- As Muslims we must never become desensitised to the images on our screens, we must persist in our activism and making dua for Palestine.
- Allah azza wa Jal has promised us victory, we must always be cognisant of this. Furthermore, we are being tested in distinctive ways.
It’s a cold evening in London. I am snuggled up on my sofa, in the comfort of my home, listening to the rain drumming on my windowpane. My soul feels heavy and tired. Heavy and tired from the countless haunting images I have seen on my phone, particularly over the past couple of weeks— of beheaded Gazan babies, the traumatised eyes of Palestinian toddlers (the things those eyes must’ve seen!), and the heart wrenching sight of parents holding bags of their children’s body parts. This is not a fictional dystopian Hollywood film; it’s a painstakingly grim reality that refuses to relent (for now anyway).
Frustratingly, since October 7th, the atrocities faced by Palestinians have dramatically escalated and only exacerbated.
Yet I remain resilient and hopeful as should you!
I have loved ones in Palestine. Loved ones whom I have never met but are my family by default because I am Muslim.
In the wake of Israel’s brutal bombardment of Gaza since October 7th, the frequency of violent settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has more than doubled, escalating from an average of three to eight incidents a day according to the United Nations. Consequently, this is not just about Gaza or Hamas v Israel as the mainstream media would like you to believe.
Malcolm X famously said:
“They can’t change us; they can’t change our hearts. They can’t change our minds.”
The unwavering resilience of Gazans exemplifies this truth time and time again.
Amidst the collective anguish experienced by our ummah—a shared pain felt by each and every one of us for the plight of our brothers and sisters in Gaza—a steadfast belief has always resided within me- that this is temporary and Allah is the most just. The time will come when the Muslims will emerge victorious. This is the promise of Allah azza wa Jal and Allah’s promises are always true.
In the infamous words of Ustadh Hamza Tzortzis, “We have the pixel, Allah has the picture!.” Never before have these words resonated so much. The pixel is the suffering, pain and massacre that we see on our screens. The picture is Jannah, eternal bliss, passing this life’s test, attaining the pleasure of Allah azza wa jal and most importantly, that which we don’t see, only Allah does.
However, the picture and pixel is not for them alone- it is as much for us, as it is for them. Particularly since the Gazans seem to be passing their test with flying colours. Our test manifests in a very different manner.
The Quran and Hadith, offer insights on the Palestinian struggle, emphasising the promise of victory and freedom for Palestine from Allah- The greatest of planners! And the most wise! The following Hadith foretells the liberation of Masjid al Aqsa and the land of Palestine from oppression:
Shadad ibn Aws (RA) reports that the Prophet (SAW) said, "Al-Sham will be conquered and Al-Quds (Jerusalem) will be conquered and you or your sons will be imams there, if Allah wills."
(Tabarani)
Abu Hurayrah (RA) relates that the Prophet (SAW) said, "A group of my ummah will not cease to fight at the gates of Damascus and at the gates of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its surroundings. The betrayal or desertion of whoever deserts them will not harm them in the least. They will remain victorious, standing for the truth, until the final hour rises."
(Tabarani)
Furthermore, Allah does not abandon His servants, and success may manifest in unexpected ways. One verse from the Quran, Surah Al-Ankabut (The Spider), verse 69, states:
“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.”
This verse highlights the concept that enduring commitment and striving for righteousness will ultimately result in Allah’s support and triumph.
Why we must never become desensitised to the images on our screens and persist in our activism and making dua!
In the context of the Palestinian struggle, Muslims around the world make heartfelt duas for the liberation and freedom of Palestinians, believing in the transformative power of prayer. We must never stop making dua and remember that we are a part of the struggle. Becoming desensitised to images on our screens or accepting the current injustice of the Palestinians must never become the normative for Muslims.
Palestinians are winners, regardless of their generation – whether marked by suffering, martyrdom, guardians of masjid al Aqsa or from the future victory.
Abd Allah bin 'Amr said:
“ I heard the Apostle of Allah (SAW) say, "There will be emigration after emigration and the people who are best will be those who cleave most closely to places which Abraham migrated [i.e. Jerusalem]."
[Abu Dawud – Daeef]
Angels spread their wings over Palestine!
Zaid Ibn Thabit (ra) narrated:
“We were with the Messenger of Allah (saw) collecting the Qur’an on pieces of cloth, then the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Tuba [a prayer for glad tidings] ]is for Ash-Sham.’ So we said: ‘Why is that O Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘Because the angels of Ar-Rahman spread their wings over it.’”
[Tirmidhi]
There’s so much to look forward to!
We must seize this opportunity to thank Allah (swt) for making us Muslim, for placing us on the right side of history, for shielding us from Shaytan’s deceptions regarding the ‘problem of evil,’ for making us strive to be more grateful servants, for granting us the ability to use our gifts to help our suffering brothers and sisters, and for allowing us to look forward to the biggest and most awesome celebration party ever- when Palestine will be free, whether we witness it here on Earth or in Jannah.
