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Leonoah Apr 2020
Alas sais y medya na ng umaga nang makauwi si Natividad mula sa bahay ng kanyang amo. Pagkababa n’ya ng maliit na bag na laman ang kanyang cellphone at wallet na merong labin-limang libo at iilang barya ay marahan siyang naglakad tungo sa kwartong tinutulugan ng kanyang tatlong anak. Hinawi niya ang berdeng kurtina at sumilip sa kanyang mga anghel.
Babae ang panganay ni Natividad, o di kaya’y Vida. Labindalawang taong gulang na ito at nasa Grade 7 na. Isa sa mga malas na naabutan ng pahirap na K-12 program. Ang gitna naman ay sampung taong gulang na lalaki at mayroong down syndrome. Special child ang tawag nila sa batang tulad nito, pero “abnormal” o “abno” naman ang ipinalayaw ng mga lasinggero sa kanila. Ang bunso naman niya, si bunsoy, ay kakatapak lamang ng Grade 1. Pitong taong gulang na ito at ito ang katangkaran sa mga babae sa klase nito. Sabi ng kapwa niya magulang ay late na raw ang edad nito para sa baiting, pero kapag mahirap ka, mas maigi na ang huli kaysa wala.
Nang makitang nahihimbing pa ang mga ito ay tahimik s’yang tumalikod at naglakad papuntang kusina. Ipagluluto niya ang mga anak ng sopas at adobong manok. May mga natira pa namang sangkap na iilang gulay, gatas, at macaroni na galing pa sa bahay ni Kapitan noong nangatulong siya sa paghahanda para sa piyesta. Bumili rin siya ng kalahating kilo na pakpak ng manok, kalahating kilo pa ulit ng atay ng manok, at limang kilo ng bigas.
Inuna niya ang pagsasaing. Umabot pa ng tatlong gatang ang natitirang bigas nila sa pulang timba ng biskwit kaya ‘yun na lang ang ginamit niya. Pagkatapos ay agad niya rin itong pinalitan ng bagong biling bigas.
De-uling pa ang kalan ni Vida kaya inabot siya ng limang minuto bago nakapagpaapoy. Siniguro niyang malakas ang apoy para madaling masaing. Kakaunti na lang kasi ang oras na natitira.
Habang hinihintay na maluto ang kanin ay dumiretso na sa paghahanda ng mga sangkap si Vida. Siniguro niyang tahimik ang bawat kilos para maiwasang magising ang mga anak. Mas mapapatagal lamang kasi kung sasabay pa ang mga ito sa kanyang pagluluto.
Habang hinahati at pinaparami ang manok ay patingin-tingin s’ya sa labas. Inaabangan ang inaasahan niyang mga bisita.
Mukang magtatagal pa sila ah. Ano na kayang balita? Dito lamang naikot ang isip ni Vida sa tuwing nakikitang medyo normal pa sa labas.
May mga potpot na nagbebenta na pan de sal at monay, mga nanay na labas-masok ng kani-kanilang mga bahay dahil tulad niya ay naghahanda rin ng pagkain, at mga lalaking kauuwi lamang sa trabaho o siguro kaya’y galing sa inuman.
Tulog pa ata ang karamihan ng mga bata. Mabuti naman, walang maingay. Hindi magigising ang tatlo.
Binalikan niya ang sinaing at tiningnan kung pupwede na bang hanguin.
Okay na ito. Dapat ako magmadali talaga.
Dali-dali niyang isinalang ang kaserolang may laman na pinira-pirasong manok.
Habang hinihintay na maluto ang manok ay paunti-unti rin siyang naglilinis. Tahimik pa rin ang bawat kilos. Lampas kalahating oras na siyang nakakauwi at ano mang oras ay baka magising ang mga anak niya o di kaya’y dumating ang mga hinihintay n’ya.
Winalis niya ang buong bahay. Maliit lang naman iyon kaya mabilis lamang siyang natapos. Pagkatapos ay marahan siyang naglakad papasok sa maliit nilang tulugan, kinuha ang lumang backpack ng kanyang panganay at sinilid doon ang ilang damit. Tatlong blouse, dalawang mahabang pambaba at isang short. Dinamihan niya ang panloob dahil alanganin na kakaunti lamang ang dala.
Pagkatapos niyang mag-empake ay itinago niya muna backpack sa ilalim ng lababo. Hinango niya na rin ang manok at agad na pinalitan ng palayok na pamana pa sa kanya. Dahil hinanda niya na kanina sa labas ang lahat ng kakailanganin ay dahan dahan niyang sinara ang pinto para hindi marinig mula sa loob ang ingay ng paggigisa.
Bawat kilos niya ay mabilis, halata **** naghahabol ng oras. Kailangang makatapos agad siya para may makain ang tatlo sa paggising nila.
Nang makatapos sa sopas ay agad niya itong ipinasok at ipinatong sa lamesa. Sinigurong nakalapat ang takip para mainit-init pa sakaling tanghaliin ng gising ang mga anak.
Dali-daling hinugasan ang ginamit na kaserola sa paglalaga at agad ulit itong isinalang sa apoy. Atay ng manok ang binili niya para siguradong mas mabilis maluluto. Magandang ipang-ulam ang adobo dahil ma-sarsa, pwede ring ulit-ulitin ang pag-iinit hanggang maubos.
