During the Year of Sorrow, our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had gone through those days with courage, accepting all the mishaps as the fate of God the Almighty. Muhammad’s (pbuh) lament began by the departure of his beloved wife, Khadijah, relatively followed by his grandfather, Abu Talib whilst his son, Qasim wrapped up the agony. Indeed, Muhammad (pbuh) was a great leader by example, not letting his sadness gets over his prudent. Muhammad (pbuh) is a good example for all time, a blessing to all mankind.

For me, sadness comes by the end of Ramadan. This is the only month for Muslims to double up practices for a great amout of bounty, the month of which Satan, Demon and Genie are tied up, the month of which an ample opportunity to improve behaviours for the end of it is the blessing from God in Eid Fitr, a day to celebrate the triumph as we borne no sin, no wrath, anything in lieu of the injunction of God. The late Yasser Arafat, a Palestinian leader who passed away three days before Eid was also sad news. Citing intifadah and the struggle to liberate the Bail al-Maqdis, our first qiblat are so synonymous with Arafat. Arafat indeed was honoured for his effort towards Palestinians, glorified for his long lasting spirit and commemorated for his active role in the world stage of justice.

The death of Arafat brings sadness to Muslim world at certain point of view. Near left the soil the late Arafat had been struggling against Zionist, some Muslims in Iraq are in nightmare, probably having the break amid the bombing and gun-shooting atmosphere. Not to mention the newly breaking reports of some Muslims, allegedly shot to death in the mosque for a reason they were pretending died and they were the resident of Fallujah, a city which has a black remark for US troops. Muslims in Iraq are being tortured, humiliated the same as Muslims in Palestine and Deep South Thailand suffer. All these are sadness.

Alas, be it true or not, Muslims in Malaysia also died during Ramadan and Eid. The way they die is different as many of them get involved in road accident or ordinary reasons. Measures have been taken to curb the problems, yet the figure of casualty is fluctuating. The tragedy of the last year crash in Merapoh was very heartbreaking not to mention the latest of family-tragic mishap on the afternoon of the Eid somewhere in Sepang. Muslims in Malaysia struggle in a way of knowledge contribution, experience sharing and expertise exposure, which is commensurately similar to what Muslims in Middle East and Deep South Thai, are. Reward is in the hand of God for all these struggles and to go through such poignant is part and parcel of it.

Sad and happy, noisy and silent, day and night and the entire matching are written. Chances to turn up these ‘written-things’ are ample, provided efforts are out for something good. Whatever the fate is, it is only if it is endeavoured accordingly and so does the sadness. May God bless and forgive the livings, the deaths, heart and soul.