Press Release
Supporting the People of Gaza is an Obligation on all Muslims, Not just Some of Them
(Translated)

On 24 March, 2025, “Afghanistan in Arabic,” a social media channel affiliated with the Afghanistan government, broadcast a speech read by Mawlawi Abdul Haq Hamed entitled “A Message from Afghanistan to Arab Rulers and Leaders,” in which he criticized their cowardly stance towards the people of Gaza, and their alignment with the Jewish entity against them. Mawlawi Hamed said, “As for you, O Arab rulers, who have preferred the worldly life of others over your Deen, and followed the enemy of Allah (swt) and your enemy, and ran after the mirage of making peace with the child-murderers and occupying usurpers of land. Fear Allah (swt) for yourselves. Fear Allah (swt) for your Ummah. Fear Allah (swt) for your Deen. Return to your senses. Return to the protection of truth, if you are of sound mind. Do you not know that the funds you supply to the enemy of Allah (swt), is fuel for the bombing of Gaza? Do you not see that your oil has become blood in the veins of the tanks of the Zionists? O Arab rulers, two billion Muslims are furious at your inaction, and this is a sign of Allah’s impending Wrath upon you, may Allah (swt) forbid! You are supposed to be the leaders of the Ummah, but in your era the Ummah has reached unprecedented humiliation! Are the women and children of Gaza more dangerous to you than the Zionists, such that you prefer your enemy over your brothers?! Gaza is bleeding and you close the borders, preventing the men from supporting Gaza! If you are unable to stop this tyrant, then open the borders and let the free people perform their Shariah obligation! Don’t you hear the screams of the women and children of Gaza? Don’t you believe that Allah (swt) hears and records everything that happens in Gaza, and that you will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment? So why don’t you wake up and support your brothers? Don’t you see that this criminal is expanding his brutality, day after day, and barking everywhere like a mad dog, and challenging your leadership? So what are you waiting for, O leaders of the Ummah?!”

Commenting on this message, we say, O our dear brother, Abdul Haqq, you know for certain, as every Muslim knows now, that these Arab rulers are the lowly, vile, Ruwaibadah men mentioned by the Messenger of Allah (saw) in the noble hadith, 

«سَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ سَنَوَاتٌ خَدَّاعَاتٌ يُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا الْكَاذِبُ وَيُكَذَّبُ فِيهَا الصَّادِقُ وَيُؤْتَمَنُ فِيهَا الْخَائِنُ وَيُخَوَّنُ فِيهَا الأَمِينُ وَيَنْطِقُ فِيهَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قِيلَ وَمَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ التَّافِهُ فِي أَمْرِ الْعَامَّةِ»

“There will come to the people years of treachery. The liar will be regarded as honest, whilst the honest man will be regarded as a liar. The traitor will be regarded as sincere, whilst the sincere man will be regarded as a traitor. And Ruwaibidah will decide matters.’ It was said: ‘Who are the Ruwaibidah?’ He (saw) said, “Vile and lowly men who control the affairs of the people.’” [Ahmad and Ibn Majah.] These rulers rule by kufr and are hostile to Islam and Muslims. They are agents of the West. Their sole mission is to undermine Islam and Muslims, and serve the interests of the kafir colonialists and the Jewish entity. Therefore, calling upon them, and asking them for support, is merely a naïve fanning of the flames. This is unless the intention is to further expose them before the Ummah, in order to overthrow the Arab rulers, whilst seeking to be free of blame before our Lord (swt). Allah (swt) said,

[وَإِذَ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْماً اللهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَاباً شَدِيداً قَالُواْ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ]

“When some of them questioned their fellows, “Why do you warn those who will either be destroyed, or severely punished by Allah?” They replied, “Just to be free from your Lord’s blame, and perhaps they may abstain.” [TMQ Surah Al-A’raf 164].