Habang hinihintay na lumambot na ang mga patatas, nakarinig siya ng mga yabag mula sa likuran.
Nandito na sila. Hindi pa tapos ‘tong adobo.
“Vida.” Narinig niyang tawag sa kanya ng pamilyar na boses ng lalaki. Malapit niyang kaibigan si Tobias. Tata Tobi kung tawagin ng mga anak niya. Madalas niya ditong ihabilin ang tatlo kapag kailangan niyang mag-overnight sa bahay ng amo.
“Tobi. Andito na pala kayo,” nginitian niya pa ang dalawang kasama nitong nasa likuran. Tahimik lang ang mga itong nagmamasid sa kanya.
“Hindi pa tapos ang adobo ko eh. Ilalahok ko pa lang ang atay. Pwedeng upo muna kayo doon sa loob? Saglit na lang naman ‘to.”
Mukhang nag-aalangan pa ang dalawa pero tahimik itong kinausap ni Tobi. Maya-maya ay parang pumayag na rin ito at tahimik na naglakad papasok. Narinig niya pang sinabihan ni Tobi ang mga ito na dahan-dahan lamang dahil natutulog ang mga anak niya. Napangiti na lamang siya rito.
Pagkalahok ng atay at tinakpan niya ang kaserola. Tahimik siyang naglakad papasok habang nararamdaman ang pagmamasid sa kanya. Tumungo siya sa lababo at kinuha ang backpack.
Lumapit siya sa mga panauhin at tahimik na dinaluhan ang mga ito tapos ay sabay-sabay nilang pinanood ang usok galing sa adobong atay.
“M-ma’am.” Rinig niyang tawag sa kanya ng kasama ni Tobias. Corazon ang nakaburdang apelyido sa plantsadong uniporme. Mukhang bata pa ito at baguhan.
“Naku, ser. ‘Wag na po ganoon ang itawag niyo sa akin. Alam niyo naman na kung sino ako.” Maraan niyang sabi dito, nahihiya.
“Vida. Pwede ka namang tumanggi.” Si Tobias talaga.
“Tobi naman. Parang hindi ka pamilyar. Tabingi ang tatsulok, Tobias. Alam mo iyan.” Iniiwasan niyang salubungin ang mga mata ni Tobias. Nararamdaman niya kasi ang paninitig nito. Tumatagos. Damang-dama niya sa bawat himaymay ng katawan niya at baka saglit lamang na pagtingin dito ay umiyak na siya.
Kanina niya pa nilulunok ang umaalsang hagulhol dail ayaw niyang magising ang mga anak.
“Vida…” marahang tawag sa kanya ng isa pang kasama ni Tobi. Mukhang mas matanda ito sa Corazon pero halatang mas matanda pa rin ang kaibigan niya.
“Ano ba talaga ang nangyari?”
“Ser…Abit,” mabagal niyang basa sa apelyido nito.
“Ngayon lang po ako nanindigan para sa sarili ko.” garalgal ang boses niya. Nararamdaman niya na ang umaahon na luha.
“Isang beses ko lang po naramdaman na tao ako, ser. At ngayon po iyon. Nakakapangsisi na sa ganitong paraan ko lang nabawi ang pagkatao ko, pero ang mahalaga po ay ang mga anak ko. Mahalaga po sila sa’kin, ser.” mahina lamang ang pagkakasabi niya, sapat na para magkarinigan silang apat.
“Kung mahalaga sila, bakit mo ginawa ‘yon? Vida, bakit ka pumatay?”
Sasagot n asana siya ng marinig niyang kumaluskos ang banig mula sa kuwarto. Lumabas doon ang panganay niyang pupungas-pungas pa. dagli niya itong pinalapit at pinaupo sa kinauupuan niya. Lumuhod siya sa harap nito para magpantay sila.
“Anak. Good morning. Kamusta ang tulog mo?”
“Good morning din, nay. Sino po sila? ‘Ta Tobi?”
“Kaibigan sila ni ‘Ta Tobias, be. Hinihintay nila ako kasi may pupuntahan kami eh.” marahan niyang paliwanag, tinatantya ang bawat salita dahil bagong gising lamang ang anak.
“Saan, nay? May handaan po uli sina ser?” tukoy nito sa mga dati niyang amo.
“Basta ‘nak. Kunin mo muna yung bag ko doon sa lamesa, dali. Kunin ko yung ulam natin mamaya. Masarap yun, be.”
Agad naman itong sumunod habang kinukuha niya na rin ang bagong luto na adobo. Pagkapatong sa lamesa ng ulam ay nilapitan niya ulit ang anak na tinitingnan-tingnan ang tahimik na mga  kasama ni Tobias.
“Be…” tawag niya rito.
Pagkalingon nito sa kanya ay hinawakan niya ang mga kamay nito. Nagsisikip na ang lalamunan niya. Nag-iinit na rin ang mga mata niya at nahihirapan na sa pagbuga ng hangin.
“Be, wala na sina ser. Wala na sila, hindi na nila tayo magugulo.” ngiti niya rito. Namilog naman ang mga mata nito. Halata **** natuwa sa narinig.
“Tahimik na tayo, nay? Hindi na nila kakalampagin ang pinto natin sa gabi?”
“Hindi na siguro, anak. Makakatulog na kayo ng dire-diretso, pangako.” Sinapo niya ang mukha nito tapos ay matunog na hinalikan sa pisngi at noo. ‘Eto na ang matagal niyang pinapangarap na buhay para sa mga anak. Tahimik. Simple. Walang gulo.
“Kaso, ‘nak, kailangan kong sumama sa kanila.” Turo niya kayna Tobias. Nanonood lamang ito sa kanila. Hawak na rin ni Tobi ang backpack niya.
