I concocted Vadel’s name because I fear that Islamic radicals might harm him as he’s so outspoken. He was imprisoned and tortured in Mauritania for writing something of which the regime disapproved. While he was living in Bloomington, an FBI agent interviewed him after someone turned him in for something he said. Here he was — in trouble again! However, the end was very different here. The FBI totally cleared him. The agent said, “If you have any more trouble, you just call me!”
He says repeatedly, “I love American justice! America is the true Islamic state because of its security and justice. Terrorists pervert Islam. They own nothing and live under rotten governments. What have they got to lose? The ISIS’ caliphate will not succeed because guns are used to create it.”
Vadel is one of the most devout and tolerant people whom I know. Some bigoted people won’t accept the idea that people of other faiths believe as strongly in their religions as they do in theirs and are as convinced of their correctness. They may refuse even to have the Koran in their homes. Good grief!
Vadel isn’t a bore about his religion, but he doesn’t hesitate to defend it. “Rose, just read the Koran. If you do, you will become a Muslim.” There’s no chance of that, although I have read a lot of the Koran, and Bill has read all of it. I don’t believe that we have been contaminated by it. I remain deeply thankful that I am a western woman. However, humankind was given a brain to use it, and knowledge erases barriers.
My Mauritanian “son” says, “There is absolutely no way that I could ever disrespect Jesus.” He believes that Jesus and Mohammed are spiritual brothers and points out that Old Testament figures such as Moses and Mary are in the Koran and are venerated by Muslims.
I wish that my devoutly Christian mother had known Vadel. They would have loved each other, and oh what delicious theological discussions they would have had! She was a fundamentalist evangelical in addition to being a Catholic. It upset me greatly when someone said to me, “I wish all fundamentalists were dead.”
Mother often said, “A bunch of people will be mighty surprised if they get to Heaven and discover that God is colored!” She continued to grow. She informed me that she disliked gays when two gay fellows moved nearby. After she broke a hip, they ran errands, shopped for her and delivered casseroles. She said, “I’ve changed my mind about gays after getting to know those kind men. I believe that Christ would accept them, and so must I.“
Mother had only an eighth grade education, but she knew masses of poetry by heart. Her favorite was one written by James Leigh Taylor Hunt who was a friend of the poets Shelley and Keats. It’s the story of Ibrahim ben Adhem, a Muslim Sufi prince who renounced his throne and his wealth. She recited it often and said, “There’s a lesson in this poem.”
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from
a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the
moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a
lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a
book of gold—
Exceeding peace had made
Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in
the room he said,
“What writest thou?”—
The vision raised its head,
And with a look made
all of sweet accord,
Answered, “The names of
those who love the Lord.”
“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”
Replied the angel.
Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said,
“I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves
his fellow men.”
The angel wrote, and
vanished. The next night
It came again with a great
wakening light,
And showed the names
whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem’s
name led all the rest.
wclarke@comcast.net