They need us or we need them?

“I need you…”
Picture by WindyButNotCloudy♥ of flickr.com

“Free free Palestine! Free free Palestine” shouts Lowkey, a British rapper in his rap song titled 

“Long lives Palestine”. Lowkey is one of my favorite rappers and “Long live Palestine” is one of the best rap songs I’ve ever heard.

“Long live Gaza” came out from my mouth followed the rap beat.

As I sunk deeply in the song, suddenly my shoulder was touched by some soft hands. I turned right, I saw the mouth of Siddiqi saying something but I couldn’t hear. I took off the earphone that was tucked tight in my ears.

“What are you listening?” He asked.

“Long live Palestine” I answered.

“Lowkey?” He said while his left eyebrows were raised.

“Yeah, you hear rap as well?” I asked surprised.

“Yup, but I’m not fanatic. Muslim rap, don’t get me wrong. I listen to their songs because of their lyrics not because their beat. Their lyrics usually are beautiful. You know what is RAP? ” He said while making a left turn.

“Rap is rap, rapping. Yeah!” I said while acting like a rapper on stage.

“No. RAP is Rhythm and Poetry. That is why the lyrics are touching. The Muslim rappers, the non-muslim rappers I don’t know. Don’t ask me” He smiled.

“Oh it’s ok. Let’s change topics shall we? I have a question regarding the issue on Palestine. I’ve been thinking on it lately. People are so determined in sending aids to Palestine. They spend like thousands only on Palestine. They even put their lives on the lines only to free Palestine. I really don’t understand these people – “ Siddiqi cut me in “And the question is?”

“Ah the question, almost forgot. The question is, we’ve tried so hard all this time to help them, do Palestinians really need us?”

“They don’t need us or we need them. We need them.” He answered.

“We need them? What do you mean?”

“We literally need them…”

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“You guys are always talking on Palestine, what about us Indians? I do not agree with the Palestine issue! We are suffering too!” A guy from India said to me.

I was silent for a moment. What he said is true, our brothers and sisters in India are suffering too. But how can I answer the issue he raised then?

“Brother… Let us calm down shall we. We may not be brothers by blood, but we are brothers by faith right?” I tried to carve a smile. His tight face loosens up a little bit, signs of ease are shown. The Musolla of Mahallah As-Siddiq became the proof of our “discussion” tonight.

“Yes. You are right, Allah has asked us to help every Muslims in need right?” I went slowly.

“But can I say one thing. It is not that we ignore other Muslims, but by the time being, we Malaysians are only fit to help the Palestinians now. I admit that we still don’t have the energy and money to help others. Insha Allah in the future we will help India.” Still maintaining my voice pitch.

“The Palestinians do not need us, but we need the Palestine. Freeing Al-Quds is our priority now.  Remember the khutbah last week by Dr. Belghit Muhammad? He said, ‘I may am an Algerian and Palestine is not my land of blood. But Palestine is my land of faith, Al-Quds is my first Qiblah. Al-Quds is ours and ours alone’ “ I was half shouting.

“But….” – he wanted to object but I cut in first “Please let me finish my words.”

“If Dr. Belghit Muhammad says that; then I will say ‘I may be a Malaysian and Palestine is not my land of birth. By nationality, I do not have the right to claim Palestine my land, but in the name faith and humanity, I hereby claim Palestine my land and I will free my land!’” I was shouting, I just ignored all the people in the Musolla.

“The prophet has said:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al-Masjid-AI-Haram, the Mosque of Allah’s Apostle , and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa, (Mosque of Jerusalem).”[1]

What will we tell our young ones when they ask us, which one is Mosque of Al-Aqsa? But all we can see is that Mosque of Al-Aqsa is fulfilled with non-muslims?”

“Mosque of Aqsa is the proof of our faith. If it is free then our faith is strong, but if it remains under the possession of Israel, then that means our faith is weak. We are weak. The Muslim Ummah is weak. You want that to happen, brother?” I went on; leaving him speechless.

“Sorry if I sound I bit racist, you question the efforts of my race just now right? I want to clarify. That is why we Malaysians are dying to help Palestine. We also want others to understand why we are doing this ‘job’ and participate with us. I know, not all people can go there to Palestine but we have to do what we can to help. The prophet once said:

Maymunah bint Sa’d relates that she asked the prophet, “O prophet! Inform to us about Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)“. He said, “Visit it for prayer.” She further asked, “If one of us cannot visit it, what should we do?” He said, “If you cannot go there for prayer then send some oil to be used in its lamps; whosoever gives oil for it lamps, it will be as if he has prayed in it.”[2]

“You should understand brother. Not only Indians are suffering, even Malaysians are suffering here and there. But if you say that I am racist, then you are wrong. That is all I want to say” My speech has ended.

“Thank you brother. Thank you for enlightening me. I was just ignorant about the Palestine issue but now, I’ve learnt knew things tonight. This is also my issue.” That brother said to me with utmost sincerity.

We hugged. Yeah, I love it when after a two people argues, it will end peacefully. No hard feelings. No offence.

“I love you brother. We are brothers of the land of Palestine… We need Palestine as a ticket to enter Jannah!” I said to him.

*********************************

“Masha allah, thank you for telling me the story of you and the Indian guy. When did it happen?” I asked.

“Oh, last year. After isya’ prayer. I was talking about Palestine with another Malay guy then he just barged in.” He told me.

“Thank you akhi Sidiq. Thank you for making me realize. Before this I was also just ignorant. Even on rap songs, I hear rap because the beat is good.” I said to Akhi Siddiqi.

“Who said we could rest? We will never rest until the holy land is freed.” Akhi Siddiqi added.

“Whatever religion we are in, whatever our skin color is, make sure that we do what we can to help. The least that we can do is donating our money. Let us fill up that donation box with our money.” He said while handing over a donation box cylinder in shape to me.

I was a bit reluctant at first, and then he said with a smile “The money in our pockets is not ours, but the money we donate is ours”. Well I was moved alright.

Took out RM10 note and put it in the box.

“Every cent counts, May the blessings of Allah be upon you bro.”

If we do not help then we are in the state loss! PALESTINE DOESN’T NEED US, WE NEED PALESTINE! Palestine will always prevail without our help!

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[1] Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 21 :: Hadith 281

[2] Imam Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud, and al-Tabarani