The Blessed Land of Palestine is a Shari’ Kharaji land. The neck of its land tithe is owned by the entire Islamic Ummah. It is not the property of the people of Palestine alone. So how can it be the responsibility of cowardly, traitorous, mercenary leaders alone?! The issue of Palestine is the issue of the entire Islamic Ummah, Arabs and non-Arabs alike. No one can dispute over that right with them, either from near or from afar. Just as the two Sacred Masjids of Makkah and Al-Madinah are not the reserved possession of the rulers of the House of Saud, and they belong to the entire Ummah, so too is the Blessed Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, the Third Sacred Masjid, a trust for all Muslims. No single individual has the right to claim ownership or guardianship over it. Instead, it is a trust on the necks of every single Muslim on the face of this earth.

As for your message, Brother Abdul Haq, to ​​the people of Gaza, in which you said, “Know that you are not alone, and that your brothers in Afghanistan are of one heart with you. We have not forgotten you, and you have not been absent from our supplicated Dua. You did not march, nor cross a valley, nor seek protection in a trench, except that we were with you in our hearts, souls, and tongues. Excuses kept us captive, and nationalistic borders restrained us. However, our supplicated Duas are like piercing arrows in the dead of night.” So, by only feeling pain for the pain of your brothers, and supplicating Dua for them, do you support your brothers, who are being bombarded by Jewish bombers?! What use are your pain and tears for those who are dying under the rubble?! What is the difference between you and the millions who took to the streets in Western capitals, condemning the Jewish massacres, where you limited yourself to expressing pain for the people’s affliction, and condemning the massacres?! Limiting oneself to supplication of Dua for the fulfillment of needs, including support for our brothers in Gaza, is a form of indifference. It is not true tawwakul (reliance) on Allah (swt), Who has made it a Shariah obligation to use the physical means of support. You know the saying of Imam al-Sha'bi, "اجعل مع دعائها شيئا من القطران"“Combine your supplicated Dua with material means.”

Brother Abdul Haq, when you say, “Excuses prevented us, and nationalistic borders restrained us,” is your excuse acceptable to the Lord of the Worlds when He (swt) asks you about your failure to support your brothers and sisters, about which Allah (swt) said,

[وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ]

“And if they seek your support in Deen, then it is your Shariah obligation to support” [TMQ Surah Al-Anfal 72]? Do the nationalistic borders really prevent you from supporting your own people? Why didn’t these nationalistic borders prevent all the mujahideen who came to your support against your enemy and their enemy, the Soviets and the Americans, over the past decades? Have you forgotten the Arab mujahideen, including many from Palestine, who fought alongside you, against your enemy, until Allah (swt) granted you victory over him?! These nationalistic borders did not prevent these Mujahideen from coming to you after their sincere intention to fight. The same applies to you. If your intention in Afghanistan was sincere in supporting your people in Gaza, then these nationalistic borders will not be an obstacle for you. So fear Allah (swt). Be sincere in your treatment of your brothers. Support them as Allah (swt) has commanded you, and as He (swt) has previously supported you.

Finally, Brother Abdul Haq, you should have directed your message to the Taliban Mujahideen in Afghanistan, instead of directing it to the Arab rulers. The lowly Ruwaibadah Arab rulers have already made up their minds, and aligned themselves with the enemies of the Ummah and the people of Gaza. As for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, after Allah (swt) empowered them and they became people of authority, standing and capabilities, they are the most capable and deserving of supporting their oppressed brothers and sisters in the Blessed Land of Palestine. Taliban have no excuse before Allah (swt). Nor will the excuses made by the Arab rulers themselves, who have prioritized the pleasures of this world over the Afterlife, be accepted from the Taliban. So, call upon the Taliban to send troops and fighters to Palestine, and supply your brothers with weapons and men. Do not wait for Sisi, Abdullah, or any other vile and lowly one to allow you to cross the borders. Instead, cross the nationalistic borders and extend beyond them, recalling the presence of Allah (swt), the Just Judge.

[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الآخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ * إِلاَّ تَنفِرُواْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ وَلاَ تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئاً وَاللهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ]

“O you who have believed, what is the matter with you that when you are told, “Mobilize in the Path of Allah,” you cling heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter except a little? * If you do not go forth, Allah (swt) will punish you with a painful punishment and will substitute another people for you. You will not harm Him in the least. And Allah (swt) is dominant over all affairs.” [TMQ Surah At-Tawbah 38:39]

The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir