Valuing Life

“…if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." Qur'an 5.32

(First a note. 'Spreading mischief in the land' is akin to inciting rebellion or treason. Serious crimes.)

Muslims believe--at least those Muslims who read and follow the Qur'an--that, as the verse states, killing one person is like killing all humanity. Murder and mayhem are not part of Islam.

That doesn't stop some from committing these acts in the name of Islam. Those who do this are ignorant of the religion or are working for personal motives, even if they claim otherwise.

Three thousand died in the World Trade Center. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed. In both instances, the innocents have lost their lives to the selfish motives of others. Just one of those lives equalled the value of humanity.

I am pro-life. I am anti-abortion. I am also anti-war. I often wonder at those who call themselves pro-life and yet continue to support wars.

Life is beyond measure. Ask the father of the one-year old who died at a Gaza checkpoint yesterday. (I can't imagine seeing my child die in my arms.)

And no life is more valuable than any other life. There is no race, citizenship or ethnicity in death.