Islam and Christmas

I read with interest the op-ed “A Muslim family celebrates Christmas” (Dec. 25) by Eboo Patel.

He states: “We’re Muslim. And we celebrate Christmas not in spite of being a Muslim family — but because we are a Muslim family.”

Many suras, or chapters, of the Quran are dedicated to Moses, Abraham and many other prophets. Sura V, verses 44 and 46, proclaims the mission of Islam: “The Torah of Moses is guidance and light . ... We sent Jesus son of Mary, fulfilling the Torah that preceded him; and We gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, and confirming the Torah that preceded him, and guidance and counsel for the righteous.”

Sura XIX is dedicated to Maryam (Arabic for Mary), the mother of Jesus. The birth of Jesus, as narrated in Sura XIX, parallels the one found in the Gospel of Luke.

Sura XLVI, 12, declares the mission of the Quran to the Arabs: “And before it was the Book of Moses, a model and a mercy. And this is a confirming Book, in the Arabic language, to warn those who do wrong — and good news for the doers of good.”

Rumi, a 13th century Sufi poet of Persia, in his collection of spiritual verses titled “Masnavi,” said: “All the religions, all this singing. One song. Peace be with you.”

Hafez, a 14th century Persian poet, wrote: “I have learned much from God. I cannot define myself Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Hebrew,” and “I am in love with every church, mosque, synagogue and of every temple. It is there that people sing the many names of the One God.”

German Cardinal Nicolaus Cusanus of the 15th century, in his treatise “De Pace Fidei,” or “On the Peace of Faith,” envisions an interfaith council in heaven. All the leaders of the world are invited so “they will see that there is only one religion in a variety of rites.” They are sent down to earth in a peaceful dialogue to Jerusalem, the city of peace.

Many scholars — such as Christoph Luxenberg of Lebanon, Fred Donner of the University of Chicago, Egyptians Samir Khalil Samir and Mark Gabriel, Wafa Sultan of Syria, Khaled Foudad Allam of Algeria, Al Fadi of Saudi Arabia, Brother Rachid of Morocco and Mustafa Akyol of Turkey — have studied the social-linguistic history of the Quran and have shown the Aramaic Judeo-Christian origin of the Meccan Quran. This is due to the Middle East, up to the seventh to eighth centuries, having a Hebrew-Christian majority.

Because of this symbiotic common ground, Muslims ought to celebrate Christmas.

Let us sing together “Alleluia,” “Hosanna,” “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” “Shalom,” “Salaam” and “Peace to the world.” Amen.

— Raffaele Di Zenzo, emeritus professor, Westchester

Americans must unite

To be honest, I am deeply concerned about the future of America, the country that I proudly call my home. It’s where I live and where I will die.

I came here from India nearly 40 years ago and gave up my Indian citizenship based on what this country offered: freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom to fulfill my dreams. I saw the United States as a place where diversity was our strength, unity was our power and the U.S. Constitution was our hope.

I remember when my dad asked me as a 7-year-old growing up in India where I wanted to go when I graduated. I told him that I wanted to go to America because of America’s exceptionalism.

I can affirm that I am not the only immigrant drawn here by this belief.

Sadly, America today sits on the verge of civil war. The current environment of hate, racism, bigotry, fear and division, which have been stoked and exploited by some of our politicians, must stop.

Even some elected officials who recognize that what’s happening here is wrong choose to remain silent, putting self-interest ahead of the general good. Their failure to stand up only adds fuel to the fires of hate and division. Enough!

I’m calling on every peace-loving citizen of this great nation to unite in efforts to restore the promise of America. More of us, both native-born and immigrant, must stand up and speak out before it’s too late.

When Americans come together en masse to demand change, our elected officials will have no choice but to follow. We need to remind them that they are public servants working for us, not privileged rulers.

We must focus our collective efforts on making America a leader and a role model for the world. To do this, when we see something wrong, we must say something, and we must do something!

God bless the United States of America!

— Masood Akhtar, Madison, Wisconsin

Comments a racial slur

Some Voice of the People contributors have asked forgiveness for Chancellor Thomas Keon’s mocking of Asian languages in his vain and embarrassing stab at ill-advised humor while delivering his Purdue Northwest commencement speech. His invented mockery has been criticized by several writers as in unforgivably bad taste at best, and insulting to Asians altogether.

Sadly, other contributors seeking to exempt him from the consequences are asking too much. Anti-Asian speech is as unacceptable as other gratuitous “othering” speech.

Judging from the family names of those asking that he be forgiven, none sound Asian, so for them, forgiving is easy. But for those he insulted, essentially all Asians, not so much. In most Asian cultures, what he said was heard as a slur.

Keon is presumably educated enough to know to treat all others with the respect he himself surely expects. Further, it has been widely reported that across the U.S., incidents of anti-Asian hate have doubled in the past year, heightening sensibilities. Was Keon not aware of that, which heightens sensibilities further?

To quote a phrase, once rung, a bell can’t be unrung. Keon rang it.

To Asians, it equaled the crassness of a colonial mindset. Mocking nonwhite speech patterns is a favorite of white people who see themselves as superior globally, and it is a holdover from a cringeworthy colonial era.

So forget forgiveness. Keon has earned his punishment, whatever it turns out to be, to wipe Purdue Northwest’s slate clean and clear the air.

— Ted Z. Manuel, Chicago