1 year.
12 months.
365 days of brutal attacks from land and sky,
365 days of genocide.
 
A constant stream of cries and pleads that we see through our phones and tv screens,
Being fed lies by politicians and leaders who side with a man and a people that claim a non-existent “birthright” to a land that was never theirs to begin with.
Being led by politicians who make their voice the only one heard, saying they stand with and will fund genocide while the whole world screams for a ceasefire and for their leaders to open their eyes.
A constant stream of photos and videos that may seem gruesome to us, but in fact is the only way to show the truth of what these innocent men women and children experience day in and day out.
And I say men women and children because they are all innocent, and to leave out one group when asking for prayers or making a standpoint is an injustice in itself.
To the people of Gaza and Palestine I can only say sorry on behalf of the rest of the world who are screaming, praying and carrying your stories.
And also that we are ashamed of our so-called leaders that will lie through their teeth to want an end, but behind closed doors feed and fund the IDF through money and weapons that carry out your destruction.
I say to Gaza, Palestine and now to Lebanon and Syria, may God give you the strength to carry on, and grant those who have passed the status of a martyr.
They say if you are in Gaza, you die several times because an air strike could kill you and if not you’re “lucky to be alive”,
Because after the bomb dropped and the smoke cleared you find out that everyone around you have been murdered but you,
And after 365 days have passed and all you can think is when you’ll be next, so each night you pray to God, surround yourself with family that’s left and prepare to die.
Imagine that.
A child as young as 1 day old, knowing the wrath of a bomb, of an airstrike, a land infiltration, of a bullet from a trained killer.
Having children as young a 3 preparing themselves to die,
Saying its okay, they will be reunited with their parents – because the possibility of that reunion is better than living without them.
All of this could have been prevented,
If back in October a ceasefire happened, and the world recognised Israel’s intent to murder and wipe out a nation.
If back in November and December, the US and UK didn’t veto the 4 attempts for a ceasefire, because they were too busy being deluded by Israel and its lies.
To Biden, Harris, Trump, Sunak, Starmer, Braverman and to so many more who endorsed Netanyahu and his killing spree, know this: blood is on your hands,
Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian blood is on your hands.
The blood of over 60,000 innocent men, women and children, of journalists, doctors, teachers and nurses, of mothers, sisters, fathers, brothers and uncles, of those who have lived a life and those who had a life to live.
You killed them. In the name of the people you lead, you stood by and killed them.
So when you see us on the streets, on your phones and on your screens shouting for a FREE PALESTINE and not in our name, know that we wont stop until see it happen.
Whether it be in our lifetime or after, those who have been displaced from their homes will be able to return with their keys and see the land they love, the land they call home, returned to them.
Because while they fight for their lives daily, we will fight for their life overseas. We may not be related but we are all human, we all bleed, feel hurt, feel anger and injustice. So we will continue to fight back until you recognise that Palestinian life is worth the same as you and me.
 
It has been 1 year of pictures and videos of death and destruction from Gaza on our screens.
In actuality it has been 76 years since it all began with the Nakba of 1948.
So don’t believe the lies the media feeds you when they say “it began in 2023”.
 
 
Its been 76 years and 1 year.
76 years and 12 months.
76 years and 365 days of brutal attacks from land and sky,
76 years and 365 days of genocide.
 

​Assalamualaikum/Hello again...
 
It's been a while since my last post and for that I can only apologize,
I had been meaning to write a lot more and post at least once a month but life - in the form of studies- got in the way.
As it has been a few months since the last post, I thought a little life update would be a good place to start - especially as the new year is about to begin. You may be thinking, what could have happened or changed within the last few months that warrants a whole blog post? Well, let me give you a quick run-down of the situation:

1. I finished my 3 years in university and graduated with a degree in Psychology Alhamdulillah
2. I moved to a new city to undertake my Masters' degree - almost in my second semester now
3. I feel like I have made improvements to my general wellbeing and mentally feel as though have become a lot stronger than I once was.
4. As of this past October, I have completed one year in therapy - which was honestly a life changer (I have my sisters to thank for that)
5. One last thing, I made new friends on my current course who I truly get along with - which for some reason, was not sure would happen.

So yeah, a lot has changed in my opinion, and although these may not all seem like big advancements, they are a big step forward in my book to where I want to be. As for the year in general, I feel like its ending on a more positive one than it started off. That's not to say that it hasn't had its downhill moments, but I feel as though I came out on other side less marked by the bad than in previous years.

Going into this next year, I can only hope that I grow and gain more strength in all aspects of life, be it physically, mentally or religiously. I also pray that I keep a hold of the positive relationships that I have in my life. Whether that be family or friends (both old and new), I hope to strengthen these bonds.
 
