Remaining silent in a time when injustice is endemic around us is not something I think any normal person would tolerate. Right now, in the world there is a lot of injustice prevalent on a global scale, societal scale and individual scale too. Usually, when someone has been directly impacted because of an unjust decision, it makes them extra sensitive to see this kind of behaviour being meted out to others too on any scale. A normal reaction would be to intervene and not allow history to repeat itself.
As I write, Palestine is once again at the forefront of most people’s minds as they switch on the news. It remains the forefront of their minds even when they switch off the news. I no longer need to be bombarded with images, which, despite the plethora of them out there, have not made me feel numb to human wickedness. But seeing the injustice directed to the Palestinians on such an unashamedly grand scale, is simply too painful to watch. On the other hand, it is also not acceptable to pretend it does not affect us. If anything, I don’t wish to see any more disturbing images of horrific crimes simply to give those people dignity even though they don’t know me at all.
As a mother, I cannot be neutral. For one, I share the pain of all the mothers out there who are suffering and struggling just to survivve and live a normal life. I can’t choose to live in ignorance or turn a blind eye. That is not my style. As an Ummah (the collective body of people that follow Islam), if one of us hurts, the rest of us hurt too. With this in mind, I have consciously raised my sons to feel that connection to their brothers and sisters worldwide. The need to be empathetic is even more desperate now in an age where people are so consumed by their individualistic lifestyles and detached happy oblivion. A lot of people could quite easily function from within their four walls, never needing to step out into the real world and make meaningful connections. Life can be controlled on a mobile phone. Or is it that a mobile phone can control life? Sometimes, I wonder who or what is really in control.
To have raised young men who are conscious or their brethren and will strive to come of out their comfort zone to elevate the condition of another human, is something I feel very strongly about. There is nothing worse than a selfish person who is only seeking to better themselves without regard of or respect towards anything or anyone else around them. Inaction is as damaging as direct offensive action and for this reason, apathy will not do. It isn’t always about putting money into a donation box either. Attending a protest, as we did yesterday, was about giving up something of value to us (our time) and making our presence known in the wider world. It’s about recognising the tools within each of us to express our voices and, at the same time, be a representative of the Islamic faith. It is also about being in a constant state of gratitude for what we have compared to those who do not have. This is how we can restore a sense of justice in the world. Connecting to others, even across the miles, and helping to raise their status, is something I believe is a duty as a human. Even the largest oak tree started off as a humble seed. There is no telling how impactful our input can be.
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