Article October 15, 2001 Issue

LIKE A Family my Muslim friends and I

By Marta Greenwood

With Horror, my Muslim friends and I watched the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We are Iranians living in England. They are devout Muslims. I'm a Christian. They're just as sad and upset about the atrocities as I am.

As Muslims, my friends have no more understanding than I do as to what led the terrorists to such evil acts. Kidnapping, hijacking, and other acts of terror are as contrary to the teachings of Islam as they are to Christianity or Judaism. Islam does not teach revenge, nor does it encourage the killing or oppression of non-Muslims. Virtually all the chapters in the Koran commence with an invocation to the merciful God.

I think of my Muslim friends as family. Yes, we dress differently. They cover their heads with Islamic headscraves, while I dress Western style. And none of them speak English. They've kept their customs and traditions—and this delights me. It makes me feel as if I'm back in Iran with my family again. By sharing our culture and literature, we keep them alive for our children. I'm grateful for my Iranian heritage and grateful for my friends who are Muslim.

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