Reflective Essay

The Difficult Times

Remembering the past brings back many memories. It was difficult living back then, yet we made the best out of it and pondering over the experiences I had, it has changed my perception on many things and has opened my mind to the world

During the Apartheid regime, we as individuals had to make many sacrifices. Nabi (SAW) has taught us by example that you should fight for what you believe in. By thinking of the sacrifices Nabi (SAW) made to establish Islam, has inspired me and that pulled me through the difficult times we had.

One of the most difficult parts of a South Africans life was the period when the dom-pass was put into motion. During this period, I learned the most. It showed me the true and sad part of the whites. They treated us like dogs. I remember campaigning against this law with many of my friends. I was locked up for three days. I learned to make sabr (patience) and it made me a stronger person. In prison I met many people of different cultures and religions and to see everyone uniting for one purpose which is fighting for freedom has changed my view on these people positively.

Stereotyping is a bad quality in a person and by going out into the world, and interacting with people opens your mind up. By myself stereotyping Hindu’s, for example, didn’t help me but just made me more ignorant but once I interacted with them, it broke the barrier between us. The quality of communication has been a major source in my life since then.

It is sad to think that people were discriminated and humiliated because of the colour of their skin. It is a shameless act and besides oppressing people, it has humiliated many people. I have personally witnessed them doing thinks like shocking people who are in the nude to make them give information. It kills a person’s dignity.

I pray that Allah saves us from oppression and may he make it easy for all our Muslim brothers around the world because we only know, from experience, what they are going through.