Ebrahim Moosa | Palestine Information Network
November 2023
“There is no imminent genocide in Palestine because it started 75 years ago,” writes Palestinian editor Nicki Kattoura. “Sometimes it manifests itself slowly in the obscured, daily violences of life under occupation: home demolitions, checkpoints, settler pogroms, assaulting us as we pray or gather, incarcerating our freedom fighters, our mothers, our fathers, our children. Sometimes, it is so fast that our bodies outnumber our graves. There is no imminent genocide. This is its conclusion.”
At the time of submission of this article, Palestinians were still living the nightmarish reality of over one month of sustained aggression on Gaza. Families had exhausted whatever resources they had. Generators had fallen quiet due to a lack of fuel and even emergency food supplies had dried up. Supermarkets had been swept clean of all products, with videos shared online showing empty shelves. The prospect of death from air strikes had become secondary to the threat of starvation.
At the same time, the steadfastness of the Palestinians in the wake of such atrocities sent a clear message to the world that Palestinians do not intend to remain a population of oppressed refugees and prisoners, who are to be denied access to their land forever. Palestinians expect that the major sacrifices made in the current battle are to be matched with a concomitant comprehensive dismantling of injustice, and attainment of their long-deprived freedoms.
It is imperative to appreciate the long term implications of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, and what impact this should have on our sense of responsibility for Bayt al-Maqdis.
Says Dr. Sami al-Arian, “we now live in such a time in which the future of the region could soon be determined for decades to come.”
In affirming the need for a long-term commitment to the cause of Bayt al-Maqdis, the following pointers are offered:
- Humanise the victims
The steady stream of disturbing content of massacres from Gaza should not make us grow numb or immune to the immense suffering of the Palestinians. Mention the names of those killed, and feel the pain as if the losses were our own.
As the Palestinian Health Ministry affirmed when it published a lengthy list of Palestinian deceased: “Let the world know that behind every number is the story of a person whose name and identity are known. Our people are not nobodies who can be ignored.”
Underpinning this approach should be the spirit of Islamic ukhuwah. “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” (Hadith)
- Avoid doomscrolling
Doomscrolling is described as the temptation to compulsively scroll through news of tragedy on social media. Perpetual exposure to troubling scenes can foster negativity, leave an individual anxious and depressed, and reduce the sense an individual has of personal agency. While maintaining an awareness of events on the ground is necessary, more important than minute-by-minute updates is practical action, and staying engaged to the required response.
- Love Aqsa
One of the most effective ways of building a long-term commitment with the cause of Bayt al-Maqdis is internalizing the centrality of Masjid al-Aqsa, and appreciating the great virtues associated with this land in Islam. Al-Aqsa captivates you, and the love it engenders compels one towards a deeper acknowledgement of the responsibilities owed to the Masjid and its people.
- Return to Allah
The cataclysmic scenes from Gaza should compel us towards personal introspection on our relationship with Allah ﷻ and shortcomings therein. It should induce repentance, curtailment of extravagance, and engagement in individual and collective actions to draw the Mercy of Allah ﷻ upon the Ummah.
- Dua
Dua should not be trivialized as “the least we can do.” Dua is an indispensable weapon of the believer. Dua was an inseparable part of the strategy for victory of Rasulullah ﷺ, the Sahabah and the great leaders of this Ummah. At the same time, it was most effective only because it was coupled with physical action, deep planning and much sacrifice. The example of Rasulullah ﷺ is that Dua is the first recourse before anything else and the last action after everything else. We should consistently dedicate an amount of time daily for making Dua for the Ummah.
- Education
Educating ourselves about the religious, political and historical context of the injustice in Palestine is a footing essential to counter Zionist hasbara, and ensure that our interaction with the Palestinian cause is not purely emotion driven. Such educational endeavours should not be short-lived, but should become fixed features in our homes and educational institutions.
- Amplification
Writing in the Jewish Report in 2021, Professor Anton Harber noted a “tidal change in global sentiment” towards Palestine. “We should be aware that the signs are that Israel is losing this battle for global opinion, even in capitals where its position had been assured. Even Israel’s friends are having increasing difficulty defending aspects of Israeli policy and conduct.” In recent weeks, TikTok posts using the hashtag #StandwithPalestine have had nearly four times the number of views compared to posts using the hashtag #StandwithIsrael. New media platforms are affording the citizens of the world an opportunity to see the unfiltered reality of the Israeli Occupation, and to expand networks of solidarity. Attempts to censor pro-Palestine content on these platforms are testimony to the success of efforts to amplify the just Palestinian narrative, and are an incentive to all to continue sharing content that broadens awareness and dispels Zionist lies.
- Financial assistance
Attacks by Israel on Gaza have destroyed or damaged around 50% of all housing units in the Strip, and have internally displaced about 1.5 million people. The charitable needs are urgent, and demand our prioritisation for the foreseeable future. Equally, determined efforts should be expended towards targeted boycotts of Zionist supporting entities and products, to ensure that we are not complicit in the injustice.
- Remain optimistic
What is happening today is indeed painful in the present, but it is also very promising in the future.
Those who nourish themselves with the truths of the Qur’an and Sunnah observe the developments in Palestine with a reassured sense of trust in Allah ﷻ. They do not observe material developments in isolation, but appreciate spiritual power, and how, in the Divine Plan, right always triumphs over might. The pains we are witnessing are the prelude to a brighter dawn. Victory comes with patience, and with difficulty comes ease. “Unquestionably, the Help of Allah is near.” (Qur’an 2:214)