I was born into a family who happened to be Sunni Muslim Saudis; hence, I grew up by default to be a Sunni Muslim Saudi influenced while growing up by my parents' religious, educational, intellectual, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. As an adult, I was and still am influenced by other factors including my own social, educational and intellectual background which have led me to be the individual I have become so far. There are a combination of factors that have led people to become who they are, but it is up to them to either choose who they become or to accept whatever has defined them as something that was meant to be, thus fulfilling a life that they did not choose and regurgitating whatever their family, education and society have been feeding them. If just for one minute, we do not take who we are for granted, we might realize that we had absolutely no say in the basic factors that have defined our very own identity. We might then be open to considering the possibility that we could have been born anywhere in the world, including countries we consider to be our enemies and could have become adherents to whatever religion our families raised us to follow or not to follow, for that matter. Only then, we might stop taking our convictions at face value and start doubting, asking questions, seeking knowledge and accepting change as the only constant in order to become true believers of our own faith, loyal citizens of our own countries who contribute to its development, and more tolerant and fair toward others including those we consider to be our own enemies, and thus making the world a much better place. Some people assume that a true believer does not question or doubt, but nothing could be farther from the truth because almost all truth-seekers, including prophets (peace be upon them), questioned and doubted the convictions of their own people leading them to find their own true path. Those who object the most to questioning their beliefs are more likely the ones who never chose their own life or who they are, but rather lived copying their forefathers and whomever they deemed to be holy other than God. However, there is nothing more enlightening than discovering the "truth" on your own after questioning and searching for it. Once this happens, we will have contented hearts and can find the courage and confidence to understand and accept other people's way of life. Another obvious yet sobering thought in this line of thinking is that we are considered the evil enemy of our own enemies. We need to realize that just as we are different individuals with different opinions, so is our enemy, which means that we should not generalize and should keep an open mind about the possibility that some of the people who live behind enemy lines could be peacemakers or at least peaceful and understanding toward us. In addition, unless a person is fighting in an army or joining a nation to support their hostile cause against us, people sometimes do not choose to be "the" enemy, especially those who are born after years of animosity and warfare between their predecessors and other nations. One should differentiate between policies of governments and the existence of some people in that country who might not agree with their governments, which is a conceivable case that could occur even in the most democratic states. Giving the benefit of the doubt when expressed aggression is absent is the most basic element of justice toward one's enemies. As a matter of fact, justice toward one's enemies is one of the common themes across many cultures and religious traditions that vary across the spectrum from pacifism to absolute justice. In Islam, Allah in the Holy Qur'an orders believers not to be blinded by their hatred in the following verse: "O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do" (5:8). Justice toward one's enemies will not necessarily end warfare, but could, at least, lead to a halt to the fanning of the flames of animosity leading to mutual respect and acceptance. Although I am still a work in progress, I have chosen to be a Sunni Muslim Saudi because I found my true path in this set of beliefs and I am in love with the soil of this country, which I could never forsake willingly. I also choose to understand and accept that other people have their own truths, which could be different than mine and refuse to believe that we are passive recipients who cannot choose who we are. So, have you chosen who you are yet? The writer can be reached at [email protected]
