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It is Day Seven today. Since the news first broke out, so many thoughts went through my mind. The first and most important thought was - did I know anyone on board? Alhamdulillah none of my immediate family members and friends were on that particular flight. My cousin, who is a steward, was on the same flight exactly the week before, and my father-in-law was also on the same flight just several days before. I had friends of friends, acquaintances, who were on that tragic flight, and I honestly cannot even begin to describe how I feel for them, for their families, and for the rest of the souls that are related to those who were on board.
To be honest, I'm deeply saddened that I cannot even bear to read all the news spread in detail. I see constant shares and updates on Twitter and Facebook, and at most I can only read the headline or news title. Some of the news are so disturbing, and some of the comments are simply insensitive and disgusting. A lot of selfish people also seem to take advantage of the situation, which really leaves me in awe thinking how, or rather why, would they act they way they did. It just does not make sense.
In addition, the conspiracy theories are scary. They may simply be theories, but some theories do seem to have a very logical explanation. As humans, we are naïve, we want to believe what we want to believe, and we are complex creatures with too many characteristics. It is impossible for us to read other people's minds, and we can only hope and pray that come what may, the Great One up there will protect us from harm.
As a believer, my only solace is knowing that everything happens for a reason - and no one knows the reason but Him. If He says be, then it is. Even if the cause seems to be human intelligence, it still would not have happened if He hadn't willed for it to happen. And of course, there are many other ayat in the Quran which have repeatedly mentioned about disasters and calamities, and how it is only those who truly think will see that it is a time to reflect.
I guess we may remain puzzled and clueless for a very long time. We may be under attack, we may not be. We may come out of this with a sore victory, we may be buried to the ground for our own wrong doings. I guess my point is - we just don't know. The authorities don't know. All we can do (and I'm sure everyone involved in the rescue mission too) is to make the best of the situation. I just wish the rest of the world would stop making assumptions, stop spreading fitnah, and stop saying unpleasant things, at least for the sake of the families involved. They are already hurting so much, please don't add to their suffering.
And as for the rest of us, let's just pray. There are too many things to pray for. Let's just pray.
Pray for the crew and passengers - for them to be at peace wherever they are.
Pray for their families - for them to have patience and faith.
Pray for those involved with search and rescue - for them to have strength and perseverance to carry out their duties.
Pray for our country - this is a difficult, trial time for all of us, with the drought, the haze, the epidemic, the political situations, and this first-in-the-world missing flight - we simply have too many things to pray for.
Let's just pray.
