Humane Values Must for Peace: Mowahid

Washington , DC : Muslim world and West can tear down walls of division and forge a pathway out of the lingering world turmoil by following values of compassion, brotherhood and justice as taught by both Islam and Christianity, noted attorney, author, and Pakistan Link’s columnist Mowahid Hussain Shah said. “There is too much artificial division of ‘us versus them’ --- instead of pointing fingers at each other we have to recognize and respect the values of common human decency,” he said, addressing a luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club in Springfield, Virginia. Mowahid cautioned that the takeaway message of some ultra-religious groups in the US is one of hate and prejudice.

Mowahid, an acclaimed expert on Middle East issues, noted that the world is beset with hurdles of “tribal feelings” and ethnic conflicts, which need to be surmounted through the spirit of love and brotherhood. Therefore, there is a greater need today for fostering an enlightened inter-religious dialogue, he argued as the world grapples with scars of Iraq and Afghan wars and repercussions of  9/11 terrorist attacks.
In his presentation, Mowahid cited moral themes common to both the leading faiths.
At the same time, the speaker acknowledged the difficulty of the task to steer the world away from tensions of acrimony, amidst inflammatory rhetoric and expedient and short-sighted policies.
“It’s easier to erect walls than to build bridges,” he said. 

The event was co-hosted by the president of Pakistani-American Business Association (PABA) Siddique Sheikh and attended by Rotarians including several retired senior American officials and prominent entrepreneurs based in Virginia and the surrounding Washington area.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------