Eid
Mubarak
By AbuBakr G. Sheikh
Westerville, Ohio
While extending Eid greetings
to your readers, my heart is saddened and spirits
dampened owing to the unprecedented human sufferings
witnessed recently in different parts of the world
by natural calamities like tsunami, Katrina and
now the October 8 earthquake in Pakistan that
has killed over 80,000 people, maimed thousands
and rendered around 3.5 millions homeless and
virtually destitute.
On this auspicious occasion, Muslims have cancelled
the usual festive celebrations of Eid and rightly
so. On all joyous occasions – Eid ,Hanukkah,
Dewali or Christmas - let us not forget those
unfortunate and desperate men, women, children,
elderly, injured and sick who are still living
under the open sky, exposed to the unkind weather,
and praying and crying for help. The weather will
soon turn to winter and the beleaguered hilly
tracks will disappear under tons of snow and the
air passage will be closed to the helicopters
by heavy snow and strong blizzards.
It would be most unfortunate if the needs of these
helpless people are not given immediate attention.
My fears are that if they survived the weather
they may fall prey to the whim of the extremists
active in those impoverished areas.
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