Arabic Voice

By Mohammed AL-Dainy
MA student, University of Durham

There are lessons I have learned during my MA in Applied Linguistics (Translation) course in Durham. One of those is undoubtedly academic research. As an MA student, I have managed to develop my skills in research methodology and to know how to do proper research among huge and abundant literature in applied linguistics.

A further lesson is that I have had the chance to know something about the British culture as well as other cultures since there are a number of overseas students who have helped me to understand how their cultures operate. As a matter of fact, this chance has developed my philosophy in life. Since I belong to a mono-cultural and mono-religious community, I used to be familiar with a set of traditions and customs pertaining to my own community; furthermore, I used to view the entire world from one perspective, and only one. I did not have the chance to know the opposite opinion about any issue. It is in this way claimed that this chance has made me more open-minded.

It goes without saying that one faces many obstacles in dealing with individuals from entirely different cultures. Indeed, there must be some lows when it occurs. The lowest times for me in Durham were the clashes of cultures when it came to socializing with members of other cultures. British and overseas students who have never been abroad before, to live or study, often seemed quite narrow-mined at the beginning. Every one took a firm stance in relation to any situation, event or opinion, believing that they were the only right ones.

As a Muslim, a further obstacle I have been encountering in the UK is the misunderstanding of Islam among non-Muslims. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is a tolerant religion. It does not only condemn terrorism, but it also forbids killing innocent lives. There is a verse in the Holy Qur'an stating that whosoever saves someone's life as though they saved the whole humanity, and whosoever kills an innocent life as though they killed the whole humanity.

The terrible events that happened in the US have had impacts on Arabs and Muslims who live in the west. This possibly reflects the misconceptions of Islam in the west. Despite the fact that Arab and Muslim countries along with Islamic organizations all over the world have strongly condemned these acts of barbarism, Muslims and Arabs have been facing backlashes in western countries. According to many people, every single Arab and Muslim has become responsible for these terrorist acts as though they have power over those terrorists.

The "failure" among western people in distinguishing between terrorism and Islam is the responsibility of the mass media, which attributes these terrorist acts to the religious background of terrorists. Consequently, we hear some terms in the media such as "Islamic terrorists". This term in its turn has contributed to the misconception of Islam. Why we do not hear the media use terms such as "Jewish terrorists" and "Christian terrorists"?

Let us consider the following examples. The members of IRA (Irish Republic Army) are Catholics who cannot co-exist with Protestants and have bombed across the UK to kill civilians. However, they are only terrorists, not "Christian/Catholic terrorists". An additional example is Israelis in general and the Prime Minister, Arel Sharon, in particular. Israelis have occupied Palestine in the plea of the "promised land" and have been killing civilians among which a great number of children are found. In 1982 Arel Sharon was responsible for the murder of about 3000 civil Palestinian refugees during the Israeli invasion to Lebanon. Nevertheless, we do not hear "Jewish terrorists" in the media.

I am not criticizing these great religions, Judaism and Christianity, simply because I am a Muslim. Indeed, to be a Muslim, you must respect these religions, which are mentioned in the "Latest Testament", i.e. Holy Qur'an. I believe that Judaism and Christianity wash their hands of terrorism, as does Islam. Terrorism has no religion. That is why terrorists are found all over the world.

The mass media must not attribute terrorist acts to the religious background of the executers because it is very natural to affect other fellows of one religion or another. In fact, mass media has gone as far as to create an atmosphere of generalization to the audience. This is where danger lies.

I wish that all humanity could co-exist with each other regardless of their race, religion and colour. I think we all deserve to live peacefully. The mass media must be used to bridge relations between nations, not divide them. It should help combat misconceptions. It should be employed to the interest of humanity, not to the escalation of hatred among people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

I am lucky to have lived and studied in the beautiful city of Durham. I would like to thank all of my friends and acquaintances there.