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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms in its eighteenth article the right of every person to freedom of belief, thought, conscience and worship and the prohibition of all forms of discrimination and persecution on religious grounds. Many philosophers and thinkers consider this right the father of all human rights, because without it justice, equality and respect for human dignity can never be guaranteed.
This right is also regarded as one of the most important, if not the most important indicators of the extent of democracy and justice in any society or system of government. But unfortunately, this right is the most violated of all other human rights mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the violation of this right is a major cause of many conflicts and crises in different parts of the world, and this is not limited. in our present era but it is an old question. Human foot on this earth
At a time of escalating nationalist trends and policies that focus on cultural and religious identities, it appears that we are heading towards a new world order different from that which emerged in the wake of the fall of communism and the end of the Cold War era. To understand these changes, it is necessary to take into account the role that religion plays in public life in the Arab world and seek to harmonize this role and employ it positively so that religion plays a role that encourages virtue, justice and a drive for democracy. and good governance. This requires the concerted efforts of Arab politicians and thinkers to develop models compatible with the region’s heritage and culture and avoid the mistakes made by Western elites, be they liberal, Marxist or secular, when they viewed religion as a marginal factor and sought to isolate it. or ignore it and deny its importance, which has caused a series of disasters such as the Balkan wars and failed policies. Migration and integration leading to the rapid rise of new national trends.
The Arab world came out exhausted and underdeveloped after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, with the hope of creating a modern state that would reach human civilization, but it soon fell prey to the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which further divided and exhausted it it established the Arab-Israeli conflict, which gave an excuse for political currents that adopted the principles of national and religious fascism and corrupt and authoritarian regimes. Sectarianism and racism have been used to continue in power, which has led several Arab countries, such as Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya and Sudan, to disasters whose effects will not end for long.
Specialized research in this field indicates that the rate of aggression with religious motives in the Arab region (Middle East and North Africa) is four times higher than the global average, and that six Middle Eastern countries, namely: Israel / Palestinian Authority, Iraq, Syria and Yemen suffer from very high rates. From religious and sectarian violence. The conflicts in the Middle East, all of which are conflicts in which religion plays a prominent role, including the Arab-Israeli conflict, have also led to the displacement of over twenty million people. These unfortunate data lead us to believe that the Arab region needs urgent revisions of its laws and regulations and to radically reform them, abolishing all forms of religious discrimination and sectarian politics, supporting projects of democratic modernization, spreading and promoting a culture human rights and equality. Eliminating all forms of injustice and achieving justice is the best way to resolve conflicts and achieve peace. Sustainable.
The concept of cultural pluralism and religious freedoms is not an urgent concept in the Arab world. The Arab heritage, ancient and modern, before and after Islam, is rich in many traditions and examples that can be inspired, revived and developed instead of importing other models that can harm more than benefit. From the rich religious diversity in the Arabian Peninsula before Islam to the Medina document and some golden periods in the Umayyad and Abbasid eras up to the Andalusian era, the history of the region abounds with positive experiences that have helped enrich human civilization in its together, without neglecting the bitter experiences that the peoples of the region still pay for some of them. So far, these experiences should be critically analyzed and studied to take advantage of their lessons, and it is interesting that the periods that have witnessed the greatest contributions of Arab civilization are those that have been characterized by a high degree of acceptance and respect for diversity. cultural and religious and pluralism, which supports what we will go to in this short article and reinforces the conclusion What we have come to is that the Arab world retains beautiful traditions that can complement human civilization and enhance its beauty if they are available the legal structures and regulations that allow for the release of these potential energies.
Despite the current scenario, there are positive initiatives and indicators issued by several Arab countries that bring with them the hope of a better future, from Morocco to Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Kurdistan, and from Saudi Arabia, Emirates and Oman there are encouraging news of reforms aimed at expanding the area of cultural and religious diversity and countering extremism and incitement. The Muslim World League president’s historic visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp last January sent a moving message to the world about the feelings of compassion and human brotherhood inherent in Arab culture – genuine feelings that have been suppressed, repressed and absent in favor of a nationalist and religious discourse that hijacked the Arab scene and terrified it for long periods. In this context, we cannot fail to mention and praise other initiatives such as the Rabat Declaration of Human Rights and Al-Azhar’s efforts to resist and dismantle the rhetoric of extremism. The efforts are still in their infancy, perhaps, but they carry great symbolism, and we can only praise and encourage them, as the road is still long and arduous, and as the English proverb goes: The road of a thousand miles begins with one step. What’s important is that this step is in the right direction, no matter how small.
** Joint article written by:
Dr. Jan Figel, former European Union Commissioner and Special Envoy
Dr. Kataza Gondoy is Director of Research at the International Organization for the Study of Human Rights and Religious Freedoms
Dr. Wael Al-Ajji, secretary of the Conservative Middle East Association
Notice:
All published articles represent the opinion of its authors only.
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