I think of them

From the moment I wake up to the second I drift off to sleep, it's there, a pain has taken hold that refuses to let go. It’s there in the most mundane moments of my day.

"Shall we have some tea?" I think of them.

I open the tap and water flows freely. I think of them.

I might have put too much water in. I think of them.

I turn the kettle on and boil the water. It works and I think of them.

I am warm and comfortable under the blanket. I think of them.

I eat. I think of them.

I think of my students. I think of them.

I see children. I think of them.

I think of them

All the time, I think of them. And I think of everyone in Yemen, and in Syria, in Kashmir, and Congo, and Sudan and, and, and....

What I feel, I should be feeling it. Just as a person who feels nervous at the thought of an exam, a person who feels the pain at the killing and suffering of Palestinians is exactly what I should be feeling. It is a sign that my heart has is not completely hardened. 

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever”. So what can I do?

The very first thing I can do, whilst I see a video or a photo, or a story, or when I think of them, is to make dua for them. 

Don't be an infinite scroller without thinking of the reality of your spiritual state. Are we being heedless? The photos and videos are a witness for us and against us. We can work on increasing the sincerity of our duas as we view each and every post about those oppressed everywhere. Make it a precondition to our "liking" or sharing the post.

The Prophet ﷺ explicitly told us, "Make dua while you are certain of the answer." Make dua for the end to their suffering and justice for them. And be assured that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى⁩ will answer that dua in a way that is unknown to us in a time that only He knows

Second, make dua realising that the reality of the dua is to increase our reliance on Allah ⁧سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى⁩. I think of the Palestinians and see their embodiment of Prophetic character – in their resilience and their reliance on their Lord. How many videos have we seen where they have lost their children, parents, spouses, families and only increased in their reliance on Allah and in certainty of the words of His Beloved ﷺ ? Let us take heed of their spiritual state, and improve our own.

Finally, let's make a sincere intention that our connection to our brothers and sisters in Palestine is strengthened so that when the bloodshed ends, we continue to see them, and think of them.

Let’s continue to feel the pain. Let’s use that to do whatever we possibly can for them. Let's continue to think of them until theirs is a happy state.