Repaying Evil With Kindness

When we talk of love, it is easy to love the people that we like, the people that we agree with. And when we talk of hatred, it is easy to highlight the people that hate us. But during the month of Ramadan, we are encouraged to reflect upon ourselves.

My challenge to us all during this month is to ask ourselves, who do we hate? How have we responded in anger? How may we have repaid evil with further evil? How may we have condemned our enemies to Hell rather than praying for their repentance? And what prejudices do we hold against other people, both Muslim and non Muslim? Do we ourselves at times say or do things that provide further fuel to the burning hatred?

In the Holy Quran we are told to return evil with good, that evil and good are not equal, that good is better and good can turn our enemies into our closest friends:

"And not equal are the good [deed] and the evil [deed] . Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; then behold! the one who between you and him was enmity [will become] as though he is a devoted friend." HQ 41:34

But how can we return evil with good when we ourselves may be the victims of great injustice and pain? The next verse emphasises the importance of great patience:

"But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good]." HQ 41:35

I know that my Christian friends will be reading this post and thinking "hey, that's in the Bible,  Jesus preached the same thing" - and yes he did, for it's the same message. Here is just one instance (I know there are several - if anyone wants to add more to the comments feel free):

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." Peter 3:9

I pray that this Ramadan we all have the courage to look with honesty at ourselves and that we might all be blessed with the patience to respond to hatred, injustice and evil words and acts with something that is better.

Every day this holy month I hope to post a reflection on the topic of #SayNoToHatredYesToLove and I invite you to get involved too insha'Allah, more details on how you can do so are here.

#SayNoToHatredYesToLove : An Invitation

I wanted to do something special for the month of Ramadan, but I wasn't sure what. I felt the need to output something that would counteract the increasing hatred I am seeing on social media, especially since my tweets are full of atrocious acts of injustice. I prayed about it and then woke up the next morning with this tag on my mind: #SayNoToHatredYesToLove

As we come to see more and more acts of terrible violence across the world it is easy for our hearts to be consumed with hatred, but hatred destroys, whereas love can overcome hatred. One way we could promote love instead of giving in to hatred is by trying to understand our enemies and why they do what they do, despite our own pain, for example.

I shall be posting to this blog throughout Ramadan, insha'Allah, with thoughts, stories and videos that promote love over hatred. Perhaps you would like to contribute? If you would like to write a blog post, or a poem, or to send some artwork that I might add to this blog please email me jamilahanan1@gmail.com or you can tweet me @jamilahanan

I will also be tweeting to the #SayNoToHatredYesToLove Twitter tag and I hope you might join me there with your own tweets over this holy month of Ramadan.

ps. You don't have to be Muslim to get involved, this is an invitation to all.