Venceremos! We shall overcome

My dear Ali:

After the audacious bomb attack on that much-loved icon of Islamabad, the late lamented Marriott, there is so much to say in such little space that I must be crisp.

Never lose hope. Lose hope and you've lost the war. It's surrender. Muslims never surrender. Marriott's owner, stoic and dignified in the face of tragedy and loss - grace under pressure - set the example in self-confidence: "We will rebuild it fast." Thus the terrorists won't win. There's a solution to everything. Think straight and re-think straight, unemotionally, rationally and ruthlessly. motto was Venceremos - "We shall overcome." Add that to our motto, "There is no god but Allah" and you cannot lose, because in saying this you make a Covenant with Allah to obey His commands. Break His Covenant and break yourself.

Because Unity is central to Islam, unity has to be the fulcrum of our national life. God is Unity: La Illaha Il Allah - "There is no god but Allah." Now if we truly believe in the Unity of God, does it not naturally follow then that we too must unite and become one? We are His greatest creation. He blew His own spirit into Adam, which means that his progeny's souls are God's spirit. Which is why He says, "I am closer to you than your jugular." He gave Adam knowledge that has been transmitted down to us in our genes. He gave us free will to make choices between right and wrong. He made us His vicegerents on earth. Is it then not incumbent upon us to emulate God and unite? With unity we're winners. Without unity we're nothing. We don't stand a chance. Without unity we are Muslims in name only, by accident of birth, by dogma and ritual.