The Eid Mubarak or Aidil Fitri came and went just as it has happened for the past seventy five years of my life, however it is no more the same feeling one gets of the joyful and cheerfulness of yesteryears. This year my children and I decided not to have an open house like we did in the past and the only guest I invited were an Indian couple from the 4th. floor of our building, the husband a professor at the University Sains Malaysia,{USM{ and the wife a school teacher. They are one of the sweetest most genuinely warm couple i am happy and fortunate to have met; they are among the keepers as far as friendship goes in my life. We chatted over all that is happening in and around the country and what is going on in the world. What was most interesting was we talked about the people who lives in our build the predominantly Chinese who we meet day in day out in the elevators. We came to almost the same conclusion as to the characters like who is communicable and who is not. We talked of the cultural and religious diversities we experience being Hindus and Malays and how the word 'Allah' written on a pair of socks could raise hell and the purpose of burning paper money for the benefit of the dead is an illogical practice. Mostly i talked of myself my past life and experiences for the benefit of my two adult children present. Their visit was the highlight of our celebration of the Eid Fitri bringing to a close the auspicious Month of Ramadan.
What is on my mind today?
Racism has eventually taken its extreme turn with the revelation made by the President of Russia, Mr. Vladimir Putin, a leader i have had great hope and respect for despite the fact that h was originally a KGB officer whose rose from the rank. The president of Russia exposed the content of 'the oldest vault' in the world to reveal the Black Christ as depicted from very early paintings authenticated as original works by unknown artists of Christian who is who in the historical Biblical narrative of Christianity. It as has the impact of debunking the present day White 'Charleston Heston', Wilhelm Defoe look of blue eyed and fair skin with long blond hair of the Hollywood Jesus Christ. I had never bought this image for as long as i can remember and as a matter of fact it had always tur me off whenever i see it from understanding Christianity; something just wasn't right! Even the very name Jesus i had a problem with would much rather His true or Aramaic name Yeshua or the Muslim name Isa {alaiiSalam},
It is said that the content and not the container that matters and the Judaic. Christian and Islamic religions of 'The Book' has always been riddled with paradoxes and half truths with each religion claiming it is 'The true religion,' and ever since the three religion of the One God has become entrenched in conflict with one another regardless if they are worshipping the same God. The rift between these three religions, in my mind began when the God of Abraham demanded that he made a sacrifice of sone, usually the first born no less, to test Abraham's faith in God. Who would he have chosen by any common sense given the fact Abraham's first wife was a lady who was willing to get rid of her step son born form the union between Abraham and His second wife who happened to be His servant due to the fact that Sarah His first wife was too old to bear any child. However the Lord had added a twist to the scenario by granting Sarah a child despite her age; a miracle. This for me was the beginning of the rift or all the three Abrahamic religions. The Jews and Christians believe that Abraham chose Isaac for the sacrifice while the Muslim claim He had chosen Ishmail, thus the Biblical Truth was set in question right from the start and has never been resolved till this day to the point where the jews, Christians and Muslims has been at each other's throat to what is going on in the Palestine and Israel conflict. Why did the Lord allow for this to happen/ Your thought is as good as mine and as a Muslim I can only say, WallahuAlam! Only Allah knows the truth and the truth had it been known at the beginning would have set the believers free! All these if one is into the Ibrahimic religion or People of the Book, it is a never ending story of Faith and Belief of controversies and conflicts, of truth and lies that has evolved over the centuries.
The second day of the Eid my son Karim and I attended the gathering of families at a Hotel downtown where my cousins and their children and grandchildren came form all over the country or better know in Malay as 'Balik Kampung' or returning home to be with all the families and friends for a get together. Just as the Christians have their Christmas and Thanks Giving and the Jews their Hanukah celebration; we had a good time. Watching the children running around happy and cheerful brought my mind to the Children of Gaza and wondering what it must be like for them; Such is! Growing up under oppression is not a good experience for any child regardless of faith or religion and when or how would it end for them only God knows. Faced with hunger and starvation the children of Gaza will forever be a human legacy of our twenty first century and for the history of humanity as a whole.
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