As for what I want to achieve, that shall remain a secret. Just know I have goals that I want to reach - some may be done in the next year, some may take a little longer to achieve. As long as I get there, the timings don't matter as much. I hope you all have been well and have stayed safe this past year and I pray that you all achieve what you want and grow more as individuals in the coming year.
 
I'll stop rambling now and leave you there,
As always, stay safe and be healthy...
 
See you all next year Insha'Allah!

This blog was meant to be completed and posted yesterday after I heard the news but I was too lost for words that an extra day was needed to process and figure out how to deliver the news. If you haven't heard of what happened, yesterday it was announced that the Israeli government had finished building a 65km barrier along the border of Gaza - a construction that was publicly announced and started in around 2014 as an addition to an existing 700km wall around the West bank constructed privately in 2007.
 
This wall, part of which is pictured above, features a sensor-equipped underground wall as well as the one above ground, and a sea barrier to monitor any movement. It also includes watch towers which house remote controlled snipers and other weapons and camera systems to use against and monitor the already trapped Palestinian population who find themselves on the other side of the Gaza strip.
This new addition to the Israeli wall is just another way for the military and government to control and punish the region's 1.8 million Palestinian residents, who the Israeli government have held captive, mercilessly bombed (whether adult or child), and systematically impoverished throughout the 14 year blockade.



Diagram of the wall and what Israel has built around the entirety of the Gaza strip
​





In other words, Israel have just tested their military technologies on innocent and already suffering Palestinians who are trapped in, what is now the world's largest open-air prison.
The construction is another event added onto the ongoing Nakba, the forced expulsion and removal of Palestinians from their homes, from 1948 to the present day. Trapping and denying Palestinians access to basic human needs such as medicine, education, social services and farmland alongside using insane military power and resources, is the only way Israel to maintain its majority rule and occupation of Palestine. It also shows that the government, must be afraid of the Palestinian people and know what they are doing and have been doing is insane if the only way the government can feel in control and have the "upper hand" in this conflict, is by using and abusing their military power against a population that has essentially nothing.

The thing that gets me the most is that whilst this is happening, there are no reports in the western news about it. None of the countries with the power to stop this and talk sense into the Israeli prime minister are doing anything. Instead, they're sitting back and being friendly with Israel and its leader pure because they need resources such as oil. Silence is what is making this conflict worse and is what has let Israel get away with all of this for decades at this point - it can't keep going on if we still want to save the beautiful country and people of Palestine.

#SavePalestine always and forever until they are free from Israel. 

On the 3rd of March a Met Police officer by the name of Wayne Couzens murdered 33-year-old Sarah Everard as she was walking home from a friends house. On Thursday the 30th of October, a whole 7 months later, he was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes after he was found guilty of abduction and rape as well as murder. The response from the Met Police after these revelations were made is what boils my blood. As questions have been raised in the past about the safety of women surrounding men in general, we now have to add a fear of police men into the mix. The people who are meant to be out on the streets protecting us from harm are now ones we fear.
 
An interview held with a former senior Metropolitan Police chief superintendent said every police officer in the UK should be re-vetted. During an interview on the first day of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Boris Johnson dismissed the idea of re-examining the current police officers but instead backed the idea from the Met Police that if women are stopped by an officer that they do not trust, they are to 'wave down a bus' in order to get help. Other advice given was to shout, knock on doors and dial 999 - call police, who we don't trust, about an officer who we also do not trust. They (the Met) also suggested to resist arrest if you're unsure as to why its happening. Okay, so number 1, resisting arrest is against the law ( so they're suggesting we break the law to get help, makes sense) and number 2, if you happen to be an individual that isn't Caucasian, resisting or even questioning your arrest could get you killed (racism within the police system, but that's an issue for another blog)!

They have suggested all these rules for us women, but have mentioned nothing about reforming the policing system from the inside itself, or about reforming the hiring and disciplinary procedures in place to ensure that those who wear the badge and are on the streets won't repeat the actions of Wayne Couzens and many more policemen before him, as this isn't the first time something like this has occurred. Since 2010, there have been 750 police officers that have faced sexual misconduct allegations and only 83 of them were charged and removed from the force.

Furthermore, 2 of the officers that were in a group chat with Sarah Everard's murderer, where they shared racist and misogynistic content, are still on duty.

