Nations of the Moderates

In Jordan, a country with 92% Muslim population, one could sense that believers of other faiths are not threatened or imposed with bans or restrictions on the ways they practise their faiths. This is markedly different from Malaysia whose political leadership projected the country internationally as a nation of moderates but behaves differently internally.

 

The Jordanian tour guide, Osama, a Muslim told me without hesitation that Christians in Jordan mainly Greek Orthodox are not banned from using the word Allah as this is a term pre-dates Islam. In fact he told our group that there is a mosque in Madaba in Jordan which is named "Jesus Mosque". Unfortunately, we did not have the chance to visit this mosque. I did check the internet later and found this mosque was built in 2008 in Madaba. Malaysians would agree with me that it would be unthinkable to see such a thing happening in Malaysia.

 

Jesus Mosque

 

Jordan takes full advantage of its historical past and promotes its many biblical sites to the world - Mount Nebo where Moses was shown the Promised land; Bethabara where John the Baptist is believed to have conducted his ministry and where Jesus is believed to be baptised and Petra, one of the new 7 Wonders of the World and is also where Aaron, the brother of Moses is believed to be buried.

 

Jordan in old biblical times.

 

The most visited site in Jordan is probably the Mosaic City of Madaba. Madaba is made famous by the discovery of a Byzantine-era mosaic map of the Holy Land. This map is now preserved and integrated as part of the floor of the Greek Orthodox Basilica of St. George.

 

In Malaysia, a self-claimed nation of the moderates, it would be unthinkable to have a national leader who is a Muslim to enter a church to celebrate Christmas with the Christians.

 

When I entered the Church of St. Catherine, a Catholic Church and a Franciscan Monastery next to the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, I remembered what the late Yaser Arafat used to do during Christmas Eve. He once said on 23 December 2001:

 

"No one can prevent me from reaching Bethlehem. No one, whoever he is has the right, despite the various weapons at his disposal, to prevent this mighty people from fulfilling its religious duties".

 

Every Christmas Eve since his Palestinian Authority took control of Bethlehem in 1995, Mr. Yaser Arafat who is a Muslim has been attending the midnight service at the Church of St. Catherine. This Church which is next to the Church of the Nativity, built on the site revered by Christians as the place of Jesus' birth.

 

Interior of the Church of St, Catherine, Bethlehem.

 

Can Malaysia claim to be a nation of the moderates?