Time for Reflection.

This year in God’s plan, Rosh Hashanah coincided with the beginning of Ramadan. On the advent of the Jewish New year the Jews gather in Synagogues and pray for renewal and hope for the future.

Since the war in Bosnia, which brought us together, we have shared many other perilous journeys to conflict-ridden parts of the world in the quest for Peace. Coming from our respective traditions in which lately there has been an unfortunate seepage of politics into our ideological roots, casting us in adversarial roles, our journey has not been easy. Yet not only has our friendship endured, it has only gotten stronger.

As we prayed at the synagogue and the mosque, we were before the God of Abraham, reflecting on the opportunities and the challenges that we face.

As I prayed in the synagogue this week on Rosh Hashanah I reflected on the Torah portion of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael. Brothers lost, living in darkness, separated by fear and jealously. Would Ishmael and Isaac only gaze upon one another at their father's death? Is not the greatest plague that of ''darkness,'' when brothers remain estranged and cannot feel each other’s pain?

Thousands of years later now the same darkness seems to prevail - one brother not feeling the pain of the other. These Holy days, as I search for new beginnings and a fresh start, I am reminded of my faith’s demands of me to respect and sanctify life. On this Rosh Hashannah, as I read the Torah, my journey of hope and trust with my Muslim brother came to my mind. These are challenging time for Muslims, Jews and Christians but also an opportunity. This is the time to turn our errant behavior into good deeds and dispel the darkness. This demands that we stand up to those who bash and demonize Muslims and others, and discriminate out of ignorance and fear against our biblical brothers and sisters. Unless we act courageously the plague of darkness will continue. May our prayers for Peace be fulfilled in our daily lives.

For the Muslims, the month of Ramadan marks the beginning of the Divine revelatory process of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. In this month Muslims fast during the day and gather in mosques every night to offer prayers and listen to the Quran. It is considered the most blessed month, in which besides extra attention is given to the needy, the poor and the sick. The Fast must include refraining from anger and violence. The idea of the whole exercise is to refresh a sense of deep spiritual commitment, through which can come renewed efforts to address the prevailing injustices in the society around us.

For Muslims who abhor acts of violence, these are indeed difficult times. The month of Ramadan, which just started and signifies the start of the Quranic revelatory process to Prophet Mohammad, is considered by the Muslims to be a Blessed month. During this month Muslims pray, reflect, meditate and ask for Gods' help. The mosques are full, charity is at its maximum, and the Quran is read and listened to extensively. They stand in prayers all night to offer special prayers for themselves, their family and the rest of the world, for peace and stability. Islam to them means Peace as it literally does. Muslims must attain and internalize this value above all if at all they are abiding by the teachings of the Quran.

All of this seems serene and peaceful.

During the first night after breaking the fast I stood in prayers at the mosque and was listening to the Quranic recitation of the verse

Those who believe and those who follow the scriptures the Jews, the Christian and the Sabians (a small Christian denomination in Iraq), Any who believe in God and the Day of Judgment, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

My friendship was being reaffirmed. Friendship not just between the two of us but with many others from different Faiths and persuasions with whom I have bonded in our common destiny as the verse was pointing to.

Sadly enough my mind wandered to the daily news of violence and bloodshed committed in the name of Islam. I feared that this month in which all warfare must stop and all bloodshed must end, will be washed away in a torrent of blood, blood of innocent people, Muslims and non-Muslims. This seemed overwhelming for a moment, but the spirit of Ramadan again prevailed in reminding me how emphatic the Quran is in condemning mischief and mayhem. These daily acts of violence are morally offensive in the Quranic sense and give a contrary image of Islam.

The Quran’s declaration in the verse quoted above stood out in my mind. It seemed that it was addressing all of us who believe in our faiths’ commitment to Peace and Justice. It reaffirms not only our friendship but our work together. We must continue to speak out boldly and act against those who are committing these acts in the name of their religion. Realizing that these misguided people will continue to unleash acts of terror on anyone and anywhere in the name of religion, the need for the Muslims to raise their voice and act is urgent. Bold condemnation of these acts, whether committed by individuals, groups of people or even governments, is the right action from our faith perspective. We must not be intimidated.

We know and are convinced through our friendships that the universal ethical calling of a just peace cannot be readily answered if we live only among ourselves. We have learned that we can no longer act as if only what happens in our immediate communities matters. We must act to show that we owe solidarity to others beyond our communities in order to better appreciate the universality of human dignity.

This is the essence of the spirit of Ramadan and Rosh Hashanah.

Shana Tova and Ramadan Mubarak

In the synagogue ---for renewal and hope they all pray

In the mosque, heaven's doors are open, they say.

Tell them -- to open their eyes and see.

That God isn't there besides thee.

If you will only look beyond the prayers and meditation,

You will see Him where there is injustice and oppression.

In the occupied territories of armies grand

And the crowded refugee camps of different lands;

In the pit of the stomach of a hungry child

In the carnage of suicide-bombers reviled.

He is no more at the Haram or Wailing Wall

The message should be clear to us all.

We will now find him only where

There is nothing left but only despair.