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This content has been automatically translated. View original in Arabic
A scene of a foreign activist standing firm before occupation soldiers chanting, "Free Free Palestine," or a foreign artist moved to tears while speaking about Gaza’s children—these moments stir our hearts and fill us with gratitude toward those who stood with the oppressed out of mercy and chivalry, even if they do not share our faith.
Yes, these are commendable stances, but the flaw lies in allowing this admiration to devolve into "self-flagellation of the Islamic nation," as if it were a barren nation devoid of goodness or as if others sacrifice while it does not!
Let us remember that many in our nation have paid—and continue to pay—heavy prices since the beginning of this ordeal. Some have been imprisoned and sentenced to harsh punishments, others have lost their jobs, and others still have been humiliated or restricted because they sought to support their brothers as much as they could.
Beyond the topic of Gaza and Palestine, let us also recall scholars and preachers who refused to remain silent about the wrongs occurring in their lands. They spoke the truth and now languish in prisons for years, fading from the collective memory of ordinary Muslims.
They could have lived in comfort, with doors opening for them, titles bestowed upon them, councils and cars at their disposal, and the warmth of family life—all possible if they had uttered a word of appeasement, remained silent about falsehood, or flattered the oppressor. Yet their noble souls chose to endure bodily harm to preserve the faith of Muslims. They refused to compromise their religion, knowing full well the punishment that awaited them—they would become mere numbers in cells—and their families and children now sacrifice alongside them. This does not even account for those who gave their lives for this faith.
We must not let these sacrifices fade from memory amid the noise of "trending topics." Nor should our emotions be shaken by a 30-second video of a Western activist shouting solidarity, while news of our scholars and youth being disappeared into prisons for years passes unnoticed.
We say this not to belittle the sacrifices of others, but because they, too, deserve our care and guidance in return for their good deeds, so that their sacrifices may be accepted by their Lord. We say this for the sake of justice toward our nation, lest we fall prey to an inferiority complex. This nation is still alive, still producing those who trade their freedom and worldly comforts for the pleasure of God. We ask God for a swift relief and a way out for them, for us, and for all Muslims.
Our nation is not a heap of failures, as some try to portray it. Moreover, sacrifice driven by faith and the pursuit of reward is not the same as sacrifice motivated merely by human empathy. This is why Islam elevates the meaning of sacrifice "for faith and in pursuit of reward." Whoever sacrifices and perseveres because they believe in God and the Last Day has combined the defense of the oppressed with the worship of God Almighty. This is what transforms sacrifice from a fleeting emotional reaction into a firm act of worship that secures what remains by what is transient.
Peace be upon you.