Recently my small community of Morgan Hill, California, held an interfaith prayer for those who lost their lives in the recent terror attacks against the United States The theme was simple: One community, one nation, one God.

The gathering was also to celebrate our diversity of faith and traditions, and to reaffirm our unity and shared humanity. Throughout America many such events were held. It was as if the nation spontaneously felt this great need to come together, to lighten this load that was hurled upon us.

As a human being, I am horrified at the senseless loss of lives in the recent carnage at New York City and Washington DC. As a Muslim I am appalled that a bunch of evil men would hijack my religion and debase it to justify their dastardly deeds.

I cringe when I read or hear someone condemn the tragedies and in the same breath justify them on some pretext or other. The Reverend Jerry Falwell, while feigning sympathy for the victims, moralised that the tragedies were God's retribution for America's errand ways in accommodating abortionists, gays, and lesbians.

He subsequently apologised for his offensive remarks. The reverend reminds me of the equally distasteful utterances of Muslim ulama (Islamic scholars) a few years ago following the Turkish earthquake, attributing it to Almighty's punishment for the country's secular ways.

I would have expected some comforting and healing words from these men of God. Failing that, some welcomed silence. This also applies to those who offer their conditional condolences.

No justification

At times like these it is important that we remain true to our faith, and to seek guidance and solace from our spiritual teachings and traditions. The Quran reminds us that He will test us; the more pious we are, the more severe the test.

America and Muslims today are indeed being severely tested. America, a great nation, will emerge from this stronger and better. Muslims and Islam too, will endure. But we have our work cut out.

Many are asking that America re-examine itself, in particular its policies in the Middle East. But whatever the perceived failures of America, I cannot see any justification for the senseless slaughter of innocent lives.

Yes, America has its blemishes. It sponsored right-wing goons who terrorised Guatemalan peasants, and its CIA was instrumental in overthrowing Chile's elected government. The head of the Irish Republican Army, a terrorist organisation that did its best to blow up Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was warmly embraced at the White House. Curiously no one saw fit to label those terrorists as Catholics.

Many are doing their part to change America's policies through the political process. Gratifyingly, the last elections saw American Muslims participating actively. That is far more effective than all the bombings and ugly demonstrations.

Despite the widespread support for retribution, there are sober dissenting voices. Students from Berkeley to Boston are demonstrating, urging restraint and patience. And they are not being arrested nor branded as traitors.

The media too, have room for opposing views. Contrast that to how Malaysia handles dissent among its citizens. In times of crisis, Americans rightly rally behind their leader but that does not mean they will give up their cherished freedoms.

We Muslims too must re-examine ourselves. What made these young men to believe fervently that the way to Paradise is through killing? Equally anguishing is why some Muslim leaders do not condemn them. More reprehensible is the attempt by a few to justify this evil deed and defend the perpetrators.

When I read the Quran I see an Almighty Allah who is beneficent, merciful, and compassionate; but they see a God who condones, no, encourages-cold-blooded murder.

They must have been taught this in their madrasah (schools). Why do we let them be thus indoctrinated? Where in the rich traditions of our faith do they find the justification?

Sad reality

It is a sad reality today that the Muslim world is ruled by repressive governments and mired in abject poverty. The pain is even more keenly felt when we compare ourselves with the West, and when we reflect on our glorious past.

It is distressing that we would blame others for this fate. We blame the West and its embargo when we see millions of starving Iraqi children. But we miss the obvious cause of the Iraqi misery: Saddam Hussein.

When that monster gassed thousands of fellow Muslim Kurds, many Muslim leaders were cowardly silent. Perversely, Saddam remains a hero among many.

Similarly, many idolise Osama Bin Laden. He may or may not be responsible for the recent atrocities. What is it in his version of Islam that made him apply his riches to train others to use guns to blow people up instead of teaching them to use the pen to blow open their minds?

Why cannot he be like a Rockefeller, Carnegie, or Stanford and use his wealth to endow a university instead of a military training camp?

If Osama Bin Laden does not care to emulate those infidels, then why not learn from fellow Muslims like the Aga Khan who built a world-class medical school in Pakistan, something that is worthy and enduring.

A hadith (saying of the prophet) has it that a prostitute was allowed into heaven because she saved a drowning dog. The accepted wisdom of that prophet saying is that even when one leads a life of sin, Allah is still compassionate if one has done some good.

It also implies something else. If saving the life of a dog merits a pass to Paradise, how much greater is the reward for saving a human being? And the flip side, how great a sin it is to take that life.

I cannot challenge our ulama when they are heavy into Quranic quotations and erudite recitations of the hadith to buttress their support for these fanatics. But one thing I am certain.

Our Quran repeatedly exhorts us to "command good and forbid evil." Osman Bin Laden and his cohorts have yet to learn this simple lesson of Islam.