1250119847

our lives. I believe we owe that to all the innocent people, both Muslim and non-Muslim, who have
suffered at the hands of our coreligionists in their misguided extremism.
Saif, I think you have noticed by now that I see the world through the prism of responsibility. I
want you to experiment with the idea of responsibility and see where it might take you. You must
explore this idea in your own mind, in your reading, and in your daily life.
This leads me back to the position of those who talk of True Islam. I, as a Muslim, want to take as
much responsibility for the world around me as I can. Load me up with responsibility. I refuse to pass
the blame for things to other people. I relish the responsibility for good and bad. Why would I want
this, Saif? I want it because it means that I am using all of my capabilities—physical, mental, and
moral—to make the world a place for us to be proud of. Many people run away from responsibility. I
once heard a senior manager advising his staff: take credit, not responsibility. This is precisely the
opposite of what I want you to do. I want you to take responsibility even if you do not take the credit
at the end. You will know the truth behind the outcomes achieved.
When you do not take responsibility, the world spins out of control. Without responsibility, you are
on the run, you hide, you lower your head.
What kind of responsibility do I mean? Lots of people speak about responsibility and then get on
with their lives as though nothing has happened. Responsibility means looking out for the
disadvantaged in your community. Look for them. They will not always be visible. Our societies tend
to focus on the new, the clean, the young, the beautiful. Who wants to think about the ugliness and
unhappiness in life? I want you to devote some of your time to helping those who are on the borders
of society. Do you have any idea how many orphans there are in the Arab and Muslim worlds? If you
don’t, then go and find out. If the facts are not organized, then go out and organize them.
Ask yourself the question: If I don’t do it, who will? If you find the answer is no one will do it,
then do it yourself. Look around for those who cannot read or write. As I tell you repeatedly, the Arab
world has a hundred million illiterate people. Go out and build a volunteer organization to teach them
this most basic of skills. Responsibility is around every corner, under every stone, in every
household. Do not sit around like so many people do complaining that there are no opportunities and
nothing to do.
Take back the definition of responsibility from those who would claim that responsibility is
demonstrated by declaring violent jihad, or by carrying out suicide bombings. These are not examples
of responsibility but of despair and depression. Responsibilities should be identified, and targeted.
Responsibility is not picking up a gun and heading out to kill in the name of religion, not knowing who
one is killing or why killing is necessary. It is a mockery of Islam to think that we are serving our faith
and fellow Muslims by engaging in violence. In discussions that I have had with various people who
support the violent approach, I am always puzzled by the insistence that violence is necessary. I
wonder what problem violence solves. In fact, it seems like people are convinced of the moral worth
of violence without really thinking about it. It is as though someone has brainwashed them into
believing the act of violence is good in itself.