The Duty of a Muslim Toward Gaza

Praise be to Allah, who has made the land of the Levant a steadfast anchor until the Day of Resurrection, and who reminded His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that enemies would claim this sacred land, so He urged His Ummah to remain steadfast there so that the hands of the foes would not prevail. And He informed His Prophet, peace be upon him, of the anticipated struggle with Muslims and Yahud, assuring them that the ultimate victory would be for the Muslims, and that what seems favourable to the enemies would be overturned—stone and tree bearing witness to that, except for the boxthorn tree, for it is a tree of the Yahud. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, who has made Palestine and its oppressed and afflicted people a moral, humanitarian, and spiritual responsibility. The harsh circumstances our brothers are enduring—continuous bombardment, killings, detentions, the razing of homes, seizure of land, and attempts at ethnic cleansing—are described as genocide, and tragically, the world watches, often hastening to aid the aggressor. And may peace and blessings be upon the Prophet of mercy, his family, companions, and those who follow their path until the Day of Judgment.

To begin the sermon…

O brothers in faith, the present conditions in Palestine, as of October this year, remain grievous, despite the fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States, which began in the early days of October. Since then, nearly one hundred Palestinians have been killed, and more than two hundred and thirty wounded in ongoing Israeli military operations. Gaza faces widespread destruction; it seems almost impossible for residents to locate their homes. Around eighty-five thousand people in Gaza are under Israeli control, while humanitarian aid is exceedingly scarce due to the siege and closed crossings, especially Rafah. O Muslims, what saddens us is that the displaced have moved to newly accessible areas and crowded displacement sites, yet essential provisions such as shelter, clean water, food, and sanitary services remain desperately scarce. Health facilities are overwhelmed, and many struggle to obtain life-saving medical care. International organisations describe the situation as a humanitarian crisis marked by ongoing violence and destruction, with a severe shortfall in aid reaching the population. O brothers in faith, the ceasefire remains fragile, with mutual accusations of violations from both sides, and people continue to suffer hunger and reliance on limited humanitarian aid, amid the wide-scale losses borne by the sector since the outbreak of the conflict in the early twenty-first century.

The Second Sermon

Praise be to Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon the Prophet, his family, his companions, and all who follow them with goodness until the Day of Judgment.
O Muslims, Palestine is passing through some of its most perilous moments in all its history. Jewish arrogance has reached a peak, bringing killings, expulsions, demolition of homes and mosques, and a brutal economic siege. The Zionist menace seeks to define and resolve the Palestinian issue by force. A small number of Yahud desecrate Al-Aqsa, kill Muslims, and subject them to humiliation, and this is seen by the world, particularly the Muslim world. Yet we have not turned away from our brothers, and this is precisely what the Prophet Muhammad forbade when he said: “The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim; he does not oppress him nor abandon him to an enemy.” Whoever assists a brother in need, Allah helps him; and whoever alleviates a Muslim’s distress, Allah will relieve him of a distress on the Day of Judgment (narrated by Muslim). It is incumbent upon Muslims to support Palestine financially, morally, and politically, to lift the siege, and to use every available channel—political, media, humanitarian, and advocacy—and to pray for their victory and steadfastness. Such support is a noble obligation, and to falter is a grave sin, for letting them be exposed to hunger is among the gravest wrongs. Allah says, “And the believers, men and women, are guardians of one another” (Qur’an). And it is the duty of the believer within his means to do what he can, as Allah says: “So fear Allah as much as you can.” And: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.” This varies according to people’s circumstances, abilities, and resources, but what must unite everyone is the shared sorrow and sympathy for our fellow believers’ tribulations. The Prophet’s hadeeth in Bukhari and Muslim (on the authority of An-Nu’man ibn Bashir) says: “The example of the believers in their mutual kindness and compassion is like a single body: when one part suffers, the rest of the body responds with sleeplessness and fever.” This is the minimum right owed by believers to one another in times of calamity and misfortune.
O believers, guardians of Islam, the Palestinian voice and the plight of its oppressed and vulnerable people are a moral and spiritual obligation. This inner impulse drives Muslims to lift oppression from their fellow believer and to extend a helping hand. The Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded seven acts, among them: “Visiting the sick,” “Following the funeral,” “Returning the greeting,” “Delivering the oppressed,” “Answering the caller,” and “Keeping promises.” The role of journalists, commentators, and intellectuals in writing articles that document Palestinian suffering with evidence, counter Zionist propaganda, and organise seminars, conferences, and media campaigns is part of this duty. Imams, preachers, and invitees must revive discussion of the Palestinian cause and urge worshippers to support them and pray for them. O Muslims, we are required to exert effort and take action to support Al-Aqsa, the Blessed House, and Palestine, and we must be fully confident that Allah’s promise is near and that Allah’s help is close. Allah says: “Or do you think you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet tested you with those who came before you?” (Qur’an 2:214). We must be convinced that the support comes from Allah, and that it will indeed occur for His faithful servants, for Allah’s truth is clear and falsehood is destined to fade. The truth is plain, and falsehood will drift away.

Du’aa

O Allah, free Gaza and Palestine from the occupying Yahud. O Allah, confront the aggressors and dishearten their resolve, O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, scatter the power of the oppressors and disperse their gathering. O Allah, have mercy on the Muslims and support them, O Most Compassionate of the Most Merciful. O Allah, overpower the enemies of Your faith. O Allah, aid the Muslims in preserving the sanctities of the land of Palestine and Gaza. O Allah, prevent the Yahud from achieving their aims in Palestine. O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, count them and defeat them one by one, and spare none. O Allah, assist the guardians of the Prophet and the sanctities in Palestine. O Allah, aid Al-Aqsa and its people. O Allah, support the believers, and strike at the enemies of the faith. O Allah, grant victory to the oppressed and scatter their oppressors. O Allah, watch over the Zionist aggressors, undermine their military strength, and render their plans futile. O Allah, help the believers who stand for the sacred, and grant them patience and steadfastness. O Allah, protect the people of Palestine and grant them safety and dignity. O Allah, heal their wounds, ease their pain, and grant them tranquillity, supporting them with unseen aids. O Allah, send down on them companions who fight unseen battles for them. O Allah, make them among the patient, the remembering, and the grateful. O Allah, turn back the wickedness of the oppressors and shield the people of Palestine from harm. O Allah, help the faithful and remove the danger from them. O Allah, bring relief to the oppressed, and restore their lands and honour. Ameen.