With all the current ongoing wars in the Middle East, it's hard to believe that there can or will be any coexistence among the several different religious countries. However, a Jewish shrine of the Prophet Ezra still stands in Iraq today. The tomb is in a town called Uzair, Ezra is Arabic, and contains many Jewish symbols and Hebrew writing. Although this tomb was built by Jews, it became an "Islamic landmark following the mass exodus of the Jews of Iraq to Israel in the 1950s" (Zeed). Through the varying religious aspects that are found on this shrine, it is considered a symbol of harmony between Judaism and Islam. Iraqi journalist, Abdulhadi Mhoder, said that this symbol "reflects religious tolerance and confessional coexistence in Iraq." While a few of the Jewish symbols have been removed from the tomb and replaced with Islamic verses, it is also important to recognize the remaining Jewish symbols and Hebrew writing. A member of the Maysan provincial council also said that "The people of the city welcome Jewish visitors to this shrine, although it was transformed into an Islamic landmark." An optimistic thought for sure.
The fact that the country of Iraq has an Islamic-Judaic shrine as a tourist site that welcomes all people reveals that coexistence and peace across the Middle East is achievable. While it seems impossible now due to the intense and seemingly never-ending wars that are currently consuming all of the media's attention, this tomb gives hope that maybe one day everyone may live in harmony with each other. As unrealistic and cheesy as it sounds, the idea is tangible as long as little proofs of coexistence remain and increase. Who knows? Maybe 50 years from now I will go back to read this blog post and reminisce about the times where the world was so strange and wonder why this tragic violence ever existed in the first place. One can only hope.
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ReplyDeleteThe tomb of Ezra the Prophet is indeed one of those golden slivers of hope for a peaceful vision of the Middle East. As the region exists right now—a warring batch of hostile countries filled with religious and political strife—even a diminutive sign of peaceful intentions seems unlikely. However, peace treaties do not happen all of a sudden; someone always has to make the first move to begin the healing process, which is exactly what this strange little Muslim/Jewish holy place is doing. Many Iraqis of the area, contrary to popular notion, are in fact welcoming of Jews and recall fond memories of them living harmoniously as neighbors, until most were forced to flee as the once pacific community turned hostile. Although Ezra's tomb has turned into a mostly Islamic holy place, the Jews still remember him as one of their great religious figureheads, playing an initial role in the strengthening of the Land of Israel after the Babylonian exile according to our Tanakh. I sincerely hope that you are right, and that in the near future the Middle East will have settled their turmoil, but looking back through history, there has always been war here, and I find the fact that history repeats itself very frightening indeed.
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