Kuna mengi tunayoweza kuona ndani yetu wenyewe kwa wengine. Sote tunatumaini angalau kuishi kwa msingi, katika dunia iliyojaa uadui. Wakati mwingine lengo letu kuu maishani linaweza kuhusiana tu na shinikizo la kujaribu kuishi tu. Hili linaweza kuwa katika mfumo wa kulipa kodi ya nyumba, bili, mizigo ya kifedha, msongo wa familia na/au kazini. Muislamu anapaswa kuelewa kwamba hali hii inaweza kuathiri mtu yeyote na inaweza kuathiri mtazamo wake anapojihusisha na mawazo kuhusu Mungu, maisha na kusudi.

There is much we can see of ourselves in others. We all hope for basic survival, at the least, in a world of hostilities. Sometimes our primary focus in life can relate merely to the pressures of simply surviving. This could be in the form of paying the rent, bills, financial burdens, family and/or work stresses. The Muslim should understand that this can take its toll on any person and may affect their perspective when engaging in ideas around God, life and purpose.

Tunatafakari kuhusu Mūsa na Hārūn katika utume wao wa kumwita Firauni kwa Allah. Taarifa ambayo Allah anatupa ni ya ajabu kwa jinsi inavyoeleza kwamba uwanja wa kwanza wa mapambano kati ya dhalimu na Nabii (amani iwe juu yake), kwa kweli, ni wa ndani kwanza.

We reflect on Mūsa and Hārūn in their mission to call Pharoah to Allāh. The information Allāh provides us is astonishing for how it describes that the initial theatre of struggle between the tyrant and the Prophet (peace be upon him), actually is first, an internal one.

Ingawa mpangilio wa uenezaji wa dini katika kisa cha Mūsa umepambwa kwa mbwembwe, kwani Firauni alikuwa amewakusanya watu wake, ("akawakusanya, akatangaza") [79:23], pamoja na kuwepo kwa wachawi siku ya sikukuu, lengo na maandalizi yalikuwa kwa ajili ya kufanya upya kiroho na kurekebisha tabia kabisa. Ni kwa kuushinda utu wa ndani ndipo ikhlasi inapoweza kuota mizizi. Hili linaonekana pale Allāh alipomwagiza Mūsa mara ya kwanza aende kwa Firauni aliyekuwa amepindukia mipaka. Allāh alimwelekeza Mūsa kusema:

Though the apparatus of propagation in Mūsa’s case is staged with spectacle since Pharaoh had assembled his people, (“gathering his people, proclaiming” [79:23]) with the presence of magicians on a day of festival, the objective and preparation was entirely intended for spiritual renewal and reformation. It is in the overcoming of one’s inner self that sincerity can take root. The latter can be seen when Allāh first instructs Mūsa to go unto Pharaoh who had transgressed. Allāh directed Mūsa to say:

79:17 - ‘Nenda kwa Firauni, kwani amevuka mipaka yote, 79:18 - ukamwambie, “Je, unataka kujitakasa [na dhambi]?

79:17 - ‘Go to Pharaoh, for he has exceeded all bounds, 79:18 - and ask him, “Do you want to purify yourself [of sin]?

79:19 - Je, unataka nikuongoze kwa Mola wako, ili umche?" Aya hizi zinasisitiza sana haja ya utakaso wa kiroho kama tiba ya maovu ya kibinadamu. Firauni, bila shaka, alikuwa amejihusisha katika mauaji na kuwatesa watu wengi sana, lakini amri ya Allah kwa Mūsā ilikuwa ni kumruhusu Firauni atafakari tabia yake ya kibinadamu na haja yake ya kuamini na kumheshimu Yule aliyeumba na anayedumisha viumbe vyote.

79:19 - Do you want me to guide you to your Lord, so that you may hold Him in awe?” These verses emphasise the great need for spiritual purification as a remedy for human wrongs. Pharaoh of course had been active in the murder and persecution of a great multitude of people but Allāh’s instruction to Mūsa was to allow Pharaoh to consider his own human disposition and his need to believe and revere the One who created and sustains all beings.

