The Jew Is Not My Enemy: Unveiling the Myths that Fuel Muslim Anti-Semitism

Fatah (Chasing a Mirage) describes the tensions between followers of Islam and of Judaism, attributing the lack of understanding and compassion between these groups to the scriptures they study and propaganda spread by radicals. Fatah explains that from a young age Muslim children are taught to pray for the downfall of other religions, especially Judaism, and though "most of us ignore it as nothing more than the rhetoric of the screaming cleric," lingering suspicion about Jews remains "for our entire lives, even if we never meet one." He also examines beliefs that many Pakistani Muslim's voice, such as blaming Israel for the Bird Flu, and the fact that in order to be considered an intellectual or a faithful Muslim, one is expected to wholeheartedly embrace these rumors as fact; to speak out against propaganda is slanderous and those who doubt the teachings of religious leaders are dehumanized. Pakistani textbooks and TV shows support these rumors as facts, widely disseminating anti-Semitism daily. In spite of all this, Fatah offers examples of Muslims supporting, befriending, or even saving Jewish people, demonstrating the importance of tolerance and understanding in a world full of opposing beliefs and ideologies. (Oct.)