“I hope for a peaceful solution for Jewish-Muslim relations, but today it takes audacity to have hope,” said Abdelwahab Hiba Hechiche, a professor of international studies at the University of South Florida.
“The extremist, violent terrorist groups are more outspoken than most peace-loving Muslims.”
Rabbi A. James Rudin, the AJC’s interreligious affairs director, commends Hechiche’s outspokenness.
“He represents a profile in courage… Some might think it is easy to say Hamas is a terrorist group. It is not easy — don’t take it for granted,” Rudin said.
Hechiche, who was born in Tunisia, emphasized that “the true spirit of Islam is mercy and magnanimity, not greed and vengeance. Unfortunately, today the world hears and sees things very un-Islamic proclaimed by people who have the audacity to replace God in judging and condemning people.”
“We Muslims cannot continue to be in denial. Islamic Jihad has been used and abused in international affairs. Neither I nor any tolerant Muslim could remain silent when so-called Islamist groups are striving to accomplish what Muslims have been accused of having done centuries ago, with the only difference today that suicide bombing has replaced the sword.”
Hechiche hopes that the book project, which he will co-author with Reuven Firestone of the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union College, will find “enough good reasons to believe that there is hope” for better Jewish-Muslim relations.
While Hechiche acknowledges that the public image presented by many Muslims does not make most Jews comfortable, he said, “there are also Muslim voices and writings that give us hope and reasons not to despair. For my humble and modest part, I have chosen the path not only of tolerance, but of fraternal love, respect and total acceptance.”