Two Worlds Apart: A Message to Her

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Ayesha Sbahat Ahmed Zafar, UK

‘May Allah Almighty save them from conflict and warfare, the situation of the world is becoming increasingly perilous and it is on the verge of utter destruction, everyone is only concerned about their own interest May Allah the almighty have mercy’ – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) [1]

I am awoken by a shrill shriek piercing through my sleep, but it is just a fox.

She is awoken by the sharp scream of her neighbour; you see she has walked into a rotting corpse.

I am cold because I forgot to wear warm clothes to bed.

She is cold because her clothes are hanging, barely, by a thread.

I am scared because I have an English exam to undergo.

She is scared because her daily exam is to see if she can survive until tomorrow.

I cry because I am worried about an essay deadline.

She cries because she wants to know if her family are fine.

But who is she?

Is she a sister to a younger brother in Ukraine?

Is she the young girl fleeing Syria, carrying nothing with her but pain?

Or is she perhaps a budding maths student in Palestine with nothing but terror now in her brain?

Maybe she is the girl who wants to grow up to fly a plane, instead she remains in the Uyghur camps all tied up in chains.

What if she is the mother to 3 children, all separated in vain, she makes her journey away from Yemen in snow, wind or rain.

The truth is, it does not matter who she is.

She is human and she too dreams of a life with her kids.

She embodies the millions of women and girls that have been forced out of their bliss, and I am sorry this has happened to you, my dear Miss.

She is the human creation of Allah

and so she deserves to be treated like this, given a fair chance at life, away from this dystopic abyss.

To her strength we say Masha’Allah and her future Insha’Allah.

We may be two worlds apart, but we promise we will not stop praying for you until you get your fresh start.

1. Friday Sermon: 30^th December 2022