A Crime Punishable by Death
I'm gonna save my breath, seriously. If you wish to read a fiery, angry, argumentative post about the situation in Palestine and Lebanon, please try one of the links to my fellow bloggers and I am more than sure you'll find at least one raging post about the issue.
I am, however, going to save my breath.
I am not going to pretend to be surprised about the fact that Israel is bombing civillians without so much as mild condemnation from the world leaders.
I am not going to draw a parallel between Israeli civillian bombings and Palestinian civillian bombings.
I am not going to ask why it is terrorism when a Palestinian does it and self-defense when Israel does it.
I am not going to claim a similar right of self-defense for the Lebanese and the Palestinians.
I am not going to ask why my brothers and sisters can't be as precious as the Israeli citizens.
I am not going to ask why their men are worth dying and fighting for and why mine are not.
Why? Because I am a Muslim who knows his reality -- well-behaved some may call me. I know my place in this world and I know my place in history. And that place is to be kicked around and pushed about. I understand that I am to turn my face around when slapped. I am not going to claim what I have not rightfully earned. A well-behaved Muslim knows that self-defense is the right of the powerful. Israel has tanks and guns, planes and missles, bombs and mortars; therefore, what it's doing is not terrorism. Terrorists throw stones. And everyone knows that no sympathies are reserved for terrorists. Let us all focus on the "larger struggle" here.
Such is the real state of this world. No one cares about our rhetoric of peace and justice; heed is given only to power and strength. There is no such thing as an international conscience, it is pure might that decides the fate of nations. This is where winners write history and losers are mindless "Barbarians". This is where the powerful hide behind international laws and conventions when they want; and when they don't, these laws and conventions "do not apply."
Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal -- a great Urdu and Persian revolutionary poet once said:
"Taqdeer kay qazi ka yih fatwa hay azal say:
Hay jurm-i za'eefi ki saza marg-i mufaajaat"
"The justice of fate has eternally decreed:
Weakness is a crime punishable by death"
"Allahummansur ikhwaanana fi Filasteena wa Lubnan," cried the khateeb on jumu'ah... "Inna ha huna qaa'idoon," he should've added too.
Yeah, weakness is indeed a crime punishable by death. Go "Zayn al-Deen!" Defend your honor for us. Go Allah! Help our brothers and sisters. We're gonna chill!
I am, however, going to save my breath.
I am not going to pretend to be surprised about the fact that Israel is bombing civillians without so much as mild condemnation from the world leaders.
I am not going to draw a parallel between Israeli civillian bombings and Palestinian civillian bombings.
I am not going to ask why it is terrorism when a Palestinian does it and self-defense when Israel does it.
I am not going to claim a similar right of self-defense for the Lebanese and the Palestinians.
I am not going to ask why my brothers and sisters can't be as precious as the Israeli citizens.
I am not going to ask why their men are worth dying and fighting for and why mine are not.
Why? Because I am a Muslim who knows his reality -- well-behaved some may call me. I know my place in this world and I know my place in history. And that place is to be kicked around and pushed about. I understand that I am to turn my face around when slapped. I am not going to claim what I have not rightfully earned. A well-behaved Muslim knows that self-defense is the right of the powerful. Israel has tanks and guns, planes and missles, bombs and mortars; therefore, what it's doing is not terrorism. Terrorists throw stones. And everyone knows that no sympathies are reserved for terrorists. Let us all focus on the "larger struggle" here.
Such is the real state of this world. No one cares about our rhetoric of peace and justice; heed is given only to power and strength. There is no such thing as an international conscience, it is pure might that decides the fate of nations. This is where winners write history and losers are mindless "Barbarians". This is where the powerful hide behind international laws and conventions when they want; and when they don't, these laws and conventions "do not apply."
Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal -- a great Urdu and Persian revolutionary poet once said:
"Taqdeer kay qazi ka yih fatwa hay azal say:
Hay jurm-i za'eefi ki saza marg-i mufaajaat"
"The justice of fate has eternally decreed:
Weakness is a crime punishable by death"
"Allahummansur ikhwaanana fi Filasteena wa Lubnan," cried the khateeb on jumu'ah... "Inna ha huna qaa'idoon," he should've added too.
Yeah, weakness is indeed a crime punishable by death. Go "Zayn al-Deen!" Defend your honor for us. Go Allah! Help our brothers and sisters. We're gonna chill!
posted by MH at 8:47 AM
5 Comments:
THANX FOR ALMOST MAKING ME CRY MUS'AB!!!!!
For some reason I can't pin down, it seems like a piece like this would not fit MSATalk. And, other people on the list-serve can see this comment--I know. But it's tragic to see the disconnects within the Muslim student body.
Since you've started the pessemism already, I'll add some more to your plate.
Have you ever, even if only for a moment, believed that our generation's gonna be the one to put things back in order? This mirage, that we're more organized than the previous generations, that we understand the value of good PR, that we've worked harder to enable ourselves to at least be recognized as "peers" and "neighbors" in this country to be significant...I sometimes look at this generation of ours, so full of potential, and only see it going down the same, bitter path.
Anyway, I'm glad to see that you're writing again, and it's nice to know that other Muslims are finding this painted picture before us nothing short of what it really is--murder and injustice. So JAKs for putting yourself out there when others will find reasons not to.
w.s.
It is not as much pessimism as the ironic reality (with a bit of sarcasm) that we need to realize and think accordingly -- in my opinion.
In relation to the whole "our generation being THE generation to change things" deal, I think it is significant to note what Alawi mentioned in his post on MSATalk:
"For now, while in college, we should be directing emotions and energy toward issues other than muslim ummah outside."
I think this is what is going to take us down the same, bitter path; because if you think about it, that is exactly what the generation before us did: focus on their "studies" and issues within the realm of their studies without paying much attention to the global situation. Look where it has landed us. The most corrupt and inept people have assumed positions of leadership in our countries making dumb decision for us left, right, and center. The population remains... quite highly educated (ironically, Palestine boasts the highest literacy rate in the world).
But still, we should not lose hope and our optimism should lead us to believe that if not us, then our children or grandchildren will be able to create that change and raise the price of Muslim-blood to where it should be: a Ka'ba per person. It can't be denied that this generation has somewhat more skills than the previous ones. Let work to make the best use out of it isA.
Including your reply to Samira’s comment, yours, in a long time, is the second piece of thought (Abdul Hakim’s MSA Talk email being the first) that I actually share notions with. Not that agreeing with my ideas is a pre-requisite for writing, but most blogs are, in my opinion, frankly, just laghw.
Kudos on the negative re-enforcement.
However, what’s up with the Zidane reference? If it’s anyone’s honor he was defending, it was his own. How very typical of Muslims to try so hard to associate themselves (turn the other cheek) to those who try so hard to disassociate themselves from the Muslims in the first place (a slap on the cheek)!
Thanks. I agree that most blogs are laghw, but I guess they are good forums for promotion of personal thoughts--at least mine does that for me.
You should've read the article that I've linked my reference to. It is that exact behavior of associating ourselves with anyone who seems like our saviour somehow that I was pointing towards. It is the behavior that makes us want to do little while associating ourselves with entities that we think are doing something (even though they themselves sometimes don't associate themselves with us).
Btw, quit being anonymous ;)
SuhanAllah. I've never heard it put that way. How do you suppose we change it?
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