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When I first learnt about Shamima, I was filled with anger, and I could not bear her sight or story. The atrocities and the pain of the victims in the UK, Syria, and every region “DAESH” touched with their ideology was seen on our television screens. Horrendous to say the least.
I still cannot reconcile Shamima’s religious beliefs with “DAESH”.
So, why should Boris Johnson read my open letter to Shamima Begum on LinkedIn saying, “Shamima, I am SORRY”. I want his government to see Shamima Begum differently and to reflect deeply on these three (3) words that identify us as a nation: Justice, mercy and resilience.
Who is Shamima Begum?
Shamima was born in England to parents of Bangladeshi heritage. She comes from a devote Muslim home and was raised as a Muslim.
At 15 years of age, Shamima left the UK in February 2015 with her two school friends (female) – Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana to Syria en route to Turkey to join DAESH. She lived in Raqqa, the then headquarters of DAESH.
She married a Dutch National, Yago Riedijk after arriving in Syria still at 15 years of age. Shamima gave birth to three children all of whom died young. The youngest was born in the refugee camp that housed Shamima in February 2019.
Shamima’s friend, Kadiza Sultana, is reported to have lost her life while the fate of her other friend Amira Abase is uncertain, some reports claim she is late.
An initial Court of Appeal ruling in the UK ( 15th July 2020) said Shamima could return to the UK to contest the UK’s government’s decision to rescind her UK citizenship. However, on the 26th of February 2021, the UK’s Supreme Court set aside that decision in favour of the UK’s governments position.
Shamima presently lives in a refugee camp located in the Southern outskirts of al-Hawl, Northern Syria.
My letter to Shamima Begum on LinkedIn
I wanted to reach out to the UK government via LinkedIn on Shamima Begum’s behalf. I also wanted to convey my heartfelt stance to Shamima.
This letter from where an edited version was posted on LinkedIn, is directed first at Shamima and then the UK government of Boris Johnson.
The Letter
WHY Shamima.
My questions had so many Why’s.
I asked myself, why would a teenage girl leave the comforts of her family in England to join a barbaric cult by the name ISIS/DAESH.
Why would a teenage girl, educated in the UK, come to accept that killing those who don't share her faith is Godly.
Why would a teenage girl who experienced family affection accept an ideology that inflicts pain and misery on innocent families in Syria and undertook the enslavement and murder of Yazidi women to be just and right?
I screamed at your first interview after your "smirk" reply about the barbaric incident perpetrated by a fool in the Manchester arena, Manchester, England.
I shut my ears and eventually my heart to any reason you could ever give for your own pain. I shoved all your reasons aside for mercy and said:
You knew what you were getting into.
You believed and supported the pain inflicted on the citizens in Syria by fools.
You decided your future when you left the shores of the United Kingdom. You made your new ideology your new home, peace, comfort and unfortunately your life pursuit.
You were reasonable enough to take the side of those who were less than animals; you should be brave to deal with the consequences. You are now lying on the bed you made for yourself.
You knew the risk involved but decided that the maltreatment and death of others was a better choice for you in life.
Like so many others in the UK, the mention of your name:
Leaves a bitter taste.
Stirs up anger and disgust.
Is synonymous with wickedness and the loss of life which your ideology can never bring back to grieving families.
Is a remembrance of the wicked acts you believed in, which many still hold and adhere to as faith and truth.
But with tears dripping from my heart, Shamima, I was wrong.
How did I allow your wickedness and those you supported to make my heart grow cold to never make room for mercy?
I became self-righteous and stood as a tyrant to punish your bad decisions as a 17-year-old daughter.
How did I forget so quickly that I am a child of mercy, one who had received mercy and forgiveness unconditionally from our Heavenly Father?
How did I get to the point where your actions were louder than the one resident in me, LOVE?
How did I arrive at a place where I held the door against your present cry for mercy?
How could I genuinely have a conversation with my heavenly loving father while at the same time I have my knees on your throat in judgement?
Shamima, I am sorry.
I mistreated you in your pain.
I looked with scorn at your tears.
I did not even give you the dignity I would afford animals in my heart.
I regrettably laughed on my inside as you begged for mercy.
I passed by you without ever considering I was once like that to my Heavenly Father.
I was wicked; evil and everything about me demanded a painful journey on earth and an eternity of pain. Yet he died in my place and offered me freely, His forgiveness.
Shamima, I hope I am not too late.
Shamima, I hope the United Kingdom is not too late.
May mercy rule over judgement in your case.
I do not claim to have all the answers, but I know you want to be back home.
I know many will scream that you accepted the plunder of many people’s homes and the death of their family members in the past and now you cry for mercy at the time of your own pain and suffering.
Many will consider me a simpleton and one without a good reason for judging a person’s character. I would agree with their sentiments but let Shamima come home to face the legal consequences in the UK.
I can no longer pretend to be true to my heavenly father’s grace and mercy toward me and at the same time shut Shamima out of our discourse in her plea for mercy.
This is my father’s Love for me.
This is the working of His grace in me.
Bring her home and let her serve the legally prescribed jail time for her offences but we must never allow our hearts to grow cold to laugh at the pain of others including Shamima.
Bring Shamima home
I do not have the legal acumen to argue her case, but Shamima was born in the UK and was a UK citizen until her nationality was revoked by the UK government.
Many will present their legal arguments but at this point, the Supremes’ Court decision appears to have closed that chapter.
I call and appeal to the present Tory government of Boris Johnson, let compassion and mercy rule over your initial stance to revoke Shamima Begun's UK citizenship. It is not political weakness neither should it be considered as reckless, uncaring, or insensitive of the nature of Shamima’s offence.
No. I will not even argue that you “do the right thing”. No.
I appeal “Please do the heart thing” regarding the present state of Shamima. Please allow Shamima back in the UK to face justice.
My wife constantly reminds me that love looks like something. Love is not empty words or promises.
Love for mankind was the price paid on the cross.
Love demands we act for the well being of ourselves, neighbours and nation.
Shamima is more than a neighbour. She is ours. As a community, Shamima is our daughter.
Love for Shamima looks like this:
Shamima’s UK citizenship is restored and allowed home to face justice for her actions with DAESH.
Shamima. I am SORRY.
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