I have always viewed humanity as a collective unit. Anything that occurred, I thought, whether detrimental or beneficial, would ultimately affect all of us. We were fundamentally and inseparably interconnected through the commonalties of our human spirit. As such, I believed all of us held an equal and responsibility in charting the history (past, present, and future) of humankind. Consequently, I endorsed the principles of justice and equality of all rights amongst people, such as the freedom to voice one’s opinions, to practice one’s religion without the fear of persecution and to have the freedom of assembly. In essence, to give a level of respect and trust to those I sincerely regarded as an equal.

I saw this respect and trust as a particular admiration, free from tainted impurities of suspicion, ridicule, hatred, or any other malignant forms of ignorance or ethnocentricity. I was not viewing the world through
any utopian lens. I was merely seeing it with the principles and values that were ingrained within me by a certain way of life: Islam (which literally means peace and submission).

It was the ideologies and tenets of Islam that instilled and solidified within me the principles of reverence for all of humankind and nature. That is why, growing up in Canada, I was so proud of being Canadian. I was living in a country that reflected my beliefs, a land that was truly a giant amongst the world’s nations because it exemplified the beautiful mosaic of multiculturalism and theoretically promoted rights and freedoms for every individual through its Constitution. Canada steadfastly stood for peace and equality amongst all people. A nation I have always called my home.

In the aftermath of the tragic and horrific events of September 11 (which have devastated all of us) comes the truest test of adherence to the principles we have always cherished so deeply, for they define and connect us as human beings. Those who committed these atrocious acts do not deserve to be called humans. But neither do those who seek to create generalizations about certain groups in society. (For such individuals are one and the same. Why? Because their aims are exactly parallel. They try to incite hatred amongst people and create discord between hearts. They seek to break our magnanimous spirits and corrupt the collective history of humankind.)

Unfortunately, I feel those with the highest responsibilities in our nation, namely the media and our elected officials, have failed during these tumultuous times. They could have come forth from this tragedy and allowed it to be a definitive and shining moment of our firm belief in those basic human values. But they failed miserably to embrace our treasured Canadian ideologies and instead succumbed to the vices of ignorance. Through passing dangerous and draconian laws that strike at the core of our civil liberties (e.g., Bill C-36) and providing wholly inadequate and unprofessional journalism (especially when it comes to the negative portrayal of Islam and Muslims), they have not only abandoned our long-held Canadian principles, but also those values cherished by all sane, law-abiding and decent humans on this planet. It seems everyone today is an expert on Islam, except those who truly practice it and call themselves Muslims. Their voice has been quelled from the mainstream public. Let it come to the surface.

My brethren in humanity, search for the voice of reason within you, be able to distinguish truth from falsehood. Objectively treat all the information you receive from various mediums. It is incumbent upon us to educate one another on our beliefs and customs. The dangers of the fire of ignorance are many. Fear of the unknown only fuels that fire. Allow enlightenment and respect to douse that destructive flame of ignorance, which threatens all of humankind.