MUSLIM COMMUNITY MOURNS GAZA WAR VICTIMS

MBABANE – The Muslim community is grieving following the killing of innocent civilians in the ongoing war between the Palestine military, known as Hamas, and Israel in Gaza.

The Muslim community refers to all people who believe in Islamic faith across the globe. Like all religions in the world, Muslims believe in God as the Supreme Being and the Creator. However, they value Muhammad, the Arab religious, social and political leader, who founded Islam, as the greatest prophet. These days, the Muslim community is concerned about the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel, which has claimed many lives of innocent citizens in Gaza. The killing of innocent civilians has touched the Muslim community so much that they wondered why the United Nations was not protecting the innocent civilians from the Israel army. In a meeting held at the Ezulwini Islamic Institute last Friday, the Muslims decried what they referred to as western propaganda and hate speech, discrimination and extremism carried in western media concerning the war.

Ismail Moosa from Durban in South Africa, said the manner in which western media carried out articles about the war portrayed Hamas as the aggressor, yet it was not the case. He said as brothers and sisters to the people who endured the persecution in Gaza, they had learnt that the recent war was sparked by Hamas, attacking three Israel army bases with intent to hold soldiers hostage, following the long-standing dispute. Moosa stated that they had learnt that Hamas never attacked or shot at the innocent civilians, but targeted the soldiers. “We learnt that when Hamas launched the attack on the Israel soldiers, it never aimed at the innocent citizens on the streets and families. However, Israel decided to block food and medication from entering Gaza to the detriment of the inhabitants. We also learnt that Israel has switched off electricity, water and blocked import and export in Gaza. Can you imagine the pain of going without food, water, medication, among other basic necessities before being killed,” said Moosa.

Creator

He said the killing of innocent civilians concerned Muslims, because their religion did not have borders. He said they believed that Muslims were one body of the Creator, in that they were touched by the attack on their fellow brothers and sisters, wherever they were. “The Creator does not condone any killing of innocent people irrespective of race, religion or skin colour. The United Nations’ charter makes it clear that any attack on innocent civilians remains prohibited. One wonders why the UN is silent on the killing of innocent civilians since the beginning of the war, which has claimed many lives,” he said. He added that what pained them the most was the fact that the killing of their fellow brothers and sisters continued even after world countries voted against the continued persecution of the innocent citizens in Gaza.

Moosa said Muslims had been living in peace with people of other religions such as Christians and the Jews since the ancient days. He said the Palestinians, whom he believed were among the first settlers, were so generous that they welcomed the Jews when they arrived in Palestine, following their persecution in the eastern countries such as Germany and Russia. He stated that the nations which considered the disputed land descended from one man. History has pointed out that for Christians, Israel is the ‘Holy Land’, because it is the place where Jesus’s life and death unfolded. For Muslims, Jerusalem is the place where Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven. “There is nowhere in the Quran where it says God promised certain people land in Palestine. However, we are aware of the Bible version, which says God promised land to Abraham, who happened to have sons including Ishmael and Isaac. We understand the version to mean when God declared Canaan a Promised Land; He meant that Canaan would be occupied by only those who obeyed Him.  It was for that reason they punished those who rebelled against Him,” Moosa said, while fighting back tears.

Permission

He stated that Muslims did not believe that God permitted  Israel to kill all the people who settled in Canaan and the surrounding areas when He emancipated them from the hand of Pharaoh in Egypt. “There was no way God could have allowed the mass killing of innocent civilians who lived before the arrival of the Israelites from Egypt. The history is long, but it is clear how the Jews who later formed the State of Israel arrived and welcomed by the Palestinians,” he said. He mentioned that history was clear on how Israel locked the Palestinians with support from Egypt in Gaza after the Hamas seized power in 2007. Moosa said the people of Gaza had been living a miserable life for many years before the new attack from Israel. He said Israel had been expanding her territory since she established her state in 1948, because they were supported by some western countries. Moosa said the UN ought to have long intervened to save the innocent lives.

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