“How is it that you do not fight in the way of Allah and in support of the helpless – men, women and children – who pray: ‘Our Lord, bring us out of this land whose people are oppressors and appoint for us from Yourself, a protector, and appoint for us from Yourself a helper’?” (The Quran, 4:75)
The 200-crore strong Muslim Ummah is passing through a period of very critical dimension. In our 1400 years life it is one of the worst periods. It presents a picture of a house divided in itself. The genocidal war on Gaza has completed 10 painful months. The so-called champion of liberty, standard-bearer of human rights and democracy is standing solidly behind the most inhuman state. As soon as the war started, the US sent its armoured fleet in the Miditerranian Sea. In spite of widespread protests in the US and worldwide condemnation the US has been steadily supplying weapons of mass destruction with extreme impunity. In the beginning it shamelessly vetoed US Security Council resolutions for ceasefire. Later on, it relented and allowed a limited ceasefire. It is estimated that during the last 10 months it has given military aid to Israel to the tune of about $20 billion.
Here we would like to quote William Blum’s best-selling book, The Rogue State. In this book Blum says that “the US has become largest manufacturer and supplier of weapons in the world. It is responsible for every shot fired anywhere in the world, and for every violent death.”
This we have been witnessing in Gaza. Who is behind the continuing genocide? Who is supplying the 2000- and 5000-pound bombs and missiles which have killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza, a majority of which is of innocent children and women. Besides this more than 50% buildings, including hospitals, schools and aid agencies’ buildings have been bombed and reduced to rubble and dust. The number of the injured, amputated and blinded exceeds 2 lakh persons.
Now turn your eyes towards the 57 independents Muslim governments. Most of them are just fence sitters. They have been maintaining their contacts as usual with the ‘Rogue State’. No condemnation, no boycott. Many of them are not even prepared to allow their citizens to protest against this unending atrocity. Some of them did not allow even a comment against the genocide. It is the most shameful attitude which is akin to hypocrisy. Has Almighty Allah not exhorted us to stand as witnesses to truth and stand for justice and fight against injustice and all sorts of human rights violations? We as a principled Ummah should have done this against all atrocities and acts of injustice, discrimination and human rights violations. We have a poor record in this regard of course when it is related to our own people, our responsibility becomes twofold. The Ummah is divided and in disarray.
We must return to our roots to the Holy Quran and venerable example (Sunnah) of the great Prophet. We should stop being like dumb-driven animals. Renounce every shade of slavish mentality and reaffirm our faith in a principled Islamic way of life. After all we have been enjoined to lead this life as a God-ordained, principled life with our gaze fixed on Allah’s grace and success of life in the hereafter.
Finally, this is the moment we have to rededicate ourselves to Islam and renew our commitment to Iman, Islam, justice and human rights. If we fail in this trial, we may not succeed in future also.