Ep 219. - Gaza Sends an Eid Message to the Muslim World by Abubaker Abed
Dear Muslims, we never asked you to ease our suffering with bottles of water or food parcels. You misunderstood Islam when you chose this path. Sadly, you only act with Israel’s approval, as you’ve been unable to lift the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza for over 20 days.
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Transcript
0:00
the following is a letter but I'm going to read from Abu Bakr Abid a journalist from Gaza now
0:06
Abu Bakr and I conducted a conversation about this letter but unfortunately for technical
0:11
reasons we weren't able to capture the video so inshallah tala we hope to uh conduct an
0:17
interview sometime in the future but I thought on the eve of the day of Eid it
0:23
would be a good idea to to read his letter to the Muslim world and to the Muslim umah
0:31
dear Muslims don't break bread with Israel and expect Gaza not to judge the deaf ears of the
0:36
Muslim world and their indiference to Gaza will be judged Muslims need Gaza much more than Gaza
0:42
needs Muslims Abu Bakr Abid as I write this I am malnourished because for the past 20 days
0:52
my Muslim brothers and sisters have not been able to send even a bottle of water into Gaza for 538
1:00
days I mistakenly believed that the Muslim world would come to our Aid in our hour of
1:04
need having expected so much from them over the past few months and receiving nothing in return
1:11
I'm filled with deep disappointment there were barely any protests and most people kept silent
1:17
scared of losing their jobs maybe their careers are more important than the lives of a gzen
1:22
child stolen just three days after birth one of at least 15,500 other young solders taken
1:30
by Israel over the last 17 months dear Muslims we never asked you to ease our suffering with bottles
1:38
of water or food Parcels you misunderstood Islam when you chose this path sadly you only act with
1:46
Israel's approval as you've been unable to lift the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza for over 20
1:53
days you should have stood with us in the fight against Injustice and oppression not passively
1:59
stood goodbye this is what Islam and the Quran teaches us don't just offer us well-wishes while
2:06
we continue to be slaughtered on mass thank God I'm Muslim and half of Quran and as a student
2:13
of sharia and Islamic Studies over the past eight years I've learned that Muslims Must Stand United
2:20
in the face of extreme adversity sharing in the pain of any Muslim no matter who or where they are
2:27
inaha verse 75 asks why you don't fight in his cause and help the weak men women and children
2:36
who are in desperate need of your support so why haven't you responded all these months this is
2:42
just one of many verses in the Quran urging you to fight to ease the suffering of your brothers
2:47
and sisters yet you have failed to act even in the smallest of ways what truly saddens me and should
2:55
awaken your numb consciences is that you have allowed your governments to support the killing
3:00
and torture of us your governments maintain close ties with Israel always eager to strengthen their
3:07
military and diplomatic relationships enabling our Slaughter and Scourge before your very eyes
3:14
you never truly stood up against your governments nor did you pressure them to end their sales and
3:19
connections with Israel what we are witnessing now is a systematic normalization effort aimed
3:26
at dismantling the unity of the Muslim world and erasing our identity Muslims need Gaza but Gaza
3:34
does not need Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan we've seen the so-called Muslim leaders
3:41
from the UAE Saudi Arabia and others sit around the table with the US Secretary of State and
3:47
Israeli officials literally breaking bread with one another Meanwhile my family and I struggle
3:53
to find anything to break our fasts I've seen thousands of you post your daily meals on social
4:00
media did the prophet not teach you to share your food with others or at least to eat quietly so not
4:08
to offend those who cannot find any having your so-called Muslim leaders read the last verse of
4:16
Surah Al which says that genuine Believers in Allah and the last day will not form alliances
4:24
with those who oppose Allah and his messenger even if they are their closest of relative Ives day
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after day you watch hundreds of us drowning in our own blood thousands of exhausted families living
4:37
in ramshackles tents begging for food and water and hundreds of barefoot traumatized children
4:43
shivering with fear cold and hunger in the sewage filled streets what have you truly done for them
4:51
we wish we never had to lower our dignity in front of the world to ask for our basic human rights but
4:57
we were forced to because you and the world have tolerated our unimaginable suffering over 60,000
5:05
people have been killed and more than 110,000 made are you waiting for this number to double or to
5:12
Triple how much more do you need to see to finally act and stop the hell that has been inflicted
5:20
Upon Us in verse 76 of Sur just one verse after Allah compels us to fight for those who have been
5:29
wronged Allah also prioritized in struggling but you're pressed over prayers zaka and fasting so
5:37
when you go to the mosque and stand foot by foot to pray what comes to your mind when you remember
5:43
Gaza that is of course if you remember it I know many of you don't we should have been together
5:50
handin hand to free the entire occupied Palestine and its holy religious places but you resorted to
5:57
normalizing war criminals giving up most of our land and encouraging genocide in Gaza nothing
6:04
has been achieved on the ground instead we receive nothing but Hollow platitudes and degrading pleas
6:11
Allah's Mercy is greater than theirs but you decide to live under theirs he indeed bestows
6:18
His blessings and mercies onto you daily but you refuse to realize it I naively assumed that I
6:26
would spend Ramadan peacefully and comfortably with my family however Israel does what Israel
6:32
does implemented a starvation strategy against us and close the borders two days later and it
6:41
was so easy for Israel to do this because you did nothing now our lives are shattered once more the
6:48
salt rubbed into our wounds this isn't some sort of aberration this is genocide by Design please
6:56
remember as you break your fast this evening Gaza will eventually escape the horrors we
7:01
Face we will regain our independence our right to life and justice for those who wronged us and
7:09
when that day comes you will need Gaza more than ever to avoid facing the biggest question in the
7:15
Hereafter or at least to preserve your Humanity you're losing both right now and you not find
7:22
anyone to intervene for you tomorrow because you don't intervene when you are needed today this
7:30
must be your daily reminder on Eid I wonder how you will celebrate when the essence of Celebration
7:37
has been absent from our lives for nearly 2 years how can you wear your finest clothes while we are
7:44
wrapped in shrouds how can you enjoy sweets while the children in my neighborhood draw food in the
7:50
sand how can you go to the mosque having witness for Destruction and desecration of nearly 1,000
7:56
mosques in Gaza and how can you visit your loved ones and rejoice at home while we stand in grief
8:03
by the graves of our family members and our dear ones many questions weigh on my mind but Eid is a
8:11
time when all Muslims celebrate together if this reality does not cross your mind then it's not
8:17
truly Eid it's merely fleeting self-indulgent Joy stripped of both Islamic and human values
8:27
it's like a neighbor throwing a party on the day your father passed away I don't know how
8:33
to silence the Relentless Agony within me my heart has no room left for more pain yet
8:40
instead of easing my burden your actions only deepen my suffering your brother Abu Bakr Abid