“May ginawa kasi si nanay, be. Para diretso na ang tulog natin at para di na tayo guluhin nina ser. Pramis ko naman sa’yo be, magsasama ulit tayo. Pangako. Bilangin mo ang tulog na hindi tayo magkakasama. Tapos pagbalik ko, hihigitan ko pa ‘yon ng maraming maraming tulog na magkakasama na tayo.”
“Nay…” nagtataka na ang itsura ng anak niya. Namumula na kasi ang mukha niya panigurado. Kakapigil na humagulhol dahil ayaw niyang magising ang dalawa pang anak.
“Anak parang ano lang ito…abroad. Diba may kaklase kang nasa abroad ang nanay? Doon din ako, be.”
Bigla ay nagtubig ang mga mata ng panganay niya. Malalaking butil ng tubig. Hindi niya alam kung naniniwala pa ba ito sa mga sinasabi niya, o kung naiintindihan na nito ang mga nangyayari.
“Itong bag ko, andiyan yung wallet at telepono ko. Diba matagal mo nang gusto magkaroon ng ganon, be? Iyo na ‘yan, basta dapat iingatan mo ha. Yung pera be, kay Tata Tobias mo ihahabilin. Habang nagtatrabaho ako, kay ‘Ta Tobi muna kayo.”
“Nay, hindi ka naman magtatrabaho eh.” Lumabi ang anak niya tapos ay tuluyan nang nalaglag ang luha.
Tinawanan niya naman ito. “Sira, magtatrabaho ako. Basta intayin mo ‘ko be ha? Kayo nina bunsoy ko, ha?” Hindi niya napigilang lambing-lambingin ito na parang batang munti. Kailangan ay sulitin niya ang pagkakataon.
Paulit-ulit niya itong dinampian ng maliliit na halik sa mukha, wala na siyang pakealam kung malasahan niya ang alat ng luha nito. Kailangan ay masulit niya ang natitirang oras.
“Nay, sama po ako. Sama kami ni bunsoy. Tahimik lang kami lagi, pramis, nay. Parang kapag andito si ser, hindi naman kami gugulo doon.” Tuluyan na ngang umalpas ang hikbi niya. Naalala niyang muli ang rason kung ba’t n’ya ito ginagawa. Para sa tahimik na buhay ng mga anak.
“Sus, maniwala sa’yo, be. Basta hintayin mo si nay. ‘Lika ***** tayo doon sa kwarto, magbabye ako kayna bunsoy.” Yakag niya rito. Sumama naman ito sa kanya habang nakayakap sa baywang niya. Humihikbi-hikbi pa rin ito habang naagos ang luha.
Tahimik niyang nilapitan ang dalawa. Kinumutan niyang muli ang mga ito at kinintalan ng masusuyong halik sa mga noo. Bata pa ang mga anak niya. Marami pa silang magagawa. Malayo pa ang mararating nila. Hindi tulad ng mga magulang nila, ‘yun ang sisiguraduhin niya. Hindi ito mapapatulad sa kanila ng mister niya.
“Be, dito ka na lang ha. Alis na si nanay. Alagaan mo sina bunsoy, be, ha. Pati sarili mo. Ang iskul mo anak, kahit hindi ka manguna, ayos lang kay nanay. Hindi naman ako magagalit. Basta gagalingan mo hangga’t kaya mo ha. Mahal kita, be. Kayong tatlo. Mahal na mahal namin kayo.” Mahigpit niya itong niyakap habang paiyak na binubulong ang mga habilin. Wala na ring tigil ang pag-iyak niya kaya agad na siyang tumayo. Baka magising pa ang dalawa.
Nakita niya namang nakaabang sa pinto si Tobi bitbit ang bag niya. Kinuha niya rito ang bag at sinabihang ito na ang bahala sa mga anak. Baog si Tobias at iniwan na ng asawa. Sumama raw sa ibang lalaking mas mayaman pa rito. Kagawad si Tobias sa lugar nila kaya sigurado siyang hindi magugutom ang mga anak niya rito. May tiwala siyang mamahalin ni Tobias na parang sarili nitong mga anak ang tatlo dahil matagal niya na itong nasaksihan.
Pagsakay sa sasakyan kasama ang dalawang pulis na kasama ni Tobias ay saka lamang siya pinosasan ng lalaking may burdang Corazon.
“Kilala namang sindikato yung napatay mo, ma’am. Kulang lamang kami sa ebidensya dahil malakas ang kapit sa taas. Kung sana…sana ay hindi ka nag-iwan ng sulat.”
“Nabuhay ang mga anak kong may duwag na ina, ser. Ayokong lumaki pa sila sa puder ng isang taong walang paninindigan. Pinatay niya na ang asawa ko. Dapat ay sapat na ‘yon na bayad sa utang namin, diba?” kung kanina ay halo humagulhol siya sa harap ng mga anak, ngayon ay walang emosyong mahahamig sa boses niya. Nakatingin lamang siya sa labas at tinititigan ang mga napapatingin sa dumadaang sasakyan ng pulis.
Kung sana ay hindi tinulungan ng mga nakatataas ang amo niya. Kung sana ay nakakalap ng sapat na mga ebidensya ang mga pulis na ngayon ay kasama niya. Kung sana ay may naipambayad sila sa inutang ng asawa niya para pambayad sa panganganak niya.
Kung hindi siguro siya mahirap, baka wala siya rito.
unedited
Willard Wells Jan 2016
Growing to a man and embracing my life.
My commitment to Allah, a journey begins with no strife.
Once in a lifetime, a pilgrimage to Mecca must be the end,
To my commitment to my religion and forgiveness of sin.

