Peace Through Personal Growth
by
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Preparation or Procrastination? This time Fatima got ready in five minutes. We really needed to talk about what had just transpired. We skipped going to the bank and bought some coffee and went to sit in the park on our favorite bench which fortunately was empty. We needed to clear our minds and try to digest what just happened. “My dear, I am extremely worried about Nasib. I am trembling with fear. Nasib is in great danger!” Fatima started to weep as she held my hand tightly with both her hands. She pressed my hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. It seemed as though the tears were overflowing from a deep lake of sadness. I had never seen her like that. I was tempted to console her, to tell her not to worry, that everything will be all right. But I knew that this was a very different, very disturbing event in our lives. “Fatima, I too am worried about Nasib. Indeed, he could be in danger. What I am even more worried about is that he could be a danger.” The park, like any natural setting, provides a calming environment. I asked her to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths. I did the same. When we opened our eyes, we felt calm, but the worries were still there. However, now we could progress from just worrying to taking action. “Fatima, let us spend a bit more time processing our worries. After that let us promise to use our energies to find solutions and start implementing them.” Fatima continued in a low voice, still weeping but now trembling as well. “My dear, Nasib is a gentle, caring, and intelligent son. We have raised him to always do good in the world. What is happening to him? What have they done to him? Why is he thinking like that?”
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About the Book
Have we become numb to the increasing frequency of terrorist acts? They seem to happen in other countries and do not affect us directly. There has been nothing to compare to the horrific magnitude of the 9/11 attacks, yet. But could something even more disastrous happen again? When? We feel helpless at events seemingly outside our control. But what if we could individually contribute towards collective peace? And what if we grow personally and prosper no matter what happens? This is a fictional story of the very wise Sheikh Umeed, the imam, living in New York, who has always been preaching for peace but discovers to his horror that his son has been involved with terrorist activities. We follow his experiences from initial shock and deep dismay to really trying to understand what drives ordinarily peaceful humans to extreme violence—to acknowledge injustice without condoning terrorism. He shares with us the lessons he learns along the way—how we can grow mentally and spiritually and live a life of peace and prosperity. How we can learn from the lessons the terrorists are unknowingly teaching us, the lessons we can teach to the terrorists, and the steps we and the terrorists can take to bring about lasting peace. Is there an end to mindless violence? Are we being buffeted by a terrible, passing storm, or are we in a never-ending upward spiral of violence? Is there daylight after the end of the world’s terrorist nightmare? In answering these questions, we have the opportunity to grow mentally and spiritually and leave a legacy of peace and prosperity.