Page 6 - Pakistan Link - January 20, 2023

P6 - PAKISTAN LINK - JANUARY 20, 2023 OPINION
n By Abdul Malik Mujahid hammad to do convey His message to
Chicago, IL The Prophet’s Three people. (Qur’an 33:45-46).
Growing up, I attended a Ma-
f you had seen the two men, bro- drassa in Pakistan where students
ken and bleeding from the rocks were required to read pre-Islamic
I thrown at them, you would have poetry, which was the primary com-
easily dismissed the idea that today, Cs of Success munication in the Prophet’s time. I
we would be writing noticed that the Prophet used every
an article about their method available. This included in-
success story - espe- viting people, hanging a notice on the
cially the one whose door of the Kaba, dinners, visiting
shoes were filled with Makkah’s 14 flea markets, and more.
blood. We cannot work on the Prophet-
But this man, ic mission of peace and justice, which
Prophet Muhammad, he assigned us in his last sermon at
peace and blessings be upon him, the mount of Arafat, without con-
did not despair, even in his pain. He necting and communicating effec-
prayed sincerely, deeply, and fervent- tively with others.
ly. He did not know the future, but he We must observe what means of
knew that even in his state of utter communication are used in our time,
desperation, he needed to act, along what methods are most effective, and
with putting his full trust in God. It do our duty.
was his determination to act in these That is what God will ask us
circumstances that made the differ- about. So, let’s ask ourselves now.
ence.
He asked himself: What can I 2. Care for humanity
do? What do I control? What is my Yet, despite these statistics, the prophets was appointed by God to The Prophet developed three key We must become better human
responsibility? victims of the violence are blamed for help people stand up for peace, jus- strategies grounded in the Qur’an. beings ourselves, individually, to be
Muslim blood flows like water. being violent themselves. tice, fairness and equity. (Qur’an Following these three success strate- able to carry the Prophetic mission of
The largest concentration camp in the Muslims’ struggle for freedom, 57:25) gies now is Sunnah, or the path of the helping people to stand up for peace,
world is currently filled with Uyghur peace, justice and Islam itself in dif- It was this prophetic mission Prophet for us. I call them the “three justice, fairness, and equity.
Muslims. The largest refugee camp is ferent parts of the world is also under which the Prophet was striving for. ‘c’ strategies”. And the only way we become
filled with the Rohingya Muslims of attack. Dictators, colonizers, Islamo- But hardly anyone was listening. better human beings is by taking
Burma. India has taken away the citi- phobes, and terrorists are using every As bad as things are for us, con- 1. Communication care of those who are oppressed or in
zenship of 4 million Muslims. means to suppress a movement for sider this: The Prophet was in an ut- The Prophet used each and every need.
The “War on Terror” began in freedom and liberty. ter state of helplessness during his means of communication available at Throughout the Qur’an, we see
2001, and its fallout has been docu- It’s very easy to discuss the state Prophethood in Makkah. He had that time in Arabia to convey his mes- this. In Surah Al-Maun (Qur’an,
mented. A Johns Hopkins University of the Ummah over coffee table con- about a hundred people who followed sage. So, the path of the Prophet, Sun- chapter 107), God mentions two sets
study found that over a ten-year peri- versations, lamenting the apathy or him. Eighty percent of his followers nah, for us is to use each and every of the characteristics of the person
od, two million people died a violent heartlessness of those we don’t con- escaped to Habasha (North East Af- means of communication available in who denies faith. The first set is that
death at the hands of war or terror- trol. But what am I doing about it? rica). As his followers continued to be our time for the Prophetic mission of s/he does not care for the hungry,
ism in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another What are you doing? tortured and killed, he sought a safe establishing peace, justice, fairness, turns away the orphan, and does not
study on the same topic put the num- Prophet Muhammad, peace and haven, where the Muslims could pray and equity in the society. share what s/he has. The second is
ber at four million. blessings be upon him, like all other and worship in peace and security. God appointed Prophet Mu- (Continued on page 23)

n By Mahasin D. Shamsid-Deen This is What MLK Day is Truly about of the oppressed and marginalized in
USA the society.
The struggle and sacrifices of
he service component of the these Americans was not in vain.