Number 7 has meaning as the journey begins.
First stop Medina, as I seek out peace.
Hajj station to Bath, dress in the Ihram.
Praying at Masjid Nabawi, purity, equality for all.

A statement of intent, I commit to all.
Entry to Masjid al-Haram complex is now allowed.
Circling seven times Kaaba as I pray to God.
Sipping water from Zam Zam to keep the law.

Walk through the hills of Safa and Marwa times seven,
Where I pray seven times more.
Prayers along the way to my God,
At Mount Arafat then other sacred sites.

Kneeling down to pray to Allah, Day and night.
Sleeping the night with 5 million strong,
Then rise up to stone the devil to atone,
Shaving head for cleansing, showing respect for God.

Sacrifice lambs to feed the poor.
Onward to Mecca, back once more.
Circle Kaaba, pray to my God
Repeating Tawaf on each turn of seven and no more.

Circle Safa, Marwa then on to Mina.
On to Mecca again for more prayers to my God
Enter Makkah performing Hajj,
Before the faithful return to Mecca on seven then do a farewell Tawaf.
A friend made the pilgrimage and I wrote this to honor his trip.
Willard Wells Jul 2015
Growing to a man and embracing my life.
My commitment to Allah, a journey begins with no strife.
Once in a life time, a pilgrimage to Mecca must be the end,
To my commitment to my religion and forgiveness of sin.

