Voice of British Muslim Women

Arfa Yassir, Swindon

These are difficult times, when you switch on the news or check social media, the reality that you see is heartbreaking. The agony of the Palestinian people after Israel’s attack is horrific. One just wonders if watching it through news, images and videos is so painful, how do those people, who are actually in the situation, feel? We cannot even begin to comprehend their suffering.

If a suffering of this scale is due to a natural catastrophe, then deep down, we know we are helpless in front of Divine Will so we can only play our part in rehabilitation. The fact that human machinations and aims are causing this level of devastation hurts really hard. When something avoidable is causing this chaos, it baffles your mind.

It is so difficult to just sit there and helplessly watch it all happen. Because we are just ordinary people, it is not in our remits to influence the decision makers behind this war. It almost feels like the end of the world, do we even have the right to live in our luxuries while all those children in Palestine are suffering? People are dying every minute. Even hospitals are being attacked mercilessly.

Like always, the guidance of His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, our Caliph, (may Allah be his Helper) is our rock-solid support, which not just helps us through difficult times but also channels our energies in the right direction. On October 13th His Holiness gave us a few very important reminders:

“If the Muslims unite and are one, they will have a strong and impactful voice.”

And regarding prayers for the people of Palestine and the world at large His Holiness said:

“use this spiritual weapon more than ever before.”

We were reminded to raise our voices for peace at the right places. Firstly, at the threshold of Divine Will, before God Almighty, in the form of fervent prayers. Prayer is such a powerful weapon which we can at times forget when a situation overwhelms us. This was indeed a much-needed reminder. A reminder that whilst we have the powerful weapon of prayer, we are not helpless at all.

Secondly, if we unite for the sake of humanity, our voices can create an impact. We can and we must do everything in our remits for that. We must raise our voice via social media, spreading awareness through conversations, writing to our MPs and so on.

These aspects are encapsulated in the hashtag His Holiness graciously approved for the campaign: #VoicesForPeace. This hashtag really struck me, as it reflects a very thoughtful choice. It’s not just about Palestine or a temporary ceasefire, but peace and justice in the long-term. This hashtag transcends differences of race, religion, ethnicity, nationality. It is something that can unite all sane, peace-loving voices of the world. Because, peace and justice are the right of every form of life dwelling on the planet.

It is by the grace of God Almighty and guidance of His Holiness that our Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is holding events globally under this campaign. But we must participate at individual level also. We must respond to this call and be the voices for peace, however possible. It is time to act, now.