Dr. Ali Al Ghamdi
THE title of this article is a line of a long poem by Abu at-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi, who was born and lived in Iraq in the tenth century. No Arab poet until now has gained the same popularity like Al-Mutanabbi who had a close relationship with the Aleppo Governor Saif Al-Doula Al-Hamadani and even wrote poems praising the governor. Other poets were envious of this close relationship and started to hatch plots to get the Arab poet into trouble. He went to Egypt, which was ruled by Kafour Al-Akhshidi who loved literature and poetry and invited poets and writers. Al-Mutanabbi had a close relationship with Al-Akhshidi and wrote poems praising the ruler.
Al-Mutanabbi was aspiring for an important position in the Ikhshidid State; however, his relationship with the ruler deteriorated and he returned to Al-Sham Region. While on his way back, Eid Al-Fitr fell. Frightened and depressed, he wrote a poem that turned out to be one of the best. The title of the article is taken from the first line of the poem and, the line is usually said by someone who does not want Eid Al Fitr to either come back or hopes it is not around the corner. Perhaps the poet was referring to his friend Saif Al-Doula Al-Hamadani in this line.
I recalled this story of the great poet who wanted Eid never to come back. Looking around, Muslims are living in miserable conditions and are going through difficult phases. This Eid will not bring any happiness with it. The United Nations reports indicate that the number of refugees has exceeded 60 million this year, mostly from Muslim countries. In fact, half of them hail from three Muslim countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia. Conflicts, wars and terrorists activities have rendered them homeless and devastated their homes.
Moreover, 86% of refugees live in countries with limited income, adding more burdens to these countries. The reports indicate that over one million refugees headed for Europe by the sea and a large number of them died drowning. Many of them are mistreated by brokers, who abuse them excessively. How can we celebrate Eid while the condition of Muslims is getting worse? The Palestinian people are suffering under the siege of Zionists and are being killed while their homes being wrecked. The holy sites are being desecrated and there are continuous attempts to Judaize Jerusalem and change the features of the city. The people there are ill-treated, deprived of their rights and lands while Zionists continue to build settlement in blatant violation of all international covenants that ban any attempts to change the features of the occupied territories.
How can we celebrate Eid while civil wars are ripping through Syria, Iraq and Somalia and there are millions of people living in miserable camps in nearby countries? What about Kashmir? People there were deprived of self-determination despite the UN resolutions. What about the Muslims of Rohingya? Muslims in Myanmar suffer from genocide and ethnic cleansing at the hands of extremist Buddhists and under the nose of the Mynamar government.
Muslims have been murdered and their homes and mosques have been burned down while thousands of them have fled to nearby countries. Many of them have been stripped of their nationality and regarded as illegal immigrants although they have been living in Arkan Province, northwest Myanmar, since centuries. The UN classifies them as the most persecuted people in the world. Their condition has not changed even after Noble Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was elected democratically, came to power. She ignored all appeals to bring justice to the Rohingya Muslims. What is more, she has put political interests before ethics and human rights.
How can we celebrate Eid when more than quarter a million Pakistani Muslims have been stranded in Bangladesh for the last 45 years? They went to Eastern Pakistan from India’s Bihar State and supported the Pakistani army in its calls for a unified Pakistan. Following the establishment of Bangladesh state, the situation of these Bihari has got worse. They have been living in miserable camps ever since and have called for transfer to Pakistan and a Pakistani nationality. They are deprived of their nationality and the services UN provides to refugees, perhaps because they belong to Pakistan, which welcomed hundreds of thousands of Afghani refugees and a large number of Myanmar refugees. This indicates that Pakistan is capable of transferring its citizens from Bangladesh.
