If the Islamic culture is embraced, how will the society in Houran evolve?

If the Islamic culture is embraced, how will the society in Houran evolve?

Maryam Al-Fandi – Bosra

Violence has become a widespread phenomenon in various new forms, contrary to the culture of the society that people were accustomed to.

The phenomenon of kidnapping, which has recently spread, is a new and disturbing trend in the community. Children and young people are abducted for the purpose of extortion or revenge against their families. One of the stories that gained attention was the kidnapping of a ten-year-old girl by an unidentified group, demanding a large sum of money for her release. When the girl’s family could not afford the ransom due to their low standard of living, the kidnappers had no choice but to cold-bloodedly kill the girl and send her body back to her family. The security forces and other entities were unable to take any action due to the prevailing instability in the country.

At the same time, there are other stories indicating the presence of moral restraint, as happened in one of the villages in Houran. An accident occurred resulting in the death of a child. The father could not bear to lower his son into the grave before the owner of the car responsible for the accident came and personally lowered the child, acknowledging the severity of his mistake.

These ethics and behaviors were encouraged by our noble Prophet, peace be upon him, as Islamic culture is filled with nonviolence, rejecting oppression, and not aggressing against others. One clear example is the conquest of Mecca in the 8th year of Hijra when peace was spread throughout the region. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to the people of Mecca, “Go, for you are free,” and Muslims did not force anyone to enter Islam. They did not engage in any form of violence against the people of the enlightened city.

In contrast to the practices of violent injustice, beating, killing, displacement, and rape without any security or religious deterrent today, many decision-makers and individuals in positions of power in the Houran region adopt a logic of violence in their practices. Hence, the situation has become dire, and fear prevails among the people because the applied law does not regulate this huge amount of risks surrounding the community.

Adhering to the Islamic culture to which we belong requires building a just society that works to prevent bloodshed, as stated in the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: “By Him in whose Hand my soul is, killing a believer is more grievous to Allah than the extinction of the whole world.