Number 7 has meaning as the journey begins.
First stop Medina, as I seek out peace.
Hajj station to Bath and dress in the Ihram.
Praying at Masjid Nabawi, purity, equality for all.

A statement of intent, I commit to all.
Entry to Masjid al Haram complex is now allowed.
Circling seven times Kaaba as I pray to God.
Sipping water from Zam Zam to keep the law.

Walk through the hills of Safa and Marwa times seven,
Where I pray seven times more.
Prayers along the way to my God,
At Mount Arafat and other sacred sites.

Kneeling down to pray to Allah, Day and night.
Sleeping the night with 5 million strong,
Then rise up to stone the devil to atone,
Shaving head for cleansing, showing respect for God.

Sacrifice lambs to feed the poor.
Onward to Mecca and back once more.
Circle Kaaba and pray to my God
Repeating Tawaf on each turn of seven and no more.

Circle Safa, Marwa and on to Mina.
Then to Mecca again for more prayers to my God
Enter Makkah performing Hajj,
Before the faithful return to Mecca on seven and do a farewell Tawaf.
A friend made his pilgrimage to Mecca last year and I finally wrote him the story of his trip in sort of poetic form.
Najwa Kareem Jun 26
Gaza, almighty Gaza
where are you
to the wind
have you returned

Gaza, almighty Gaza
Will you be our next bird
to fly us up again
or down to underneath the ground
where bodies lay flat

Gaza, almighty Gaza
where are the shades of the earth
with you
they sparkle
refusing to stop shining

Gaza, almighty Gaza
your limbs with bones like the worlds
our hands like yours, his, and hers
cockroaches aren't what we see
when we see plain, beautiful human anatomy

Gaza, almighty Gaza
thoughts of you
fill our hearts
with tears
and sweat

Gaza, almighty Gaza
we love you so
we lament
that you have helped us to see
what we couldn't see before

Gaza, almighty Gaza
keep everybody in the town and outside of it
knowing each other
walking together
working in unity
resisting as one

Gaza, almighty Gaza
run, run, run
faster and better than
your palm trees' leaves dancing to the sunlight's tease

Gaza, almighty Gaza
go knock on Baital Al Haram's door
to ask it to knock on your Al-Aqsa door
so its worshippers and occupants and the globe's will be set free

Gaza, almighty Gaza
we let you down
but now are we
on the right track
what did you say

Gaza, almighty Gaza
the guy, the security guard in Target
I think like you said
we need to strategize, be proactive
not just blacks coming together
or some from this group coming together
or some others here and there

Gaza, almighty Gaza
what did you say
the guy, the security guard in Target
everyone or many from all over the world
need to come together
and all of us work and strategize

Gaza, almighty Gaza
what did you say
Your words remind me of Mecca in what we know as Saudi Arabia
you know it, yeh, talks even about it in the news in the past few days
where people from all over the world congregate
for the pilgrimage
but its colonized

Gaza, almighty Gaza
what did you say
You sound like
the Quranic scholar, Imam Asi
he reminded us of what GOD'S last and final Prophet prioritized and did
Liberate Mecca
Mecca is the heart and the soul of the Muslims,
of the oppressed people of the world

Gaza, almighty Gaza
what did you say
do what the best human did for all humans
turn to Mecca
turn to Medina
turn towards The Kaaba
turn to Masjid Al-Nabawi

Gaza, almighty Gaza
what did you say
Liberate Mecca
from the confiscation of Bani Saud
from the corrupt power centers
internally and externally

Gaza, almighty Gaza
what did you say
Liberate Mecca
when we become the moving parts of Mecca
nation state barriers and boundaries
are going to go
colonialism, imperialism, fascism, racism
and their destruction and poison
will go
will harm us no more

Gaza, almighty Gaza
your horrific pains and startling cries
will lift us up again
and like a mountain's roar
we'll go wild
to end injustice and oppression
to manifest freedom and peace

Gaza, almighty Gaza
we'll go wild
listening to our Highest Priority, GOD
listening to His Final Prophet and Messenger
listening to our world's people
and listening to you

