Happy New Year!

A new year is on its way and we need to look back at what we achieved in the past year, as individuals and think forward to what more needs to be done.

Politicians ought to do their best to fulfil the promises they made, business people must aim to be honest with their customers and religious leaders should be committed to building bridges between different faiths to establish cooperation and trust.

Teachers have to help the children gain those critical skills for life. Children should ask their parents not to destroy our planet. Humanitarian workers should take on the most critical issues people are facing around the globe.

Our life is short as a moment, but our actions should be an everlasting story. To a prosperous 2011!

Empowered women series - Part 5

These four stories are meant to show the strength of women and enforce the idea they are the driving force behind some of the greatest achievements in this world.

I believe that women have more than one role to play in society: not just mother and daughter, but also teacher and mentor for future generations. These roles complement women’s leading roles in society as professor, nurse, doctor, minister etc.

I feel strongly that women are behind their brothers’, husbands’ or sons’ success in society without undermining the role of the ones they support.

I mentioned these four models for humanity to remind all of us that we shouldn’t only remember the great acts delivered by Prophets and messengers of God, but also the modest acts performed in history by mothers, sisters and wives.

Behind every Prophet, there is a great wise woman as well.

Empowered women series - Part 4

Once upon a time, in a luxuriously decorated room inside the King’s Palace, a young beautiful girl was sat on a chaise. An older lady was standing by her side, holding a golden brush and precious hairclips. She was hairdresser to the Princess of Egypt.

The hairdresser looked at the girl and said “Oh, God! You look beautiful today!” The girl said: “Thank you. When you said God, did you refer to my father?”

The hairdresser replied: “No. I mean the real God, our God”. The girl was startled: “Can I tell my father about this conversation?”The hairdresser serenely answered: “Yes. Why not?!”

Soon enough, the hairdresser was brought in front of the court of the Man God. When asked “Who is your God?” she gave the same answer she gave the Pharaoh’s daughter.

Everyone was yelling at the hairdresser to change her mind, but she didn’t waver. The Man God threatened her with punishment: “If you don’t recognise me as God, you and your children will be put to death in this boiling oil”.

The woman didn’t blink once in the face of this threat. After a few seconds, she begged to speak. The Man God asked: “Have you changed your mind? What can I do for you?” The brave hairdresser answered: “After our death, please bury us together”. This angered the Man God, who carried out his sentence.

The moral to this story highlights the qualities of this hairdresser, who had the courage to stand up for her unshakeable belief and should be an inspiration for all humanitarian and community workers on the field.

Empowered women series - Part 3

Once upon a time, a mature woman of 40 liked a younger man, who was 25. It’s easy to see why she liked him, as he was the best man of the tribe. He was handsome, intelligent, and pious.  His nickname was “Trustworthy”.

The woman was a widow and a divorcee and felt she had no hope to aspire to his hand. She talked about it to a friend and expressed her wish to marry this young man. To her surprise, the man accepted to be her husband and they lived happily ever after.

She worked tirelessly to help him succeed in his community work. She was for him an advocate, financial support, moral thinker and guide. She was his backbone throughout their 13 year marriage.

The man was Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and his wife was Lady Khadija. She was a crucial element in supporting Mohammed as Prophet and community worker.

Empowered women series - Part 2

Once upon a time, a young beautiful girl was so chaste, pure and modest that the community had the greatest respect for her. She implemented her moral values through her relationship with the community and was loved by God very much.

One morning, a man came to her and told her she was pregnant. At first she was shocked and fearful, trying to keep away from the man, who turned out to be an angel. He also told her she was carrying a baby boy. The girl was afraid and ashamed.

How could a chaste girl become pregnant? Even though this issue was very painful, she still took on the responsibilities and built her community. We must share the same feeling and take on responsibilities in our community, thus building the future of nations.

The girl’s son was Jesus (Peace Be upon Him) and the little girl was Virgin Mary. She managed to prove her quality of leadership and rose to the magnitude of responsibility she took on at a very young age.

On this note, I wish everyone Happy Holidays!

Empowered women series - Part I

Once upon a time, a King dreamt that a baby boy from a different ethnic group would be born to claim his throne. The King ordered his guards to kill each one of the baby boys born within this ethnic group.

The chosen boy’s mother was distraught when she found out about the King’s order. She prayed arduously to God, who told her: “If you are afraid for your boy, put him in a basket on the river”. It was incredible, for a mother to put her son in the river, and God gave her strength. God whispered in her ear: “Your son will be taken by an enemy of yours and raised in their house”.

The mother’s sister followed the river to see where the boy would end and God led the boy to be seen by the First Lady, who loved the child the moment she saw him. The boy refused to be breastfed by any nurse, so after many trials, he was sent back to his mother’s house, after the stepmother convinced the King to allow him at Court.

That boy became the first humanitarian worker and saved his people from punishment. His name was Moses.
We all know the story of Moses, but we must celebrate the importance of Moses’ mother, his aunt and the wife of pharaoh, and their strength and leadership skills within the community.

The runaway train

In my view, religion holds an important part in public life and has done so since ancient times. Even if we live in a laic society, we cannot forget to give religion’s due place.

I believe it is not a question of democracy versus theocracy, but one of monopoly, as practiced by politics. Are we more democratic than we were before? Are we supporting diverse growth in different parts of the world? Are we imposing a “one size fits all” solution?

In my view, all this pushes us towards political monotheism. Everything becomes like an unmanned runaway train, ready to derail at any point, producing radicalism, extreme fundamentalism, terrorism, internal and external conflict, refugees, poverty etc.

If we look at the man-made calamities the world is facing today, we can assume that the “one size fits all” model of politics and democracy has failed, and local solutions must be sought and some of those might just involve bringing religion forward.