This
maybe a taboo topic for most Muslims, it is for me as well. Where we can
present facts and logic about what our religion actually preaches; we’ve been
portrayed in a matter that we have now become the oppressed. In light of the
latest twitter trend #oppressedmuslimummah; I too shall speak out and reach out
to the world in an attempt to rebel against the general stereotype that has
been skillfully created over the years. Those who take our religion’s name and
shout that they embody the teachings of our religion and then kill innocents;
have done their part. What proof does the world have that these people were
actually muslim? It’s easy to blame and it’s easy to refer to every violent act
as a result of radical Islam than it is to actually find out the reason and perpetrators
behind it.
What
Islam teaches is respect, care and Islam strictly directs Muslims to ensure
that the rights of others are exercised. Even in a country drowned in
corruption, Pakistan is the embodiment of this very teaching. If we compare
what is happening to Muslims around the world and then what is happening to
non-muslims in Pakistan; it is evident that Muslims are the ones who are
actually oppressed. Verily, there are incidents where non-muslims were targeted
but those isolated incidents are negligible to what has been happening to
muslims. Our children have been dying, our ladies and our seniors; no one is
spared. Millions have died and who knows how many shall die but the media; the
global media only pays attention to the non-muslims.
It is
without a doubt, inhumane; the killing of anyone whether or not they’re Muslim.
That is exactly what Islam teaches as well. Killing of innocents: that is not
forgivable. Even at times of war, Muslims throughout history have spared women,
children and the old. Despite the fact that our women and children were not
spared. Look at Jerusalem, when Salahuddin finally became victorious he allowed
the conquered to leave. He allowed the women and children to live whereas the
defeated King himself said that If I were you, I would have killed every
defeated soul.
What we
ask of the world is not special treatment. What we ask for is the elimination
of the discrimination? A muslim is taught not to discriminate. A muslim leader
is equally answerable to the Muslims and Non-Muslims in his nation. Our concept
of Jihad has become so infamous that it is now completely wrongly portrayed. There
are plenty of forms of Jihad; one among them is self defense as well. If
someone attempts to hurt you or your loved ones and you end up hurting them or
even killing them; then that too is Jihad. How wrong is self defense? Even in
our current judicial and legal systems, that is very well accepted. How would
one wrongly portray such a form of Jihad? Leave that to our dear global media;
they’ll find a way to do it as they have been doing it for ages.
With a
new beginning of the new year, may be the world needs to understand what they
have been doing to Muslims. And those, who claim to be Muslim but are
responsible for the deaths of innocents; need to understand and know that in
accordance to the teachings of Islam, they are in the wrong and what they’re
doing is actually unforgivable.
Let 2017
be the beginning of where we stand together in the formation of a better world.
Where we are not the oppressed nor the oppressors. Where we stand together and
prove to the world that what they’ve been told is nothing but just a pointless
propaganda.