Mfano wa kwanza unahusu Nabii Ibrāhīm (amani iwe juu yake) wakati alipokuwa kijana mdogo na akavunja sanamu ambazo watu wake walikuwa wakiabudu. Watu wa mjini walipoondoka kwa siku hiyo, Ibrāhīm aliziangusha sanamu na kuweka shoka shingoni mwa sanamu iliyokuwa maarufu zaidi kati yao. Watu wa mjini waliporudi na kuona mabaki yaliyovunjika ya michongo yao, walimlaumu Ibrāhīm (amani iwe juu yake), na hivyo ndivyo alivyoitwa. Qur’ān inaelezea katika Suratul Anbiyā’ (27):

The first example concerns the Prophet Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) at the point wherein he, as a young boy, smashed the idols his people were worshipping. When the townsfolk left for the day, Ibrāhīm tore down the statues and placed an axe around the neck of the most prominent of the idols. As the townspeople returned and saw the shattered remnants of their carvings, they pointed blame at Ibrāhīm (upon him be peace), and so he was called. The Qur’ān describes in Surah al-Anbiyā’ (27):

57 - Kwa Mungu, hakika nitapanga njama dhidi ya masanamu yenu mara tu mtakapogeuka migongo yenu!" 58 - Akayavunja vipande vipande vyote, lakini akamwacha lile kubwa zaidi kwao ili waweze kulirudia.

57 - By God I shall certainly plot against your idols as soon as you have turned your backs!’ 58 - He broke them all into pieces, but left the biggest one for them to return to.

59 - Wakasema, ‘Ni nani aliyefanya hivi kwa miungu yetu? Hakika yeye ni mtu mwovu!’ 60 - Baadhi yao wakasema, ‘Tulimsikia kijana aitwaye Ibrahimu akizungumza kuhusu miungu hii.’ 61 - Wakasema, ‘Mleteni mbele ya macho ya watu, ili washuhudie [kesi yake].’ 62 - Wakamuuliza, ‘Je, wewe ndiye uliyefanya hivi kwa miungu yetu, Ibrahimu?’ 63 - Akasema, ‘Hapana, amefanya hivi mkubwa wao – huyu hapa. Waulizeni, ikiwa wanaweza kuzungumza.’ 64 - Wakageukiana wenyewe kwa wenyewe, wakisema, ‘Hakika ninyi ndio mliokosea,’ 65 - lakini kisha wakarudi nyuma tena na kusema, ‘Wewe unajua vizuri kwamba miungu hii haiwezi kusema.’ 66 - Ibrahimu akasema, ‘Je, mnawezaje kuabudu kile ambacho hakiwezi kukufaidisha wala kukudhuru, badala ya Mungu?

59 - They said, ‘Who has done this to our gods? How wicked he must be!’ 60 - Some said, ‘We heard a youth called Abraham talking about them.’ 61 - They said, ‘Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness [his trial].’ 62 - They asked, ‘Was it you, Abraham, who did this to our gods?’ 63 - He said, ‘No, it was done by the biggest of them– this one. Ask them, if they can talk.’ 64 - They turned to one another, saying, ‘It is you who are in the wrong, 65 - but then they lapsed again and said, ‘You know very well these gods cannot speak.’ 66 - Abraham said, ‘How can you worship what can neither benefit nor harm you, instead of God?

67 - Aibu iwe juu yenu na juu ya vile mnavyoabudu badala ya Mwenyezi Mungu! Je, hamna akili?' Aya ya 64 na 65 zinavutia sana, kwa kuwa zinaonyesha kwamba watu ambao Ibrahim alibishana nao walipata mabadiliko ya ghafla ya fikra. Wakigeuka dhidi ya watu wao wenyewe, walisema: "Hakika ni nyinyi ndio mnaodhulumu." Hoja iliyotolewa na Ibrahim, ya kuuliza sanamu lililosalia, ilikuwa nzito mno na iliwaamsha ndani yao kufikiri kidogo.

