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Sharing the pain of others on Eid day
by Sound Vision Staff Writer
I wonder what eid will be for a
BBC reporter. He recently said:
For the first time in Falluja, a city of 1,200 mosques, I did not hear
a single call to prayer this morning.
I broke my Ramadan fast yesterday with the last of our food - two potatoes
and two tomatoes.
The tomatoes were rotten because we have no electricity to run the fridge.
He is a Muslim citizen of Falluja who regularly reports for BBC. He
also said:
"I counted the bodies of at least six US soldiers lying on the
ground.
Some of them were badly mangled with various bits blown off. Others
were in better condition, as if they had taken small-arms fire.
Some of the dead are beginning to rot in the streets."
American soldiers, Iraqi civilians and Iraqi rebels all have one thing
in common: they are all human beings and did not plan to die this way.
May God give patience to their loved ones and guide their leaders to save
lives.
I wonder what kind of Eid Noor Muhammad
will have this year?
The young Afghan boy, hardly 12 years
old, lost his eyes and both arms during US bombing strikes on villages
southwest of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Will he be celebrating in the hospital,
as he seeks to put together the shattered pieces of his life, now as a
blind and disabled person? What will he be thinking on Eid day as other
children his age receive gifts, hugs and visits from relatives and go
outside to play with friends on this happy occasion? Noor will probably
never be able to play the way he used to.
And what about the Fatimahs and Alis
in Chechnya, Kashmir, Palestine and elsewhere people suffer throughout
the year, with littlerepreive? How will they be celebrating this year?
These people are probably the last
ones on our minds as we rush to finish our last minute gift shopping,
pick out our outfit or decorate the house for the special occasion. While
much of Eid is focused on how to make the holiday happy and special, especially
for our children, we cannot neglect to share the pain of others on this
day.
These are the people for whom Eid will mean settling into a refugee camp
not decorating their homes. For thousands of them, Eid will mean trying
desperately to find food for the day, not preparing a special meal for
the family.
One way to share the pain is by simply
having a discussion with family and friends about the situation of people
suffering the world over. There are hundreds of "hot spots"
where men, women, and children are regularly killed, oppressed, raped,
tortured and subjected to all kinds of oppression and humiliation. Sitting
together as a family or with friends to discuss the situation, even if
it's in just one specific place, will help share information, while developing
sympathy and concern.
Another way is through Dua (supplication).
After Eid prayers, following the sermon, most Imams make Dua for the oppressed
everywhere, usually pinpointing specific areas which are in worse condition
or more prominent. If you normally leave Eid prayers before the Khutbah,
this year, make a special effort to stay and be part of the Dua of the
Imam and the rest of the congregation. Also, don't forget to make Dua
as an individual on Eid day, thanking Allah for His blessings while praying
for people suffering everywhere.
Making
Dua is a powerful tool to connect us to those who are not present
with us, but who deserve our love, concern and attention. This is a way
for us to share the pain of those who are suffering.
Another way of sharing the pain and
trying to help is by arranging to send gifts and sweets. Some relief organizations
have programs in place to provide orphans, for instance, with new clothes,
a gift and sweets on Eid day. Others may have a program to provide a family
with a meal of meat or some other special food.
Finally, you can share the pain by
meeting with those who are from one of the "hot spots". Invite
them over, ask them about their relatives and offer to help in any way
you can. Doing this will allow you to see an in-person example of a suffering
person who may have escaped the fate of his or her brothers and sisters,
but is still naturally concerned for family abroad. He or she can be your
window into the daily struggles of those suffering in one part of the
world.
© 2004 Sound Vision Foundation, Inc.
http://www.soundvision.com
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Your Comments
sheuly, KENT -
wrote on 11/15/2004 11:02:41 AM
Rating: 
Comment: I really like your web site and i would like to thank everyone who are working in sound vision. i have learnt alot about my religion through this web site. i would like you to give more information on da poor people in asia.
thank you!
Salman, -
wrote on 11/13/2004 9:12:02 PM
Rating: 
Comment: Kudos to the poster above. May Allah ease the pain of our brothers and sisters in Darfur and all other Muslims suffering under corrupt regimes.
Yusuf Siddiqui, Fort Collins, CO -
wrote on 11/11/2004 3:49:13 PM
Rating: 
Comment: Let's also not forget to remember our brothers and sisters who are suffering in Darfur, Sudan, and the thousands of innocent people suffering in jails at the hands of oppressive governments.
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