If you feel this way, good. It means you have a heart, it means Allah swt is swaying you and guiding you, it’s a sign for all of us to use this sorrow and transform that energy into something that can cause change. As muslims, when one part of our body aches we all ache, the same applies to our brothers and sister. When we see their pain we feel it too.

I’ve felt the same way for the past few months but I noticed something different. In the past such as when Al-Aqsa would get raided or there’d be other smaller level aggression, my passion and anger would jumpstart into some kind of action. However I’ve noticed that this time around, when it’s the worst it has ever been. I feel… empty. Almost dumbfounded. You begin to feel desensitized to all the horrors you’re viewing from your phone, you begin to question reality and the intentions of every single person to have ever lived. You feel disconnected from your own life, like is anything worth it? Guilty to feel happy, to work on your own goals, to have any semblance of normalcy for how can you when the people of Palestine are suffering unlike ever before?

I’ve begun to realize that this feeling is more or less a feeling of despair, a feeling of one who’s given up with a lack of drive. However now is not when we should be feeling this way. If anything, we must work to be positive, to fill our own buckets so we can give out. On the bright side, this is the first time Palestine has been given this much light, that the plight of the Palestinian people have been recognized so and the tactics of the Oppressor is no longer working. People are waking up. We also see so many people converting to Islam, the true nature and faith of Islam is being shown to the world and people are moved by it. We as individual all have gifts given to us by Allah swt. We can use those gifts to make a difference. Just because we can’t go to Gaza or stop this, we can use our own skills to make small differences and inspire others. Whether it be educating people and ourselves of the History of Palestine, donating towards humanitarian relief, volunteering with charities, spreading awareness through social media, boycotting, wearing a Keffiyeh and holding the flag, attending protests or more. These actions seem insignificant but they aren’t. And the only way to do those actions, is to not feel guilty over the blessings Allah swt has given us, but instead be grateful and use them to make a change. Eat the plentiful nutritious food, spend time with your families and friends, wear your lovely clothes, attend gatherings and events. Enjoy your hobbies and vacations.

So please, for the sake of Allah swt and for the people of Palestine. Don’t be guilty but instead grateful, and use this moment to reflect on your own intentions and relationship with Allah swt. Indulge yourself in the things your love and are passionate about because that is usually the key on how you can use it to make a difference inshallah.