Mfano wa pili unahusu Nabii Mūsa (amani ziwe juu yake) na watu aliotumwa kwao. Aya kuu hapa ni aya ya 14 ya Surat al-Naml (27): 12 - Weka mkono wako ndani ya vazi lako, utatoka ukiwa mweupe, lakini bila madhara. Hizi ni miongoni mwa ishara tisa utakazowaonyesha Firauni na watu wake; hakika wao ni watu waliopindukia mipaka.’ 13 - Lakini ishara zetu zenye kuangaza zilipowafikia, walisema, ‘Hii ni uchawi wa wazi!’ 14 - Walizikataa kwa dhulma yao na kiburi chao, ilhali nafsi zao zilikuwa zimeziamini kuwa ni kweli. Angalia jinsi walivyokuwa mwisho wa wale waliokuwa wakieneza ufisadi! Tunaambiwa kwamba jamaa wa Firauni waliotumwa kwao Nabii Mūsa walizikataa ishara alizopewa Mūsa, ingawa “katika nyoyo zao walikuwa wameshawishika na ukweli wake”. Ibn ‘Abbas alisema kwamba maana yake ni kwamba walikuwa na “yakini mioyoni mwao.”3 Al-Sa’di anasema kwamba “hawakuzikataa ishara kwa sababu ya shaka yoyote wala kutokuwa na uhakika, bali walizikataa kwa kiburi na majivuno, ilhali walikuwa na yakini kamili juu ya ukweli wa ishara walizoziona.”4 Hili linaonyesha kwamba katika baadhi ya hali, kile kinachoonyeshwa kwa nje katika maneno na matendo si kile kinachohisiwa na kueleweka kikamilifu moyoni na akilini mwa anayeelekezewa.

The second example concerns the Prophet Mūsa (upon him be peace) and the people to whom he was sent. The focal verse here is verse 14 from Surah al-Naml (27): 12 - Put your hand inside your cloak and it will come out white, but unharmed. These are among the nine signs that you will show Pharaoh and his people; they have really gone too far.’ 13 - But when Our enlightening signs came to them, they said, ‘This is clearly [just] sorcery!’ 14 - They denied them, in their wickedness and their pride, even though their souls acknowledged them as true. See how those who spread corruption met their end! We are told that the clansmen of Pharaoh to whom Prophet Mūsa was sent, rejected the signs given unto Mūsa, though “in their minds were convinced of their truth”. Ibn ‘Abbas said it means they had “certainty in their hearts.”3 Al-Sa’di says that “they did not reject the signs due to any doubts and uncertainties but rejected them out of pride and arrogance despite having full certainty in the truth of the signs they witnessed.”4 This reflects that in certain instances what is expressed outwardly in speech and actions is not what is truly and fully felt and understood in the heart and mind of the one being addressed.

Mabadiliko ya mapambano mara nyingi yanaweza kuficha kinachotokea ndani ya kila mtu, kama vile hisia za ndani za hatia, huruma na majuto. Hisia hizo zinaweza kuzuiliwa kwa saa kadhaa au hata miaka 8, au kuonyeshwa mara moja. Siku moja, baadhi ya viongozi wa Makka walisimama nje ya nyumba ya Mtume ﷺ usiku na kumsikiliza Mtume ﷺ akisoma Qur'ani. Bila kujua uwepo wa mmoja na mwenzake, walizama katika usomaji huo na kubaki hadi alfajiri. Watu hao walipogundua uwepo wa wenzao, walilaumiana kwa kusikiliza Qur'ani, na wakaahidi kutorudia kitendo hicho. Siku iliyofuata na siku ya tatu, watu hao hao walirudi kwa siri kwenye nyumba ya Mtume ﷺ. Mfano huu unaonyesha jinsi hata Mtume ﷺ

Mfano wa mwisho, ambao ni wa kufaa katika kuelewa gharama ya kibinadamu ya ukatili na mateso, unahusu kisa cha sahaba wa mapema wa Mtume ﷺ, Sa´īd ibn ‘Āmir (Allāh amridhie). Sa´īd ibn ‘Āmir, kabla ya kuukubali Uislamu, alikuwa miongoni mwa watazamaji waliokusanyika Makka kushuhudia kuuawa kwa sahaba wa Mtume ﷺ, Khubayb bin ‘Adiyy (Allāh amridhie).

