In hopes of gaining a different perspective and a better understanding of religion, terrorism and the world, about 200 people gathered in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union Tuesday night to hear a panel of distinguished guests.

The featured panel included Rehman Rashid, Malaysian Muslim journalist who spent time in Afghanistan among the proto-Taliban; Etgar Keret, Israeli novelist; Ghassan Zaqtan, Palestinian West Bank publisher, poet and playwright; Aida Nassralla, Arab/Israeli poet; and Robert Baum, ISU associate professor of religious studies.

Christopher Rossi, member of the National Security Council under the Clinton administration and director of the Iowa Humanities Board, moderated the discussion and fielded a few questions from the audience.

Baum began the forum by explaining the five pillars of Islam – the statement of faith, performance of prayer five times a day, performance of acts of charity, fasting during the month of Ramadan and performance of the pilgrimage to Mecca.

“Jihad is not one of the five pillars of Islam,” Baum said. “The true definition of jihad deals with struggle. Most people struggle with individual issues, rather than the holy war jihad most people unfortunately pay attention to.”

Members of the panel spoke about the absence of Islamic opposition to the terrorist attacks. Rashid said there are differences between fundamentalists, terrorists and militant extremists.

“I think most of the glaring absence of a concerted rejection in response to the acts of Sept. 11 has resulted because most militant countries are dealing with militant extremists,” Rashid said. “I don’t think we’ll ever erase these militant extremists from the equation, but I long for that to happen.”

Raza Ul-Mustafa, graduate student in electrical and computer engineering, questioned the United States’ recent actions.

“What gives us the moral authority to extend our rights and wrongs onto the rest of the world?” Ul-Mustafa said. “How can we tell others what is good and what is bad?”

Audience members asked questions about the roles of women in the Islamic and Arab cultures.

“In earlier Islamic cultures, women could hold property and had legal rights,” Rashid said. “What we are seeing now is not Islam, and we must shed ourselves of these types of movements. I am definitely in agreement that the Taliban are just as alien to Afghanistan as the Soviets were a dozen years ago.”

Baum suggested audience members look at the causes of terrorism, not just the recent terrorist activities.

“Until we re-examine our policies, the problem will continue to occur,” Baum said. “We need to look at the causes. Osama bin Laden is just the symptom.”

Differing views of U.S. policy overseas were debated among audience and panel members.

“When we look at American foreign policy throughout the world, we do see many mistakes,” Zaqtan said.

“We have many options of what to do next, but before we start doing anything, we must open the lines of communication between these cultures. Let’s start to dialogue and listen to the other voice.”

Rossi had a different view of the policies.

“I’m not so sure American foreign policy is wrong,” he said. “As we go forward and get the true backing of the people and establish policy, we will see that the structure is still going to be there.”

Rashid said he does not agree with U.S. culture and ideals being forced upon the cultures of rest of the world.

“I resent the implication that America is here to bring democracy to the rest of the world,” Rashid said. “As a Muslim, there are certain freedoms I willingly deny myself. I ought to be allowed to have the freedom to do this.

“I do not mean to dismiss the country of America,” he said. “It is based on the finest ideals the human mind ever predicated. I feel that if America will be a gift to the world, I suggest America set the world free of itself and retreat to try to see itself not as a superpower, but as one of 210 nations.”