Muslins don't celebrate Christmas but value peace, love and goodwill | Voices of Faith

Muslims do not celebrate Christmas, but we do share in the goals of seeking peace, love, and goodwill. We believe in all the teaching of Jesus.

As I look around, and I see messages of “Peace on Earth,” I am reminded of an important saying of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH): “None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his neighbor that which he loves for himself." (https://sunnah.com/muslim:45a).

This year is very disturbing given the profound number of killings and destruction we see on a daily basis, especially the mass killings of children in Gaza, wars and major conflicts. So many people are being killed this year in political conflicts. So many children are being killed, harmed, orphaned and deprived of the opportunity of living a normal, happy childhood.

When I think of who is my neighbor, I know there are levels to think about.

My neighbor is not just the people living next to my home. My neighbors are the people living in the cities and communities in and next to my own city and community. My neighbors are the people living in states and nations next to us. A child living in another country is my neighbor.

The feeling of helplessness is overwhelming as I watch one group try to annihilate another group. Wars are never the answers. I hear people say, “I hate politics, I don’t like politicians.” However, politics is the only way to end wars. It is critical to vote for wholesome political leaders who are committed to looking for a win/win solution to end conflicts and wars. My prayers go to my political representatives of this nation to work to end these wars and save of our neighbors’ children from such harm — to reject selfishness that leads to harm.

I ask God during this season of peace, love and goodwill to help us do our part to help our local and national leaders work to end the disruption that wars bring to a child’s life no matter where they may live. Children of the world need safety, food, water, and their parents.

I ask God to give me the strength to continually appeal to my political leaders daily to end the funding of these wars and to work to help resolve these conflicts that are so disruptive to children’s lives.

I ask God to give me the strength to protest so our leaders know that I am watching what is going on around the world and I don’t agree to the harm that comes to civilians in war and conflict. Give our political leaders the courage to fight for the wellbeing of all children on all sides by ending wars and seeking political solutions.

Retribution is always wrong. The murder of civilians and children is always wrong.

As I watch the news of hospitals being destroyed, I think of the time when my own baby was so sick, I had to take her to hospital and how thankful I was that Allah had endowed the doctors and nurses with the knowledge and mentality to care for her until she recovered. I remember what it felt like not being able to care for my own baby and having to rely on the hospital staff. I was so scared I was going to lose my child that just thinking back to that time as I write this still brings a giant rock to my chest and brings heartache and tears.

Peace.

Lydia Rose is director of public relations for the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent and an associate professor of sociology at Kent State University.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Peace, love and goodwill transcends Christmas | Voices of Faith