Assalam Alaykum,
In 1967, at the height of the Civil Rights Struggle in the United States, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote a concise yet penetrating assessment of his times, and the choices that needed to be made if America were to avoid an accelerating descent into obscene inequalities, violence and social disintegration. He also considered the implications of a shrinking and rapidly integrating world, as well as technological advances, for our traditional conceptions of war and peace. It was a critical historical juncture and his insights were penetrating. He entitled that work, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community." At the end his reflections, Dr. King penned the following sobering words: "We still have a choice today: nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation. This may well be mankind's last chance between chaos or community."
The warning given by Dr. King is even more pertinent today than when it was first uttered. Established ideas of the role of government, wars for profit, the militarizing of the police forces of nominally democratic states, a resurgence of national chauvinism, civic consciousness devolving into base tribalism and other developments have created a situation where cooperation between people and institutions is increasingly important if we are not to see an unrestrained descent into chaos and confrontation.
As Muslims, a community that has been described as "the best community brought forth for the service of humanity," and having been ordered by Almighty God to "cooperate for good and righteousness," we must take the lead in working to preserve a social climate conducive to cooperation. This is a sacred duty. Now, almost forty-five years after Dr. King uttered his warning, we can say with even greater certainty: "This may well be mankind's last chance between chaos or community." At this critical juncture in human affairs we no longer have a choice. We must choose cooperation and community.
Regards,
RIS Organizing Team
revivingtheislamicspirit.com
No comments:
Post a Comment