I really, really hate to waste food. Being brought up in a family where every single last grain of rice, every scrap of meat or veges had to be consumed before mum would let us leave the table, its a habit, i suppose. But a very good habit to have. To my greatest dismay, i wasted some food last night during iftar. Not sure what happened, but my normally roaring appetite deserted me, and half my food left untouched. I struggled at least to finish the protein on my plate, if that's some consolation. Its not that i bought more food than usual last night, i just couldn't finish it. Sigh.
The news these last few days has been disappointing, terribly so. Ramadhan is the month of peace, forgiveness and mercy. Its very ironic that, when the history books are written, events happening in this ramadhan month will be blamed for the coming years of death, violence and bloodshed.
George W. Bush was re-elected President of the United States yesterday. His return to office signals no end to the hostilities in Iraq; violence will continue, and "collateral damage" will once again not be called what it really is -- the death and destruction of innocent civilian Iraqis. Perhaps Bush will take his re-election as a mandate for further, more aggressive force -- will Iran and North Korea be next?
Yasser Arafat was announced brain dead today as he lay in a French hospital; in an "irreversible coma" is the diagnosis, kept alive by machines -- his passing signals the end of an era, one that was so full of hope and peace with the Oslo Accords in 1992, but has recently degenerated into more violence still. His death will do little to slow either side. More suicide bombers will blow themselves up, more "rubber bullets" will kill young Palestinian boys.
If i had one wish this ramadhan, i would ask just for one thing, really. Let the violence stop. Even if only for one day, let there not be a signal Muslim death from violence, and let there not be a single death caused by a Muslim. Just one day, Allah, the Most Merciful. Is that too much to ask for? Bismillah.
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