The final example, which is applicable in light of understanding the human cost of atrocity and suffering, concerns the case of an early companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Sa´īd ibn ‘Āmir (Allāh be pleased with him). Sa´īd ibn ‘Āmir, before his embracing of Islam, was one of the spectators who had gathered in Makkah to witness the execution of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) companion Khubayb bin ‘Adiyy (Allāh be pleased with him).

Akiwa amekabiliwa na kifafa cha ghafla na kuzimia baadaye maishani mwake, Sa‘īd ibn ‘Āmir alikiri kwa kusita kwa khalifa ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (Allāh amridhie) kwamba picha ya akilini ya maumivu ya Khubayb, machozi yake, vilio vyake na kuvuliwa heshima ya kibinadamu, huku panga na mikuki zikikata mwili wa Khubayb, viliacha alama yake isiyoonekana lakini isiyofutika katika dhamiri yake mwenyewe. Hii inaonyesha jinsi kushuhudia mateso ya binadamu kunavyoweza kumletea mtu madhara makubwa, na jinsi shangwe ya msisimko miongoni mwa watu wa Makka ilivyogeuka kuwa tamasha la kutisha kwa Sa‘īd ibn ‘Āmir. Haikuwa kitu kingine zaidi ya mauaji ya kikatili ya kiasi cha kinyama ya Mwislamu mwenzake, ambaye upendo wake usioyumba kwa Mtume ﷺ uliwavutia hata maadui zake.5

Prone to fits and fainting later on in his life, Sa´īd ibn ‘Āmir once reluctantly confessed to the caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (Allāh be pleased with him) that the mental image of Khubayb’s pain, tears, shrieks and the stripping away of human dignity as swords and spears cut through Khubayb’s body left its invisible, yet indelible mark on his own conscience. It shows how witnessing human suffering can take a severe toll on a human and how the fanfare of excitement among the Makkans came to be transformed to a horrific spectacle for Sa´īd ibn ‘Āmir. It was nothing more than the sadistic killing of a fellow Muslim whose unswerving love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) impressed even his enemies.5

Kama binadamu, tunaweza kabisa kuwaona watu kwa njia tofauti na upendeleo wa kawaida, na mfano wa jambo hili unaonekana katika vyombo vipya vya habari, kama vile blogu, tovuti na jumuiya za mtandaoni. Ni muhimu kwa Muislamu kukumbuka kila wakati kwamba maoni yanayotolewa mara kwa mara katika vipindi vya mijadala ya televisheni au matangazo ya redio si jumla ya maoni yote, wala si wingi wa maoni kuhusu jambo lolote. Ingawa vyombo vya habari vinaweza kuficha au kuharibu mtazamo kuhusu Waislamu, mara nyingi hata kuwapachika mapotofu na kuwashutumu vibaya, hilo halimaanishi kwamba umma kwa ujumla unashikilia maoni hayo hayo au unakubaliana nayo. Kwa kweli, huenda ikawa kinyume kabisa. Watu wanaweza kuwa macho na nyeti kwa kudhulumiwa na kwa uwakilishaji usio wa haki.

As humans, we are fully capable of seeing people in ways which differ from common stereotyping and one example of this can be found in new media examples of blogs, websites and online communities. It is essential for the Muslim to remain mindful that opinions routinely formulated for TV talk shows or on radio broadcasts are not the sum total or the majority of opinions on any matter. Though the media might cloud or darken perceptions about Muslims, (often even stereotype and vilify), it does not mean that the general public necessarily hold to those same views or are in agreement with them. It might, in fact, be the very opposite. People can be alert and sensitive to mistreatment and unfair representation.

