--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When he did not answer, his enemies took…" description: "\"“When he did not answer, his enemies took their revenge. On October 2, 2011, his twenty-two-year-old son Sariya and one of his professors were driving ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/charles-glass-48752_saudi-arabia_when-he-did-not-answer-his-enemies-took_1152075.jpg" --- # When he did not answer, his enemies took their revenge. On… ![“When he did not answer, his enemies took their revenge. On October 2, 2011, his twenty-two-year-old son Sariya and one of his professors were driving from their university in the countryside to Aleppo when armed men fired on their car and killed both men. When the mufti recalled the murder in our…” quote by Charles Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/charles-glass-48752_saudi-arabia_when-he-did-not-answer-his-enemies-took_1152075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/charles-glass-48752_saudi-arabia_when-he-did-not-answer-his-enemies-took_1152075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/charles-glass-48752_saudi-arabia_when-he-did-not-answer-his-enemies-took_1152075.jpg) > ““When he did not answer, his enemies took their revenge. On October 2, 2011, his twenty-two-year-old son Sariya and one of his professors were driving from their university in the countryside to Aleppo when armed men fired on their car and killed both men. When the mufti recalled the murder in our conversation, he wiped tears from his cheeks: “He was twenty-two years old, a student at the university. What did he do to be killed? At his funeral, I said I forgive you all. I expected them to show remorse. They said we don’t need your forgiveness. We are going to kill you. They say this on television in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Britain. They say the mufti of Syria speaks of Christianity in a positive way. He believes in dialogue, even with Israelis and non-believers. He goes to churches.”” [Charles Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tragic story showing that even innocent lives can be caught in cycles of violence, and that forgiveness may be met with further hostility. **In simple terms:** Violence be innocent people; forgiveness can be rejected. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of forgiveness in hostile contexts. Themes conflict forgiveness religion violence dialogue Mood sorrowful reflective serious Type narrative testimonial political When to use this quote - war zones - peace negotiations - personal loss - interfaith work - media reporting Key Concepts human rights moral courage interfaith dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect innocent civilians in conflict? - What role does dialogue play when parties are hostile? A Different Perspective Forgiveness alone cannot stop ongoing threats; safety may require other strategies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [“The contrast with many other Sunni Muslim clergymen is stark. 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Louise replied, 'I love you.' He took her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/he-said-forgive-me-for-being-a-liar-and-a-fool-and-an-utterly/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) ## More by Charles Glass > [“The outsiders, with their own objectives, provided rifles, ammunition, communications equipment, military vehicles and combat advice to young men who lacked the discipline and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-glass/the-outsiders-with-their-own-objectives-provided-rifles-ammunition/) [Charles Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glass/) > [“Agriculture is twenty percent of GDP. The most important crop is wheat. We are almost self-sufficient, overall almost eighty percent self-sufficient, in food.” In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-glass/agriculture-is-twenty-percent-of-gdp-the-most-important-crop-is-wheat/) [Charles Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glass/) > [“She assured me that the regime had killed him. When I told her that a childhood friend of his had told me Sariya supported…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-glass/she-assured-me-that-the-regime-had-killed-him-when-i-told-her-that-a/) [Charles Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glass/) > [“Meleager of Gadara called, in the first century BC, “one country which is the whole world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-glass/meleager-of-gadara-called-in-the-first-century-bc-one-country-which/) [Charles Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glass/) > [“The contrast with many other Sunni Muslim clergymen is stark. 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