{"id":387,"date":"2013-06-27T16:26:52","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T20:26:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/commonwordcommonlord\/?p=387"},"modified":"2013-06-27T16:26:52","modified_gmt":"2013-06-27T20:26:52","slug":"june-30-an-appeal-for-peace-in-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/june-30-an-appeal-for-peace-in-egypt\/","title":{"rendered":"June 30: An Appeal For Peace in Egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Name of the Infinitely Good and Merciful Lord Our God<\/em><\/p>\n

I am an American, whose ancestry hails from Egypt. I have quite a bit of family that still lives there. Both my and my wife’s parents frequently go back and visit, and my mother – in fact – is vacationing in Egypt right now. Thus, it is with great interest that I have been watching and following the events in Egypt over the past two years. Truly, I can’t avoid it, for the topic of Egyptian politics always<\/em> comes up at family gatherings!<\/p>\n

Yet, over the past several weeks and months, the things which I have been reading and watching have given me great pause…and cause for great dread. On June 30, mass protests are planned to demand for the ouster of Egypt’s President, Mohammed Morsi, and his Islamist government. Counter-rallies are also planned. Both sides are gearing up for confrontation.<\/p>\n

Already, there are numerous reports of clashes between pro- and anti-Morsi activists<\/a>.\u00a0 One side calls the other “infidels”; the other side retorts by calling them “occupiers.” Tension is very thick in the air.<\/p>\n

Thus, I can only do what I can: I appeal, in the Most Holy Name of God, to both sides to follow the better angels of their nature and reject violence.<\/p>\n

No, I do not live in Egypt; I am not suffering through the struggles of an economy in shambles, a lack of public safety, a lack of political and social stability. I do not know what it is like to live as an average Egyptian. I pray that things in Egypt get better for everyone, so that every single person can live and thrive in peace and dignity. Yet, the stage is set for a particularly bloody Sunday, and thus I appeal to both sides to embrace peace.<\/p>\n

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the beloved, has said:<\/p>\n

Spread peace, feed the hungry, keep up family ties, pray when others are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise safe and secure.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), the beloved, also has said:<\/p>\n

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9) <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The common thread in both of these great messages and Messengers is the exhortation to peace, and so I urge both sides to follow it.<\/p>\n

Violence will not solve anything: it will only cause more pain and suffering. Every person killed is someone’s son or daughter; or brother or sister; or father or mother. Their deaths will only add to the suffering of a nation that has already suffered so much for so long. Every major religion and every major philosophy agrees that the sanctity of human life is paramount. Thus, I urge everyone in Egypt to remember this on June 30.<\/p>\n

I have visited Egypt on numerous occasions and am in frequent contact with friends and family there. These divisions are an aberration. Egyptians do not do this. I pray everyone involved in this difficult time in Egypt’s political history to err on the side of peace.<\/p>\n

Murder is not Godly; murder is not holy; murder is ugly and evil, Satanic in its underpinnings. Resist and come together as one people, trying to make its country better.<\/p>\n

Beloved, Beautiful Lord: Protect Your people in Egypt and send down Your Peace so that brother does not kill brother, and sister does not kill sister. Beloved, Beautiful Lord: Send down Your Peace on every nation on this earth, so that the tyranny and stain of violence can be purged from the face of the earth. May Your Peace reign supreme forever and ever, Beloved Lord On High.<\/p>\n

In Your Most Holy Name I ask this, Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Hassaballa","description":"Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago doctor and writer. He has written extensively on a freelance basis, being published in newspapers across the country and around the world. He has been a Beliefnet columnist since 2001, and has written for the Religion News Service. He is also a columnist for Patheos. His articles have been distributed worldwide by Agence Global, and he was also a guest blogger for The Chicago Tribune and has blogged on ChicagoNow\" . In addition, Dr. Hassaballa has appeared as a guest on WTTW (Channel 11) in Chicago, CNN, Fox News, BBC, and National Public Radio. Dr. Hassaballa is co-author of The Beliefnet Guide to Islam (Doubleday), and his essay, \u201cWhy I Love the Ten Commandments,\u201d was published in the award-winning book Taking Back Islam (Rodale). His latest book, Noble Brother, is the story of the Prophet Muhammad told entirely in poetry, and it is now published in its second edition. 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