Sunday 25 March 2012

Drowning in a sea of hatred...

The scariest thing happened today. I saw news that a Muslim woman was beaten to near death by a group of men at her home. They left a note by her side which said ‘Go back to your country’. Yesterday they had to take her off life support.  For me it’s disturbing on one level that this happened to a fellow Muslim, a fellow human. And on another because just yesterday, before hearing about this news I wrote a story about a hate crime against a Muslim girl who also had to be taken off life support. And this was before I knew about the news. I can’t describe the chills I felt watching the video.


It’s so very depressing how mean a place the world has become. This woman was killed because she didn't 'belong' there and because she was a 'terrorist'. Yeah, a house wife and mother of 5 children does seem pretty terrorising. 


At times like these I lose faith in humanity. Just last week there was shoot out at a school in Toulouse. The crazy man killed kids. Children. For heaven's sake! How can you even think about pointing a gun at a child? The fact that they belonged to a different faith meant they should die? How can the shooter ever come up with the logic that God would want his creations to mindlessly kill each other in his name?

All this is happening around us and the hatred is just spilling over.
"We are at war against humanity. Our hearts are slowly hardening after being exposed to news after news of rape, assault, suicide, murder. We have become so desensitised that the loss of another person becomes just another statistic. Something to which we say ‘Oh so sad’ and then forget about. I know that I am going to do that. I know that I’ll feel upset and then I won’t think about it as I get busy in my own temporary world. I know it’s a good thing that humans are quick to move on, but this fast? What if this happens to someone we love? I can’t even begin to imagine what I would go through if I get a call saying that my child has been shot dead at his school Or to come home and see a family member lying in a pool of blood.  Can you? Then how can we not take seriously the suffering of others?"

 



I know the question does arise of what we can actually do about the situation. We are bound in so many ways that it's difficult to do anything which will make things better. But for the believer du'a (supplication) is the weapon. We make du'a for those who are hurt, we pray that Allah makes their families patient at the face of this trial. And we we seek refuge in him from those who are out there, with disease in their hearts, waiting to hurt.


Also, we speak out. We let the world know that this cannot happen. We deserve to live happy lives. We deserve to practise our faith with the same dignity as any other person. We deserve to feel safe in our own country.


And finally we should remember that even though others may plot and plan things Allah is the best of planners and he knows the big scheme of things. And he is Ash Shahid-the witness and also Al Fattah- the judge. He is Al Hakam-the most just but also Al-Muntaqim- The lord of retribution. So he won't let the tears of an orphan grieving a mother, or the parents crying for their dead son go in vain. Those who resort to such ghastly crimes to achieve their twisted ends forget that there will come a day when they will be called to account for this. When they will stand alone in front of their lord and will be questioned about their actions. In the Quran, Killing an innocent person is akin to killing the entire humanity. 
 So the transgressor and the oppressor shall taste in the hereafter the consequences of the hatred and malice he perpetrated in this world. All that power that he enjoyed in this world will seem like a dream to him that day. 

Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion. (Quran, 3:185)

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