This summer our (my two youngest and I) journey to understanding collective suffering began with: oppression is not confined to one people or one moment in history. It is a pattern—repeated, documented, and carried across generations.
Entering kindergarten is a significant milestone in a child’s life. It marks the beginning of structured learning, regular interaction with peers, and the development of greater independence.
For most of my life, I was taught—explicitly and implicitly—that putting others first was a virtue. That sacrificing my own needs for the sake of others was not only noble, but necessary. I believed it for a long time.
Genocide—the deliberate targeting of people based on their identity—is one of the gravest injustices of our time. For Muslim families, responding to such atrocities is not only a matter of humanitarian concern but also a profound spiritual duty.
“And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.”
( Surah Luqman:14)