PALESTINE
My heart trembles, and my words fail to capture the magnitude of the anguish that the Palestinians endure every single day. I am engulfed in a sea of emotions, unable to find solace amidst the horrifying scenes of suffering that play out relentlessly. I have witnessed the worst of humanity, the depths of despair that the Palestinians face, and their indomitable spirit in the face of unmeasurable sabar. My heart is heavy, burdened by the silent screams of agony echoing from the shattered streets of Gaza. I stand before you today, not with eloquent words, but with a soul drowning in the tears shed for the Palestinians who endure a level of suffering that defies comprehension.
For days on end, I have immersed myself in videos, reels, news articles, and blogs, and each passing moment reveals a new layer of agony in the lives of the Palestinian people. How can we, as fellow human beings, bear witness to such unfathomable pain and not be moved to action? The cries of fathers holding their dying children, mothers wailing over the lifeless bodies of their daughters – The air in Gaza is thick with the screams of pain that penetrate the soul of anyone who dares to listen.
Seventy-five years of relentless struggle, and yet the Palestinians continue to exhibit resilience beyond comprehension. I find myself standing on the precipice of helplessness, haunted by the awareness that our collective actions contribute to their plight. Each night, each morning, I weep for the Palestinians, aching to answer their desperate call for justice, for humanity. Are we truly humans with hearts? Do our hearts not ache at the sight of their suffering?
I implore you to look around, to open your eyes to the reality of what is happening in Palestine. The Palestinians yearn for justice, for a glimmer of hope in the midst of their despair. Yet, we inadvertently contribute to their oppression by supporting companies aligned with the Israel. A visit to McDonald's or Starbucks, a seemingly mundane act, becomes a transaction that fuels the very power that inflicts harm upon innocent lives. Are we truly human with hearts, or have we allowed ourselves to become numb to the plight of the innocent? How can we bear witness to the horrors unfolding in Palestine and, in the same breath, contribute to the very entities perpetuating this cycle of destruction? Indulging in the luxuries of global brands, unwittingly funneling power to those who rain bombs upon children, families, homes, and the very essence of Palestinian humanity.
Children, families, homes, and entire buildings reduced to rubble – the human cost of our complacency. Fathers forced to carry the dismembered remains of their children in plastic bags, a last embrace with incomplete body parts, the unimaginable pain of burying a child with your own hands, the pain of a man learning that his wife, carrying their unborn child, perished in the relentless bombings. The stories are countless, the atrocities unbearable. The grandfathers mourning their beloved granddaughters, women enduring unimaginable hardships, risking their lives to give birth.
In Gaza, where life is already a nightmare, women face the stark reality of losing fertility, enduring C-sections without anesthesia, and Breastfeeding mothers, struggling to nourish their infants, advised to consume water and sustenance that are becoming increasingly scarce.. More than 11,200 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives. Hospitals, overwhelmed and lacking resources, crumble under the weight of war-wounded patients.
And what of the mental health of those who survive the bombings? Children, their bodies trembling with fear, suffocated, exhausted, without proper shelter, food, or resources. How can we sleep peacefully at night knowing that their suffering continues unabated? We must recognize the victims and the demons, and we must demand a ceasefire. Are we too cowardly to stand against this injustice?
I implore you, in the name of our shared humanity, to awaken from the slumber of indifference. How can we, as sentient beings, sleep peacefully at night knowing the extent of suffering endured by the innocent in Palestine? Ceasefires are not signs of weakness but a plea for mercy, a call for sanity in the face of unimaginable pain.
To my fellow Muslims, I appeal to your conscience. Is this the Islam we profess? Our holy place, Masjid al-Aqsa, is under threat. It is our first Qibla, as sacred as the Kaaba. We cannot let it fall. We must unite for the sake of humanity and justice. To the leaders of Muslim nations, I beseech you to open the doors to ceasefire. Let us not subject the Palestinians to more suffering. Let Muslims and humans alike unite against this injustice. Let us stand united, not just as Muslims but as humans, against this injustice. Let our hearts not be stamped with callousness; let us pass this test together. Let us not be heartless; let us not be selfish. Do not allow it to be said that the hearts of humanity were stilled when the call for compassion echoed through the shattered streets of Gaza. Together, let us pass this test of humanity with grace and solidarity.
If, by any chance, my voice reaches those in power, I plead for the opportunity to go to Palestine. I want to do more than what I am doing now, for I refuse to be a heartless bystander. Together, let us pass this test of humanity and emerge stronger, united against the forces that seek to destroy the lives of the innocent. For the sake of humanity, let us stand together and say, "Enough is enough."
Meeم A’yن