The response from the Met has further solidified the idea that when it comes to crimes police officers have conducted, the blame and responsibility of the actions is thrown back to the victims with the 'you could have done this'  mentality and failing to hold the individuals like Sarah's murderer accountable for their actions.
The failure of the Met and the government for that matter, to properly address and rectify the situation is just leading to the public further undermining the trust of the police and increasing the fears that if someone were to come forward, their attacker could go back to work, receiving nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

The war that has been happening in Afghanistan between the Taliban, US and the Afghanistan government has officially been going on for 20 years and hasn't slowed in the number of innocent civilian lives that it has claimed and displaced. Attacks by the Taliban and other armed groups have been directly targeting civilians and sites such as a maternity hospital and educational institutions that serve to educate girls. Women and girls continued to face violence, harassment and intimidation, as well as being hunted down to serve as sex-slaves for the Taliban militants, who then trade these widows and girls - who are between the ages of 15 and 40 - on the market in Pakistan as products. All of this being assisted by an agreement made between the US government and the Taliban in 2020, which further strengthened the Taliban's hold over the country. This has resulted in some 200,000 Afghans being displaced from their homes in 2021, being unable to seek refuge in countries such as the United States, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey and forced to return home. All the while, the US, who played a massive part in the start and continuation of the war, has withdrawn its troops from the country resulting in the Taliban controlling more parts of the country (currently controls 85%).
The Humanitarian Response Plan asked for $1.3 billion dollars to aid the 18 million people that are in extreme need of aid and assistance. However, they've only been funded to support 37% of those in need. The UK on Tuesday announced plans to accept 20,000 Afghan refugees in the coming years as part of a new resettlement program that will prioritise women, girls and religious and other minorities. Within the first year of said program, 5,000 people would be resettled in the UK. This plan is separate to the efforts to grant interpreters and other staff who worked with UK officials and forces in Afghanistan the right to live in the UK.
In times of oppression and injustice, I urge you all to not remain silent and raise awareness by sharing and reposting tweets or stories about the current situation in Afghanistan. Use your platforms to speak out against the injustices and violations of human rights that are happening on a daily basis to numerous people. If you feel that you're not educated enough or know enough about the situation, donate to charities that are providing aid to those people that are in dire need.

I will provide links for some charities below as well as a link to an overview of the situation of you wish to read about it some more;
UN Crisis Relief for Afghanistan -
https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/donate-and-help-protect-children-in-afghanistan/ gclid=CjwKCAjw64eJBhAGEiwABr9o2OnBTaUBwJFSmYTSSX06bvkYNR6Sz6X0C3v8lK8hjpdzgZ3Pox6JWhoCrcIQAvD_BwE
Action Aid -
https://www.actionaid.org.uk/donate/emergency/afghanistan-appeal?CjwKCAjw64eJBhAGEiwABr9o2KYOjn2Y1pGEwMh7uCCK1R9EC4dSKaB_1nE77jXse8aYOJ_Fc-PhuhoCOzUQAvD_BwE
Al Jazeera Article -
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/18/which-countries-will-take-in-afghan-refugees-and-how-many

Hope you all keep well and safe and I pray to God to keep all of our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan safe and give them the strength they need to continue fighting until the day this is all over Insha Allah.
 

As a part of raising awareness and bringing an end to the Israeli occupation and violence towards Palestine and Gaza, on the 29th of May, people in Bristol - myself and my sisters included- decided to partake in a convoy for Palestine. It was a driving protest to make noise and bring peoples attention to the situation that is going on, and that has been going on for several years. It was my first time ever partaking in something like this and, although it didn't require a lot of work, the feeling I got from being a part of something bigger that was catching peoples attention as we drove through the city, is one I will never forget. Just the idea that this was the start of a movement to bring a change to the mindsets of people in the city, and that this could hopefully wake the leaders of the world up as this protest wasn't the only one. There are protests in solidarity with Palestine in London, Scotland, USA, and countries all around the world.
All presenting as one body in the convoy as we drove, cycled and rode through the city waving our flags, showing our banners and shouting FREE PALESTINE!

As we neared the end of the protest, before circling back through the city, we parked up on the grass of Clifton Downs, lit flares, had speeches and chanted FREE PALESTINE for everyone around to hear - brought attention and led to some asking what the protest was about.

All in all, it was a successful convoy, the first of hopefully many to come. It achieved what it set out to do and was met by acceptance from the members of public. It was a peaceful way to bring about change and awareness to Palestine and hopefully inspired people to educate themselves on the issue at hand - if not already aware of the situation. Something that was probably a highlight for me personally was seeing people of all ages who were not a part of the convoy, coming out from their houses to clap or to wave a Palestinian flag or their banners in support of Palestine. Or for members of the public in cars, pressing their car horns to make noise with us when they passed by.
One final thing before I end this, the fact that there are people from all around the world, of different religious and ethnic backgrounds coming together for a change shows that this is not a Muslim or Islam issue as some believe it is, it is a HUMAN issue. People coming together in large amounts to shout and protest or retweeting/reposting whatever it may be, to bring attention to this shows that we won't stop until there is justice for the people of Gaza, there will be no peace until Palestine is free.

Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy and FREE PALESTINE!
 

I would like to start off by saying that its taken me this long to create a post on this situation because I've been trying to wrap my head around the situation.
 
As a result of an Israeli court ruling, Palestinian families have been forced out of their homes and onto the streets in Sheikh Jarrah (East Jerusalem) to allow for Israeli families and individuals to live in their homes.
During the last ten days of Ramadan, when people were gathered at Masjid al Aqsa, the Israeli army attacked Palestinians who were praying with rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas as well as setting places outside the mosque on fire then celebrating afterwards. Also, 1/4 of the casualties as a result of these attacks on Palestine have been children, families saying they'll sleep in the same room every night in case a rocket strikes so that none of them are left alone mourning for each other. The Israeli army using rocket strikes and bombs as a retaliation against Palestinians who were protecting their families and homes, saying that 'they are getting violent and started the conflict' when it was the Israelis who struck first. Not only that but the Israeli army get $3.8 billion a year from the US in military aid, allowing for the army to equip themselves with all the ammunition they need to attack and keep attacking Palestine and its people.
And yet, somehow, with all this going on, the people in power, leaders of countries, politicians, celebrities etc are not using their platforms to speak up. Why are the people with the loudest voices the ones choosing not to amplify the cause or to spread the word? It is now up to us to come together to spread awareness, protest and fight for justice until Palestine gets its freedom and to save the residents of Sheikh Jarrah - both those forced out and those fearing they'll be next. We won't rest until Palestine is free from this nightmare.



Speaking up about the injustices that the Palestinian people are facing isn't an Islamic or religious issue, there are Palestinians of all religions being persecuted and killed... it is a human issue. Anyone against the liberation and freedom of Palestine and its people, is condoning an ethnic cleansing and genocide. Also, simply sitting back, even though you don't agree with what's happening to Palestine and its people is just as bad. There is no excuse to not help - you can speak out about the matter, and if you feel you're not in the position to do so, you can repost vidoes, tweets, articles etc and donate to charities and causes to help with emergency aid for the people in Palestine and Gaza. Everything you do helps get us closer to freeing Palestine from the Israeli occupation.

I've provided a link below that you can donate to to help fund the aid, as well as a link to petitions you can sign:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gaza-emergencya
https://www.justgiving.com/page/sumayah-jilani-1704498123614 
https://helppalestine.carrd.co/

I would also like to state that there should not be any hate sent towards Jewish people, its not them but Israel that we are fighting against.... there are so many Jewish people who are against what Israel is doing and who stand with Palestine and its people.. if you are sending hate to Jewish people as a whole you are missing the point.... ITS ANTI-ZIONISM NOT ANTISEMITISM!

#FREEPALESTINE #SAVESHEIKHJARRAH
 

As I am nearing the end of my second year of university inshaAllah, I have been looking back at the past few years and realised how far I have come. Yes these past few years have been full of its ups and downs, but these trials and tests that have happened, only made me into the person I am today. I look at 2019 me and realised how much i have grown, not just academically or mentally, but also in my faith. Being put through hardships or stresses of university life made me strengthen my relationship with Allah and my faith, as I realised that Allah tests us with what we can handle and nothing more. The pandemic also allowed me to strengthen my relationship with my sisters both as a group dynamic and individually, as I quarantined with them throughout the summer and first lockdown. I am extremely grateful that I had this time with them as I feel that we have grown closer as a group and I am beginning to be more open about things which they helped me with.

Also, I have grown more independently and have started to fully enjoy my own company, slowly building myself up to go on a mini outing by myself one day soon iA. Being in quarantine, especially since mid/the end of January, has allowed me to truly begin my own journey to self-love and acceptance for who I am, flaws and all. Through doing so, I have uncovered some of my passions and hobbies that I am pursuing for me, this blog being one of them. Honestly speaking, I don't think I would be the person I am today without having this pandemic occur. So, although I am truly ready for it to be over soon and for everyone to be healthy once again iA, I am thankful in that my relationships - with Allah and my family/sisters, have been strengthened, as well as my relationship with myself is becoming a more positive and stronger one.

As one of my favourite quotes says - "you have to be a friend to yourself first before anyone else", which is something that this past year has allowed me to start doing. I hope that these past years have been as beneficial to you as they have for me and that you all stay happy and healthy until we meet in my next post inshaAllah.
 