Hili ni kuonyeshwa katika mfano unaohusu msiba wa Abeer Hamza Qasim al-Janabi, msichana wa miaka 14 aliyebakwa na kuuawa na wanajeshi wa Marekani. Uhalifu huu bila shaka ulipata habari zilizopotoshwa vibaya sana katika vyombo vikuu vya habari vya Marekani, lakini jinsi hadithi hiyo ilivyopokelewa katika jamii za mtandaoni ilitofautiana kabisa na hilo. Mwitikio kwa mauaji ya Abeer ulionyesha kuwa simulizi ilipangwa upya ili kutumia mateso ya kibinadamu ya mtoto aliyekuwa mwathirika, pamoja na mauaji ya wazazi wake na dada yake mdogo.

This is shown in an example concerning the tragedy of 14-year old Abeer Hamza Qasim al-Janabi, a young girl raped and murdered by American soldiers. The crime undoubtedly received grossly skewed coverage in the U.S mainstream media, however the reception of the story within online communities differed drastically from this. The response to Abeer’s killing reflected a repositioning of the narrative to draw on the human suffering of a child-victim and the murder of her parents and younger sister.

Tarehe 12 Machi 2006, wanajeshi watano wa Jeshi la Marekani wa Kikosi cha 502 cha Watoto wachanga (Infantry Regiment), SGT Paul E.

On March 12th 2006, five U.S. Army soldiers of the 502nd Infantry Regiment, SGT Paul E.

Cortez, SPC James P. Barker, PFC Jesse V. Spielman, PFC Brian L. Howard na PFC Steven D. Green waliondoka kwenye kituo chao cha ukaguzi kuelekea nyumba ya shamba ya Janabi, upande wa kusini-magharibi wa kijiji cha Yusufiyya, katika mji wa Mahmudiyah, Iraq. Howard alifanya kazi ya kuangalia kwa tahadhari, huku wengine wanne wakiingia ndani ya nyumba ya familia hiyo. Hili lilikuwa ni matokeo ya mpango uliobuniwa na washambuliaji wa kumbaka msichana mmoja wa "Hajji". Baada ya saa sita mchana siku hiyo, wanajeshi waliingia nyumbani ambako Barker, Cortez na Green walizunguka kumbaka Abeer. Wanafamilia wengine waliobaki walipigwa risasi na kufa papo hapo. Kisha wanaume hao walimpiga risasi Abeer hadi akafa, wakauwasha moto mwili wake, kisha wakaondoka nyumbani. Green, ambaye pia alikuwa mwendeshaji wa ndege zisizo na rubani, alisema kwamba alimbaka Abeer mwenye umri wa miaka 14 na kumuua pamoja na familia yake kwa sababu "hakuwaona Wairaqi kuwa binadamu."6

Cortez, SPC James P. Barker, PFC Jesse V. Spielman, PFC Brian L. Howard and PFC Steven D. Green left their checkpoint for the Janabi farmhouse to the southwest of the village of Yusufiyya, in the town of Mahmudiyah, Iraq. As Howard acted as a lookout, the other four entered the family home. This was subsequent to a plan devised by the assailants of raping a ‘Hajji’ girl. After noon that day, the soldiers entered the home where Barker, Cortez and Green took turns to rape Abeer. The remaining members of the family were shot dead. The men then shot dead Abeer, set her body on fire and left the house. Green, also an ex-drone operator, stated that he raped the 14-year old Abeer and killed her alongside her family because ‘he didn’t view Iraqis as human.’6

Blogu ya Daily Kos, iliyoanzishwa na Markos Moulitsas mwaka 2002, ni mojawapo ya blogu maarufu zaidi za kisiasa hadi sasa.7 Blogu hii ni jukwaa linalolenga mjadala, mbadala wa vyombo vikuu vya habari, likiwawezesha wanablogu kukosoa na kutumia ripoti zilizopo katika vyombo vikuu vya habari. Cha kushangaza, ina makala/machapisho zaidi ya 25 yenye taarifa zinazohusiana na Abeer na mauaji ya Mahmudiyah kuanzia mwaka 2006 hadi sasa. Machapisho ya Daily Kos yanatumia mwitikio hafifu wa vyombo vya habari na yanalenga kusisitiza umri wake na tofauti ya umakini wa vyombo vya habari kwa kesi hii.

