04/14/2026 - 02:32 AM
Beirut – Beirut Times – Interview by Mona Ibrahim
Naji Ali Amhaz is a Lebanese writer and political researcher, considered one of the prominent voices in political analysis and regional affairs. He has gained a wide presence in the Arab media landscape thanks to his direct style and profound readings of the Lebanese reality and regional shifts. His articles are published in dozens of Arab and international websites and newspapers, and some of his works have been translated into multiple languages due to their widespread impact.
In the spring of 2026, as the winds of war swept through the cities of the Orient and burdened the Mediterranean sky with clouds of smoke, a fundamental question emerged—one that transcends daily politics and knocks on the door of human consciousness: Can the Orient regain its humanity? This question did not arise from a vacuum, but from a striking symbolic moment: the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Algeria, where the scene appeared as a moral test between two conflicting visions of the world.
Today, there is a global spiritual institution attempting to restore respect for shared human values, reminding us that the human being is the end, not the means. On the other side, there are clashing sectarian entities mired in identity conflicts, reproducing hatred and division, and treating the human being as fuel for an endless battle.
This stark contrast is what the writer Naji Ali Amhaz captures in his intellectual and political readings. He believes that the Orient stands today at a crossroads: it will either reclaim its historical role as a civilizational and human bridge or continue its descent into further moral and existential disintegration.
This introduction paves the way for a broader discussion on the future of the Orient, inspired by Amhaz’s ideas, which call for the reconstruction of awareness, the liberation of the individual from the captivity of fanaticism, and a return to the essence of the messages born on this land: Dignity, Justice, and Humanity.
The "Shepherd" Redefined
In his description of this scene, Naji Amhaz states that "greatness" lies not in theoretical doctrine, but in the practice that touches people's wounds. When the world watches Pope Leo XIV confront—not only through prayer but with political firmness and moral faith—the war on Islamic countries, and when he urges the European Union to defend "other" nations that differ from him in religion but meet him in humanity, he redefines the meaning of the "Shepherd."
The Narcissism of the Scarf
The painful paradox lies in the comparison. While the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, is seen carrying bags of food on his back to distribute to the displaced in the border villages of South Lebanon, we find on the other side religious leaders drowned in the "narcissism of the scarf." They believe that the turban or religious robe grants them immunity from humility or serving the needy. Here, the observer realizes the "structural error": when the clergyman becomes a "Superman" in his ivory tower, while the "stranger"—who is neither a son of our land nor a relative of the suffering—acts as a humble servant to human pain.
Legitimate Questions
The reality raises legitimate and expanding questions:
Why does the Vatican Church donate—without collecting Khums or Zakat from Muslim wealth—and provide its aid silently and without obligation, while we see some of those to whom Khums and Zakat are paid making a clamor over a mere bag of "lentils" and a kilo of salt, if they donate at all?!
Why does the Church seek out Muslim orphans and the poor to support and defend them, while some Muslims are busy labeling Christians as infidels and claiming their Gospel is corrupted?
Why do we see a Muslim in secular countries—with Christian majorities subject to voting—being elected by Christians to the highest offices, while a Christian in some Islamic societies is viewed as "Dhimmi" (a person of the covenant), expected to pay Jizya, denied representation in official positions, and even subjected to extremist views that forbid eating, drinking, or sitting with them?
The Prosperity of Secularism vs. the Chaos of Wealth
Why do secular countries with Christian roots thrive with order, technological innovation, literature, philosophy, music, cleanliness, love, and peace, despite their lack of oil and gas? Why, in contrast, are countries where the sky rains gold and the earth yields wealth overflowing with wars, ruin, and destruction?
This question posed by Amhaz is the essence of the "thirst for humanity." It is a culture of "respect for life" versus a culture of "glorifying division and sectarian infighting." In those countries, the human being is the supreme value. In our Eastern conflicts, the human being has turned into a mere "number" or "fuel" for a sectarian holocaust that never ends. The cemeteries in some of our cities have become larger than the houses—a damning proof of a deep flaw in our understanding of religion and human society.
The Human Essence of the Message
Amhaz conveys a highly sensitive idea when he says: "Had it not been for the actions and words of some Christians influenced by the Eastern Arab mentality, the majority of Muslims would have embraced Christianity long ago." This is an indication that the human essence of the Christian message is profoundly attractive, were it not for certain local cultural impurities.
The Sectarian Guillotine
Perhaps the most painful part of this diagnosis is what Amhaz points out regarding "gloating" over the victim. The religious and moral idea collapsed when wars began to be classified by sect before being classified by humanity:
When a Shia was killed, the majority of Sunnis rejoiced.
When Gaza was destroyed and Sunnis were killed there, some claimed they were Shia to justify their silence and betrayal—even though no Gazan child was seen chanting "Ya Hussain," nor was a Shia preacher heard in their mosques.
When Lebanon and Syria were destroyed, there was a constant search for a "sectarian label" to remove the victim from the circle of human sympathy.
This insatiable "sectarian guillotine" will continue—as Naji Amhaz sees it—to devour everyone. Today, the "dissenter" in the sect is killed; tomorrow it will be the Sufi, then the Ash'ari, then the Hanafi, then the Shafi'i... the search for a "point of difference" to justify the absence of mercy never ends. It is a state of collective suicide under sacred slogans.
The Prophecy of the "Stranger"
The prophecy of "returning as a stranger" mentioned by the Prophet of Islam is embodied today in its ugliest form. The values of justice, mercy, and supporting the oppressed that Muhammad called for seem "strange" today in the lands of Muslims, while we see them as a "living practice" in the positions of the Pope and the Church's movements toward the downtrodden.
Perhaps the Prophet, with his social awareness, realized that "tribal fanaticism" was the beast that would ravage the religion—which is exactly what has happened from the first moment after his death until today. The political struggle never stopped; it simply donned the cloak of religion to become more bloody.
Conclusion: An Awakening of Conscience
In conclusion, the "thirst for humanity" that a Muslim feels today toward the Church's positions is not an abandonment of faith, but an "awakening of conscience." People are beginning to realize that a religion that does not make us more compassionate toward humans, more protective of the beauty of cities, and more courageous in the face of injustice is a religion hijacked by tribalism.
The events of 2026 have taught us that the "great difference" between contemporary Christianity and the distressed Islamic reality is that the former decided to be a "bridge of passage toward the Other," while the latter continues to build "sectarian walls" to institutionalize death.
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