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The Nation Follow 8.6K Followers Black Liberation and Palestinian Liberation Are Interconnected Opinion by Nina Turner,Rashida Tlaib Activism / We must come together to fight for justice at home and around the world, write Nina Turner and Rashida Tlaib. Nina Turner and Rashida Tlaib From Detroit to Cleveland to Gaza, and everywhere in between, we must fight for a world built on equal rights, freedom from oppression, and human dignity for all people. In the words of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” The collective liberation of oppressed people everywhere is intertwined, and we must come together to fight for justice at home and around the world. In this spirit, it has been deeply inspiring to see organizations focused on Black liberation, from the NAACP to the Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to The King Center, embrace the cause of Palestinian human rights. All of these groups have called for a cease-fire in Gaza—and recently, the NAACP, the nation’s leading civil rights organization, went a step further, urging the Biden administration to stop weapons shipments to Israel. This courageous declaration by the NAACP is the latest example of the shared struggle for Black and Palestinian liberation. When we come together in solidarity to build a multi-racial, cross-faith, multi-generational movement, we realize our power to bend the arc of the moral universe. Just as our civil rights leaders who came before us did, we all have a moral responsibility to speak out against injustice everywhere and dismantle systemic racism, white supremacy, and all systems of oppression. We also have to unite because our struggles are so interconnected; for instance, according to US Census Bureau estimates, the poverty rate is 33.8 percent in Detroit and 31.8 percent in Cleveland—two of the highest rates among America’s largest cities. In a country that wastes trillions of dollars on war while continuing to defund our social safety net, we know that poverty is a policy choice. Our communities often wonder why elected officials are not addressing this crisis with the urgency it deserves. When we look at our politicians’ indifference to the suffering here in America, we can understand their indifference to the atrocities we are witnessing unfold every day in Gaza. If our elected leaders can see what is happening in the communities they claim to represent, where people sleep on the streets and children drink contaminated water; if they can see babies in America going to bed hungry, and not act, it’s no surprise that they can also ignore the starving babies in Gaza. If our elected leaders will stand by and allow American police to brutalize Black and brown people in our communities, it makes sense that they also excuse the Israeli forces that train many of them. Ad So how can we change this? Despite being built to uphold white supremacy and maintain the status quo, our government has always been an institution that responds to external pressure. During the height of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ’60s, there was clarity among activists about the need to realize Black liberation and force public policy to protect Black lives. The powerful in Washington didn’t just wake up one day and decide to end Jim Crow. The people forced the passage of civil rights legislation by marching, boycotting, and leading civil disobedience, relentlessly fighting for clear policy demands until they were passed by Congress and signed into law by the president. We must have the courage to raise our collective voice again on the frontlines of justice. Just as we march in defense of Black lives and against police brutality in our own country, we now march for Palestinian lives, demanding that our own government stop funding genocide. Unfortunately, the three major evils the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned of—racism, poverty, and war—are still raging and are all linked. Since October, Israeli forces have killed more than 37,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 15,000 children, and more than 85,000 people have been injured. They have killed at least 548 Palestinians, including more than 135 children, in the West Bank. The consensus of the international community is clear: The Israeli government is committing crimes against humanity that not only constitute the crime of apartheid, or racist oppression and segregation, but also violate the Genocide Convention and international law. South Africa, after defeating US-backed apartheid, has now become a voice for Palestinians at the International Court of Justice to stop this genocide, highlighting the need for communities seeking justice to come together in solidarity. The Nation Weekly Fridays. A weekly digest of the best of our coverage. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You may unsubscribe or adjust your preferences at any time. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign Up King said that “a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.” Since 1948, the US has approved more than $141 billion in weapons to the Israeli government as it continues to carry out ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. Just imagine what $141 billion invested in our communities could do instead. By one estimate, it would take about $177 billion to lift every American out of poverty. Why is it that our country always has enough money to bomb people, but never enough to provide people with health care, housing, and enough food to feed their families? Year after year elected officials tell us that there is no money to invest in our communities, universal healthcare, or reparations, only to turn around and pass yet another record-breaking military budget—this year it topped $886 billion—and send tens of billions more of our tax dollars to Israel to fund this death and destruction. Ad Policy freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "thenation_incontent_1", slotId: "thenation_incontent_66706b8580d75", targeting:{ tn_ptype: 'landing', tn_pos: 'leaderboard_2', tn_loc:'atf' } }); It is past time to end the billions of dollars of funding we send to the Israeli government and to demand human dignity for all people. We must join together as a multiracial, multifaith, multigenerational coalition for change. King reminds us, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice.” The path forward to a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis must include ending the genocide in Gaza, lifting the blockade, facilitating the release of hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians, ending the occupation, and dismantling the racist apartheid system. It is only then that Palestinians and Israelis can peacefully coexist in their homeland with equal rights, safety, and freedom. The movement that forces our government to stop funding endless war is the same movement demanding universal healthcare, housing for all, reparations, and clean air and water. The same students, teachers, labor leaders, and community activists who are organizing for a permanent cease-fire are also organizing for the liberation of all people, including Black liberation. This moment calls for uncompromising moral clarity. History will remember those who took a stand to demand that our government invests in life, not death. This is that movement, and we are those people.