 

We live in a society that claims to want change
But when the opportunity arises
Does enough to get passed the moment
Then it all subsides back to ‘normality’
That’s what is messed up about this reality
Is that when an individual of colour gets hurt or dies
At the hand of the ‘superior’ white person
It takes a video to be believed and a protest to get justice
But if it were to be the other way around
And the roles to were to be reversed
Two seconds wouldn’t have even gone by before justice was found
Before an arrest was made
No questions asked just actions
So why is it when it’s an unarmed innocent black person (or any other BAME individual)
Our police – the system designed to keep us safe
Are the ones that do the killing?
Is it because they see the skin colour as a weapon?
Because they’re so caught up about what they believe should happen that they blank out what is actually happening
This is why we need the change
We cannot let the cause die out after a few weeks of protests
If we do that’s how they win
And the never-ending cycle restarts
We cannot stand aside and let there be another George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery
And now Daunte Wright - shot by a policeman who claimed to not know the difference between a taser and a gun and Adam Toledo - a 13 year old boy who police claims was armed but wasn't, now join the endless list of innocent lives cut short by the police
We have to be the ones to carry on the change
To make this world a better place for generations to come
So we can truly say that All Lives Matter

Before I start, I just want to apologise for the lack of posting. The reason being having deadlines for assignments as well as general internet issues. As a result, this post will be a much lighter post as I feel it is needed especially in the recent climate. What is this post you may ask? Well, by looking at the title, I thought it would be a good idea to give you a little insight into the type of person I am by revealing a few aspirations and/or goals that I have on my bucket list.
​
First things first, I believe that everyone should have a bucket list or a set of goals that they wish to achieve in this lifetime or by a certain age. It doesn't have to be formal or anything grandiose per say, but just a few things that would make you proud of achieving when looking back at your life. For me personally, my list is made up of academic/occupational goals as well as travel plans both big and small. Okay, enough with the waffling, lets get into some of the things that I hope to achieve one day InshaAllah (IA).

• Number 1: Get my degree in Psychology

Okay so this one I am currently close to achieving IA if everything goes smoothly at the end of this year and next year. I say this as I am currently nearing the end of my second year in university. So hopefully, it is a successful year and the next academic year ends with me graduating IA.

• Number 2: Go on a road trip with my best friend

As I have mentioned in a previous post, me and my best friend have been planning a road trip to go on in the summer of this year if and when it is safe to do so. I'm kind of hoping that when all the restrictions in the UK are lifted, that people don't go crazy so that this trip can actually happen. These plans have been in the making, ever since she got her licence around 3 years ago, but haven't happened due to A levels and then us going to universities 5 hours away from each other (me going to Bristol and her to one in North Wales). As you can probably tell, we both really want this to happen this year if possible so here's hoping everything goes smoothly this summer IA.

• Number 3: Tour of / visit the 3 main Mosques in Islam

As a Muslim there are 3 main mosques that hold a big significance in Islam. These are the Masjid Al-Nabawi in Madinah, Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid Al Aqsa ( also known as Baytul Maqdis) in Palestine. I have visited both Masjid Al-Nabawi and Masjid Al-Haram when visiting Saudi Arabia for Umrah (religious pilgrimage) but have yet to see and visit Masjid Al-Aqsa. It has always been a big dream of mine since I can remember to visit all three in the same trip as my parents have done.

• Number 5: Travel all around the world

For this last one, I've decided to just merge many of my ideas into one point otherwise we could be here all day. I have always had a dream to either go backpacking around the world or go on numerous tours each within a different continent. For example, one of the trips that I would love to do would be to go to both South Korea and then New Zealand with my sister. This being as we both love (but her more so I believe) the South Korean culture and I want to visit many sites of New Zealand including the Dark Sky Project at Lake Tekapo.
Saying this, I do in fact have a serious phobia of flying and planes in general, and have done for many years. How I plan to get over said phobia is a current work in progress. Maybe that should be one of my things on my bucket list eh? Ah well once I get over this phobia (hopefully sometime soon inshaAllah) the world best watch out as I plan on visiting as many countries as I can IA.

I hope this gave you inspiration on things to add to your already existing bucket list, or has given you a reason as to why you should make one. As I said, what goes on your list is completely up to you and doesn't have to be anything extreme. It just has to be something you want to achieve in future. Or, if you don't want to make one/already have one made, I hope this has given you something light or different to read today to distract you from the madness that is the current state of society.

This has been me so I shall leave you now until my next post.
As always, I hope your day is a good and productive one filled with happiness and doing what you love.
Stay happy and safe until we meet again.