As Salaamu Alaikum and Greetings of Peace:
My heart is heavy ... I have a lot going on. Alhamdulillah, it's not as bad as some people have it. It's merely another test, or rather a series of them, and it will be okay, Insha Allaah.
The thing about it is that it has paralyzed my writing voice. Some people get writer's block. I'm not blocked. I have a lot to say. But my friend Aaminah put a quote on her Facebook page that describes it perfectly for me:
""One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter." (James Earl Jones)
In addition to my own problems, it just seems to me that the whole world has gone crazy - The BP oil catastrophe on the Gulf Coast, the Arizona immigration law ...
And the fitnah on a lot of the Muslim blogs is also depressing. It seems like every click on my list of blog feeds, takes me to a place that gives me a grand headache. More than once, I have started to write a comment, but canceled it. What's the use?
But, a recent court battle won by Gisha of its Freedom of Information Act petition got me thinking (after I got over my waves of nausea), and has motivated me to write.
You can go to the link and read for yourself and see the lists of items that the Israelis consider contraband for Gaza in the name of national security (like coriander, lol), but what REALLY caught my eye was that Israel admits the existence of a "red line" document that establishes the minimum nutritional requirements for the residents of Gaza BUT REFUSES TO REVEAL IT! I read somewhere else that the Israeli government is trying to determine how much food a person from Gaza needs based on gender, age, etc., to prevent starvation.
Ya Allah ... Ya Rabb
How can a people who suffered the cruel atrocities of the Nazis even dream up such a plan?
And now this morning - we wake up to the news of the Israeli IDF assault on the Freedom Flotilla that was taking aid to the people in Gaza. This flotilla was the 9th such trip of international peace activists, mainly organized by the Free Gaza Movement. Seventy-five miles off the coast of Isreal, in international waters, the IDF attacked the flotilla of six ships, and then boarded the Turkish vessel, Mavi Marmara. All of this is in direct violation of international law. (And so is the blockade of Gaza, by the way ...) Facts are hard to come by at this time, but what is known is that a number of civilians have been murdered by the IDF, and some 800+ activists are being held by the Israelis out of communication with their familes and embassies.
Until this incident, Turkey was the only Muslim friend of Israel.
Lately, however, there have been problems and tensions have risen.
When I was in Istabul a few months ago, we were the guests of a Turkish aid organization called Yardimeli that does a lot of work in Gaza. Shortly before we arrived, a Yardimeli group had gone to Gaza to bring aid. When the group prepared for return to Turkey, one of its team members was not permitted by the Israeli government to come home. For no reason. Except to discourage people and organizations from helping the Gazans. Alhamdulillah, on the day we left, the brother was allowed to return to Turkey. But, the Turkish government had to get involved. All of Yardimeli's efforts to resolve any "problem" the Israelis might of had was in vain.
Well, the Turkish government is now pissed. Allaah only knows where this Flotilla crime will lead.
Say dua. Please.
Insha Allaah I will be writing a series of posts about Jewish people and Israel. But, I leave you with this fact: not all Jewish people are Zionists. Even some Zionists in Israel do not like what's going on with Gaza. Please remember this.
6 comments:
Subhanallah, it really does seem like the world is going meshuggeneh sometimes. This whole flotilla debacle is so incredibly depressing and outrageous; like, do the people in the Israeli government responsible for this even think before making these decisions? It seems like all I can really do is just make du'a for peace and have the satisfaction of knowing that ALLAH will deal justly with everyone in the end.
I'm glad that you made that distinction about not all Jews being Zionists or even all Israelis being Zionists. Heck, not even all Zionists agree with the crap that goes on. Unfortunately, it is so easy for people to place the blame and direct all their outrage towards one specific group of people, even though it is very rarely the case that this entire group of people is responsible. It is essential that people make this distinction in any situation, lest innocent people are accused or punished.
I love that quotation. I ALWAYS have that problem. Most people think I am apathetic or ignorant of occurrences/whatever, but the fact is that I am unable to put my thoughts into words. The conversion of thought to language is a little off:( (at least I think that's what the quotation means hopefully)
When you say fitnah on the Muslim blogs, do you mean they are saying nasty things against a group of people? I am very sorry if that is the case. I know it can be very depressing.
Even I heard of the Gisha court battle from a blogger named GazaMom. I was very astonished to hear about the nutritional limit. I can't imagine being told how much I could or could not eat. And another statement someone made was something along the lines of, "the nutritional amount will be enough to keep the Palestinians alive, but they will not die". :( I am guessing that this amounts to a *VERY* limited amount of calories in the diet of the average Palestinian:(
And even I stand by you on your last paragraph. There is a great diversity amongst people, even if they are from the same "racial" background. There is diversity in thoughts, in actions, etc. I have come across this problem TOO many times, unfortunately in the Muslim organization that I *used* to be part of. I hope people realize that the world was made different for a purpose, so that we can get to know each other, not to hate each other. I am about to cry writing this.
This whole Gaza thing has really gotten me into a depressed mood as well. I wish to go there one day and *fix* everything:) InshAllah.
Asalaamu Alaikum
I am so glad to hear from you on this issue. We just had Netanyahu in Canada and then he abruptly left over this. Our Prime Minister is backing him up it seems. On the news they were saying that arms were secretly being smuggled in in the flotilla. Another guy was saying all we had on the boat were things like pencils for school children. May Allah give all these people justice. Amin. The least we can do is a sign a petition and let the gov't hear our voice and of course dua.
As for blogs with different problems..I pray mine is not one of them and if it is please tell me as the reminder benefits the believer.
Salaams Everyone:
No, your blogs are not what I'm talking about. I mean all the blogs where the commenters get REAL nasty with each other, and the Islamaphobes come out and make outrageous statements about the deen and the Prophet saw. As a blog or site owner, I wouldn't allow anyone to insult Islam on my site. I welcome the non Muslims to come here, ask questions, comment, etc., but when they get disrespectful, that's when I delete their comments. Islam is a perfect religion, and can stand up to any scrutiny, Subhan'Allah. This is what I love about Islam, Alhamdulillah, and is the reason I reverted to Islam. My parents were Jewish and Christian; I practiced both of those religions for years prior to coming to Islam.
Most people are uncomfortable examining their religion. It causes a spiritual dissonance for them. Most people (including Muslims) are merely following the religion of their family or culture. Ah ... the stuff of another post.
But you know, the same old topics: child marriage, plural marriage, etc. etc.
Some of the blogs I love and have been following forever. The posts are reflective, and often make me think. But I have stopped reading the comments.
Assalam Alaykum Sister,
Please please do post about the Jewish people and Israel. There is a heated debate, but a very civil one, on a friend's blog. The post itself was only about the person being frustrated with the Israel raid, but the comments section has a lot of comments from both sides. And it is very civilized meaning even the Non-Muslims are respectful and are not saying anything about Islam.
http://kanwalful.blogspot.com/2010/05/israels-anger-management-issues.html
I myself am VERY ignorant about the issue at hand, but nonetheless tried to voice my opinion about what I think so far. Maybe I just sound pathetic over there, but at least I am learning.
How can a people who suffered the cruel atrocities of the Nazis even dream up such a plan?
This to me is the sad ironic part about this whole affair. It almost seems as if they learned from experience!
Post a Comment