Afghanistan at the Crossroads

Afghanistan, like many of its neighbors in the Middle East is finding its very existence challenged by the problem of terrorism which has in turn been caused by a rise in religious fundamentalism and fanaticism. The root of this problem arises in part from a limited understanding of its own cultural identity and its long and proud history as a people .

Afghanistan has long stood at the crossroads of a number of cultural and spiritual traditions. Because of its strategic location between the Middle and Far East it has been an important trading route and meeting place of different cultures for thousands of years.

The western explorer Marco Polo mentioned the importance of Afghanistan as a trading center on the Silk Road, which led all the way to China. Because of it’s exposure to these various traditions, Afghanistan at various times in its history has been center of Zoroastrian, Buddhist and Hindu as well as Muslim teaching.

It thrived both intellectually and materially because of its openness to these various ideas. The ancient Zoroastrian religion was born in present day Afghanistan. Buddhism entered Afghanistan at a very early period through the Indian ruler Ashoka, and over the centuries, various rulers, both non-Buddhist and Buddhist, supported the construction of Buddhist monasteries and statues.

Afghanistan was also once a center of Vedic culture. The name Gandhar, located in what is today Eastern Afghanistan and Northern Pakistan, is found in the Rig Veda, one of the oldest Vedic scriptures. During the first millennium, in this multi-ethnic society there were many periods of peaceful co-existence between communities of Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Muslims.

Unfortunately, this rich multicultural legacy which forms an essential part of Afghanistan’s history has been largely forgotten. Had they recognized that their ancestors were a part of these traditions, they could have kept alive some of these values and this connection to their history and heritage, and perhaps these values could have allowed them to be more tolerant and less violent.

When people let go of their own heritage, it can make them intolerant and fanatical. Today Afghanistan has forgotten these traditions and so has little respect for other religions. The result of this has been a narrow and limited tradition of religious education that has radicalized an entire generation. As long as there is limited understanding and limited access to the world’s wisdom, there is no way that terrorism can be eliminated, from Afghanistan or anywhere else in this world.

If a person identifies himself primarily with a religion, culture or nationality, that’s it! He remains locked in that position and will fight and die for it and others will die with him.

Instead, why not give him a broader perspective? The only way to get rid of fanaticism in the world is through education that is broad based, multi cultural and multi religious so that a child growing up does not think that only the Bible or only the Koran holds the truth. Religious and spiritual leaders in particular need to have a broad understanding of cultures and religions. We have to teach others to value all human life, and value it more than even religion or culture.

When we learn to broaden our vision and deepen our roots, people will not fall into a narrow idea of the will of God. All Afghanistan needs to do is to study its own history to see the value of such a perspective. Afghanistan thrived for centuries as a center for learning, commerce and culture because of this broader understanding of human values. For Afghanistan to survive in the present and flourish into the future, it needs to revive a greater understanding of its own heritage.