The Teachers Also Owe an Apology

A non-Muslim friend sent me a copy of an article in The Australian (“Muslim Boys Urinated on Bible”) that explained how an Islamic school in Australia expelled two boys who desecrated a Bible by urinating on it, spitting on it, and burning some pages. My friend said that he was impressed that school disciplined the perpetrators and would have been pleased even if the school had simply demanded that the boys publicly apologize. Whether or not the school was unnecessarily harsh on the boys, I think it was inexcusably soft on the teachers—especially if it is true, as claimed by the principal, that the students did not realize the significance of their actions. After the fact, the school brought in an assistant imam to explain that the Bible is a sacred book and that Islam requires they “respect their neighbours and respect all religions.” Well and good, but how dare it call itself an Islamic school and yet fail to instruct the students before this and as a matter of course that such disrespect to the holy books of another faith (especially an Abrahamic faith) is an affront to Islamic teachings? The article makes no mention of discipline to the teachers. Some action, at least a sincere and abject apology for their failure to teach the children proper Islamic manners is called for.

“And dispute ye not with the People of the Book except with means better (than mere disputation) unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say ‘We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our god and your god is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam).’”-29:46

“Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides God lest they out of spite revile God in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did.”-Qur’an 6:108

“Did not God check one set of people by means of another there would surely have been pulled down monasteries churches synagogues and mosques in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure.”-Qur’an 22:40

-Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D.

ImadadDean