MLK Jr Day federal holiday strength to work and try to make Most public spaces and schools in the
T is often overlooked. For far things real for my children, I'm going US now offer equal access to people
too many Americans, it is simply to work for it - even if it means mak- of all ethnic and religious groups.
a day off work or out of school. But ing the ultimate sacrifice.” Most states ensure voting rights for
the significance of the “service” that - Medgar Evers all citizens, although this is constant-
Americans are encouraged to do on “Any time you know you're with- ly under attack. Labor and civil rights
that day should be understood and in the law, within your legal rights, legislation has been passed that has
valued. We should emulate the efforts within your moral rights, in accord eased some systemic injustice. Some
of our servant-leaders who gave their with justice, then die for what you of the efforts of Medgar Evers and Dr
life in service to improving the lives believe in.” King have been realized. Also, the US
and status of their community. - Malcolm X census revealed that two percent of
There were three ‘M’ martyrs of “If physical death is the price that African Americans are Muslim and
the Civil Rights Movement: Medgar, I must pay to free my white brothers 59% of American-born Muslims are
Malcolm and Martin. Medgar Evers and sisters from a permanent death African American. Informal Afro-
was assassinated June 12, 1963 for his their local communities. life and work of Dr Martin Luther of the spirit, then nothing can be centric social scientists postulate that
efforts to integrate the University of King Jr but is also representative of more redemptive.” one in ten African-American families
Mississippi, end segregation in public How MLK Jr Day Started the struggles of all those who literally - Martin Luther King Jr have Islamic influence through fam-
places, and expand voting rights for The efforts to have a Martin Lu- gave their lives in service to improv- These men were by no means ily or associations. Thus, the efforts
ethnic minorities; Malcolm Shabazz ther King Jr holiday started just four ing the lives of and relieving the dis- the only martyrs of this fight for free- of Malcolm Shabazz to expose Islam
was assassinated February 21, 1965 days after his assassination in 1968, tress of racism and injustice imposed dom, justice, and equality. The list of to the African-American community
for being an advocate for social jus- when Representative John Conyers upon their community. people killed by America’s racists is has also been realized.
tice, Black empowerment and self- called for a day to honor him. But it Medgar, Malcolm, and Martin long and painful, and not everyone Those martyrs from the civil
determination, and pushing for Black would be 15 years before Congress all knew that their efforts of civic who worked in service to improve rights and social justice era volun-
acceptance of Islam as a new way of would pass a bill designating the third engagement, social justice and eth- their community anticipated a vio- teered their time for days, months,
life; Martin Luther King Jr was as- Monday in January as a federal holi- nic empowerment and self-determi- lent death at the hands of racists. and years to work against institu-
sassinated April 4, 1968 for standing day commemorating King Jr. Many nation put their lives in danger. The In 1963 four little girls were as- tionalized racism and oppression and
against segregation and worked on states rejected the holiday, and it took brutality of their physical assassina- sassinated in Birmingham’s 16th offer a view of a different path. So,
voting, labor and other civil rights for another 17 years for all states of the tions and character assassinations in Street Baptist Church: Addie Mae when the federal government and the
Americans. union to “reluctantly” acknowledge the media is what drives the need for Collins, Denise McNair, Carole national sensibilities of Americans
All three of these men have mu- this holiday. right-minded citizens to volunteer to Robertson, and 11-year-old Cynthia evolved to the point where their ef-
seums, educational centers, schools, continue their work. The idea that the Wesley. In the 1964 Freedom Sum- forts were recognized, (even if not
and streets named after them, but The Core of the Holiday Is Service struggle was worthy of the ultimate mer James Chaney, Michael Schw- agreed with), then it is incumbent to
only one of the three has a national What is important about MLK sacrifice if there would be reward in erner, and Andrew Goodman were keep “the dream” alive.
holiday in his honor: Dr Martin Lu- Day is the service – the aiding, assist- the long run is verified in the quotes tortured and murdered by the KKK
ther King Jr MLK Day is the only fed- ing, helping, improving, and working below which exemplify an unwaver- with help from the deputy sheriff in The Muslim Perspective
eral holiday designated as a National on behalf of others. This usefulness ing sense of service to their fellow hu- Mississippi. They were teenagers, As Muslims, we already have the
Day of Service inviting all Americans to our neighbors and community not man beings. Black, White, Christian and Jewish life example of the Prophet Muhammad,
to volunteer on that day to improve only honors and acknowledges the “As long as God gives me all willing to stand up for the rights (Continued on page 23)
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