• Bear Grylls was heavily trolled by Zionists after referring to Maryam (As) as a ‘Palestinian girl’.
• This article examines the rightful ownership of Palestine and who the indigenous peoples of the Holy Land are.
British adventurer Bear Grylls has become the target of relentless antagonism from Zionists after referring to our revered and beloved mother Maryam (As) as a Palestinian in a Christmas message shared across his social media platforms.
In his post, the former SAS soldier and Christian who played a role in baptising Russell Brand earlier this year, shared the Nativity story through a contemporary Christian lens, referring to Maryam (AS) as a “terrified Palestinian girl”. Grylls wrote:
“Maryam, a young, poor and no doubt terrified Palestinian girl, gives birth in a run-down animal pen to a baby who was foretold for hundreds of years.” He also situated the story in “first-century Palestine, called Bethlehem.”
The post unleashed a torrent of messages from triggered Zionists. The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a pro-Israeli organisation, accused Grylls of using “historical nonsense, with an agenda.” They further attempted to argue that, “the term Palestine was not used for the region until nearly a century later, following the Roman exile of the Jewish population”. The organisation also stated that “calling Mary a Palestinian, not only imposes modern terminology on ancient history but completely eradicates her Jewish identity”.
Former Conservative minister Zac Goldsmith derided the post as “stupid.” Meanwhile, a community note appended to Grylls’ post on X, the platform owned by right-wing billionaire Elon Musk, described the statement as a “falsification of history.” It read:
“He [Jesus] was born of a Jewish mother, in Galilee, a Jewish part of the world.” Another community note added: “Mary and Joseph were both Jews from Judea. Jesus, King of the Jews, was born 135 years before the region was renamed Syria-Palestina by the conquering Romans.”
Several other comments were aggressively laced with personal insults:
In response to the trolling, Grylls acquiesced by removing the original post and re-uploading it with the term ‘Palestinian’ omitted. Despite this revision, the post continues to attract comments from many Zionists. Grylls subsequently addressed the comments he was receiving.
While Mary was ethnically Jewish, she resided in the region historically known as Palestine or ‘The land of Cannaan’. Describing her as a “Palestinian” is acknowledging her geographical and cultural roots. Furthermore, both assertions of her ethnic identity and place of residence/birth are true, mutually compatible, and factually accurate.
Maryam or Mary?
It may have been noted that in his video, Grylls refers to the mother of Jesus Christ as Maryam, rather than Mary. Maryam of course, aligns with the pronunciation of the Muslims. Notably, she is referred to as Maryam in the Greek text of Luke 1:34.
“Palestine is only a new word “
Lawrence E. Stager, Dorot Professor of the Archaeology of Israel, Emeritus, at Harvard University, uncovered a remarkable Philistine cemetery outside the walls of ancient Ashkelon, dating back to the astounding age of 3,000 years. In 2013, he and his team made this groundbreaking discovery, followed by extensive excavations in 2014. The Philistines predated the Assyrians by several centuries. They are believed to have settled in the region of ancient Levant around 12th century BCE, during the early Iron Age.
Moreover, historian Rashid Khalidi, in his authoritative work The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine, cites a compelling 3,000-year-old Egyptian text that vividly recounts the Egyptians’ conflict with the Philistines.
The ancient region of Palestine, renowned for its wealth and strategic importance, was explicitly referenced by early historians and philosophers in their works. Herodotus, often hailed as the “Father of Western History,” used the term “Palestine” in his writings from the 5th century BCE, detailing the region’s significance, particularly its control over the lucrative frankincense trade. Similarly, Aristotle, the renowned Greek philosopher of the 4th century BCE, mentioned Palestine in his texts, acknowledging its cultural and economic influence. These early mentions of “Palestine” highlight the region’s prominence in antiquity as a hub of commerce and wealth.
Additionally, numismatic evidence shows that the word ‘Palestine’ was inscribed on coins minted during the Islamic civilisation over a thousand years ago.”
Coins were also minted with the word ‘Palestine’ during the British mandate period.
Maryam (AS) was of Middle Eastern origin, whereas the appearance of Jews in Israel differs significantly from the people of the region.
There are no physical descriptions of Maryam (As), scholars say this is for the focus to be on her virtue, modesty and piety. However, what we do know is that she would not have had the European complexion many church’s depict her as having.
“It was the Jewish part of the World “
Following the death of Suleiman (As) (King Solomon), a part of the province in the region was named Judea. The Israelites split into two groups of tribes in the Southern region and ten northern tribes. In 721 BCE— 700 years before the birth of Isa (As) (Jesus), Assyrians attacked the northern kingdom and exiled the ten Israelite tribes, effectively erasing them from history. The southern kingdom of Judea, was left untouched. However, unlike the aforementioned assertion, the region was never solely the land of the Jews. It was in fact home to an array of different groups. Furthermore, since the Levites, Judahites, and Benjaminites are the only tribes from which we derive knowledge of Judaism, the practices of the ten tribes that were lost to history remain unknown. Moreover, not all Israelites were Jews. The term ‘Israelite’ refers to the ancient people of the Holy Land, while ‘Jew’ denotes a religious identity and, or, an ethnic group. The term Jew was ascribed to the tribe of Judah alone and it was coined much later in history by the Romans. Consequently, the assertion that Palestine was always the land of the Jews is historically unfounded.
In 132 CE, The city of Jerusalem was completed obliterated by the Romans. The city was renamed Aelia, after the Roman Emperor Hadrian Aelia.
When Patriarch Sophronius and the Christians surrendered Al-Quds to Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), it marked the first time in 500 years that the Jewish people were allowed to return to Jerusalem. It was the Muslims who extended a welcoming hand to the Jews. The treaty established between the second Caliph of Islam and Sophronius in 637 CE was known as Al-‘Uhda Al-‘Umariyya.
Interestingly, Karen Armstrong asserts in her book A History of Jerusalem, that for the first time, all three Abrahamic faiths lived side by side under Islamic rule.
Who does Allah say the Blessed Land belongs to?
And We delivered him and Lot to the land that We have blessed (baraknà fiha) for the worlds (Al-Anbiyã' 21:71).
And We made the oppressed people inherit the eastern and western parts of the land that We have blessed (barakna fihã) (al-A'rāf 137).
And to Solomon the wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by his command towards the land that We have blessed (barakna fiha) (Al-Anbiyã' 21:81).
As we see from the ayat above, Bayt al-Maqdis is not the possession of any one group of people. It belongs solely to Allah, who bestows it upon who He wills— those who uphold righteousness.
Bethlehem and Christmas in Palestine today
Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, is a Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank. Israel has surrounded it with illegal settlements. Furthermore, Christmas celebrations were cancelled in Bethlehem for the second year.
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Israel continues to indiscriminately carpet bomb Palestinians in the besieged and battered Palestinian enclave. Those brutally killed include 17,000 children, with the current death toll surpassing 45,000 (over 186,000 according to the prestigious Lancet Journal). Palestinians have existed in the land for centuries—they are an enduring people and identity that can never be erased!
May Allah bring ease to the Palestinians and justice and victory to the oppressed.
