Wajeeha Bilal
The other day while going through an article that brought the attention towards
silence of most of the writers on the issue of Kashmir, I realized that it only
raised the questions that it was too weak to answer. Using silence for people
who aim to raise their voice, defies the precepts of logic. Are we really as
convicted of this crime as claimed by some? Writers are definitely complex but
not silent. Our service to the system of humanity is a creative challenge to
capture the struggles of our fellow people in an accent that transcends common
literature.
Children in Kashmir are being progressively exposed to brutality – a fact that
has infested the region for decades. The lockdown that stripped off Kashmir’s
special status, and then restrictions on movement to prevent the coronavirus has
taken a toll on Kashmir’s society and people. Their life is molded by a sense of
oppression and negativity.Severance in formal schooling, controlled
opportunities to socialize and devious agendas are leading to a rise in miseries
and mental problems among the Kashmiri children. It is not possible to witness
these crimes with sinful silence. It makes us guilty to sit silently in our
living rooms while watching horrible news and atrocities committed against
unarmed human beings. The daily news of our oppressed brothers and sisters
triggers a haunting realization of helplessness. It instills an urge within
ourselves to make a difference through our words or actions. Kashmir continues
to bleed and witnessing its pain with a shameful silence can only mean the death
of hope for humanity. Houses are being burnt, young men killed and innocent
children tormented with painful memories for life.
The excuse for silence and inaction lies in the inability to be strong enough to
raise a voice. For every Pharaoh there is a Moses (AS), for every Yazid there is
Hussain (RA) and for every evil that rises in the society there is a mightier
hope that must rise from within us, ourselves. Only crying over the sufferings
of fellow humans will not solve the problems, for they survive in the hope that
the people watching their news will raise their voice for them. Our hearts bleed
with sorrow and we want to make a difference for the oppressed, that goes beyond
the limits of logic and words. News and media are filled with such brutal
accounts but they cannot kill our spirits when there is bound to be resistance
through our thoughts, words and actions. We appeal for peace in the region of
Jammu and Kashmir, which has lived in conflict for as long as we can remember.
The main issues children are facing in the region currently are violence and
lack of education. If there was no awareness and check by the people who stood
with the right, this earth would have been an abode of mischief. Following the
right requires that we stand unanimous in creating awareness and exposing any
ideology that aims at breaking that thread. A tyrant is a tyrant, a crime is a
crime and abuse is an abuse whether physical or verbal, there is no how and why
to it, and we stand against it.
In the post-corona world, a new order may be in the making where humanity will
be respected with compassion and empathy. Being silent over Kashmir is
undeniably sinful only if we choose to do so. Whenever we stand against the
wrong, we issue an indictment against the domination of silence, reminding us
all of our responsibility to voice the rightful cause. Witnessing crime in
silence is a mute agreement that is signed with oneself to jerk off any
responsibility. We can always create a difference in this world through our
thoughts, words, beliefs and actions. If only we would stand together in
awareness against the felonious acts, then justice and human kindness would
surely triumph over cruelty and crime.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings Be
Upon Him, said, “Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand.
If he is unable to do so, then with his tongue. If he is unable to do so, then
with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith.”Staying in shadows and
crying in silence does not resonate with our true nature. Whether we are aware
of it or not we are not without voices. Then why think, reason, speak, write or
even live, if not for some profound purpose. Our words have the power to trigger
a movement of empathy that is contagious beyond its direct reader.
Silence is cheap, words speak louder and actions louder still. Writing is a sign
of respect and homage that we pay to those whose pain we feel but cannot cope
with. We think, write and speak in honor for those who endured unjustly. It's
not silence in any form but shows strength of words for our brothers and sisters
whose lives we wish to change. Our purpose is fulfilled when our words have
stirred reason and stood with the oppressed.Think, write, speak or work – we do
what we can; we stand against oppression and in solidarity with the Kashmiris.
(Wajeeha is author of “The Conscious Ego”, “The Beautiful Present” and runs a
blog on “A PURPOSEFUL LIFE”)