of the street and scream against all forms of violence, used for whatever reason, and from whatever side.

I say this no matter what may be the consequences, and whether I cause others to become angry, whoever they are, whatever the results are, and whatever accusations they direct at me. I am against violence, killing, hatred, and I am for peace, justice, and all forms of love.

Noah Salameh, Director, The Center for Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation - CCRR P.O.Box. 861, Bethlehem, Palestine Tel. +972-2-2767745 Fax. +972-2-2745475 E-mail: ccrr @ palnet.com