Standing Against Injustice: Reflections on Gaza, and Our Duty to Combat Oppression

By Shaykh Muzzammil Ahmad
4 October 2024

﷽

It has now been a whole year since Israel launched its brutal military assault on Gaza, and the suffering that has unfolded since is almost too overwhelming to comprehend. The lives lost, particularly the children, are a stain on the collective conscience of the world. How can we remain silent in the face of such oppression and injustice? 

Forty-two thousand people have been killed, according to the latest estimates in what the International Court of Justice has deemed a possible genocide. This is the reality we face today, and the numbers continue to grow. The destruction of Gaza is not just a war of bombs and bullets; it is a war on humanity – and we, as Muslims, have a responsibility to speak up, to act, and to fight against such injustice.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned us of this: “The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating, invite others to share their dish.” Someone asked, “Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?” He ﷺ said, “No, you will be numerous at that time, but you will be like the froth on the sea. Allah will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and will throw wahn into your hearts.” Someone asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is wahn?” He ﷺ replied, “Love of the world and the dislike of death. [Sunan Abu Dawood]

This is where we stand today. The Ummah is vast, but we have become weak, distracted by the materialism of this world. We see this in the way our leaders, our politicians, and our media have responded to the suffering in Palestine. When bombs fall on empty lands, our politicians rush to offer solidarity to the oppressors, but when those bombs land on the heads of children, they remain silent, or they offer hollow words of peace that never challenge the true perpetrators of these crimes.

Allah tells us:

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.

[Qur’an, 3:110]

This is not a passive role; it is a call to action. Allah has chosen us to stand up for justice, to fight against oppression, and to protect the innocent. But how many of us are doing this today? How many of us are truly living up to this responsibility? How many of us have stayed awake at night, unable to sleep because of the pain we feel for our brothers and sisters in Gaza?

The Prophet ﷺ said:

The example of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for one another is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.

[Sahih Bukhari, Muslim]

We are one body, and when one part of us suffers, we all suffer. Yet, how many of us are feeling that pain? How many of us are moved to action, to speak out, to donate, to pray for our brothers and sisters in Gaza? This is not just a humanitarian issue; it is a matter of faith. We will be questioned by Allah  about how we responded to the injustice in this world. Did we stand up for the oppressed, or did we remain silent? Did we raise our voices, or did we let fear and apathy silence us?

Justice is not an option for us; it is an obligation. We must stand up for the oppressed, regardless of who they are, and we must do so with courage and conviction. This is why Allah says:

Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.

[Qur’an, 3:103]

Our strength as an Ummah lies in our unity, in our commitment to justice, and in our unwavering faith in Allah. Yet, the reality we face today is one of division. We have allowed ourselves to be separated by borders, ideologies, and worldly distractions. This division has made us weak, and it has allowed the oppressors to continue their tyranny.

But we must not lose hope. As the Prophet ﷺ reminded us, the strength of the Ummah is not in numbers but in faith, in our connection to Allah, and in our commitment to justice. We are not helpless; we have the ability to make a difference. We can pray for the oppressed, we can donate to their cause, and we can raise our voices against the injustice that continues to plague our world.

Allah says:

Allah would never destroy a people oppressively so long as there remain within them those who are seeking self-rectification.

[Qur’an, 11:117]

It is not enough to be good individually. We must actively work to rectify the world around us, to encourage good and to forbid evil. This is our duty as Muslims, and it is the key to our survival as an Ummah.

As we mark the anniversary of Israel’s assault on Gaza, let us renew our commitment to justice, to unity, and to faith. Let us not be like the froth of the sea, numerous but weak. Let us be the Ummah that Allah has described in the Qur’an – an Ummah that stands for justice, protects the oppressed, and holds firm to Allah’s rope. 

May Allah give us the strength, the courage, and the wisdom to fulfil this responsibility. 

Ameen.

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