My thoughtful, talented, Moslem friend Mubina shares a poem which calls for peace and understanding.

-Mark

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Lost And Afraid

 

The morning of 11th September

Forever that date I will remember

Feelings of shock and dismay

Feelings of disbelief from this day

What has this world come to, I wondered?

Why has mankind stooped so low, I asked?

Surely we must be the only species designed

That take the life of it’s very own kind

 

After the initial numbness and pain

And wearing off of sorrow I had contained

After much contemplation and thought

I came to terms with the reality of this shock

Alas! What happened no one can undo

We must now be brave and somehow get through

We have to be strong and carry on

Together, unite and pray, as a new day dawns

 

My cascade of feelings then, I’ve portrayed

But now am feeling a little lost, a little afraid

Being a Muslim puts me in a bad light

Because of what a few have done out of spite

No longer can I go out with my head held up high

Because of those that have caused many to die

No longer can I look at people in the eye

Because of some that have made thousands cry

 

No longer can I boldly go to the mosque and pray

Because I’m told it is not safe to do so on any day

No longer can my Muslim sisters cover their head

Because they’re afraid of the hateful glances they’ll get

No longer do I feel secure in my own home

Because I’m afraid of being a target of this hate syndrome

No longer at night can I sleep in peace

When will this finger pointing cease?

 

I want to say to my fellow Americans

Please don’t hold me responsible for their actions

This is my country too and I feel just like you

I have a family here and share the same dreams as you

I remember the day I became an American

They asked me if I’ll die for this country and I said I can

Live and die in this country I will

This is my home now and forever it will

 

There is just one thing more I want to say

Fighting back with violence will just make us go astray

Let us ALL sit down and talk

And find a peaceful solution to this all

War is not a good thing - nobody wins

Many innocent die for others sins

Let us not continue with this madness

And cause many more to die in our revengeful blindness

 

 

Let us show the world our greatness

Not by the power of our technology but our goodness

Let us follow in the path of Mahatma Gandhi

Who won a war without using an army

Let us remember that we are ALL one

And not continue with this war mission

This is my prayer to Allah today -

Give peace to all and take the hatred away

 

By: Mubina Hamid (Oct 2001)