Fast For Gaza | Ejaz Naqvi MD

This Ramadan has been like never before for Muslims around the country. The month of Ramadan is typically celebrated for its immense blessings. It is a time to get closer to God, ask for forgiveness and yes, fasting. It is also a month of giving. Muslims traditionally open their hearts and pockets during this month.

This year feels different. I still feel the spiritual boost I get every Ramadan. I still feel the connection, and connectivity with God Almighty. I still recite the Qur’an. However, the heart feels heavy for what is happening across the globe in a far away land called Gaza. Far away but very close to the heart. The images of starving children, buildings destroyed by constant bombings, hospitals barely running and children wandering, and playing through the rubble. It looks like an Armageddon type of Hollywood movie destroyed by aliens. Except this one is real- innocent people being pulverized by incessant bombing by Israel despite the global calls for ceasefire and to end the genocide. Only one country can get away with genocide, war crimes and apartheid in 21st century. I can only imagine what the western reaction would have been if the roles were reversed: we would be assembling an international army and a coalition to attack the oppressor and the invading country, except we are actually helping the oppressor by providing military and political support. Shameless. Purely shameless.

How can we turn a blind eye to the cry of the innocent children and women? How can we turn away from over a hundred journalist being killed by Israel and no one seems to care of that in our own media. No one even talks about it. Never have we seen so many rescue team members, and UN team members being killed and no one seems to care or say anything about it-in America. Surely the world is watching and understands the gravity but we in the United States remain steadfast in our support of the aggressor.

Back to the fasting and Ramadan. While we feel good that after a long day’s fast, we will have delicious food waiting for us at the Iftar table, the people in Gaza are lucky if they even have a table or a roof over their head, let alone food, or water. The rescue efforts have been inadequate to say the least. There is a blockade of the relief work and what gets in is like a drop in the ocean.

This Ramadan, I am dedicating my fasting to the innocent people of Gaza. I may be thousand of miles away but my heart and mind are with the people of Gaza. Wish I was breaking my fast with them. You don’t have to be a Muslim to be fasting. A friend of my son in California is a Palestinian Christian and is doing solidarity fasts.