06-11-2007, 01:52 PM
Bismillaah.
Some serious food for thought can be found below:
A bar of Snickers or Mars isn't going to intercede for you on the Day of Reckoning. The dua of your imprisoned Muslim brother, whose aid you rush to, just might though.
READ ON...
We Wont Stand For That!
There are over 6000 Muslims prisoners in the UK . There are 900 inmates in Belmarsh, and over 100 of those are Muslims. The secure unit in Belmarsh (Category AA) holds Muslim prisoners who have been abused. So when a flurry of emails, texts and internet postings erupted recently, one might be forgiven for assuming that the subject was the mistreatment of Muslim detainees. Sadly, one would be naive to assume so. The hot topic of conversation and cries of "NO! I can't take it" "We won't stand for that" was...the proposal by Mars to use animal products in its chocolate bars.
Alhumdulillah, O Muslim, that you have the option to eat halal food, unlike the prisoners of Belmarsh who are served a 50/50 mixture of halal and haram meat. Alhamdulillah, O Muslim, that you are clothed, whilst those in Category AA have been stripped naked and forced to squat. Those that refused were persuaded by the use of force on pressure points. Alhamdulillah that our youth have such zeal, commitment and sense of outrage to swiftly react...over a bar of chocolate?!
It is an obligation on us as part of the Ummah of Muhammad (SAW) to free the prisoner and stand up against oppression. We are a population of over one million Muslims in the UK . If 6000 complaints can reach Mars over a bar of chocolate within the space of a week, how many emails and letters should the authorities be receiving when a Muslim inmate's rights are violated? Or is it because the decision by Mars affects our daily lives, whereas the abuse of our brothers can be easily ignored?
When our Muslim brothers and sisters are on trial, how many of us remember them in the last 3rd of the night? How many of us lobby MPs, sign petitions and support Cageprisoners, HHUGS and the IHRC? How many of us drop off food to those under control orders? Or do we fear that delivering some curry and rice will have us on the next plane to Cuba ? How many of us will write to a Muslim prisoner or send a message of support to his/her family?
Alhamdulillah we have a large ummah with many caring hearts. Unfortunately, the good intention to get around to helping a prisoner some day doesnt ease their situation today. A bar of Snickers or Mars isn't going to intercede for you on the Day of Reckoning. The dua of your imprisoned Muslim brother, whose aid you rush to, just might though.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter...." [sahih Muslim]
O Ummah of Apathy! What is your priority?