JEWISH WAHABBIS

Both Muslims and Jews know only too well that our religions have members who are moderate, self-critical, peace loving, caring, spiritual human beings who want to make the world a better place through peaceful means.

But let’s be honest, we also know that we both have those amongst our own those who think that violence, destruction and mayhem are the only ways to achieve the world they want.

We both have rich and poor members. Not all our rich members pay vast sums to buy arms and influence and not all our poor members think that death in a holy cause is the honourable thing to do.

We both have academics, historians and journalists who think we are perfectly right and good or alternatively wrong and evil. We both have members who seek reconciliation and those who seek confrontation.

We both have politicians, who lie and cheat and corrupt our states and communities. But we also have those who work tirelessly to help the poor and the weak and give of themselves and their resources.

I do not want to go into politics here because I believe all politicians are corrupt to a greater or lesser degree and politics is to blame for most of what separates Jews and Muslims today. ‘Don’t play politics with me’ in English means ‘Don’t lie to me.’ We know politicians want power and will do almost anything and say almost anything to hold on to power.

I am despondent at the way Judaism has been hijacked by politicians and by political rabbis as I know many of my Muslim friends are about Islam too.

But in both our religions we suffer from similar historical cycles.

The religion starts with a dramatic revelation or with a charismatic leader or with both. Over time it loses its original idealism and then a prophet or great teacher arises to renew our commitment. Once again, slowly we return to our old ways only for another new leader or thinker to emerge and the cycle starts again.

Shiites wanted to purify Islam after the Caliphate seemed to lose its spirit. Sufis wanted to return to the true spiritual path and more recently Wahabbis wanted to purify both Shiites and Sunni from what they saw as corruption and a loss of true faith.

This passion for purity is essential to religion but sadly the passion becomes excessive or allied to politics and then there is conflict between, to give an example of what we have seen in Karballah, Shiites loyal to Iran versus Shiites loyal to Iraq or to this regime or that one. It is the same in every religion throughout the world. Whether it is money or influence or numbers of followers, religion becomes the excuse.

Some argue that this shows that religion is the danger. Left Wingers are essentially anti religious. Marx condemned religion as the opiate of the masses and yet the masses to this day seem to need and want and value religion nevertheless. It is like football. We may love the game but hate the violence. Can you say that violence at football matches is because of football? Or is it that violent people use football as an excuse for finding an outlet for their aggression?

Within Judaism the extremely religious Chassidic groups divide up according to their sects and each sect follows its leader with absolute devotion and commitment. Sometimes they are so passionate they fight amongst themselves arguing that this leader is a greater, a more spiritual person than someone else.

The more Western or modern brands of Judaism tend to be more laid back, less committed, more open minded and even tolerant. The strength of open mindedness is its tolerance. Its weakness is that it lacks passionate commitment. But wherever you have passion you have extremes and fanatics.

This seems to be the fate of all religions. Even in secular religions like Marxism the fanatics tend to take over, whether in Russia or China (or the Spanish Civil War).

The fact is that the vast majority always lie in the middle. There is always a silent majority. Yet the voice of the silent majority is nearly always silenced by the roar of extremism and totalitarianism. In one way this is because black and white is easier and simpler to recognize than grey. But in another way it is because of apathy and laziness.

The challenge we face is how to preserve or attain passion without it going too far. Religion without passion is colourless. Passion without moderation and discipline is dangerous. I believe we owe it to our religions to make the supreme effort to stand up and be counted for moderation, toleration, love and peace amongst all of the children of Allah May He Be Blessed, on earth. Not by reducing our passion but by controlling it.

Rabbi Dr Jeremy Rosen.