Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahiim

It’s not like oppression issues aren’t at the forefront of my mind all the time, but of course I am watching the oppression of Palestine along with the rest of the world. I’m not concerned about just Palestine, either. It’s almost as if the war in Iraq is forgotten right now, and never mind that we still have troops in Afghanistan too. Have you even heard about the recent renewal of violence in Uganda? Probably you’re familiar with the recent Oscar Grant killing in California, but did you know about a killing of another Black man in New Orleans that same day? And all along, the rape and murder of women in Juarez, Mexico continues… the mistreatment of Filipino maids in some Arab countries goes on… and young women in Eastern Europe, India and elsewhere are being lured into prostitution just like they were last month, last year, for the last five years. There’s plenty of oppression going around.

These days are dark. So dark. It can appear hopeless; we can feel helpless. Many of us remain in our safe cocoon of privilege, avoiding anything stressful that might make us reflect on the suffering of others, consider for a moment how blessed we truly are, or look for ways to make a difference to the collective insanity currently happening around us. Thank God for American Idol, right: a chance to laugh at others and avoid the news channels. Inauguration of the first Black President is next week: yippee for our post-racial world!

I think a lot about oppression. I think a lot about how others are being oppressed, and I wonder what I can do to lessen their suffering. I think a lot about how I have been oppressed, but usually I realize that my pain is relatively minimal compared to what so many others go through. I think a lot about oppression, from the standpoint of worldly suffering, what we Muslims call the “dunya“, meaning this life here on Earth.

I don’t think as frequently about the oppression I commit upon myself and how it relates to the Akira, or Afterlife. I don’t think about that sort of oppression often enough because it would require me to take responsibility, to make changes, to look at myself and recognize myself for what I really am.

I am my own greatest oppressor.

I oppress myself every time I roll over and sleep in on the weekend, instead of getting up for the morning salat. I oppress myself every time I think, “I should fast tomorrow” and then don’t even try. I oppress myself every time I slide my debit card to buy something unnecessary and then say I can’t afford to send something to an aid organization or the masjid. I oppress myself at least 1,000 times a day just by opening my mouth. Even more times by typing away on-line or in email.

The greatest oppressor is not Israel, not Bush, not even poverty or lack of education. The greatest oppressor is my self. Because when I oppress my own soul by doing what I should not do and failing to do what I should do, I unleash an oppressor upon the world. If I do not love Allah enough to obey him, love myself enough to guard against the hellfire, how much more damage might I do to others?

I am a self-inflicting oppressor. And oppression must be fought, by any means necessary. AlhamdulAllah – all praise be to Allah – that I have a guidebook to show me how. The means is the Qur’an, and the Sunnah (tradition exemplified by the Prophet, peace be upon him), and guidance of a Murshid (teacher of inner sciences). May Allah protect me from my greatest oppressor and turn her heart towards kindness and justice, ameen.