As we mark the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we do so with solemn remembrance and spiritual reflection. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost in a single day, and countless more have been affected in the years since.

For Muslims around the world, this moment remains a painful reminder — not only of the tragedy itself, but of the moral distortions that followed.

The perpetrators of 9/11 claimed religious justification, yet their actions stood in direct contradiction to the teachings of Islam.

The Koran is clear: “Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:32)

Islam does not condone terror — it condemns it. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as “a mercy to the worlds” (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107), and his life exemplified compassion, restraint, and justice — even in the face of hostility.

The story of Prophet Muhammad and the people of Ta'if is one of the most profound examples of prophetic mercy, resilience, and emotional depth in Islamic history.

In the 10th year of prophethood — known as the Year of Grief — Prophet Muhammad had just lost two of his greatest supporters: his beloved wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib. With persecution intensifying in Mecca, he set out for Ta’if, a city nestled in the mountains southeast of Mecca, hoping its leaders might offer refuge and support for his mission.

He approached the chiefs of the Banu Thaqif tribe — three brothers named Habib, Mas'ud, and Abd Yalayl — and invited them to Islam. Instead of welcoming him, they mocked him cruelly and incited a mob to drive him out. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companion Zayd ibn Harithah were pelted with stones, wounded, and humiliated.

Bleeding and exhausted, the Prophet took refuge in an orchard owned by Utbah and Shaybah ibn Rabi’ah.

There, he made one of the most beautiful and vulnerable supplications ever recorded, one of mercy, not of revenge: “O Allah! To You alone I make complaint of my helplessness, the paucity of my resources and my insignificance before mankind … But if Your wrath does not fall on me, there is nothing for me to worry about. Yet Your mercy is more expansive for me.”

Then came a moment of divine intervention. Angel Jibril appeared, offering to destroy the people of Ta’if by crushing them between the mountains. But Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) refused.

He said: “No. I hope that Allah will bring forth from their descendants people who will worship Him alone.”

This was not weakness — it was prophetic strength. A mercy that transcended personal pain.

Years later, the people of Ta’if did embrace Islam. The Prophet’s prayer was answered — not through force, but through patience and grace.

His example remains a timeless lesson: that even in the face of rejection and cruelty, the path of mercy is the path of transformation.

In a world still grappling with vengeance, war, and injustice, the story of Ta’if reminds us that true leadership is not about retaliation — it’s about vision. It’s about believing in the possibility of change, even when it seems impossible.

It’s a story that belongs not just to history — but to every heart striving for justice with compassion.

This prophetic response stands in stark contrast to the vengeance that followed 9/11. Wars were waged in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond — wars that claimed hundreds of thousands of civilian lives, destabilised entire regions, and left behind generations of trauma.

The Koran warns: “And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively …” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:25)

The consequences of injustice are never contained — they ripple outward, affecting all. As Martin Luther King Jr echoed: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Today, wars and rumours of wars still rage. In Gaza, Sudan, Yemen — and in Ukraine. Muslims stand firmly against these injustices too. In Ukraine, Muslim chaplains and volunteers have offered humanitarian aid, spiritual support, and moral clarity amid the chaos.

Their presence affirms that Islam does not belong to the side of aggression — it belongs to the side of dignity, protection, and peace.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad said: “Beware of oppression, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection.” (Muslim)

Whether through bombs or silence, through policy or propaganda, injustice persists. And we, as Muslims, are called to stand against it.

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah …” (Surah An-Nisa 4:135)

This is not a passive role — it is a call to action. To speak truth when it is unpopular. To protect the vulnerable when it is inconvenient. To choose mercy when vengeance is easier.

Twenty-four years later, the scars of 9/11 remain. But so does the opportunity to heal. Let us recommit to the prophetic path — not of fear, but of faith. Not of silence, but of justice. And not of vengeance, but of mercy.

Let us be among those who build peace — not just in words, but in action. Let our homes be sanctuaries, our hearts be softened, and our hands be extended in service. Because true peace is not the absence of war — it is the presence of justice, the practice of mercy, and the courage to love in a wounded world.

Bermuda, let us remember to pray for those less fortunate than us and continue to raise our voices against the wars and genocide unfolding before our very eyes. Let us stand together in prayer and unity, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire.

In these trying times, may we also turn our attention inward — to care for and support one another within our own small but precious island community. The power to address and overcome our challenges lies within us. Unity, compassion, and collective action will carry us forward.

Bermuda, may your week be blessed, purposeful, and peaceful.

As-salaamu ‘alaikum — peace be upon you.

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah Team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam