Gaza: Betrayal of the Muslim Rulers

As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, the Muslim Rulers are satisfied with keeping their thrones warm. The Ummah is in dire need of sincere leadership that fears Allah (swt) and acts according to His commandments. The Muslim Rulers must mobilize the Muslim Armies to assist our brothers and sisters in Palestine or they should step aside for a Khalifah Rashid to rule the Muslim lands and implement the Hukm Sharai’.

On December 27, 2008 Israel launched an aerial and ground assault on the population of Gaza. Three weeks later, the death toll in Gaza continues to increase with over 1095 deaths and well over 5100 wounded. According to the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, “Figures from Gaza now put the civilian toll at 698 dead or about 65 percent of overall fatalities.”

Where Is The Assistance?
How can the massacre in Gaza be allowed to continue when the Muslims in Palestine are surrounded from all sides by Muslim countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia? These are not weak and powerless nations, rather individually and collectively, they have the ability to assist their brothers and sisters who are being slaughtered in the world’s most densely populated prison (i.e. Gaza). According to some estimates the number of soldiers in the surrounding countries along with Israel is as follows:


Why have none of these rulers come to the rescue of their brothers and sisters in Gaza? As in the past, they continue to run around calling for futile ceasefire agreements and U.N resolutions - all of which will either be rejected by Israel and her supporters or will be structured in a way that will provide little assistance if any. The current crisis plaguing the Muslims in Palestine is not something that began with the election of Hamas in 2006. Rather, this has been a continuing cycle of violence and destruction meted out against the Muslims in Palestine for the last 60 years by their Israeli occupiers with the tacit support of the Muslim rulers.

Treacherous Rulers
The Muslim rulers often condemn and criticize Israeli actions against the Muslims of Palestine, yet they maintain cozy relations with the Israeli oppressor. Egypt and Jordan are two Muslim countries in the Arab territories that have a peace treaty and have official normalized relations with Israel. In 2005, Egypt signed a deal to supply natural gas to Israel 86% below the market rate. Israel established an embassy in Amman soon after Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. A major pipeline project between Turkey and Israel, known as MedStream, is under way. The pipeline, if realized, will ship oil, natural gas and electricity from Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan to southern Israel and from there to India. Syria has been in Turkish-mediated peace negotiations with Israel. Upon joining the World Trade Organization in 2005, Saudi Arabia agreed to cancel the second and third level boycotts of Israeli products and services. According to an article in the Jerusalem Post, Dan Catarivas, director of foreign trade and international relations at the Manufacturers Association of Israel, states that, “The Arab boycott exists much more on paper than in practicality.”

And as if it was not enough to maintain economic ties with Israel, some of the Muslim rulers go out of their way to support the death and destruction of their fellow Muslims! For example, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was in Cairo, where she met with Hosni Mubarak and Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit, less than 48 hours before the assaults on Gaza began. At a joint press conference with Abu al-Gheit in Cairo on December 25th, Livni openly threatened to attack the Muslims in Gaza. She said, “Enough is enough. The situation is going to change…this is something that has to be stopped and this is what we’re going to do.” All of this was said while the Egyptian government remained silent! Furthermore, Egypt has refused to open up its Rafah border, which is the only non-Israeli border with Gaza. In fact, Egyptian Border Guards have been firing on Muslims from Palestine who are attempting to flee from the brutal Israeli assault into Egypt!

They Do Not Represent Us
As the blood of the Muslims in Palestine and in many other areas of the Muslim lands continues to flow, the anger on the streets can be seen by the numerous protests across the Muslim world. Last week, a protest was held in Jordan in which protestors chanted, “Arab rulers are cowards!” while banners read, “Gaza 2009: Your Majesties and Excellencies Arab Leaders, Happy New Massacre.' In Egypt, there were 50,000 who protested in Alexandria shouting, “Down with Israel, and with it every collaborator!” and “Gaza excuse us: opening Rafah is not in our hands”. Beyond the protests and demonstrations, the growing divide between the Muslims and the rulers is being brought to the forefront. The International Herald Tribune reported that after Juma Salat a woman jumped to her feet and shouted, “Open the border, Open the border!” A Qatari newspaper reported that Egyptian Security Officers refused to take guard shifts at the Rafah border. They said, “If we were to go there, then let us cross and fight Israel.” It is clear that we, the Muslim Ummah, are united in our condemnation of Israel’s assault on the Muslims of Palestine. We are tired of complacent and corrupt Muslim rulers who act only in their own interest while the blood of the Muslims is being spilt. We demand that these Muslim rulers be removed and replaced with a single leadership – a Khalifah Rashid – who will fear Allah (swt) alone and will implement Islam comprehensively.

