Gaza: 'Does God See Us?'

 

"Perhaps those outside Gaza are in greater torment, cut off from the spiritual outpouring and mercy that rains down in Gaza."

I attempt to process this vast devastation. I look out at these destroyed homes, the grieving women, widows, orphans, the oppressed, the displaced, the homeless, the hungry, the thirsty, those overpowered by their circumstances, and I ask myself: Does God see them?

I look at the bombed houses, the demolished schools, the burned hospitals, the bulldozed streets, and I ask: Does God see them?

I look at the children trapped under the rubble, while the civil defense men stand helpless before extracting them, as they suffocate and die, and I ask: Does God see them?

I look at those who cannot find their daily bread, those who sleep hungry and wake up hungry; I look at the forcibly displaced, whose bones ache from sleeping on the ground, whose skin has cracked under the burning sun, the bites of mosquitoes, whose muscles are torn from carrying firewood and water buckets, and I ask: Does God see them?

I look at the wounded groaning in pain, without medicine; at those whose limbs have been amputated without anesthesia, unable to move, crying out for medical referrals to restore their hope, and I ask: Does God see them?

The truth is: Yes. God sees all of this.

A Quiz on ‘Muharram’

 

 Tarbiyyat Lessons- 17

(1) What is Muharram?     

 

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic Calendar.

 

(2)  What happened in Muharram?

 

Imam Hussain (as) was brutally martyred along with his companions and family members including a six-month old Son after three days of no food and water in a desert.

 

(3)   Who was Hussain?

 

Hussain (as) was the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (sa).

 

(4) `Who martyred him?

 

Yazid, an unjust individual, who claimed to be the caliph of Muslims, martyred Hussain (as), his companions and family members.

 

(5) Why was Hussain martyred?

Yazid tried to bring unlawful changes in Islam and also harm humanity at large. Hussein (as) being the grandson of the Holy Prophet (sa) stood against him and his unjust ways.

 

(6) Why give so much importance to the 10^th of ‘Muharram’?

 

The Tenth Day of the Sacred Month of Muharram is called the Day of  'Aashoora'. This is a special day in the history of Islam. It is the most virtuous day of the month of Muharram. Many important events took place on the Day of ‘Aashoora’.