Semitic is a word derived from “Shem”, son of Prophet Noh, the progenitor of the Semitic people among whom sprouted the three monotheistic legislations, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Thus, limiting the meaning of “Anti-Semitism” to anything politically damaging to Israel is plain hypocrisy. When people express their disapproval of Israel’s policy and atrocities it commits against Palestinians.

Time and again we hear the term anti-Semitism, but most people fail to understand what it comes to connote.

Wrong, yet widespread interpretation of the term Anti-Semitism is ‘prejudice, and particularly Muslim prejudice against and hatred of the entire Jewish race’, which fuels animosity between hardcore thinkers from the two poles, diluting great efforts aimed at installing harmony and effective co-existence between world nations and followers of all religions.

Another purposeful play of words intended for mobilizing world sympathy towards one culture rather than another.

And today, the most recognized yet erroneous connotation of anti-Semitism affiliates Islam with the theological ideology that “promotes” and “encourages” hatred against Jews and Judaism.

As a matter of fact this falls short of the truth. All Arabs belong to the Semitic race, and not only the Jews. What a lot of people don’t know is that Arabia, the birthplace of the Islamic religion, is also the birthplace of the entire Semitic race.

Semitic is a word derived from “Shem”, son of Prophet Noh, the progenitor of the Semitic people among whom sprouted the three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

This being said, limiting the meaning of “Anti-Semitism” to anything politically damaging to Israel is plain hypocrisy. When people reject Israel’s policy and atrocities it commits against Palestinians; this shouldn’t be labeled “Anti- Semitism”, but rejection of Israel’s crimes and not the Jewish race.

What’s more beguiling is that while the misleading understanding of anti-Semitism, that is anti-Jewish hatred, is not the least accepted among world nations and religions, anti Muslim sentiments and Islamophibic attitude that’s becoming rampant especially in Western nations is highly tolerated and to a great extent justified under the guise of fighting terrorism and the like.

What I intend to stress here is far from endorsing racial labeling or promoting any negative sentiments against any race, let them be Jews or Christians. I only seek to offer a truthful interpretation of Semitism which in its originality groups Muslims with Jews, while call for equality and adopting a more tolerant attitude towards followers of all faiths.

Last but not least, rejections of the Zionist agendas and occupation of the Palestinian territories by the Israelis in one thing and promoting racial ideology promoting hatred against Jews is another. Islam promotes peace and is a religion of peace, and it allows the use of armed struggle only to preserve and safeguard peace.

And abiding by this very crucial teaching, Muslims harbor no theological prejudice against the Jews, as a race, but rather reject and abhor the Israeli policies that have been working on the annihilation of the Palestinians and the usurpation of their lands and rights.

A religion that advocates for mercy and kindness cannot itself promote hatred and bigotry.

Allahs says in the Qur’an:

“To God. He has taken it upon

Himself to be merciful. He will certainly gather you on the Day of

Resurrection, which is beyond all doubt. Those who deceive themselves

will not believe.” — Qur’an 6: 13

Wassalaam

Maha Youssuf