Well, Ramadhan al-mubarak is coming to a close. In this holy month, the "syaitan" (satan), according to Islam, are imprisoned or locked in. It follows then that they will be back or the prowl, leading Muslims away from the rightful path, to do mischiefs and other destructive acts once Ramadhan is over.
Very appropriately KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDUL-AZIZ,the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia had called for the fourth Extraordinary Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to examine the situation of the Muslims in many countries of the Islamic world, intensify efforts to confront the situation, address the sources of discord and division, reunify the Islamic ummah, and promote Islamic solidarity.
We all know that many Islamic countries have just undergone some traumatic uprising in what is called the "Arab Spring" or a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests against the government which began on December 18,2010. Thousands have been killed in bloody clashes between voluntary and government forces, more than 20,000 in the case of Syria. It really appears that satans had been let loose and the month of Ramadhan had not been able to restrain them. If the killings and the massacre of innocent women and children could happen during the month of Ramadhan when satans are supposed to be shackled, one can imagine what will happen when they are let loose again.
The Aidilfitri would be a good reason to stop the fightings and the massacres in the Muslim countries.It's a day of celebration to mark the end of the fasting month and a month of intensified prayers and submission to Allah.It is a day that should be respected by non-Muslim just as the Muslims respected Christmas, the New Year and other festive days of the non-Muslims.
It would be wonderful if the OIC could stop bloodshed in the warring Muslim countries with the advent of Aidilfitri, as a first order of priorities..Help the traumatized and impoverished people to be able to celebrate the occasion with some food and financial assistance.Addressing the sources of discord and division, would be a very complicated and long-term task. So is reunifying the Islamic ummah and promoting Islamic solidarity. OIC had been at it for many years without achieving any observable success.
Why not try to reduce the sufferings of those at war first. Only a good result in that area will lend support to the other long term goals mentioned.
Muslim all over the world on the other hand should be ready to help their brothers and sisters in accordance with the principle " kullu muslimina ikhwatun". This is a duty which a good Muslim is obliged to undertake. If that cannot be done, then the whole "training" which Ramadhan was supposed to give then, has failed. Muslims all over the world must first uphold the full spirit of Ramadhan to be able to pacify the deeply troubled Islamic world after the "syaitans" are let loose again.
2 comments:
Akhi Norzah,
We feel for those or for them under siege! All of them in the Middle East without exception.The whole point is that they might be just running around like a 'headless chicken' on 3 counts 1)The OIC countries in the region have their particular priorities. Some of their own liking but mostly imposed on them 2) The key players who can make a difference are non-OIC members 3) Among these non-OIC members are 2 belligerent super powers who have among them in covert ways made matters worst. If the OIC could find ways to resolve it could just be scuttled for not conforming or in line with the wishes of the puppeteers.
Hank
Thanks for the comment Akhi Hank and can't agree more with you. Question now is whether the Arab Spring arose out of actual frustration with authoritative rule no matter how benevolent or were there unseen hands at work to create turbulence and turmoil in the muslim countries so that those hands can have a firmer grip of the centers of power? My only hope is that Malaysia will not be dragged into such turbulence with a difference in the forces at work, though manipulated by the same hands. Salam mubarak.
Post a Comment