Assalamualaikum. Ya Ali (عليه السلام) Madad. I hope this message finds you well. I would like to share a deeply personal experience that I have undergone, seeking clarity and guidance from an Islamic perspective. About five years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a remarkable girl online. She is a zakira, devoted to reciting majalis throughout the year. We developed a strong connection over time, nurturing our relationship despite the physical distance between us. We've met sometimes tho. Unfortunately, our journey together took an unexpected turn when faced with a challenging situation. Before delving into this, allow me to provide some context. I have an elder sister who remains unmarried. The girl I was in love with and I aspired to marry one another. However, I held the belief that my sister's marriage should take precedence, delaying our own plans until she found a suitable partner. Despite our sincere intentions, we struggled to find a suitable match for my sister, leading to a prolonged wait. As time went on, the girl I cared for started receiving marriage proposals from other suitors. She expressed her concern to me, emphasizing the urgency of addressing our own relationship's future. She insisted that I approach my family about our desire to marry, or she would have no choice but to consider other proposals. Taking her words to heart, I initiated a conversation with my mother about our intentions. It is important to note that my father had passed away a few years prior, leaving me with the responsibility of communicating our intentions to my mother alone. To my dismay, my mother's initial response was one of rejection and unwarranted criticism against the girl's character. This reaction deeply pained me. This was the first instance I had witnessed such behavior from my mother, as she had always been kind and understanding. I found it difficult to reconcile the fact that the person I held in high regard could harbor such prejudice against someone I deeply loved. I embarked on a mission to convince my mother, invoking the significance of compassion and fairness emphasized in Islamic teachings. I reminded her that hasty judgments and character defamation were strictly prohibited, especially without sufficient knowledge about the person in question. I beseeched my mother to consider the qualities of the girl I loved, and to view our relationship with an open heart. I implored her to evaluate the situation fairly, placing trust in the values she had instilled in me over the years. The ensuing weeks were challenging as I balanced my deep affection for the girl I loved and my commitment to respect and honor my mother's wishes. Eventually, the emotional strain led to a point where my mother urged me to leave the house, coupled with the threat of being disinherited. In that moment of despair, I confided in my sister, who assured me that she would manage the situation and find a solution. Trusting her, I shared the girl's contact details with my sister, who took the initiative to speak with her father. Tragically, my sister's actions were contrary to what I had hoped for. She approached the girl's father and persuaded him to distance his daughter from me. This revelation shattered me completely, leaving me in a state of emotional turmoil. I felt utterly isolated, with thoughts of suicide clouding my mind as I believed I had lost everything dear to me. In the aftermath of these events, I found myself grappling with overwhelming emotions and a deep sense of loss. The girl I had envisioned a future with was now united with another, my relationship with my mother and sister had suffered irreparable damage, and the trust I once held for my loved ones was shattered. For the past two years, I have tried to mend the broken ties with my mother and sister. While some semblance of normalcy has returned to our interactions, it is undeniable that the dynamics have forever changed. Their actions have left scars that continue to affect our relationship, leaving me feeling conflicted about the love and respect I once held for them. Their insistence that I seek forgiveness for a transgression I fail to comprehend only deepens my internal struggle. As I reflect on my journey, one question remains at the forefront of my mind: What guidance does Islam provide for individuals facing such intricate and emotionally charged situations? I yearn for clarity on how to navigate this turmoil in a way that aligns with my faith. My earnest aspiration is to eventually establish financial stability, enabling me to make the difficult choice of parting ways with my family and seeking a life of my own. I am genuinely appreciative of any insights or wisdom you might be able to offer, grounded in Islamic teachings and values. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering my plea for guidance.

The Struggle of Faith and Challenges in Modern Society - Maulana Syed Muhammad Rizvi | Shahadat of Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel June 28th, 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0ZifVkh0gE - Verse 15 of Surah al-Ḥujarāt defines the characteristics of a mu’min (believer) as someone who believes in Allah and His Messenger without any doubt and struggles in Allah's path with their wealth and themselves. - The term "struggle" refers to jihad, which includes both minor and major jihad. - The major jihad is the spiritual struggle against desires that are contrary to Divine teachings. - The modern challenge lies in society's inclination to follow sinful desires - This challenge is not limited to adults but is also impacting children who are being exposed to various agendas - The essence of imān (faith) is to cultivate a sense of servitude (‘ubudiyyah) towards Allah. - Hazrat Muslim bin ‘Aqil's example is mentioned as a good servant of Allah who achieved this status through obedience to Allah, the Prophet, Imam Ali, Imam Hasan, and Imam Husayn. - The challenges faced by Hazrat Muslim bin ‘Aqil in Kufa, including the dwindling support and eventual abandonment by the people. - This eventually ended with Muslim bin ‘Aqil being left alone after the prayer, with no one remaining to support him.

Wasalam, Do you guys have any tips for those who struggle with praying at adhan time, and instead they keep delaying it? How is one able to rid themselves of such procrastination? Thanks!

I feel I'm not ambitious enough about financial growth. I just don't get winded up about it. Even though I need to get settled ASAP, pronto to turn my 3 year old nikkah into a marriage (rukhsati). But even apart from the marriage pre and post expenses. I want to get settled. I just fear the entire job/gig/work searching process and just can't get myself to do it. I see people starting with whatever comes their way and eventually landing some good job. And I just sit and wait for something 'perfect' and 'optimal' to come my way.... . Please suggest some al-Islam pdf content or personal advice for me to get excited about getting financially ambitious and eventually settled.... . I say financially ambitious because otherwise I like to study, keep myself up to date, keep my deen in place...

I struggle with : being patient, thinking positively, praying, accepting my existence, forgetting my past, and lots more.... BUT im still living

Is the time for Jihad here? Is it that time when we all stand united with IMAM E ZAMANA(AS) and fight? All the oppression in Iraq and Palestine is driving me mad. I want to go there and fight for and with my brothers and sisters in faith. I cannot stand the pain they are going through. I need to and I want to do something for them. May Allah(SWT) ease their pain and suffering and may they find peace soon.