The Daily Kos blog, founded by Markos Moulitsas in 2002 is one of the most popular political blogs to date.7 The blog is a discussion-oriented alternative to mainstream media enabling bloggers to critique and draw on existing reports in mainstream media. Interestingly, it hosts more than 25 articles/posts that contain some information pertaining to Abeer and the Mahmudiyah killings from 2006 to the present. The Daily Kos posts draw on the muted media response and seek to emphasise her age and the differential media attention to the case.

Shairi "Vultures" la mshairi, mwandishi wa riwaya na mkosoaji wa jamii kutoka Nigeria, Chinua Achebe, linachota kutoka kwenye tabia hii inayopingana ya mwanadamu. Linatupa changamoto ya kuwaza pande mbili zinazokinzana za maisha ya tai. Tai hupumzisha "kichwa chake kilichopondeka" juu ya "mfupa uliovunjika wa mti uliokufa". Kama mla mizoga, huchunga "mabaki yake yaliyoshimba" kwa kutumia "macho baridi ya darubini" yake, baada ya kuwa "ameng'oa macho" ya "maiti yake iliyovimba katika mtaro uliojaa maji" na kula vitu vilivyomo tumboni mwake. Picha hii ni ya kukatisha tamaa na kuchukiza, mpaka tunapoona upande mwingine, tofauti, wa tai. Kwa mfano, Achebe anaeleza jinsi ajabu ilivyo kwamba tai yuleyule anaonyesha "upendo" kwa kusafisha na kuondoa damu na uchafu katika eneo lake. Tai hata hulala na "uso wake umegeukia ukuta!", bila kuutazama ukiwa unaomzunguka. Anaweza hata "kujikunyata karibu na mwenzi wake". Ni kwa kuzingatia unafiki huu wa pande mbili ndipo Achebe anageuza macho yetu kwa binadamu. Nao pia wanaweza kuwa na pande hizo mbili, na wakaonekana hivyo.

A poem by the Nigerian novelist, poet and social critic Chinua Achebe entitled “Vultures” draws on such a conflicting nature of man. It challenges us to imagine the juxtaposing features of a vulture’s life. The vulture rests its “bashed in head” on a “broken bone of a dead tree”. A scavenger, it keeps a watch on its “hollowed remnants in easy range of cold telescopic eyes” having “picked the eyes” of its “swollen corpse in a water-logged trench and ate the things in its bowel.” The scene is bleak and repulsive - until we see another, contrasting, side to the vulture. For example, Achebe describes how strange it is that the same vulture demonstrates “love” by tidying and cleaning its site of blood and gore. The vulture will even sleep with “her face turned to the wall!” and not looking upon the bleakness that surrounds her. It will even “nestle close to his mate”. It is with this duality in mind that Achebe then turns our focus towards human beings. They too can exist with such dualities, and be perceived as such.

Mfano mwingine unapatikana katika kisa cha kambi ya Belsen na amri iliyotolewa humo. Kambi ya Bergen-Belsen, iliyoko kaskazini mwa Ujerumani, ilikuwa kambi ya mateso iliyotumika kuwaua Wayahudi wakati wa Holocaust. Takriban Wayahudi 50,000 walikufa katika kambi hiyo, wakiwemo mwandishi maarufu wa shajara akiwa mtoto, Anne Frank. Achebe anaeleza amri hiyo:

A further example of this rests in the example of the Belsen Camp and the commandment issued therein. The Bergen-Belsen camp, situated in northern Germany was a concentration camp used in the execution of Jews in the Holocaust. Approximately 50,000 Jews met their death at the camp including well-known child diarist Anne Frank, Achebe describes the commandment:

…Hivyo ndivyo alivyokuwa Kamanda wa Belsen.