WHY WE MUST WORK TOGETHER, THE PEOPLE OF ABRAHAM

Over a year ago a good friend of mine Rev. Bruce of Tawodi’s Hawk Nest and I came together to discuss what Muslims, Christians, and Jews can do together to bring about peace within and outside our communities. We were compelled to come together on those things we agree rather than the things we disagree. What we found out and which should be obvious, is that we agree on more things than we disagree. One principle agreement was that all of our respective religions look to Abraham (as) as the father of our religions. As such, if we have a central origin while our paths may vary and disperse in many different directions, if we go backward toward the beginning we find that we all started together. So why not come together in peace?

The Qur’an states:

41:34 But since good and evil cannot be equal, repel evil with something that is better (41,31)and lo! between whom thyself was enmity may then become as though he had always been close unto thee a true friend!

Basically, as Muslims we are told that if we strive toward good and shun evil even those who we disagree with or are our enemies may become close friends.

So what is the People of Abraham about?

The purpose is to capture the spirit of that Qur’anic verse. If we can come together in peace using our shared origin we can come together in peace and produce good works together.

We are not saying anyone is right or wrong in matters of theology. We are not trying to create a new religion. In fact, we are not even trying to discuss dogma only in the context of how we each use our own beliefs as a catalyst in peace.

We are realists. We understand that once you strip away our differences what is left are people who desire peace, freedom, and justice. We want our children to grow up in secure environments, we want to be safe, and we want to live in a better world.

Why not come together with those of similar wants and needs? If Peace is the ideal, then that means we should be able to respectfully disagree without being disagreeable. We should be able to live amongst and with one another in respect. We should be able to understand that no child deserves to grow up in a world were their peace and security in rests on what their religion is.

If we are all the creation and children of God, then that means we all have value. Abraham (as) was the friend of God and as his children, we should be friends with one another in our combined and shared desire to emulate that example.

We have to realize that peace is better than war, that good is better than evil, and that the peacemakers are the children of God.

We need to work together not just for our sake but the sake of future generations.

Either we come together, or we perish apart.

Author; ROBERT SALAAM published on Salaam's blog here on our link list. published here at his request,as co-founder of T.P.O.A.