A moral from 9/11

Time flies as do aircraft and it is already 16 long and painful years since 19 terrorists of Al-Qaeda failed. The world needs no reminder that on 11 September 2001 (9/11) a group of 19 terrorists committed suicide. That was their first act of failure. Following their act of suicide, they can no longer see their family and friends, all of whom have publicly disowned them. How shameful it would have been for them to see their family and friends disown their actions. How shameful it would have been for them to see the devastation that they have brought upon their own religion and their nations.

The acts of 9/11 can never been forgotten by those who suffered as victims or by the family and friends of the victims. The acts of 9/11 should also be recognized by the entire Muslim world as the start of their vows. The acts of 9/11 should be recognized by every Muslim who has faced suffering for the last 16 years as the cause of that suffering.

Until 11 September 2001 the Muslim world was by no means peaceful. However, compared to today as a consequence of the events on that morning, the Muslim world was then living in paradise and is now living in hell. The 19 terrorists of Al-Qaeda have brought hell to earth for their own brethren.

The last 16 years have had too many conflicts to detail where Muslims have been pitted against Muslims instigated by the same causes of 9/11 and even specifically by the same Al-Qaeda movement and its franchises and offshoots such as Al Shahab and ISIS. The Western world need not intervene in the Muslim world to revenge or avenge 9/11 for these will surely do the task of bringing those to justice and ending their existence. The facts and figures speak for themselves on the number of dead, wounded and made homeless by the conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere.

Why should the Western world led by the United States of America even assist in providing aid to the refugees of such conflicts and in attempting to end the strife? The answer is clear and needs no detailed elaboration! Americans and the Western world as a whole are not savages. Americans and the Western world are human and humane. They respect the rights and needs of every individual without discriminating due to religion, color, gender, age, etc. It is a pity that such care and concerns for centuries about individuals has been considered as a weakness by radicals such as the perpetrators of 9/11.

The entire story above could have the names and places changed but the story would remain the same. It could be the of Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks in Madrid on 7 March 2004 or in London on 7 July 2005. Or more recently in Belgium, Denmark and France. It could also be all the terrorist attacks in Israel for the last 69 years including the painful suicide bombings of the Second Intifada 29 September 2000 – 1 January 2005. During all of these and after all of these the Belgium, the British, the Danish, the French, the Spanish, and the Israelis have not become the same as the other side. They have remained human and humane!

Israel despite all the suicide bombings and terrorism continues to provide humanitarian aid and assistance including education, financial, health and social security even to the families of the those who have committed acts of terror. It is a pity that such care and concerns for individuals without discrimination due to religion has been considered as a weakness by those who oppose peace with Israel and by those who refuse to recognize her right of existence.

The lessons of 9/11 and all other acts of terrorism especially the ongoing daily threats and acts of terrorist in Israel are clear and forever present. The act of terror is a waste of time and doesn’t achieve the objective for the perpetrators. The act of terror will never be forgotten and rarely forgiven by the victims or by their family and friends. The act of terror will not change the nature of those who care about others and who are willing to assist others. So a moral from 9/11 is to note that terror and violence is not a successful means to achieve an objective; for the human and humane will endure against all odds.