By: Najwa Kareem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VSzfiRWWh4

1601 11-28-2023 Latest Developments In Palestine

"...I know that all of us, I hope is focused on what has happened in THE HOLY LAND. There's a genocide that has been unfolding, in progress the past several weeks now. And all of us have our own source of information, I'm sure. We've been watching or listening to those who are involved in all of this and as I've remarked before and I will repeat, the best source of information that anyone can have about what is developing in the world today is information that comes to us from ALLAH SUBHANNA HU WA TA 'ALA and we happen to be living in real time the meanings of the AYAT and I know I've visited these AYAT before but sometimes, they need more explanation and sometimes, some of you were not tuned in to these explanations so I will try as much as possible to expand the meanings of these AYAT and the beginning of SURAT BANI ISRAEL otherwise known as SURATUL ISRA, THE 17TH SURA OF THE QURAN. As a background...because these AYAT were not revealed in a vacuum; these AYAT were not meant to be theoretical, cold, conceptual, mental constructs. These AYAT were meant to be integrated into the movement, the activities, the action, and the decisions of men or societies, peoples, and populations...this is what is meant by the revelation of these AYAT. So let us try to revisit THE CONTEXT which is most important to understand how these AYAT are speaking to us about what is happening today. These AYATS begin by ALLAH SUBHANNA HU WA TA 'ALA saying..."

"...So, we should ask ourselves, if he knew that, then why did he not emphasize and prioritize those other powers beyond MECCA who were instigating against the PROPHET?

WHY DID HE KEEP HIS FOCUS ON MECCA?

Today's world, similar things are happening. There are other forces at work outside of our let's say Islamic countries that are supporting those who have power in our Islamic countries to try to finish us off rendering us the Muslims of the world without self-determination. They didn't want the Prophet to have an Islamic determination, and they don't want us to have an Islamic determination.

So, what do we do here? If the PROPHET (PBUH and those who were and are with him)...If he kept his efforts, concentrated on liberating Mecca, on dealing with the threat in Mecca, then if we say we are following the Prophet, why are we not doing the same thing? Today, the powers that be, they want to scatter our attention, and they want to divide our resolution, our willpower. These Ayats were revealed in that context, similar to today. So, the question is do we concentrate, and they were, look, let me be, let me break this down even more. There was a Yahudi power center in al-Medina. There was a Yahudi power center in Khyber. There was a Yahudi power center in Al-Quds, in The Holy Land, in the North. There was a Yahudi presence in Yemen. There was a Byzantine power center in the Levant. There was a Persian power center in what is called today the Persian Gulf area or Iraq. And all of these were not friendly to this Islamic divine spark of willpower in MECCA. ALL OF THEM WERE HOSTILE; ALL OF THEM. So, if that was the case and as we see today - You can correspond today with fourteen centuries ago...look at the powers around. So, the question is why have we departed from the methodology of the PROPHET, and we don't concentrate any longer on liberating MECCA? MECCA IS THE HEART AND THE SOUL OF THE MUSLIMS, OF THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE IN THE WORLD - ONCE WE DUST OFF ALL OF THE TRADITIONS AND ALL OF THE COBWEBS THAT HAVE BUILT UP THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES; ONCE WE'RE FINISH WITH THAT TASK, WE WILL DISCOVER MECCA TO BE OUR MOTIVATION. TO BE OUR REFERENCE. TO BE OUR CENTER. TO BE OUR DIRECTION. TO BE OUR STARTING POINT. TO BE OUR ENGINE. THAT'S WHAT MECCA, AL-KAABA, AND AL-BAIT AL-HARAM ARE ALL ABOUT. BUT NO, IN TODAY'S WORLD, THE CONCENTRATION IS ON, BY AND LARGE, LIBERATING PALESTINE. AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO MISUNDERSTAND ME HERE AND SAY THAT I'M TRYING TO DEESCALATE THE ATTENTION FROM LIBERATING PALESTINE. THAT WOULD BE LIKE SAYING THAT THE PROPHET (MAY ALLAH'S PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON HIM) WAS CONSIDERING THE POWER PRESENCE OF YAHUD IN MEDINA TO BE MARGINAL OR SHOULDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. HE KNEW FULL WELL AS WE SHOULD KNOW FULL WELL THAT THOSE WHO ARE IN CONTROL OF MECCA TODAY ARE SUPPORTED BY THE SUPER AND REGIONAL POWERS OF THAT AREA, THE SAME WAY THE SUPER AND REGIONAL POWERS 14 CENTURIES AGO WERE IN SUPPORT OF THE MUSHRIKS AT THAT TIME. IF THIS CANNOT COME CRYSTAL CLEAR IN OUR MIND, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE MANY MISTAKES AND LEARN THROUGH TRAIL AND ERROR UNTIL WE REACH THIS CONCLUSION IN THE DEPTHS OF OUR HEARTS AND IN THE RADIATION OF OUR THOUGHTS..."

