Love thy neighbour!

15^th October 2015, that is when I wrote my last post. Although it has been more than a month but it feels as if ages have passed. I have never felt this fulfilled and complete in my entire life as I do now. Life, my professional activities every aspect has gone through enormous metamorphosis. Learning, giving, sharing and receiving are the words which could define me aptly.

As for the blog I have missed it badly, every day I was experiencing something new that I was dying to share. It is most interesting that my relationship with you all through this blog is like two close friends, irrespective of the time gap after which they meet, it feels as if no time has elapsed between them- reconnection is almost immediate.

So where to start from, of course the unfortunate attack on Paris and even more unfortunate the impact which this attack would have not only on the lives of Muslims in France but Muslims around the world. The attack has once again changed the world politics and the role of Muslims and the immense challenges we all have to face from now on.

A minority in the western media is kind enough to show tiny glimpses of the real and balanced picture of Islam and Muslims. Nevertheless, it is negligible when compared to what could be said, and what should be said...

We as Ummah, a grand Muslim community of approximately 1.7 billion people have to start telling our side of the story to the world in loud and clear words. It is not sufficient that we dig out some encouraging and Muslim favouring remarks and tweets of a westerner, or use hash-tags #islamisforpeace on the social media.

Honestly speaking social media trends and hash-tags do not change or effect foreign or defence policy of any country. Let alone, remotely affecting foreign policies, these social media trends cannot even build any consensus or opinions in the think-tanks of these powerful countries.

So what we should do? Let’s think about the avenues available to us. We don’t have access to Western media and we do not have a single media group which can translate our reality and point of views. Al-Jazeera is there but it has become controversial due to it’s affiliations. 

Should we write books about the great achievements of Muslims of twenty first century in fields of science, literature, law, education, research and the peaceful teachings of Islam?

In order to write those books we actually have to achieve something somewhere, but the reality is that we have not accomplished much in any of those fields.

The irony is, we all are educated but our education has rather than making us better Muslims and better humans have made us intolerant, aggressive, opportunists, fraudsters, greedy and corrupt both morally as well as financially.

Now what other options are left....

We can show them with our behaviour and social interactions with them that we are a true reflection of Islam and how a Muslim should be. We can show the world that we all are one, we may be following different point of views but we all are one Ummah and the humble servants of Allah.

We can show them  that we are the followers of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) who was the greatest Statesman ever lived. He, who won the hearts of his severe opponents with love and patience. He, who gave rights of life, property and respect to women.

He, who believed in forgiveness because he always forgave even his worst adversaries. He, who freed war prisoners if they taught a Muslim. He, who said all men and women should seek knowledge even if he/she has to go to China (and China Fourteen Hundred years ago did not teach Islam but it taught medicine, science, philosophy, spirituality).

He, who taught us that our religion is incomplete if we do not follow and respect all other Prophets who came before him and all other Holy Books which came before Quran.

Yet, a million dollar question here is, can we really show them any one of the above? Can we show them with our behaviour and social interactions that we are a true reflection of Islam and how a Muslim should be? Can we?

Some food for thought.....

Have a great day!

Sonya Syed. (Day 550)