Re: growing activism

Salaams Brothers and Sisters,
   as a life long activist and particularly as a Palestinian human rights activist I agree that the ultimate knwoledge of what we do is within our own hearts and with Allah. 
 On a practical level though I can see that the work of many of our organizations have in fact made enormous changes. This we have been able to measure in many ways. As for Al-Awda- The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, we can have been able to see how our actvism has succeeded. When we ( under tweny people) decided to embark on this endeavor we knew that is would be hard work. That the ROR issue had been on the backburner for many years. There are so many ways we can measure our concrete success on the ground in Palestine to the New York Times, to our teach ins and to the refugee suppport work , where we can tanglibly see the benefits . There is also the out growth of new activist organizations on the grassroots level , that have been created withing our network. I could name  these but this would be lengthy.
  There are so many tanglible ways to see progress and yet their are times that you are taking one step forward and three steps back. Interpersonal issue also play a major part in grassrrots work. The ummah, the people you work with  and for day in and out, the relationships one builds , even through disagreement. These are all tanglible results. A refugee camp with all new computers, A medical clinic with a steady supply of medicines and volunteers, Mothers and children with new clothing and schoolbooks. The numerous debates that one can arrouse, debates that put the isssues on the forefront. I could go on.
 Sacrifice is the hard work, Soemtimes it seems it is possible to gauge my efforts as successes ulitmately because I loose something, or give it upin the process.Like a home , or a car, or an income, or the ability to meet your own personal needs. This can lead to despair , but when one sits in contemplation, or reads the Qu'ran, or while praying, or talking to my 16 year old son who is going ot Hait in a few days to build homes,,,, i personally can see that it is part of a plan. This is what the shahudda (martyrs ) do for the noble cause. Relinqishes a life or personhood for the good of a Higher Cause. But one must also recognize when it is Not beneficial to anything LOL.
 
But sometimes results can not be measured at all, one must put ones faith  in the knowledge that in each moment you can look youself in the mirror and say I did what I could with what I had, I did not do nothing. I am not an accomplice in the injustice by inaction.
and on our final day be able to say that to our Lord and Sustainer.
 
I will say though that with all great and small ways one can measure one's success or find value in one's actions is in the simplest of things. In a smile form a woman in a refugee camp just passing by, or a small gift from a seller in the market because he read something you wrote or by the simple  garteful look and Shukran ( thank you ) from a man digging in the garbage for food when you hand him some food,  a dinar or a dollar or bring him dates on Eid. Or really by a simple e-mail or messsage of thanks from a man or women unknown to you, in the middle of an bombing attack in a city like Nablus or Gaza City, or a quake shattered city in Iran or a brother who is locked up in INS custody ,,,that leaves you with no words except... LA ( NO).. THANK YOU. 
 
In Solidarity... Al'hamdulillah
Rima 

Afdhere Jama <[email protected]> wrote:





salam,

i think it is something that we do for our own peace of mind. whatever i do, i do honestly. at the end of the day, that is all that matters to me because i know the divine knows my heart. we are all going to encounter those who will tell us "your approach is wrong" and we are all going to wonder "is it enough?" "does it matter?" or what have you but it is important to remember that first and for most, it is for ourselves; our humanity, our world, our peace. 

in somali, we say "thorns, whether you pick them up or drag them, they get home" (i.e, it doesn't matter how it gets there.) the point is-- if you help one person, you help the world. it may not seem 'noticable' but it definitely matters. and the same is true for collective help. for example, the millions of people around the world who protested the war on iraq, it may seem their voice did not matter but it certainly matters to the iraqi people who feel at least the world didn't go along with their occupation. sometimes, i think, the best help one can offer is to say "i feel your pain." 



afdhere

Afdhere Jama 
Editorial Director 
HURIYAH Publications 
S A N F R A N C I S C O 
[email protected]
http://www.huriyahmag.com
 
>From: "Vana Lopez" >To: 
>Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:55 AM >Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] growing activism > > > > Salaam, > > > > I am wondering how those of you who are activists on a > > large(r) level know when what you are doing is > > useful/working? I'm coming at this from the > > perspective of the smallest. Give 1 person some food > > & he is not hungry for a day, shelter and not out in > > the elements for the night. It is very clear what is > > working at that level. it is easy to see if someone > > stops drinking or stops using drugs. it is easy to see > > if someone hasn't killed themself. > > > > As the target of the activist increases past the very > > small, how do you know if your meetings, speeches, > > protests, etc., are doing any good? How do you > > measure it? Is it a "feeling" thing? Is it a level of > > opposing intensity measurement? Is it the > > acknowledgment of othe
 rs like yourself? > > > > I see this as somewhat separate from the "do the right > > thing" need
 that we probably all have in that I think > > that the "right thing" is irrespective of > > outcome--more of us having a whiff maybe of what God > > has put us here on earth to do. > > wondering, Vana > > > > _______________________________________________ > > ProgressiveMuslims mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://willo.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims > > > >_______________________________________________ >ProgressiveMuslims mailing list >[email protected] >http://willo.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims 



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