People in the Emirates are also praying for Gaza. The small country may be facing hard times due to the financial crisis and borrowing too much, but they are still praying for Gaza. Even the labourers, some of whom haven't been paid in months, take time out from cleaning their leaking septic systems to pray for Gaza. Some of the locals have even stopped going every day to the bars and nightlife in sympathy for Gaza.
Bangladeshis are also praying for Gaza. They may have elected one of the most corrupt ladies to power, who is busy literally killing her opponents off, but they are still praying for Gaza. The average person feels their pain through their own, every time they are paying a bribe to get a phone line connected or the policeman when caught driving without a license. Even in these hard times they are praying for Gaza.
The average Pakistani also feels for Gaza. Despite raping a woman every nine minutes or passing laws that get women gang raped, they are enraged every time Israel kills another woman or child from Gaza. Even their President has stopped drinking
Qataris feel strongly about Gaza - and Iraq. Every time they supply food to the American military base near Doha, they get angry about Iraq. Every time they invite an Israeli representative to party in the capital after some conference on interest, they get angry about Gaza.
Egyptians too feel strongly about Gaza. They are angry at the inhumane way Israel has butchered the Palestinians. Of course they will fire rockets, they say, look how Israel has blockaded their tiny country! When reminded it is Egypt that is helping Israel enforce the blockade, it is still a Zionist conspiracy.
All in all, the "Muslim" world is very angry, and are ready to pray again.
... Allah does not change a people's lot unless they change what is in their hearts. But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect (13:11)
16 comments:
:( Allahu alim.. at least we can know that we are praying for Gaza insha'allah
AA: while I believe prayer is important, I feel it is also important to not stand for oppression committed right in their own homes, which they ignore.
"also important to not stand for oppression committed right in their own homes, which they ignore" - I think you highlighted that perfectly with this post. I guess we never know whether their intentions towards Gaza are real or just a show for the public to see.
I want what these people will say or demand if tomorrow a powerful country attacks KSA, UAE, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Qatar or Egypt. If their children die, will they ask for prayers and sympathy or protection?
Very well said Mezba Bhai.
May I add some of my points as well:
1) Sorry to put it this way, but the value of a Muslim life killed by Israel automatically elevates its value over the value of a Muslim life killed by another Muslim (state, person, whatever).
That explains the apathy towards 1971, or Hama in the 80's, or Amman in 1970, (when thousands of Palestinian rebels were killed by a coalition of Jordanian and Pakistani forces)
2) There is a very popular belief in Muslim circles (in the Gulf and in the West), that if it wasnt for "western stooges", i.e. Muslim govts, Palestine would have been free long back. In other words, if the govts just sat back, millions of Muslims would march and annhiliate Israel. Yes, even fully educated Muslims have spouted this theory.
3) A Muslim can never do evil, its always a Zionist conspiracy. Few years back a Police chief had blamed Dubai's drug problems on a "Zionist conspiracy". The poor Arab drug user never wanted to do it, its just the evil Zionist who came and fooled him into taking drugs!
Couldn't be said better.
I know its not relevant, but here's the latest group of new converts falling head over heels on how much better the Arab World is than the evil West.
This part particularly cracked me up:
“Women in the US have a long way to go until they become like the women here,” said Tahani Aboushi, a third-year law student at Syracuse University in New York state. “In the US we are still trying to get a job with equal pay to men.”
Erica Charles, an Arabic and nursing student at Portland State University, said: “Women here are getting the same salaries as men, entering the same fields and even have the option of staying at home and maintaining their dignity and respect.”
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090113/NATIONAL/450338776/-1/NEWS
what a great post. it is horrible what is going on in gaza, but you are right - at the same time, there are muslim-inflicted terror on their own people in certain countries.
wake up, people!!
Well, Arab leaders disgust me. Not sure, if the Arab leaders or George Bush is more disgusting.
Oh,a friend, currently living in Amman, said Jordanians cannot protest against this Gaza invasion. They tried, but they get arrested. I visited jordan recently, and apparently, there is not much civil liberty there, well, it is still better than Egypt.
Egypt declined to have an emergency meeting for Gaza when Qatar proposed to hold an emergency Arab League Summit. The reason is pretty convincing: "Egypt and Saudi Arabia fear a summit would produce little in the way of results and would make Arab leaders appear ineffective, diplomats said."
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/01/200911313292558544.html
Even though your post makes sense, it still doesn't diminish the gravity of this situation. In other words, two wrong doesn't make a right. Sure, Muslim world is full of craziness, but it is slightly different here given that these are not isolated cases. You mentioning Pakistan not having justice for women is not a general thing throughout Pakistan. These things happen in tribal areas, where they don't even recognize their own government.
What makes this situation a (unique) larger problem is that now we see a humanitarian crisis. And even if it was not Palestine, but some other place, say, Venezuela, we would/should show outrage and at the very least, pray.
Liya: and I question what will happen after these protests? They will go back to their lives and not care about all the other ills of the Muslim world.
Indeed for some reason sometimes Palestine is highlighted, but others are often ignored. The Arabs themselves are the cause of oppression in Darfur and yet everyone ignores that.
Achelois: Sister, not exactly getting what you are saying here, but I gather these people will then be forced into action!
Musa: I agree with ALL three points you have raised.
Boba: thanx.
Musa: thanks for making my day! this cracked me up as well. I mean, look at the inferiority complex!
Or they truly believe that (stay home and maintain your dignity, said the Taliban). They are desperate to make everyone think THEY are the bastion of goodness. I have a few stories about the Middle East - they don't value lives highly unless it's Arab (that too, right kind of Arab).
Anisa: It is horrible indeed what is happening in Gaza. Israel is doing a terrible wrong, no doubt about it.
I just think Hamas is also partly to blame (which doesn't excuse Israel's genocide) but it's amazing no other country has stepped in BEFORE the problem to figure out a proper solution.
Anon: the thing is Arab goverments explicitly despise Hamas and Hezbolla. They are popular movements whereas Arab leaders are dictators. Hence their implicit support of Israel's actions.
Yet one more point on the Muslim Worlds' reaction to oppression on Muslims/non-Muslims.
The collective Muslim voice that we hear insinuates that Muslims should protest atrocities on Muslims (only if they are commited by non-Muslims).
However, apparently we should always ignore atrocities where either Muslims are the perpetrators (Regardless of the religion of the victims), or where non-Muslims are the victims (regardless of the religion of the oppressors)
IMHO, Muslims are "obligated" to act when Muslims are oppressed, and "obligated to condemn" when others are oppressed.
Now there may be millions of individual Muslims who echo my thoughts above, but the collective voice that we hear points to a sharp distinction based on the victims' religion
As Salaamu Alaikum!
Indeed the Muslim world is full of contradictions! Glad you had a nice vacation.
Well-met!
Musa: We see to have added subclauses to the "enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong" instruction!
Safiyyah: yea I did have a nice vacation. Now back to reality :-(
Iftekhar: thanx.
I know this is an old post but I was actually thinking about this very thing today, and I couldn't have said it better myself. Perhaps this new year will bring about a much-needed change in the Muslim Ummah. Perhaps.
Happy holidays.
Khalida, happy holidays to you too.
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