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Iraqi
orphans at a mosque in Baghdad
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Ramadan
is the best time of the year for me as a Muslim. It is a time of
self-purification and much remembrance of Allah the Most High.
Everyday during Ramadan I make du`aa’ (supplication)
for the Ummah (nation) of Muhammad (peace be upon him). I am
doing it this Ramadan as well, but I have a different feeling
this year, perhaps because in April I had the opportunity to
visit Iraq.
The
entire experience had a profound impact on me as a Muslim and an
American citizen, al-hamdu lillah (all praise be to
Allah). Everyday I read in the news about some act of violence
occurring in Iraq. Also, the subject of the American occupation
of Iraq is being discussed almost daily by the candidates for
President. Essentially, I have daily reminders of Iraq.
Al-hamdu
lillah, most of my memories are
positive except for some intimidating experiences with the
occupying American forces. I remember American military
helicopters buzzing the rooftops of homes at 2:00 in the morning
and encountering a roadblock, which consisted of two American
tanks with guns and soldiers mounted on top, on the drive from
Jordan to Baghdad; the gun on top of one of the tanks was facing
the car I was in. I was intimidated by both of those incidents,
but during the experience I was not afraid because I immediately
began to say Ayat Al-Kursy and I knew that nothing would happen
unless Allah the Most High willed it to happen. Every time I
watch the news and they show footage of American tanks rolling
down a Baghdad street I recall those experiences and I can
imagine how the Iraqis standing and watching the tank go by are
feeling.
I
have come to the realization that the reason this Ramadan is
different for me is because my mind seems to be in two places at
once, and at times I feel disjointed. When I wake up for sahur
(meal before fasting), I think of my Muslim sisters in Iraq who
are almost finished with their day of fasting, since Iraq is
nine hours ahead of where I live. When it is sahur time
for me they would be most likely resting or beginning to prepare
the iftar (meal to break the fast) for their families. At
Maghrib time (sunset), when I break my fast, I remember them in
my du`aa’ and I think about how they must be getting up
for Tahajjud (optional late night Prayer) or preparing the sahur
meal.
I
have been in touch with my Muslim sisters in Iraq and I asked
them how Ramadan is going for them this year. Al-hamdu
lillah, in northern Iraq, this Ramadan is going well for my
two friends in Sulaymaniyah. Both Khelan and Shno wake up for
Tahajjud, eat sahur, pray Fajr (Dawn Prayer), then go to
classes at the University of Sulaymaniyah. Then at night they
pray the Qiyam Al-Layl (Night Vigil Prayer) and read Qur’an.
Shno, however, told me that this Ramadan is especially good
because they have no fears from the former regime, al-hamdu
lillah.
The
mosque in her town is small and she is helping to raise money so
that it can be expanded in sha’ Allah (Allah willing).
Khelan helped to deliver a radio broadcast about the
significance of Ramadan and she also collected Qur’ans to give
to the needy.
Yusur
is a young Muslim woman living in Baghdad. I worry about her a
lot because she is like a little sister to me. Every time Yusur
writes to me she calls me “khala” (aunt), and it absolutely
warms my heart every time she does it. She told me that this
Ramadan is beautiful and hard at the same time because she feels
closer to Allah than ever before, but of course the stress of
occupation and continuous daily violence is now part of her
life. I was very pleased to know that Yusur, at her young age,
is getting up for Tahajjud and praying Qiyam Al-Layl in the
evening. She likes to watch the Amr
Khalid show on TV with her family before
going to sleep.
I
know there is a huge number of Iraqi civilians who have been
killed since March 2003. Just today a report
was issued stating that 100,000 civilians have been killed.
Consequently, there are also too many widows and orphans. When I
asked about the widows and orphans, Yusur told me that every
week of Ramadan she and her friends and family give a group of
widows and orphans something. The first week they gave food and
sweets. The second week they gave meat. The third week it is
money. And finally the last week they will in sha’ Allah
give them clothes for `Eid Al-Fitr (Islamic public celebration
of breaking the fast).
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An Iraqi
widow’s one-room home
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Bushra
lives in Baghdad and teaches English. She takes time during her
class to remind her students about the importance of giving sadaqah
(optional charity) and reading the Qur’an. She told me
about how a group of sisters regularly visits widows and orphans
in Baghdad. Many of these widows can only do simple jobs such as
cleaning houses or making toys to sell on the street at low
prices. They are extremely poor. My sister in Islam Bushra sent
me pictures of a widow’s home. This widow lives in one very
run-down room with her children. Even the “W.C.” is in the
same room. And the landlord charges 50,000 dinars each month for
rent. When I saw this example of the way many Muslim women and
their children are living I became so sad. I asked Bushra,
“what can I do?” She explained that this is their destiny,
but we as Muslims have an obligation to help them. Bushra and a
group of sisters regularly collect money, clothes and food for
these widows and orphans. During Ramadan they also invite a
group of widows and their children to the mosque and give them
money and toys.
When
I remember the widowed Muslim women and the orphaned children I
feel a pain in my heart and chest that is as intense as an open
wound. I am grateful to my sisters in Iraq for their friendship
and love for the sake of Allah, and more importantly for making
me aware in a very real sense of the difficult situation my
sisters who are widowed and the orphaned children are in. I also
commend their brave and diligent efforts to help the needy.
There
is an ayah (verse of the Qur’an) that is of special
significance to me. I find myself reading it many times and
contemplating its meaning in light of my experiences in Iraq and
with my Iraqi sisters in Islam.
[It
is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or
West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last
Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend
of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for
orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and
for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and
practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have
made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and
adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the
people of truth, the Allah.fearing.]
(Al-Baqarah 2:177)
I
am grateful to Allah the Most High that during this Ramadan my
mind quite often is in two places at the same time. Al-hamdu
lillah, my heart, thoughts and prayers are with my sisters
in Iraq because I think I am truly experiencing the sweetness
and pain of sisterhood for the sake of Allah the Most High.
Aisha
Robertson
is an American teacher and
freelance writer based in Wisconsin, USA. Holding a BSc in
Education from the University of Wisconsin, Aisha has
worked as a teacher since 1991. She may be contacted at aishar@islamonline.net.
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