CAN we imagine a day when we start to see good in people, instead of seeing and looking for evil in each other.

Imagine a day when we, as believers in God, start to look at how we can respect the differences between us, even though we don't agree with each other, and, if we want to have interfaith dialogue and get together, we should be looking for what is right rather then I am right.

Imagine a day when we can look at all our respected religions with an open mind and ask God to help us choose the right path that leads to salvation of one in this world and in the hereafter.

I think that time for ignorance and fear mongering is gone, we can't live a life where we try to avoid each other and just hate each other. We are fast becoming the people who are affected by the fear of the unknown and hate for the unknown.

We hate everyone that looks like a Muslim and we think they are all terrorists but think they are just as much victims of terrorism as everyone else. Think, who does that hate affect the most? The one who hates or the one who is hated.

Hate is like a ball of fire in your chest it will only destroy the hater and for this very reason no matter how much I disagree with or dislike an action I never hate anyone permanently. These are negative attitudes so therefore I guess it isn't in anyone/s interest that we keep going down this road to damage and destroy ourselves and our children’s future, country and the society.

Let us move forward and respect our differences and enjoy the commonalities that we all share, which are much more than our differences and accept what is right and that in some of our perceptions we all may be wrong, therefore we need a fresh approach and start to live in peace and harmony by God. We all need it so bad.

Mohammed Shabir

Skipton Islamic Society