"Yes, that's an important question and to answer it in a few minutes, the Islamic movements in the world theoretically have their vision focused in the right direction, generally speaking, and the Islamic self-determination that has been in progress, the Islamic country of Iran for the past 40 plus years, these are the places that have more or less, I mean these are not, you know, angels, we are all human beings, and there are slips here and there but more or less, they have a sense of what has to be done. From my humble, as I have explained in the past hour, my humble opinion is...whether it concerns the Islamic movements in the world or The Islamic State in Iran, my humble opinion is they have not concentrated their efforts on the issue of MECCA. Of course, all of us agree, the AYAT in THE QURAN (there are other AYAT in THE QURAN) that speak about the DIVINE RIGHT of any of those who are being oppressed anywhere in the world to fight back that oppression, and injustice, and tyranny. (QURAN read). The Palestinians have a right to fight back and to defeat those type of enemies that they are dealing with. Those who are in Kashmir have the right to fight back and deal with the type of enemies that they have. Such is the case with other Muslims all around the world. No one has any right or any say when it comes to their legitimate action against their basically genocidal enemies, but we don't want this type of immediate, emotional entanglement to refocus our attention away from MECCA. What is happening in Gaza and has been happening for the past almost month and ½...what's been happening there, coming on 2 months...WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING THERE SHOULD HAVE CONCENTRATED THE MINDS AND THE ATTENTION OF THE MUSLIMS ON MECCA. What are these? Not one of these rulers when they have all of this petroleum...Imagine if they just come to say, Look, if there's 100 more deaths in Gaza (this should have been said the first week) before now 15 to 16,000 who have died in this bombardment. In the first week, after the first 100 deaths in Gaza, they should have said, After every 100 deaths, there's going to be 1 million barrels of oil cut off. And you would have seen the response. BUT THEY CAN'T SAY THAT...THE ROYALS IN ARABIA, ALL OF THEM, AND THE RULERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THESE NATURAL RESOURCES, THEY CAN'T SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELONG TO THEIR OWN PEOPLE. THEY BELONG TO THEIR SPONSORS, AND THEY BELONG TO THEIR MANAGERS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, TO THE ZIONISTS AND IMPERIALISTS. THAT'S WHO THEY BELONG TO. THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. IF THEY WERE INDEPENDENT...IF THEY WERE TO SAY...DID THE PROPHET (MAY ALLAH'S PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON HIM) SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, THERE'S TWO SUPERPOWERS IN THE WORLD - TO DEAL WITH ONE SUPERPOWER, WE HAVE TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH ANOTHER SUPERPOWER. IS THAT WHAT HE DID? CAN WE JUST MANAGE TO BUILD ENOUGH CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES? ARE WE DUMMIES? ARE WE HALF-HUMANS? ARE WE INCAPABLE? ARE WE HANDICAPPED? ARE WE LESS THAN WHAT ALLAH SUBHANNA WA TA 'ALA EXPECTS US TO BE? I SEE ALL OF THIS UNFOLDING, HAPPENING IN FRONT OF US AND NO ONE'S FOCUSING ON THEIR ATTENTION ON GETTING RID OF THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONFISCATED MECCA AND AL-MADINAH. WE'RE NOT DOING THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A GRUDGE. I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE PERSONALLY WHO ARE IN CONTROL OF THE AL-HARAMAIN ASHARIFAIN. I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THEM. BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE PROPHET DID AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID. LET'S NOT BE BLINDSIDED BY THEM WEARING ROBES...BY THE WAY THEY WEAR ROBES FOR CAMERAS WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES AND THEN WHEN THEY GO TO EUROPE AND OTHER PLACES, THEY HAVE 3 PIECE SUIT AND THE NECK TIES AND ALL OF THIS STUFF. ARE WE DECEIVED BY THIS? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JUST AAH, SURFACE DEEP...WE CAN ONLY SEE PEOPLE BY THEIR APPEARANCES? WE CAN'T PENETRATE AND JUDGE THEM BY THEIR DECISIONS AND BY THEIR POLICIES?..."

"Yes, social media, Al hamdulilah, that's one thing we have to say has made it possible for those who control information to be put in their place. Social media has cornered the mainstream media to a very large extent, and people all around the world, we've seen this in the past couple of months, people all around the world are breaking away from the mainstream media..."

