Alert to Canadian Muslims: Afghanistan

There’s a lot of opposition among Canadians in general to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Some Muslims share that opinion as well. Among those Muslims who oppose it are a few who feel very strongly about it and consider it some sort of occupation.

It’s understandable that in the past the whole free world was supporting the Afghan "mujahedeen" who were fighting the Soviet invaders who were there to occupy, oppress, and remain for good. Canada, by contrast, has no interest whatsoever in occupying Afghanistan. And there aren't any resources that it may be accused of being there to exploit, either. In fact, there is nothing for Canada to gain from being in Afghanistan at all.

Canadians are in Afghanistan on a totally altruistic mission. Every day they’re there, they’re there to help the Afghan people. So the two "invasions" shouldn’t be confused.

The Canadian government is too kind to say we’re there to fight terrorism so that we don’t have to fight it here. The reality is, we are there exclusively to help suffering people get back on their feet, help Afghans rebuild their lives after near 30 years of destruction and despair. Canadians are there to help with education, schools, health care, hospitals, roads, bridges, clean water, electric power, with everything that can make Afghans’ lives better.

Canada asks for nothing in return. Is that what deserves such hateful views as those expressed by a misguided blogger - exposed recently in the media - whose twisted and sick mind got it all wrong, and whose appalling views serve only to embarrass Islam and Muslims? True, no Muslim would subscribe to such views, or condone them, but we need to articulate what is truly going on in Afghanistan to help enlighten those who hold negative views.

None of the Canadians there to help Afghans would have been carrying a gun if they weren’t being attacked by warlords whose only interest is in maintaining their domination and oppression of their own people. They’re the ones who are doing harm to the Afghan people, they’re the ones who have selfish motives. Their interests aren’t at all in Islam, Afghanistan, Muslims, or even their own people, their only interest is holding on to power. Let that be very clear to all Muslims who are influenced by any different message.

The only message reflecting the truth is that Canadians are not there to occupy, not there to convert people from Islam, not there to rob anyone of their resources. And if those warlords weren’t killing, destroying, and bombing their own people, Canadian soldiers would have been very happy to leave their guns behind and simply offer help as human beings to fellow human beings. The Canadians who are there are just ordinary kind, compassionate people, applying that kindness and compassion to others.

Gratitude is a basic Islamic quality. Muslims always take pride in that, so when some Muslims fail to show gratitude when it’s due, they shame not only themselves, but Islam as well.

The world has shrunk greatly and all people are now much closer to each other than they ever were before. Canadians helping Afghans is as positive an example of our shared humanity as it can get.

We should be thanking from the bottom of our hearts those soldiers and all others there to help Afghans, and we should be praying for their safety. We should be thanking them for the great sacrifices they’ve made, and are still making, by leaving their families and children behind to go there, and put themselves in harm’s way to help others. And sadly, too many times to bear, they give their lives while doing so and asking for nothing in return.

We should all pray daily for their safety and their safe return to their families. Pray for those who lost their lives, and pray that their families have the strength to endure the loss they suffered. Pray for those good men and women who have no hate for Afghans or Muslims, and are there only to help them and show them compassion. And pray that those warlords see the light and allow peace to settle upon their land and people.