Stand Up & Take ACTION for Syria

Since 2012-12-23

My plea to you brothers and sisters is to take action and stand up for justice in Syria, here’s how we can take action...

by Beeworker

 
Over the last several months there has been a story of sheer injustice going through my news feed by the hour- the brutal massacre of our brothers and sisters in Syria under a tyrannical and unjust regime. Like many of you I at first was just reading and watching as friends updated the situation and death toll rise in their numbers, I felt helpless yet compelled to do something for Allah said in the Quran:
 
{O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.} [Al-Ma’idah 5:8]
 
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّـهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ} المائدة: 8
 
Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo koonoo qawwameena lillahi shuhadaa bialqisti wala yajrimannakum shanaanu qawmin AAala alla taAAdiloo iAAdiloo huwa aqrabu lilttaqwa waittaqoo Allaha inna Allaha khabeerun bima taAAmaloona
 
Today He is calling us to stand up in prayer to seek justice and His Help for the oppressed in Syria.
 
My mind couldn’t comprehend the grief and unimaginable horror the brothers and sisters are facing until I listened to the khutbah appeal of Sh. Muhammad Al Arifi here and as he shared the humiliating and barbarous attacks on our brothers and sisters in Syria my heart cried for the trial the Ummah is undergoing.
 
Yet the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has told us that this Ummah is like a strong support structure and like one body, if one part aches then the whole Ummah should ache in agony of the Muslims who are being slaughtered and killed for nothing but their faith. Just before I began to write this article, a Syrian friend of mine shared what was an extremely difficult video to watch of a Syrian brother before his burial yesterday whilst his family cried over him.
 
My plea to you brothers and sisters is to take action and stand up for justice in Syria, here’s how we can take action:
 
1. Raise Awareness
 
The first step we can all take is to raise awareness about the situation in Syria. You can do this by sharing the most up to date and accurate news so people are informed about the situation and can take action. Secondly you can share the video reminders and stories to help the Ummah recognize the obligation on each of us to help those who are being oppressed.
 
2. Write to Your Government
 
As Muslims who are concerned for the security and safety of those in Syria we should call on our MPs, governments and international organizations to put the tyrannical regime to an end because no human being should want for innocent civilians to die. Unfortunately the UN has failed to remove this unjust regime and therefore by writing, calling and speaking to our MPs in a collective voice can we insha’Allah expect to be heard as we should speak out against injustice wherever we see it. If you are attending a demonstration or protest in your country remember you are representatives of Islam through your actions so please refrain from any violent behaviour or aggressive actions. Let’s remember that the attitude of a Muslim in times of hardship is that of patiently awaiting Allah’s Help.
 
3. Stand Up in Prayer 
 
Where possible join the congregation to pray and seek Allah’s Help for Victory. Pray 2 rakah nafl prayer seeking His Help and remember the brothers and sisters in your prayers in the day and night; be certain that Allah Will respond for He Hears the duas of the oppressed and surely if there is no justice in this world, we will certainly see it in the Hereafter. As the Quranic verse warns us:
 
{And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, “Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?} [An-Nisaa’ 4:75]
 
{وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا} النساء: 75
 
Transliteration: Wama lakum la tuqatiloona fee sabeeli Allahi waalmustadAAafeena mina alrrijali waalnnisai waalwildani allatheena yaqooloona rabbana akhrijna min hathihi alqaryati alththalimi ahluha waijAAal lanamin ladunka waliyyan waijAAal lana min ladunka naseeran
 
4. Give in Charity
 
Another way in which you can take action is to support the charitable organizations providing aid and assistance in Syria, giving money and time or efforts to help these organizations is invaluable at these times. To donate you can visit Islamic Relief’s Syria Appeal campaign here or any other transparent registered charity who are working in Syria.
 
5. Raise Your Hands in Dua
 
Finally, the least of faith is in making dua and truly, our brothers and sisters request that we raise our hands and seek Allah to protect and grant victory to those who are suffering immensely today in these massacres. At every prayer, in times of rain and in your prostration please do not forget them for Allah has promised to answer the dua of the oppressed. [Bukhari](1)
 
Let us be Muslims who stand up and take action against injustice – please call others to act on the above.
 
 
Source: ProductiveMuslim
 
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[1] Referring to the hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas where the prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) was Advising Mu’aaz Ibn Jabal before going to Yemen, Among what he said was: “…and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person because there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.” [Sahih Bukhari]