9/11- A Muslims Perspective

You know its funny how we don't realize what this day is when we wake up. I completely forgot the day until I looked at my computer at work,

oh, its 9/11 today. 

And I have come to realize how privileged I am to even be able to causually wake up without feeling sadness, pain, longing or loss for losing a loved one to this tragic event. Even though time has passed there are still victims who have had their health and lives still forever changed.

I cannot begin to even understand , I believe when it occured I was in the first grade, so I was just two months shy away from being six years old. All I can remember is being in class and seeing the images and videos of the twin towers being on fire on our tv in the classroom.

I didn't lose anything that unfortunate day, I cannot begin to understand the pain or anger a person must feel towards those responsible for the attack. I can however sympathize because I know  3,000 people lost their lives. My stomach has been sick and queasy since I realized today was the anniversary, do you ever get these feelings when you try to picture what people may have been experiencing during the attack?

I get the same feelings when i picture bombs going off in Syria, Yemen, Palestine.

I realize in the aftermath and even today, there is still blame put on the Muslim community and my opinion may seem irrelevant because I belong to a religious community that is blamed for the attacks. I am not here to change your mind or convince you about who is responsible. I merely want to implore you to learn more about the religion of Islam, and for you to open your mind and see the many Muslims who suffer in various parts of the world because of 9/11 and because of stereotypes and misconceptions of our belief system.

Extremism within religion is common, but violence is not  part of Islam.

I remember the fear of being Muslim and the jokes of bombs and being a terrorist in my high school. I attended high school where I was one of four Muslims so the teasing was constant and frustrating. Not just my own experience, countless other Muslims were physically or verbally harassed after 9/11.

The beautiful part about a tragedy is it brings people together, despite attacks on Muslims, there were many people who converted to the religion of Islam after 9/11. 

It is important to remember the fallen, remember the day where our nation was struck with so much loss and tragedy but it is also key to note that after 9/11 the U.S invaded Afghanistan and Iraq in search of those responsible for the attacks. Which has lead to innocent civilians, including women and children as well as U.S soldiers losing their lives. The U.S has been fighting a war in Afghanistan and it looks like Trump will add thousands more troops to the ones currently stationed. We are not the only nation affected by the 9/11 attacks and who are currently suffering.

From January to June 2018 in Afghanistan there were 1,692 deaths, 1,355 children and 544 women were injured or killed. can you imagine what the numbers are in the last 16 years?

They tell us to never forget , but there’s those who have no remorse or regret . They tell us remember the fallen , but in times of despair who you callin ? It’s a day to remember those who lost their lives , but my Afghani and Iraqi brothers and sisters , who hears their cries ?