Despair Not, Allah Has Pledged to Grant Victory to Our Brothers and Sisters in Palestine

By Shaykh Muzzammil Ahmad | 10 May 2024

In this week’s Friday Khutbah, I spoke about the heart-breaking and devastating situation currently unfolding in Gaza. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters are suffering immensely as they endure a brutal Israeli assault on the besieged enclave. The images and reports emerging from Gaza are difficult for the soul of any believer to bear – children starving, homes being destroyed, and innocent lives lost. It is a humanitarian catastrophe of staggering proportions, one that has shocked people of conscience around the world.

The situation has become so dire that even the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has threatened to withhold some forms of military support that it had previously planned to provide, as they cannot fathom the scale of the destruction Israel has unleashed upon Rafah. The sight of a Palestinian child’s arm reaching out through a hole in the wall, desperately grasping for food or aid from the Egyptian side, is a poignant symbol of the unimaginable hardship and desperation faced by the people of Gaza.

However, amidst this overwhelming darkness and suffering, we must remember Allah’s promise of ultimate victory for the believers. No matter how insurmountable the oppression seems, it will never last indefinitely. The trials and tribulations faced by the ummah today, as painful as they are, will eventually come to an end. As Allah says:

Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you?

Qur’an (2:214)

Allah is reminding us that the great prophets and righteous predecessors faced severe hardships and ordeals before attaining victory. Their unwavering faith and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Allah was tested to the utmost. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) himself and his companions endured years of persecution, boycott, and exile before Allah granted them victory over their enemies and established Islam in the land.

In times of intense difficulty, it is natural for believers to ask, “When will Allah's help come?” But we must understand that Allah’s promise of victory is not tied to a specific timeline that we can predict or control. Rather, it is a matter of having complete trust and reliance upon Him, even when all worldly means of support seem to have failed us.

Allah says in the Qur’an: “Until, when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory.” (12:110) This verse indicates that divine help, as is often the case, arrives at the moment when all hope seems lost, when even the Prophets themselves begin to wonder if their people will ever believe. It is at this point of complete reliance upon Allah that His support descends and the tables are turned in favour of the believers.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ informed us that a time would come when Islam would spread far and wide, and believers would travel freely without fear of anyone except Allah. He gave the example of a person being able to journey from Sana’a to Hadramawt, a distance that was perilous at the time, without fearing anyone except Allah. However, he also taught that we should not be hasty in expecting this victory, for it will come at the time decreed by the Most High.

True faith requires not only believing in Allah, but also detaching ourselves from reliance on worldly means and depending entirely on the support of the All Mighty. Allah gives us the example of Talut’s army facing the formidable forces of Jalut (Goliath). While some despaired of victory due to being vastly outnumbered, the believers declared: 

How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah? And Allah is with the patient.

Qur’an (2:249)

Similarly, when the Prophet’s ﷺ companions saw themselves surrounded by the Confederates at the Battle of the Trench, rather than succumbing to despair, they proclaimed:

‘This is what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger ﷺ spoke the truth.’ And it merely increased them in faith and submission.

Qur’an (33:22)

In the story of Prophet Moses, we see a powerful example of how Allah’s help can come in the most unexpected and miraculous of ways. As Moses led his people out of Egypt, they found themselves trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s approaching army. The Israelites, despite witnessing numerous miracles from Allah, began to despair and said to Moses: “We are surely to be overtaken!”

But with complete trust in Allah, Moses replied: “No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” (Qur’an 26:62) At that moment, Allah inspired Moses to strike the sea with his staff, and the waters miraculously parted, creating a path for the believers to cross. As Pharaoh and his army attempted to follow, the sea crashed down upon them, drowning them all and delivering a resounding victory to Moses and his people.

This incredible story demonstrates that even in the face of overwhelming odds and apparent defeat, Allah can intervene in ways that defy all human expectation. It reminds us that no matter how bleak a situation may appear, we must never lose faith in Allah’s power to bring about a resolution that we could never have imagined.

As we see the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Gaza, let us remember that just as Allah parted the sea for Moses and delivered the believers from destruction, He is more than capable of granting victory to the oppressed Palestinians, even if it comes in a manner that we do not expect. Let us place our trust completely in Him and remain steadfast in our support for justice, knowing that no matter how long the night of injustice and oppression may last, the dawn of Allah’s victory will surely come.

May Allah grant a swift and resounding victory to our brothers and sisters in Palestine and to all those who are striving in His cause around the world. May He alleviate their sufferings, heal their wounds, and grant them the strength to persevere in the face of adversity. And may He unite the ummah and raise the banner of Islam high.

Ameen.

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