what do you think would have happened if the children who were killed in the amish town were Muslim ???

Question

If these same killings had happened to muslims children,do you think their community would react with the same grace and spirit of forgivness???I watch people everyday on the news who lose loved ones and hear them say we forgive,but we want justice,so Christians also forgive autrosities.I am not picking on Muslims,I just want to know what the majority think of the way the Amish have shown their beliefs and how the Muslims would show their selves to be in this situation.Please Muslims who want to speak on this,I welcome your voice,for I have been a student of Islam for years and wonder if the Islam I know exist,or this Islam that I see now is the truth.

Answer 1

Can I refer you to the reaction around the world after the Pope made his speech? Those were just words.

I am in awe of that Amish community. I don't know if God would be strong enough to hold me up had it been any of my daughters in that classroom. My heart aches for all of the families involved.

Answer 2

Ive read all of the answers to this question and I felt compelled to mention few of my own thoughts coupled with some facts.

There are 1.6 billion Muslims living on this planet.

All come from different backgrounds, speak different languages and live culturally different lives.

The kind of reaction that would have spurred in the event the shooting had taken Muslim lives, would be no different than the one you saw with the Amish. Why?

1.Because there are many examples of muslims enduring pain and not doing anything but civil struggle: Bosnia Herzegovena, Palestinians for example.

2. To any muslim, their respect to God and Gods holy messenger is larger than anything they would feel towards anyone. The death of a muslim mans kids, by the hand of a christian will never start a hatred, because that is directly related to him, not God.

To many Muslims, God means a lot more than anything.

And thats what makes Jihad so aweinspiring, so complex, so strong, and so potentially dangerous if done with the wrong intentions.

Answer 3

Thank you for this question.

I think there needs to be some perspective on this. I actually thought a lot about your question coming up here after the incident happened.

There are several factors that I thought about. First was the venue, meaning that this happened in the US. Second was the nature of the perpetrator, a very troubled man who had left notes with his family and who actually bore no grudge against the Amish people, third was the close knit nature of this community and their tremendous faith in their religion.

So here is where my thought have gone, considering all I know and have experienced as an Imam and as a Muslim.

If the circumstances were exactly the same, except that it were Muslim children I believe that the reaction would have been very similar. But, there probably would have been more press trying to convince everyone that this was a hate crime. That might have fomented more reaction. But in the end the result would have been the same. Terrible loss of human life both on the part of the perpetrator and the victims.

That man's life was over long before he walked into that school. What he did was in him for a long time.

What you do not seem to realize is that this has already happened in the Muslim community already. Every day I wake up to news of beatings, killings, deplorable acts of vandalism (i'm not talking about broken windows bur rather like feces smeared on mosques and such) and other hate crimes directed against Muslims in the US. And these crimes are not perpetrated by single individuals who are sick like the person who murdered the children in Nickle Mines, PA. But rather by thugs who are sick in their hearts and purposely target Muslims and muslim organizations because of their mis-directed hate.

And what has been the response of the Muslim community? More often then not, even in the face of police forces that will not investigate these crimes as hate crimes, they react in much the same way that the Amish did. In that they seek solace in the arms of their religion, werein forgiveness is one of the qualities of Allah (swt) that is most mentioned. In that they seek justice for the crimes against them but know that the person who committed them needs help, or education.

But any grouping of people is simply a convenient way of classification. The truth is that within that grouping there will always be people at the extreme poles. And, just as I am sure that what happened in PA is a test of faith for some of those Amish who may be "less" forgiving, a similar incident in a Muslim school would also test the faith of some who might find less forgiveness in their hearts. And a lot would depend on the reaction of the press and of the authorities.

For myself I would be on the side of those who would forgive because I follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) who told us to follow his example and was the most forgiving of all. In one story, while still in Mecca, he (saw) had to walk past a certain house for some of his daily dealings. Often the woman of the house would throw her garbage on him just as he would walk past. His companions were outraged about this, but he would say to forgive her and let it go at that. Later, when one day he walked past the house and there was no garbage, he went in to check on the woman to find out if she was alright. When she asked why he came in that day he answered that he was worried she might be ill because she hadn't thrown any garbage at him and since she was his neighbor he had to find out and get her help if she needed it.

And Allah knows best.

Peace and Blessings,

Salim

Answer 4

I am a Muslim and can speak only for myself. What I would say is just as the Amish people said: 'I want justice'. When justice prevails, you can forgive and let go. They say 'We forgive', does this mean they do not want the guily to pay for what they did? No. Justice still has to take its course.

I resent violence and terrorism. This has nothing to do with Islam. The guiy has to pay but through lawful and just channels. We are living in no forest to take revenge ourselves and all the nonsense that happens.

To be honest with you, there could be people who act differently in the situation and go around killing innocent people or bombing buildings in the name of Jihad, blah blah blah. These are only sick people that Islam has nothing to do with them.

Peace be upon you all and my heart and prayers with the Amish parents.

Answer 5

I think that the Amish were much to be commended in the way they handled their tragedy. All people could learn something from them. I wonder if anyone was as kind to the parents of the columbine killers and others lke that? muslim parents of dead children suffer as much as other parents do and surely they also are able to have forgiveness in their heart. I don't think we can judge all people by the few hateful people we see on TV.

Answer 6

I honestly beleive what the Amish people did was extra human, I can not see myself being so generous and practical. Islam does teach to forgive indeed, so do all the religions or most anyways. Practically I can not see myself saying I forgive you to someone who kills a child in my community leave aside my own home, I pray to Allah to make us all this strong in our religious practices, peace

Answer 7

I think we all know the answer to that already. When a simple cartoon or a statement by the Pope can cause death and destruction I can only contend that both were right on target. I even wonder if some do not do these things themselves so they can have an excuse for their "holy war"

Jesus is the Prince of PEACE. HE told us to love our enemies and to do good to those who abuse us.

The Amish practice this with all of their heart.

After Jesus, along comes another "prophet" that said all of the opposite things of Jesus Christ, the SON of GOD. Since God can not contradict HIMSELF, I think we can safely assume which god this other prophet got his message from

The only way we can practice this type of love is to have a personal relationship with the PRINCE OF PEACE. Read the link below.

Answer 8

most people in islam were born into the religion, and it was not a choice. there are some who take it to an extreme that a mericful god would cry out against it.

there will always be doctrinal differences between groups....so you have to look at the "heart" of the faith...what is it based on?..is it really love, mercy and forgiveness, or is it revenge and force? to do this, you have to look at the religious texts themselves.

Answer 9

Please look at the amish and mennonite folks. They are the reason we must have a strong nation. They are the reason we must honor freedom of religion. They once were persucuted in Europe along with the Pilgrim fathers, yet the have endured with peace and humility. I'm honored to know them, and I'm honored to do battle to protect them. If we didn't, they like the Quakers and Admana, would vanish. (When I say Quakers I mean old time quakers, not evangilcal or liberal quakers).

Answer 10

well do you even realise that there were Muslims who died on 9/11?. there are muslims who did die in Lebanon. and Muslims are dying everydy fighting against Taliban -- ever heard of Afghan and Iraqi army in front end as a protecting sheild for US and UK marines?. have you been on YA! lately?.

well for me the power of forgiveness is speaking more than negative emotions. when someone -- muslim or not -- is hurting the other then i leave them upto Allah -- for He is a better judge than me.

Aal-e-Imran | 200 verses | The family of Imran سورة آل عمران
Sura #3 | Madina
200 O ye who believe! ENDURE, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah, in order that ye may succeed