Lost in grief over Today’s world…

I never thought I’d be spending my time witnessing a genocide on a “daily basis”. I never thought of how fast the world’s cruelty would ware me out and keep me up at night. I never thought how lonely and isolating this journey is… UNTIL, my husband pointed out that I WASN’T ALONE.

So this piece is for you, myself, and anyone who is struggling to live with themselves in the midst of the current geopolitical climate, where the disfigurement, murder, and displacement of CHILDREN is deemed justifiable by most Western powers and even necessary by all Zionists for the purification of the so-called “promised land”.

As I write this, my heart is filled with sadness and the essence of my being is full of anger and rage. Yet, I still try to remain composed and remind myself of the importance of being factual and not provocative towards those who are indifferent. For slipping on a regular basis would only undermine the cause I wholeheartedly believe in.

I thought I’d start with that to set the tone for what is to come in the subsequent paragraphs…

Our creator’s Promise

From what I have read and from my personal experience, I have realized that God tests us in three ways:

• Success: how do we react after we get what we want.
• Deception: how do we react when we don’t get what we want.
• Uncertainty: how do we react when our patience is tested with the delay of what we want and/or pray for.

As a believer, I have failed the test not once, not twice, but on a regular basis ever since this genocide has unsurfaced publicly in ways never before since 1948.

Being tested with deception and uncertainty is not easy and should not be taken lightly. But that is no excuse for public outbursts (kind reminder to myself). Recently, I realized that I have become so overwhelmed by my activism that my faith has taken a huge hit.

With that being said, the Palestinian cause and our faith (in whatever form it manifests itself) is intertwined. For whatever change we would like to see in the world starts from within.

Therefore, as a Muslim, I should remind myself that every good deed will never go unrecognized and that all of this is not in vain for Allah (Arabic Translation of “God”) has a plan. The oppressor will never stand before our creator victorious.

A hole in my heart called Palestine

The Palestinian cause is not foreign to me, as an Asian-Arab born and raised in the Middle East. It has always been a part of my identity as it is a part of those who grew up in the same region as myself and beyond.

Furthermore, this is not my first time being vocal about it. Growing up, I remember owning a Keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf) and watching the news, witnessing the bravery of the Palestinians resisting their oppressors; be it by throwing stones or peacefully marching. Either way, Israelis have always found a solution to either murder or mutilate them and then justify their actions, taking the whole world for fools. But I am no fool you see and neither are you.

I can go on and on about the Palestinian resistance but I won’t; because I wouldn’t be able to do it justice in just a few words if I were to continue.

Let us address the elephant in the room: Gaza. In my humble opinion, the fact that we get to see today’s genocide unfold in front of our screens is what makes it so different from those of the past. And because of that, I found it fitting to list down a couple of observations:

• The rapidity at which Gaza is being bombarded and razed off. According to Al Jazeera, 85% of school buildings once used as shelters for the displaced people are now destroyed.
• The inhumane attacks towards Palestinian civilians (especially children); they are being abused in ways unimaginable…
  • They have been butchered, massacred, burned alive, shot to the head, disabled for life, and more.
• The EXTREME HYPOCRISY of Western media in their coverage. This has become so prominent that most humanitarians or people like myself receive their information from independent media outlets and Palestinian journalists and civilians.
• The shift of the public opinion towards a Pro-Palestinian narrative. More and more people are educating themselves and hence, starting to understand the root causes of the Palestinian struggle.
  • For how can a land you have to kill for be yours to begin with?
• The individual moral compass is being challenged at every level, from celebrities to normal people like you and myself. Those who continue to remain silent for whatever reason vs. those who show up and speak up for the oppressed.
• The results of the boycotts are now starting to show. The practice of conscious consumption is starting to become a thing. Apps such as Boycott for Peace allow us to vote with our pockets.
• The accumulation of minor wins such as the ICJ ruling in favor of Palestine, some Western countries recognizing Palestine,
  Japan excluding Israel from the Nagasaki atomic bomb memorial, the numerous pro-Palestine protests around the world, etc…

The way forward…

As the citizens of the world move while their governments sleep, maintaining resilience towards the path to the independence of Palestine is a dire challenge. It is no easy task, I understand, as I struggle with this myself every single day.

Finding an equilibrium between one’s mental state, inner outrage, and day-to-day obligations is essential for continuing the collective resistance against oppression and the unjustified killings of innocent Palestinian civilians (in particular, children).

Let us not feel powerless and let us continue to speak for the voiceless and vote with our pockets. If our leaders continue to fail us, then we need not fail ourselves by bending to their will. We have the power to act conscientiously today more than ever before, so let us do so.

I will end with a Hadith that Dr. Omar Suleiman mentioned in his interview with TRT World,

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot do so, then with his tongue. If he cannot do so, then with his heart, which is the weakest level of faith.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 49