While eating from the same peace ashura…

The month of Muharram, which has a significant place in the Muslim world, started on Oct. 14. The meaning of the word Muharram, the first month of the year according to the Islamic calendar, is “haram,” or “prohibited.”

Unfortunately in modern times, the boundaries of the “holy” and “taboos” have become ambiguous in the name of “freedom,” “individualization” and “rationalism.” However, whether it arises from religious commands or social moral criteria, the terms “holy” and “haram” determine the upper and lower limits of humans in reference to all efforts that make us human. It wasn't in vain that all human civilizations living under the sky in the East and West give importance to these boundaries.

According to Kant, one becomes human when they reach the maturity of restricting themselves in the moral sense. In other words, the human is a moral being.

Modernity and humanism placed in the same category traditions that have taken thousands of years to form, along with oppression, bigotry and superstitions, which really are wrong, discrediting all rules and prohibitions. Hence, the modern human transferred its conscience to the nation-state and bureaucracy and diverged from the community, principal meaning horizons and the holy and taboos that protect them from becoming imbrute.

In this harsh period, monotheistic religions have undertaken the duty of a safe haven that protects values. Thus, the month of Muharram reminds us of our responsibility to choose between the good and bad, right and wrong exercising our own will power. The fasting observed for 10 days purifies the soul and reminds of the battle between the good and the bad. After a 10-day contemplation, the fasting is concluded with ashura. Ashura represents the abundance of the blessings God has given us. Hence both our souls and our bodily being are sated.

Both the president and prime minister made important statements marking the Day of Ashura. At the reception held by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Mabeyin Mansion in Yıldız Palace, Associate Professor Mehmet Görmez, the head of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, Alevi Foundations Federation President Remzi Akbulut, World People of the House Foundation President Ferman Altun, Associate Professor Hüseyin Hatemi, Dervish Cemal Center dede (head) Zeynel Demir, Turkemn Alevi Bektashi Association Chairman Özdemir Özdemir, Su TV Editor-in-Chief Yalçın Özdemir, Baba Mansur Association President Hızır Nebi Düzgün, researcher and writer Hasan Kanaatlı from the People of the House Scholars Association and Turkey Consensus and Community Development Foundation (TUTKAV) Executive Board Chair Haydar Şahin were in attendance.

While President Erdoğan wished for “Muharram 10, the Day of Ashura to bring unity, togetherness and brotherhood to the Muslim world,” this picture, side by side with important Alevi representatives was comforting in contrast to the photographs in Syria.

In his Şanlıurfa speech Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had said: “I met with Alevi citizens and numerous Alevi opinion leaders. In the case a heart breaking or hurtful word is aimed at them, we are in the month of Muharram, we would be ashamed of such words. Nobody, in this sense, was otherized, and will not be otherized.”

Hence, in its election manifesto, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) promised to grant a legal status to cemevis, the Alevi houses of worship.

In an atmosphere of wars against brethren and provoked sectarian wars surrounding us, Turkey is in a period where identities and belonging are recognized, and denial has ended. Perhaps our Alevi citizens had higher expectations. However, the value of the political climate to meet these expectations is obvious. We have no reason to not live together in peace and welfare in this country through talks and political means.

All we need is to remember our perfectly defined common principles as “Keep your hands to yourself, watch your language and control your desires,” and judge ourselves before we judge others.

We are aware of the traumatic history that is pulling us from behind. During these painful periods unfortunately, even if partial, our hearts roughened and we became open to prejudices. The state's violent and separationist practices, distanced us as per its “divide and conquer” tactic. It is these distances that are the most important psychologic obstacles standing in the way of our democracy. We need to close these distances and remedy one another.

At this point, Sunni, Alevi, non-Muslim religious leaders, opinion leaders and the wise have duties just as important as that of political leaders. There is a will aimed at turning the country into Syria. We need to fight together against the malicious tongue and games of this will.

As Prime Minister Davutoğlu stated, had Bashar Assad shown this maturity in around 2009, a Levant Joint Market consisting of Iraq, Syria and Turkey would have been established. Today, Syria could have been a region of welfare rather than a destroyed, divided country with an uncertain future. They used weak and non-national leaders to prevent this project; they did this by starting a fight among brothers.

It is still not too late. This is the path to follow in any case. However, in order to help oppressed countries and to set an example, we first need to take care of our own home.

The strength we need can be found in our joint history, values and beliefs.