---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dr. Shaik Ubaid Date: Thu, Jul 25, 2013 at 3:52 PM Subject: Open letter to the Muslim leadership To: Bismillah arRahmaan arRaheem Dear and Respected Muslim leaders, As Salamu Alaikum Only you with the help of Allah have the power to change the situation I am describing below and if you do not try then you are accountable on that Day when mothers will try to give their children in fidya. We are around that time of Ramadan, yes, these were the days of Ramadan when the small band of the earliest Muslims defended themselves against the first effort to "eradicate" them and their monotheistic faith, on the battlefield of Badr. The heart moving dua of our beloved Prophet reminding Allah that if the Muslims were eradicated, His name will never be taken on this earth, still makes us cry as we imagine the danger and the desperateness of the day and the willingness to sacrifice by the Messenger PBUH and his sahaba Since then, successive generations of Muslims have sacrificed so much that today we are in such huge numbers (more than 1.3 billion). But many of us are not safe. In Burma, Syria, Egypt, Bangladesh, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Central Asia and so many other places. Even in the US and Europe where we enjoy the most freedom, we are not secure It is unfortunate that in Ramadan, we focus exclusively on reaping and counting rewards and reciting the Quran, and so little on developing empathy and helping the needy. Sometimes in Ramadan I start to get the feeling that our ummah is in the business of counting as if we are a bunch of money lenders (70 vs 700; and so many other set of numbers). Our lavish iftar parties do not put us to shame. Those who give them and those who attend -how will they face the children dying in Syria (UN says worse crisis since Rwanda) and Burma (UN says an endangered people) on that day when the infant daughter buried alive will be asked for what crime was she killed? Please teach your followers, especially the youth, to develop balance empathy for their fellow Muslims and fellow humans. They should get more involved in activism. They live in the most influential country on the planet. Arab spring which was supposed to bring prosperity and peace to the region and help us fight Islamophobia here is being crushed in Egypt. General Sisi has increased the stakes. If Egypt goes back to the old ways, the spring will turn into autumn every where else. With Syria in a civil war and Libya teetering at the edge of one, the Likudniks in Israel will be emboldened to persecute the Palestinians even more. I blame Saudia, UAE, Kuwait, Jordon, Morocco, PA, Algeria, Hezbollah and Iran for endangering the historic Arab spring. If American Muslims were united and strong we could have used our influence to help our brothers. Let me tell it you frankly, they are not united, because you are not. Your attempts at unity are not as serious as they should be. Forget unity even the coordination and cooperation is not significant. If you move your youth followers towards a balanced life of intellectualism + activism and if you get united then you do not have to fear anything on THAT DAY and the coming generations will be making dua for you. But if you fail then may Allah have mercy on you.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 04:50:12 +0000
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