Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Thomas Lippman

Aired November 18, 2001 - 08:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Across the Muslim world, millions of people have begun the annual observance of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. Just how will Ramadan impact policy-makers in America's new war?

Well, with a look at that, we're joined by Thomas Lippman, former "Washington Post" Middle East correspondent, and the author of the book "Understanding Islam."

And as you have been, and I have been in the Middle East, or in any Muslim nation during Ramadan, it's a very joyous, it's a very festive, but also very spiritual time. Tell us a little bit about what Ramadan is all about.

THOMAS LIPPMAN, AUTHOR, "UNDERSTANDING ISLAM": Ramadan is the name for the ninth month of the lunar calendar -- of the Muslim lunar calendar. And it is the only month mentioned by name in the Koran, which specifies that Ramadan should be a time of fasting and self- denial on the one level, but also a time of sort of spiritual uplift and contemplation of the better things in life, and of helping your neighbors, and helping those who are less advantaged than yourselves.

During the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims fast and abstain from all pleasures of the flesh, from first light to last light. And they pray and observe the traditions of the faith in a communal way that brings them all together.

SAVIDGE: Now, where did this notion, if that's the word to use, of not having war during Ramadan -- where did that all originate?

LIPPMAN: Well, it's very peculiar that that notion took place. It seems to have taken place more among non-Muslims than among Muslims. The Koran does say that there are four sacred months, and one of them is Ramadan, and that Ramadan should be, as it says, "peace to a break of dawn." But there's a long history, beginning back in the time of the Prophet Mohammed himself, of Muslims going into combat during Ramadan.

In fact, the battle of Badr, the first great military victory of Mohammed's forces in Arabia over the Meccan idolaters, took place during the month of Ramadan. That's one reason why Ramadan is so special. It would be preferable if you could have a peaceful time during Ramadan, but there is no impediment, and Muslims have never found an impediment to fighting when necessary. SAVIDGE: Well, it'd be preferable to have peace at any time. But when we talk about Afghanistan, and its long, strife-ridden history, Ramadan didn't come in to play to stop the fighting there, did it?

LIPPMAN: No, it didn't. And you may remember that the war between Iran and Iraq went on for eight years with no break for Ramadan. The best known example of course, that Americans might be the most familiar with, was the 1973 Middle East war, which Egypt and Syria began on the 10th of Ramadan. And they celebrate it; in fact, there's a city in Egypt now named Tenth of Ramadan in honor of that event.

SAVIDGE: So given all of these precedents, why is it that so much is made about the fighting continuing during Ramadan, particularly focused on the U.S. and stopping the aerial campaign?

LIPPMAN: Well, I think it's part of the collective desire of American policy makers, the American military, and our non-Muslim allies, to make the point that this is not a war about religion, that we're not against Muslims, per se, that we're not making war on Islam, and that we show some deference to the fact that this is a special time in the Muslim religion, and that we want to respect those sensitivities.

SAVIDGE: Do you think that is going to be the case? The U.S. may back off some, even though this is a critical juncture, apparently, in the conflict?

LIPPMAN: Well, I think it is, but it -- so far, you may notice -- Condoleezza Rice has said consistently that we were going to do what we had to do -- the national security adviser to the president -- that we were going to do what we had to do, we were going to do it when we had to do it.

And I think -- it seems to me that if you accept the fact that there is a current in the Muslim world of people who hate the United States with a kind of deep virulence, I don't think they're going to hate us any worse because of the fact that this campaign is continuing during Ramadan.

SAVIDGE: Thomas Lippman, I didn't say good morning to you, so good morning to you, sir; and thank you also for joining us on this Sunday morning.

LIPPMAN: My pleasure.

SAVIDGE: He is the author of "Understanding Islam." Very nice to talk to you, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com