Several months ago, I was contacted by a mother whose daughter had been excluded from school and referred to Prevent for saying “Free Palestine”.
This is just one of many cases we see at Prevent Watch, some of which include young children being referred to counter-terrorism for questioning under Prevent, simply for expressing support for Palestine and Palestinians.
In this case, an academically bright and principled teenager who stood for what she believed in was being penalised by a school that should have been nurturing her growth, not silencing her voice.
This mother was upset and shocked by the lies that the school had told to cover their backs. She reached out to Prevent Watch for support and as I spoke to her on the phone she repeated the words:
“HasbunAllahu wa ni’ma al-wakeel” – translated as “Allah is enough for us, and He is the best disposer of our affairs.”
These words are a powerful dua (prayer) that has echoed throughout history, from Ibrahim (peace by upon him) as he was cast into the fire, to the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) after the Battle of Uhud when they were wounded and told to fear an even greater army.
In both cases, it signified absolute trust in Allah despite apparent defeat or danger.
This statement is often viewed as one of resignation, but in reality, it is a statement of power and strength.
The mother we supported was victorious in overturning the school’s decision to exclude her child, and we continue to support her in challenging the wider injustice against her daughter.
Her trust was coupled with action, and her courage came from the strength she drew from her faith.
During this month of Ramadan, we are reminded of the stories in the Quran and the power of words. These stories have been relayed to us to strengthen our hearts (as explained in Surah Hud 11:120).
At Prevent Watch, we are committed to helping families like this mother’s. With your support, we can continue empowering families to fight back, offering them the tools they need so they never have to face these battles alone.
Please donate to Prevent Watch today or consider setting up a monthly donation to stand with us in the fight for justice and support families in their time of need.
