The most heartbreaking moment for me was during the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Thousands of Muslim migrant workers from East Africa and South Asia were enduring slave wages, cramped living conditions with up to 20 individuals, and sharing a single toilet.
They toiled in brutal 50-degree weather, and tragically, many lost their lives. Documentaries captured the anguish of mothers desperately searching for their sons' bodies. Instead of a united effort within the Muslim Ummah to raise funds, offer support to grieving mothers, and raise awareness, there was a stark contrast: celebration of football triumphs.
Even prominent figures in the Dawah community, with millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, seemed more focused on the game than the plight of the poor Muslim brothers who had lost their lives building the stadiums and infrastructure.
The image that lingers in my mind is of a South Asian Muslim mother in a documentary, tears streaming down her face as she mourned her deceased son. It's disheartening to witness the Ummah seemingly prioritize a game over the lives of its own members.
That period marked the realization that, for some, the value of a Muslim life seemed equivalent to a mere 90 minutes of football. Despite the despair in witnessing such events, we must not lose hope for those who are suffering
no wonder the The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said the poor will be the majority of jannah
They toiled in brutal 50-degree weather, and tragically, many lost their lives. Documentaries captured the anguish of mothers desperately searching for their sons' bodies. Instead of a united effort within the Muslim Ummah to raise funds, offer support to grieving mothers, and raise awareness, there was a stark contrast: celebration of football triumphs.
Even prominent figures in the Dawah community, with millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, seemed more focused on the game than the plight of the poor Muslim brothers who had lost their lives building the stadiums and infrastructure.
The image that lingers in my mind is of a South Asian Muslim mother in a documentary, tears streaming down her face as she mourned her deceased son. It's disheartening to witness the Ummah seemingly prioritize a game over the lives of its own members.
That period marked the realization that, for some, the value of a Muslim life seemed equivalent to a mere 90 minutes of football. Despite the despair in witnessing such events, we must not lose hope for those who are suffering
no wonder the The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said the poor will be the majority of jannah
