In a town like Elkader, a small, predominantly white community, it would seem unlikely that anyone would grow up experiencing the cultures and religions of the other side of the world. . However, thanks to Timothy Davis, this statement can be, and in my case, it is true. In John Kiser's book, The Commander of the Faithful, Kiser shows us how Davis' choice to name Elkader after an Arab gave his colony a deep connection to a completely different civilization. This connection acts as a channel through which we can learn more and better understand their culture and religion, even though geographically we are completely separated. This connection needs to be expanded and learned from, because people today have a strong stereotype about Muslims, even though they know very little about them. By learning more about Abd el-Kader and his cultural tolerance, humanitarian nature, and spiritual strength, we can better understand his people as a whole, rather than assuming they are all like the terrorists in the publicity. Abd el-Kader has grown up. cherish knowledge and spirituality. By the age of 8, he had memorized the Quran and was considered more intelligent than most of his tribe. In 1825, when he was only 17, he and his father began their pilgrimage to Mecca. It was during this trip that Abd el-Kader began to show signs of his humanitarian spirit. In response to a question about his lineage, he replied: "Ask not about a man's genealogy, but about his character, his life and his deeds. Drink the water. If it is pure, the spring l 'is also', yet he was known. be a descendant of Abraham. This shows that even at a young age he was a very wise individual. It was obvious from the beginning that Abd el-Kader had the character of a leader and the morals of a s...... middle of paper... ...and were his enemies among the people who had been his allies. I truly believe it is a gift from the desert. Abd el-Kader's life as a whole can be summed up in a single sentence: true jihad. His life, his goals, and his actions throughout his life were all focused on one goal: to fight for the cause of God. He believed in the word of God and the law of God and stood by it, but did not allow himself to be consumed. Added to his intense spirituality was his strong humanitarian morality. He believed in the preservation of human life and felt the need to help all people in distress without discrimination. He held to these morals so much that he risked his own life to save those who had been his enemies. I think today he can and should be a symbol of hope, the hope that there will always be people like him whose strong sense of morality and justice continue to accomplish great things..