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In the end, what matters is how you treated your loved ones and the people you met, and how you worked to make their lives better.

July 19, 2024
Blog 12: The Blue Mosque of Istanbul
By Shahid Ahmed

It was a summer midnight in Istanbul. The cool wind from the Bosporus felt great. I was relaxed, almost intoxicated, with the slightly exposed and lighted minaret in the background, the deep silence, and the solitude.

This place has a lot of history behind it, some 2,500 years of history, and thousands of years of prehistory—an amalgamation of culture and religion reflected in everything here. They built churches, then converted them to mosques, then museums—all with continuous upgrades—in various sequences over centuries. But they never destroyed a church or a mosque. The ongoing battleground never translated to utter hatred. Brave fighters respected each other.

The overtaking of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet II, also known as Mehmet the Conqueror, was a remarkable point in history. By using innovative military strategies and advanced artillery, the Ottomans breached the formidable walls of the city after a 53-day siege. Upon capturing Constantinople, they established it as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and renaming it Istanbul. This conquest not only marked the end of the Byzantine Empire but also heralded a new era of Islamic influence and cultural renaissance in the region. The Hagia Sophia, a grand church, was converted into a mosque, symbolizing the profound transformation of the city.

I chose a narrow, cobbled street next to the mosque, going towards the back of it. I kept going for about 20 minutes, then the area opened up. The majesty of the fully lighted mosque appeared in its full glory.

The rivals, no doubt, had skills. The buildings looked grand and alive, the mosaics were intricate, and the experience of just being there was unreal.

During the day, I prayed Asar and just sat there on the plush carpet for a few minutes, thinking about what these people were really like. Muslims or Christians, they were dedicated to upholding their religion. The kings motivated their subjects in the name of preserving or expanding their faith, which allowed them uncontested and vast power and wealth.

I stood mesmerized in complete silence, except for the white birds flying over the dome, reflecting the light going up the dome.

The soldiers had their own reasons for the ferocious fights—the recognition of winning or the rewards of heaven after death. The four major crusades and countless smaller ones are testaments to their commitment.

In the end, unlike Spain, Muslims continued to exist—to this date, as Islamic culture deeply penetrated Turkish culture for more than a millennium.

I backtracked my path. Unremarkable tiny houses dominate the back of the mosque. Do the inhabitants realize the historic importance of the place where they sleep every day?

July 13, 2024
Blog 8: Thriving in the Long-Term
My 15th Visit to Bangladesh
By Shahid Ahmed

In the short term, a person or an organization may not be doing well and may be bogged down in survival mode. The long-term approach to thrive may be far from their mind.

However, without a long-term vision and strategy, they may find themselves in perpetual crisis.

At DoPeace, our vision is to change the slums through education. Our strategy to accomplish this is by educating children from preschool to the 13th grade, after which they will be on their way to higher education. I have given an example before: We run a train where we pick up children at the preschool station and drop them off at the 13th grade station. We are designing and continuously tweaking the system to achieve this efficiently and optimally, on a low budget.

Sometimes we encounter obstacles that can be negotiated, and sometimes they are insurmountable. We need to change course for the ones that are insurmountable. There is no point in banging against a fortified wall trying to go through it. The changes can be slow or fast and furious. I prefer a middle ground, not being so urgent to be fast and furious. This is possible if you have been deliberating, envisioning, and resolving your gut feelings all along.

All activities have long-term implications, whether it is evident to you or not. For example, a change in job can bring profound changes in your life for better or worse. Thus, activities in an organization should be viewed through the prism of their future impact. And so are the decisions you make — doing nothing in the face of urgency is also a decision, and you need to determine if you can maintain the status quo.

At DoPeace, after 10 years of operation, we are facing circumstances that we need to address. The train is running towards the 13th grade station, but we are facing obstacles. We must think clearly, come to the optimum resolution, and move forward.

Our organization is resilient. We have thrived from one school to 50 schools and 10,000 active students. Our DoPeace educational system is uniquely developed through many trials and tribulations, for the benefit of the poorest of the poor children in the world.

We are determined to thrive in the long run for the benefit of thousands and thousands of underprivileged children now and in the future.

Blog-3: Stop Killing Children
By Shahid Ahmed
July 22, 2024

It is happening like an ongoing horror film, every day, live on TV and social media. Over 13,000 children have died, and 90,000 children under five years old are severely malnourished. Families are skipping meals to feed small children.

Food shortages are deliberate acts of human brutality shamelessly displayed, while thousands of trucks carrying food are obstructed from entering Gaza.

In the meantime, men — well-educated, accomplished, and well-supplied with arms — are unstoppable. Human and moral values purported by the so-called advanced civilization are meaningless lip service.

Hate rules supreme.

Hamas is a terrorist organization. They did what they are expected to do: kill innocent men, women, and children and keep hostages. Israel is a democratic, highly accomplished, and powerful ally of the West. Why would they do things that kill an unprecedented number of children? When will the conscience kick in — after how many children are killed by explosives and hunger?

I will say it again. Enough is enough.

STOP KILLING CHILDREN!

To my family, friends, DoPeace students, teachers, supervisors, and Eds in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Tanzania: May this Eid al-Adha bring you and your families the utmost happiness, health, and peace.

Never give up in the face of adversity. Future may be uncertain, but you have today. Make the most of it.