What the Syrians had feared has come to pass: A cowardly suicide bombing has struck a church in the heart of Damascus. Syrians had long harbored a latent sense that one or more entities would not look kindly upon the revolution’s victory and that it would do everything in its power to undermine what had been achieved in Syria, dragging the country toward civil war.
We have witnessed the deployment of every conceivable scenario, each centered on the stoking of sectarianism. The same, worn-out, scratched record, if I may say so: separatist calls from the Druze in the south, backed by Israel; the PKK-linked YPG's persistence in pursuing separatist policies in the north east, (even after Abdullah Öcalan’s call to dissolve the PKK, to which they are affiliated); seditious maneuvers by regime loyalists on the coast and now, this attack on a church.
But what did this terrorist act produce? Despite all the dark forces, Syria stood united on June 22 as usual in such cases. All Syrians, regardless of confession, doctrine or affiliation, condemned the crime, shared in the pain, expressed condolences for the victims, cursed the perpetrators and asserted that they would not allow themselves to be dragged into the cycle of blind terror.
Among the most profound words written in response was a statement by Sheikh Moaz al-Khatib, former president of the Syrian National Coalition (2012-2013), which encapsulates the sentiments that currently inhabit the hearts of Syrians. Al-Khatib declared: "We have reached a breaking point. What unites Syrians is a civilizational Sunni cement that encompasses and welcomes all. To turn it into an aggressive identity, a bloody, closed-minded, takfiri ideology, is a deep and dangerous trap. To frighten fellow Syrians and push them into exile only breeds hatred and widespread enmity. No to coercion, no to bloodshed, no to hatred, poison, murder or aggression ... No to monopoly, no to any alien thought imposed upon Syria in the pulpit, in direction, in media, politics, culture or economy. No to the sabotage of Syria’s social fabric, already corroded by the Assad regime and now further consumed by voracious locusts. I am convinced that, despite everything, we are still standing, that we remain, despite it all, in a state of moral and human grace and that no matter what they do, we shall remain this magnificent, civilized people who defy death, iron and fire, who care for one another, and among whom the noblest die so that others may live."
He explained that he had originally written these words in response to the Alexandria church bombing, and before that the Baghdad church attack, at a time when he sensed deep fear among Christians. Much of the tension subsided, however, when it was revealed that the order to bomb the church came from the late interior minister of the Syrian regime. Public awareness was stirred, and it became clear once again that only immoral regimes, whether local or global, are responsible for sowing division among the components of society. These are the regimes that destroy love and shatter harmony through their injustice, that incite hatred for political ends, and then pose as reformers, displaying mercy outwardly but bringing nothing but ruin in truth.
Al-Khatib continued: "The churches of Alexandria and Baghdad did not merely explode with their congregants inside, they exploded in the hearts of every Arab citizen. How can a human being bring themselves to kill their own brother? And what can be said when those being killed are people at prayer? How does such barbarism seep in? How are morals extinguished? How are houses of worship attacked? How does religion become a fire that consumes its own servants?
The Christians of the East are the most authentic remnant of Christianity on Earth today. Some among them live in real anxiety, deep fear about what the future may bring. And others exploit their concern for ulterior motives. It is no secret that cunning political regimes pit communities against each other to strengthen their grip on power, just as the French did during their occupation of Syria. At times, I feel greater fear than the Christians themselves and dread a coming earthquake if wise minds do not intervene. Honestly, we have failed one another, Muslims and Christians alike. We must build solid bridges between us."
Such is, in truth, the consciousness of all Syrians today.
Returning to al-Khatib’s message, he adds: "Christianity was the first to open its doors to Islam and to protect the prophet’s companions. Tears well up in my eyes every time I recall the moment when Jafar ibn Abi Ṭalib, the prophet’s cousin, stood before the Negus, and the latter wept upon hearing the Quranic verses about the Virgin Mary, our mother.
We lived united, in joy and in sorrow, in mutual respect for our religions. We see in one another a vital component – both civilizational and human – of Syria. Thus, Syria became the world’s most beautiful religious mosaic, among its most remarkable spaces not just of tolerance, but of confessional compassion, love, safety and serenity. This is part of our moral ethos. It is a divine duty upon us to treat with kindness and good neighborliness those whom God has ordered us to honor, regardless of their identity."
Al-Khatib then recalled a historical episode, one of the most poignant testimonies of solidarity. He cited the emotional eulogy given by Druze leader Sultan Pasha al-Atrash at the funeral of Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar, Syria’s former foreign minister (1879-1940), in which he repeated Shahbandar’s own words from a renowned speech: “Unite your hearts with ours, and ours with yours. Do not shut the homeland’s gates before those who serve it sincerely, for the paradise of this homeland is wide enough for all, without distinction of religion.”
Another touching image of sectarian solidarity in Syria is the death of the great mujahid Saleh al-Ali (from the Alawite Mountain) alongside his friend, the Sunni scholar and mujahid Sheikh Mohammad al-Majdhoub.
Al-Khatib affirms that justice among people is the foundation of religion and that this justice is still alive in our society. We shared our bread in all circumstances. We rejoiced at our neighbors’ joys, mourned with them in sorrow and opened our doors to one another. Such were we – Muslims and Christians – and such we shall remain.
He concluded with an excerpt from a paragraph from an article published in 1948 by the journal Al-Tamaddun al-Islami (The Islamic Civilization), which insightfully described the Syrian reality: "If strife should erupt between Muslims and Christians in this land, it is the result of the machinations of colonial powers, who continuously, behind the scenes, work to divide the children of the nation. It is also due to the fanaticism of some clerics who, in their ignorance and madness, sow hostility among the common people in the name of religion ... Islam and Christianity are innocent of their crimes, just as they are innocent of the zealotry of certain Muslim rulers who understood nothing of the true foundations of their faith."
The perpetrator of the bombing at Mar Elias Church is not unknown. Rather, we must ask: Who benefits from this heinous crime? Anyone who has promoted extremist ideology from political, religious or media platforms is complicit in this crime. Anyone who remained silent in the face of hate speech, who fueled sectarian hostility or who turned a blind eye to incitement, is complicit in this shedding of blood. This attack is not an isolated act; it is the continuation of interests pursued by those who feed on chaos and drink from the cup of hatred.
Let it be said clearly: This man is an enemy of God, of humanity and of mankind in its entirety. We Syrians have endured 14 years of bombardment, destruction, poisonous media propaganda and a savagery unparalleled in modern history, at the hands of a bloody regime. But despite everything, we are still here. Because we know who our true enemy is: the one who refuses to let our country live in peace. We will justify nothing. We will make no concessions. We will not allow those who killed the faithful to assassinate the homeland. Syria, which has bled so much at the hands of the fallen regime, must now raise its voice high: We will not allow anyone to blow up this country in the name of sect or in the name of religion.
Daily Sabah
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