'Pay for Slay' is Modern Morality Out of Focus

As I've come to know Islam as my new faith having converted over the course of the last several years, I have steeped my soul in the vibrant beauty and inspiration that Muslims know, and have suffered through and siphoned what can still be had in times where media direction paints a picture in contrast; finding my soul a way through it and finding peace with Allah and with other Muslims even when it is something egregious that has compromised my faith and standing with society in America.

Today I read an article using the term 'Pay for Slay'. The article explained that the Palestinian Authority who are responsible for security issues in both rural and urban areas pays Hamas.

The situation has details, but this revelation was shocking to me, and has a sort of "this is not what I signed up for" appeal given my attempt to embrace, internalize, and socialize to all that is Islam within the boundaries of my life in America, and in congruence with American values that reject all extremism.

The details mentioned are brutal and explicit, but that is not the point. The point as I see it is that it is important not to equate Islam with extremism.

Here we see the lines quite blurry. They pay them?!

The truth of that is hard to swallow. The reality of Middle Eastern politics is not separated from religion as in American government. We feature a separation of church and state. There they do not; not nearly as much anyway.

Often martyrs are characterized as righteous by dying for their faith. That can be very confusing when we do not agree with any extremism and see too that Islam explicitly rejects violence and murder. I solve for imbalance and excluding vengeance by the wisdom of education, using explanations of diplomacy that many people in the Middle East cannot possibly fathom; they do not have even remote understanding or motivation there, and cannot by the grace of their same faith accept a diplomatic resolution in their heart.

It wasn't what they were taught or what they learned, and that is part of what can change. Their governments can modernize their policies to incorporate 'the wisdom of diplomacy' and the wisdom of time passing to alleviate tensions and tendencies toward extremism and vengeance. And the beauty of their faith will emerge renewed; modern, and at the same time modest and beautiful.

At this time, the Palestinian Authority is instructed by something like shariah to pay Hamas. My hope is that Hamas will be replaced in Palestine. Their role can be served by a neutral governance that is neutral to faith in Israel and seeks to neutralize issues of territory using a legal metric as identified by Israeli law. This however would be viewed as very 'Western' and would be a sacrifice of the faith they know as their home.

But the fighting between Palestinians and others in Israel must stop. I do not think that will happen without new neutral ground being presented; something that is forgone if Hamas is part of the equation.

I hope for peace, honestly. The prayers in my soul hope for a way out of anything that backs extremism. That means hope for Iran, hope for Palestine, hope for Afghanistan and Iraq. I want success for them like we see in the opulent accomplishments and futuristic ambitions of Riyadh (Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia), Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait.

We must not be complacent about extremism. Murder and violence are strictly forbidden in our faith. That is where we should align our goals and our spirit.

 

When your mind gets corrupted by Abrahamic demons,

Your soul will be compromised.