This article was written by Kuwaiti scholar Hamed bin Abdullah Al-Ali during the Gaza massacre of 2008-9, during which approximately 1,500 Palestinians were killed over a period of 3 weeks which involved a ground invasion by the occupying army.
“Praise be to Allah, the One who said in the clear revelation:
‘And if they seek your help in religion, then it is your duty to help them.’
And peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, the trustworthy, the chosen, a mercy to all worlds.
Allah, the Most High, says, ‘The believers, men and women, are allies to one another.’
Our Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim; he neither wrongs him nor does he hand him over to one who does him wrong. Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection.’ (Sahih Muslim)
The liberation of captives is among the most important obligations, as stated by Al-Qurtubi: ‘The liberation of captives is an obligation on all Muslims, either through fighting or spending money. This is more important because it involves human beings, and it is easier than other obligations.’ Malik said, ‘It is an obligation on the people to liberate captives with all their wealth, and there is no disagreement about this.’
Rescuing the captives of Gaza from the hands of the Zionist enemy is one of the greatest religious duties and the most obligatory. Neglecting to support them leads to severe punishments from Allah. This is because they have become in dire need of help for several reasons:
First, because they are fighting the Israelis with the greatest enmity and defending Al-Aqsa Mosque, making their support a higher priority.
Second, because Gaza is like the first line of defense for the Ummah; its fall means the advance of the Zionists’ plans against our Ummah and aiding our enemies.
Third, the Zionist enemy has besieged Gaza because its people have refused to submit to their evil conspiracies that target the rights of Islam and the Muslims in Palestine. By abandoning our people in Gaza, we would be aiding the Zionist enemy’s goals.
Fourth, among the inhabitants of Gaza are the weak, women, children, and the sick, who have been suffering severely due to the blockade for months. The situation has worsened in recent days due to power cuts, the closing of border crossings, and the denial of the basic necessities of life. Abandoning their support would be assisting in the killing of those who cannot survive without electricity, such as the sick. The Zionist enemy would not have tightened the siege on them and killed them without the abandonment of their Muslim brethren.
Therefore, it is the duty of the Muslim scholars today to call for a comprehensive strike in all Islamic countries to lift the blockade on Gaza. This is the minimum we can do, and it falls within our capabilities.
They should convene an urgent open conference, even if conducted remotely through the media, and remain steadfast until the Rafah crossing is at least opened. They should demand that all Islamic media outlets focus on the suffering of Gaza until it is relieved. Islamic satellite channels should suspend all their programs and focus solely on the conditions of our people in Gaza.
Imams in mosques should include supplications for the people of Gaza in their five daily prayers. All institutions, organizations, and preachers should respond to the call of the scholars and activate all political pressure and other means to lift the blockade on our brethren in Gaza. This is our statement, and to Allah is the ultimate communication, and upon Him is our reliance.”
Hamed bin Abdullah Al-Ali is a professor of Islamic culture at the College of Basic Education in Kuwait