Sincere Leaders, Where Are You?
With the Muslims being murdered, incarcerated, and tortured around the world, the Ummah is restlessly awaiting for sincere leadership to rise. It was not so long ago that there were leaders amongst the Ummah who responded to her call when she was in need. These were leaders who did not respond to the call of foreign nations or for personal interest, rather; they were leaders who responded only to the call of Allah (swt):

• Rasul’Allah (saw) – When a Muslimah had her awrah exposed by the jewellers in the market of Banu Qaynuqaa', a Muslim rushed to her assistance and was killed. However, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was able to send in reinforcements which resulted in the expulsion of Bani Qaynuqaa'.
• Mu'tasim – In 223 AH a Muslimah in 'Ammuriyyah (present day Ankara) was dishonoured by the Byzantines. When the Khalifah Mu’tasim heard of her plight, he responded by sending a Muslim army to liberate that region and free the Muslim prisoner.
• Nur Al-Deen – United the Muslim Armies and directed an assault on the Crusaders and through his general Salahuddeen Al-Ayubi liberated Al-Sham.

These are just a few examples of how Muslim rulers who implement the hukm sharai’ can effectively mobilise the Muslim armies available to them in a manner that will assist and aid the Ummah at times of need.

Express Your Anger
The required response to the massacre of Gaza is known. It does not need meetings or gatherings for discussions. Nor does it require getting a response to a resolution from the very States that established and continue to support the Jewish State. The response, and the only response, is to mobilise the Muslim armies to gather in them all those who are able as soldiers and fight. Allah (swt) has revealed:

“And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of Allah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help.’”
[TMQ 4:75]

It is the Muslim Armies that bear the burden of responsibility to respond to this military onslaught with a military intervention. If they do not respond to this obligation then what is the purpose of the army’s existence? Why do they even bother to train and equip themselves?

As Muslims living in Canada, we must express our outrage and anger towards the inaction of the Muslim rulers. We should contact the Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, Turkish and Iranian Embassies and ask them:

1. Why has their government been complicit with the Israeli massacre in Gaza?
2. Why have the border crossings NOT been completely opened to allow the people of Gaza access to safety and security?
3. Why with such large defense budgets and hundreds of thousands of soldiers as well as billions of dollars spent on military hardware has nothing been done to defend the people of Gaza?

We should tell the Ambassadors that its military must intervene against the massacre being committed against the helpless people of Gaza. If the government is too cowardly to stand up to Israel, then it should step aside and allow a sincere Islamic leadership to establish the Khilafah Rashidah and protect the people of Gaza.

We should also sincerely ask Allah (swt) for assistance and help, and for the hearts and minds of the people of power who are keeping these rulers in their thrones to change, as it is only with the help of Allah (swt) that we will succeed.

Finally, we should remember that the war on Gaza is part of a wider campaign against Islam and the entire Muslim Ummah. While the media is focusing on the dismal situation in Gaza and stirring our emotions, we should also remember that the Muslims in Somalia, Chechnya, Kashmir, Northern Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Philippines, East Turkestan, Central Asia and other areas are suffering a similar (if not worse) fate at the hands of different oppressors.

May Allah (swt) allow us to exhaust ourselves in helping our brothers and sisters all over the world and may He allow us to do it only for His sake and for His pleasure alone.

“Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our Punishment by night while they are asleep? Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our Punishment in the forenoon while they were playing? Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allah? None feels secure from the Plan of Allah except the people who are the losers.'
[TMQ 7:97-99]