What Should a Moslem’s View of the People of the Book and Zionism Be?

Moslems’ attitude towards Jews should be as ordained by the Quran. God reveals in the Qur’an that Jews, like Christians, are part of the people of the book. Moslems as well as Jews believe in the same God and follow the examples set by the prophets sent by Him with due love and respect. Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, David and Solomon (peace be upon them all) are as important to Moslems as they are to Jews. Moslems address the Jews and the Christians as follows in the Qur’an: “We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.” (Qur’an, 29:46) All forms of social relations between Moslems and Jews must be within a framework of justice, peace and security, and Moslems’ attitude towards Jews must always be reconciliatory, forgiving and tolerant.

At various times in their history, Jews suffered oppression and genocide. The main culprit behind such atrocities is anti-Semitic ideology, which led to many tragic events in the 20th century. The true meaning of the term is hatred of Semites, although it is generally understood to mean hatred of Jews. It expresses a hatred for people of Semite descent or the Semitic race. The underlying reason for this hatred for the Semitic races is the hatred felt for the divine religions revealed to them. In other words, Nazism’s and other fascist movements’ hostility towards Jews is in reality a hatred of religion. Anti-Semitism is therefore a pagan teaching that cannot be adopted by any Moslem. People who advocate and incite anti-Semitism are often revealed to be people who also advocate a return to idolatrous practices and war, who enjoy merciless bloodshed, and who are uncontrolled and barbaric. Such people oppose the peace, modesty, love and compassion of true religious morality taught by the prophets. Moslems and Jews are on the same side against such tyrants. Islam aims to bring justice to the world and condemns anti-Semitism, as it does all forms of racism. Moslems support the right of the Jews, like all other people, to live in peace and security. Moslem principles have throughout the course of history guaranteed refuge in Moslem lands to Jews fleeing persecution at various times. Jews exiled from Spain were welcomed by the Ottoman Empire, and thousands of them settled down there. The anti-Semitic sentiments often seen in Christian countries never developed on Moslem soil. Jews and Moslems in Moslem lands have lived side by side in peace and security for centuries. It was Islamic principles that created this secure environment.

A Moslem must always bear these facts in mind in his thinking and behaviour regarding Jews. However, Judaism and Zionism must be distinguished between. The ideology of Zionism is principally responsible for the years of endless conflict and war, bloodshed and tears in Palestine. However, Zionism and its real plans are not well known in the West. Many people in the West have been conditioned to believe that Zionism is an ideology which advocates a homeland for the Jewish people and are therefore sympathetic to this ideology, although the reality is altogether different.

It is true that Zionism seeks the creation of a homeland for Jews and that Zionists work to that end. This struggle, however, is probably the most unjustified, cruel and merciless ever waged. Zionism developed in the 19th century to create a homeland for the Jews, and its adherents’ chosen land was Palestine, also regarded by Jews as their holy land. What began as a legitimate and just cause turned into an ethnic cleansing and ruthless colonising project that totally disregarded the native Moslem Arab population. Zionist slogans such as “unpopulated land for a landless people” were no more than misleading propaganda, as the Jews were not homeless, nor was the land they sought unpopulated. The migration movement to Palestine started by the Zionists was the beginning of the chaos in the Middle East, as they drove people from their homes and land instead of cohabiting with the native population.

Had the Zionist leaders ensured that the Jews they brought to that land lived together in peace with the other peoples living in Palestine, this chaos would not have erupted. They failed to do that, however. Zionists totally disregarded the other religions and nations, and aimed to bring a wide region, described by them as the Promised Land, under their domination. They therefore resorted to the most ruthless methods. Moreover, Zionism’s ambitions are not just restricted only to the Middle East. Zionism is an irreligious and racist ideology that seeks world dominion and therefore represents a threat to world peace. The map which Zionist ideology drew up for the Jews consisted of a very large area.

Theodore Herzl said in his speech at the Zionist congress of 1897 in Basel that, “The northern frontier is to be the mountains facing Cappadocia (Asia Minor), the southern, the Suez Canal.” (1) The founding father of the Israeli state, David Ben Gurion, defined the purpose of Zionism as follows:

The present map of Palestine was drawn by the British mandate. The Jewish people have another map which our youth and adults should strive to fulfill—From the Nile to the Euphrates. (2)

As we have seen, if Zionism really only aimed to secure a homeland for the Jews it would be a justified movement. However, Zionism distanced itself from that lawful demand by evolving into a colonialist and exploitative project.

In the same way that Islam rejects anti-Semitism, a racist ideology, it also rejects Zionism, another racist ideology. It must not be forgotten, however, that not all Jews are Zionists. Indeed, there are many Jews who oppose the crimes against humanity of Zionism, fiercely criticise these, maintain that Israel must immediately withdraw from all the occupied territories, and wish Israel to be a free state in which all nations and identities can live together as equals. As Moslems rightfully oppose Zionism, therefore, they must bear these truths in mind and be aware that the criticisms are aimed at Zionism, not at Jews. For someone to criticise and hurt innocent Jews on account of the crimes of Zionism is a violation of justice. If he condemns the various Jewish communities in the world on account of the unjust occupation by and attacks of Zionism, he again contravenes justice and commits a grave error. If he perpetrates terrorist actions against those who support the aggression and occupations of Zionist ideology and aims these at Israeli civilians, he turns away entirely from the path of justice, and commits a grave sin by targeting innocent people.

It is revealed in the Qur’an that the Jews are a blessed people from the line of the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) and descended from the worthy prophets of God. There is no doubt that the Jews’ efforts to migrate and build a homeland for themselves wherever they desire in the world is a most lawful demand. For that reason, it is the Jews’ most natural right to wish to live in their own holy lands. Their ancestors lie buried in these lands, which are of the greatest significance to them. Indeed, God reveals in the Qur’an that He has settled the Jews in those lands they live in:

They say, ‘If we follow the guidance with you, we shall be forcibly uprooted from our land.’ Have We not established a safe haven for them to which produce of every kind is brought, provision direct from Us? But most of them do not know it. (Qur’an, 28:57)

As revealed in the verse, God has settled the Jews in these lands, and Jews have the right to live freely on Palestinian territory, as do Moslems and Christians. However, this objective, which was so far perfectly reasonable and justified, lost that justification with the total disregard of the Moslem Arab people living in Palestine. Zionism, which has turned into a destructive ideology based on violence, has led to people being forced out of their homes and land, which they had lived in for hundreds of years. Those who have refused to leave their lands have been ruthlessly slaughtered. That is what makes Zionism unlawful.