A Prayer for the Day commemorating and remembering the 25th anniversary of 9/11

This week Prayer for the day is commemorating and remembering the anniversary of 9/11 talking to people impacted and involved in the recovery work at the time and within communities in the 25 years since. With Vishavjit Singh - is an American Interdisciplinary Artist and founder of Sikhtoons.com

Good Morning.

The attacks of 9/11 in the United States were a moment of terror, vulnerability, grief, anger and communities coming together in service of humanity.

As a turbaned, bearded American and a practitioner of the Sikh* faith, I found myself targeted in the aftermath of this tragedy.

As we processed the incredible loss of life and its aftermath some of us fell prey to ignorance, intolerance and bigotry in the name of us versus them.

What came to my rescue was the kindness of strangers, coming up to me to ask “How are you?’, sometimes even giving me a hug.

And I took strength from this story from the 18th century.

Bhai Ghanaiyaa was a Sikh devotee during the time of the ninth and tenth living masters, Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent. During a battle between Sikh forces and the Mughal rulers of the day, Bhai Ghanaiyaa was often seen carrying a water container quenching the thirst of wounded soldiers from both sides at the battle of Anandpur Sahib in 1704. Some Sikh soldiers complained to Guru Gobind Singh who summoned Bhai Ghananiyaa asking him to explain his actions. Bhai Ghananiyaa humbly submitted that he saw the universal light in every living being as the Guru had talked about in their teachings. Guru Gobind Singh commended Bhai Ghanaiyaa for manifesting humanity in its truest form.

Bhai Ghananiyaa is my north star.

May we in moments of tragedy not succumb to and be guided by anger, division, stereotypes, and intolerance. But by kindness, fortitude, and a deep sense of justice to protect life from further violence and divisions.

*In India and in the Punjabi language, "Sikh" is pronounced like the English word "sick", but with a slight breath or rough texture on the kh sound at the end

All American spellings are intentional

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