“O Allah, ease our pain and suffering. O Allah, the Bestower of Mercy, bestow your mercy on us. O Allah, open people's hearts to compassion and wisdom in this time of crisis. O Allah, help those who are in need, wherever they may be.”

We must pray unceasingly for healing of our island home as an urgent necessity. Bermuda is in crisis, and we have been so for the past 20 years at least. In fact, the whole world is in crisis.

Over the past few decades there have been many books written on the topic of world crisis. Sir Winston Churchill authored six volumes of his book entitled The World Crisis way back in 1923 to 1931. it is a very insightful read indeed.

What exactly is a crisis? According to the Oxford Dictionary, “a crisis is a time of great danger, difficulty or doubt when problems must be solved or important decisions must be made”. Indeed, that meaning pretty much sums up accurately the meaning of “crisis”; ironically the dictionary gives the answer as well.

We are living in a dangerous state of affairs and the only resolve is to make important decisions to deal with the menacing problems that exist.

How can this be done? I tuned into a popular talk show on Wednesday night, where many opinions were given on Bermuda’s present climate, some very viable if implemented. However, it will take more than meets the eye to gain healing.

To summarise, and I quote the show’s host, Lew Simmons: “Our solutions are in many of the things persons expressed. None of it happens without the will to act. Ooda – we observe, we orient, we decide, we must act … and act consistently.” I add to that … “immediately”.

This of course is the secular solution. However, I believe that a spiritual solution is also the answer to the solution.

Allah advises in the noble Koran: “O ye who believe! be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is aware of what you do.” (Koran, 5:9)

Greed, injustice and tyranny among ignorant leaders and foolish followers has created this crisis and it will not be resolved until world dominance of greed is banished allowing fairness, justice and equality for all to prevail.

Bermuda it must begin right now with you and me. We must demand action from our government leaders, our religious leaders and those in positions to influence to do better. We the people too must do better. We must, if not we will all perish together.

On behalf of the Muslim community we convey our deepest condolences and prayers to the families and friends whose loved ones have unfairly and definitely been taken too soon. It is from God we come and it is to Him we return.

Bermuda let us together act now for urgent and necessary change.

As always, we pray for ceasefire now. We need peace, not war, at home and abroad.

As salaam alaikum (peace be unto 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