In the name of the sacred, but in the service of man

2025-06-17 16:36:00, Opinione Dr. Arben Ramkaj

Since 2013, when Albania decided to accept the Khalq Mujahedin on its territory (definitely a request that came from the US), I have shared the conviction that our country should not become part of conflicts that do not belong to it. Albania is a small country in terms of geographical and economic size, but it possesses the voice of reason to maintain a balanced stance, in line with the vision of the European Union.
However, excessive involvement in the great ideological conflicts of the Middle East does not bring any benefit . Because we are not part of that history, therefore every decision-making must be profound.

Looking at the new war between Iran and Israel, I think that it is not just a political or military clash. It is, in essence, in addition to a policy of hatred that has been going on for over 50 years, also the result of an instrumentalization of religious faith by cabinet members of both governments who have influence on decision-making. These groups use faith to legitimize control of power and to justify their political positions.
This does not mean that in these two countries with ancient civilizations, Iran and Israel, there are no voices of reason. On the contrary – both in politics, in civil society, in independent media and in academic circles, there are constructive voices that reject this type of politics, voices that call for coexistence and long-term solutions to conflicts. They are voices that deserve support, because they represent the responsible spirit of their peoples.

Take the government in Israel: everyone knows that ultra-religious parties keep the current right-wing government afloat. They have projected their political opinion on a doctrine that demands the displacement of Palestinians at all costs, with borders stretching from the Euphrates to the Nile. The idea that the holy land of Israel is an irrevocable gift from God and that Jewish religious law is above civil law makes any attempt at peace perceived as weakness.
In Iran, Shiite religious authority has been established as the foundation of the state since 1979, claiming to protect Muslims around the world, but spreading war and supporting fanatical groups in the Middle East in the name of “resistance”, where millions killed in the last two decades are a direct responsibility of this mentality.
In this logic, religion is no longer a source of mercy and peace, but part of a strategy of power and confrontation.
This approach to members of the two governments is closely linked to a strict religious interpretation of the end of the world. Eschatology is the science that deals with the final events of human history: the end of the world, the coming of a Savior, and the restoration of divine justice on earth. This belief exists in many religions, and I personally believe in it. I believe in divine eschatology and the coming of truth, just like billions of believers around the globe. But I also believe that this is a matter that belongs only to God and is something hidden (ghayb), so political approaches cannot be taken on it.
It is widely known that the currents of religious Zionism and Twelver Shiism share the belief that the coming of the Savior can be hastened through unrest and war. Orthodox Jews await the Messiah ben David, who will liberate Israel and rebuild the Temple. The Twelver Shiites await the return of Imam Mahdi, who will restore divine justice after a period of turmoil. These interpretations have become an excuse for escalating conflicts.
And so, the peoples of the Middle East are victims of these distorted interpretations and with them, the entire world, which watches and waits in fear for what will happen next .
Gaza embodies precisely this tragic reality. Gaza is not just a fanatical religious movement, 2.3 million citizens live there. In the name of a divinely proclaimed future, their human present is denied. The remaining Israeli civilian hostages have not yet been embraced by their families, and thousands of Palestinian civilians, children and women, have already had their dream of life ended, having become victims of uncontrolled aerial bombardment.Gaza is not only burning from the unjustified violence of the current Israeli government, but it is also burning as a result of a silent and acceptable pushback from the current world order. Those citizens, under the open sky and without protection, have only God and the prayers of sincere believers of all religions.
But where does our country stand in this terrible human conflict? Our foreign policy has followed a clear orientation in the last 35 years in relation to the Middle East. But opinion leaders, politicians and all those who speak on behalf of the Albanian public must consider standing by the common man, by life, as millions of citizens do in Europe and beyond, in the civilized world.
In this regard, Albania must be a country that builds bridges, not walls. A country that chooses man, more than any transitory political doctrine. It must engage more clearly through peaceful diplomacy and be more strongly activated in international organizations where the words of reason and justice still have value.
This is the highest service to the sacred: to be at the service of man, and we can try to articulate precisely this.