There are a lot of places I’ve been, some that you have travelled along with me through my writing here, and then there’s Palestine.
I’ve never been afraid to go somewhere, but for reasons that are probably obvious to you, going to Palestine was scary. There’s the reality of Israel’s genocide of Palestinian people, there’s the suffering from the war, and there’t the ongoing occupation of Israeli Zionist forces int he holy land, All of this is ugly, But, in the midst of it all, there is still Jerusalem, There is still Allah and Islam and the Muslim people and those who love Jesus and all the prophets along with us, though in different ways – what I’m saying is the place is still holy.
Jerusalem is beautiful as are the Palestinian people. Going there and being with the people and in the tradition and footsteps of so many spiritual guides was a love and desire I’ve had pulling at me since the top of the year, but also a fear I had to get over.
Right at the end of 2025, I received an invitation. Invitations come in the form of people, but the real invitation to the holy land is only from Allah. I was excited and amazed and just short of overwhelmed at the realization that I was being chosen for a great journey; one that would require courage and conviction and focus.
There were people who had gone to Palestine who told me they had been detained, harassed, threatened etc. and we’ve seen our brothers and sisters who’ve gone there to bring aid to Gazans who were beaten and abused. We’ve seen the Palestinians being shot at by Zionist forces, and murdered, b0mbed and under the rubble of collapsed buildings. The genocide in Palestine is happening and I had to get over my fear to visit this holy place and greet the people as an Muslima and American, and Afro-Caribbean.
I don’t like to be scared because I understand what fear is.
Fear is a far distant place from the reality of who God is and it is an empowerment for people with God complexes, more simply stated, fear empowers evil.
And I don’t like evil.
So, I had to get over my fear, because I don’t worship false Gods.
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّٰهِ
La hawla wala quwwata illa billah
(There is no might or power except God)
I prayed istikhara and meditated and then I felt inspired and clear and sure and then confident and focused. And, I went! I went to Palestine, all the way to Jerusalem, to Jericho, to Bethlehem, to Hebron… (passing the IDF and a ridiculous amount of check points along the way) to the Dome of the Rock, Masjid Al Aqsa, The Church of Nativity, The Holy Sepulchre, Via Dolorosa… we walked it, we prayed there, we were in the holyland!!!
Alhumdulilah.
Here’s a pic of my first big moment at Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem. It was all worth it.
My message to you from our Palestinian brothers and sisters is visit them!
Yes, some of us asked our Palestinian brothers and sisters, what more can we do?… their answer again, is to visit them.
Visiting and being with other people – sharing air, sharing food, sharing stories, sharing knowledge, sharing energy, sharing prayers… it is one of the most caring, loving, honoring and deeply human things we can do.
Though oppressed every day by Zionist forces, Palestinians are also elevated and privileged and aware and generously hospitable as the keepers of one of the most holy places in the world.
And, we are privileged to be able to come and go.
The only thing blocking so many of us is fear. So, this year… I want us to reflect on what and who it is that really has the power, feel empowered and not to give that power over to anyone else.
Overcome your fears.
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّٰهِ
La hawla wala quwwata illa billah
(There is no might or power except God)
I had a beautiful journey to Palestine and back. Alhumdulilah.
Please remember that the same God that watched over me is watching over you too.
I look forward to sharing more about my journey to Palestine with you this month.
Below is a picture of me and my group with the Afro-Palestinian community at their cultural center in Jerusalem.