"...So, materialism on the one hand among these groupies in the world and sectarianism on the other hand, that particular area, and MECCA right now is enjoying the confiscation of Bani Saud that has been going on for the past century. Confiscation; they've confiscated MECCA...no one's able to address this issue when there are 2 billion Muslims who are...they're not rationally reaching this conclusion - if they did, I wouldn't be giving this presentation but deep down emotionally, they are yearning for the day when MECCA IS FREE. No, this thing is...Look. Look. If. Let me put it this way. Let's say we liberated Palestine; Insha Allah, it's going to be Iiberated. I don't have any doubt about that. Liberated Palestine. How about all of the other Muslim issues in the world? You take the Muslims, the Rohingya Muslims. You take the Muslims in China. You take the Muslims in Russia. You take the Muslims as minority communities around the world. You take the Muslims in Kashmir. You take the Muslims in India. You take the Muslims in the Philippines. You take the Muslims in Thailand. You take Muslims all over the place. You take all of that...What do you think is going to happen? When we liberate Palestine. So, you think, Oh, everything is done. You say, Ah, now we've accomplished everything and we're on our way to freedom and independence and everything. No. It's not going to work that way. Actually, if that happens to a lot of...if these people stay in control, these illegitimate rulers stay in control in Muslim countries and stay there, they're going to say, You see, we liberated Palestine...We have no more problems. It's done; finished. That's what happens. That's what will happen. And we can't permit that to happen. So, the first step in the right direction is accurate information, proper knowledge, contextualization of the information that has come to us from ALLAH and the teachings of HIS PROPHET..."

"...When MECCA disappeared as a base for Muslims, as a reference for Muslims, as a pacesetter for Muslims...When MECCA disappeared, then all of a sudden, we had all of these nation states imposed on us. The Euro-American centuries intruded into our lands via colonialism, and imperialism, and Zionism, and they imposed on us these nation states. That was done. Remember, that was done. When MECCA was not sidelined, we didn't have...A Muslim could go anywhere in the Muslim realm without, you know, having to show a passport or an identity card or anything. A Muslim wanted to travel from Jakarta...He wanted to go to MECCA, he didn't need any permission. He didn't need any visa. If he had the wherewithal, if he had, you know, whatever it takes...if he was in good health and he had the money to spend, he could go to MECCA, and he could come back. He could live in MECCA if he wanted. That's how MECCA was. MECCA was a melting *** of the Muslims of the world because there were no such things as these nation state barriers. And thus, will be the case, when MECCA is repositioned. MECCA, itself is just, you know, a geography. It's US. When WE become the moving parts of MECCA, then all of these boundaries are going to go. The political boundaries. Economic boundaries. Now, when it comes to languages, and races, and colors, and you know, these things. (QURAN read). From ALLAH's demonstration of HIS prevalent power is the differences that we have in language and in colors...that's, you know, the will of ALLAH in which we were born. Those are going to stay with us, but they're not going to be divisive. No one's going to be discriminated against because they were born into a certain language group or because they were born with a certain skin color. When MECCA becomes MECCA, that's gonna go. It won't exist any longer, but now, that, you know, they've reduced MECCA to, you know, a Muslim has to go through a course of procedures to be able...at the end, if he's lucky, he can make it to MECCA to go to... Where did it come from that any Muslim in the world needs permission to go to MECCA? That itself tells you something is wrong; I, a Muslim - I need permission to go to MECCA? You got to be kidding me! What's going on?! Where did this...How did this happen?”

"So that people cannot express their aspirations by watching what is unfolding in the real world. We have people who are very evil. Evil is a real thing in the world. You know, they said, 7.10 was like 911 which means that what happened in Gaza is similar to what happened in New York. And we knew what happened in New York brought about two major, among other things, two major wars, in Afghanistan and in Iraq. That happened in the aftermath of 911. What are we going to expect to happen in the aftermath of 7.10 in the world?! I think in the past, yesterday and today, some high ranking Yahudi officials are here in Washington, D.C. They’re discussing stuff. They don’t come here just to talk small stuff. But whatever they have, ALLAH IS THE BEST OF PLANNERS, and Insha Allah, you know, there will be a breakthrough, and we will see, eventually, the Muslims of the world will see that the ruling classes of the world belong to each other and the peoples of the world belong to each other. The ruling classes are not united because of their religion or their ideology. They are united because of their tyranny and oppression and so the peoples of the world should be united by their suffering and do away with the oligarchs and the tyrannical ruling classes all around."

-IMAM MUHAMMAD AL-ASI

— The End —