Rasa – The Quds Freedom Movement, a Shi’ah Muslim-led movement which supports Palestine and the Islamic Resistance and is based in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, Karnataka, has released the following statement on International al-Quds Day.
In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Imam Khomeini (RA) has said: “al-Quds Day is a global day and is not limited to Palestine issue, but also a means for the oppressed ones to fight against arrogant powers... This is a day when oppressed ones should be equipped against the arrogant powers and knock them to the ground. This day will differentiate between the hypocrites and committed faithful people. The committed ones acknowledge this day as the day of Palestine (and all the oppressed) cause and will perform whatever needed. However, hypocrites, who have maintained secret friendship with arrogant powers, will remain impartial or will not allow the public to hold demonstrations.”
On al-Quds Day let all those of us who object to oppression symbol in our hearts and thoughts express our feeling in action and speech. On al-Quds Day, according to Imam Khomeini (RA), who is the pride of the Shi’ah – people are examined via their words, actions, and their love to oppressed people of the world and their feeling of opposition towards tyrants and oppressors. On al-Quds Day let all those who believe Israel and ISIL Terrorists as the humanity and Muslims’ enemy join to demonstrators’ lines and practice Imam Ali’s (A) words: “Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed.”
al-Quds Day is a prelude towards establishing the oppressed party on the earth. The world’s oppressed and poor people take part in the demonstration and hope for the restoring the rights of the oppressed people all around the world. al-Quds Day relates to more than one geographical point in the word but it is the symbol of thought, and strategy of performing the tasks for the world’s oppressed people.
It is imperative for us to bear in mind that when we raise our voices on al-Quds Day, it is to stand up against oppression not just in Palestine but all over the world, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, and Tunisia. It is the day for the weak and oppressed to confront the arrogant powers of Zionism, USA, ISIL and the al-Qaedah Yazidis of our time. Likewise, when we lament and mourn over the tragedy of Imam Husayn (A), which is the greatest of calamities in the history of mankind, we are in essence voicing our condemnation for all other oppressions, and we recognize that Karbala is a representation of “enjoining the good and forbidding the evil” which is not limited to the land of Karbala nor to the day of Ashura. When we participate and promote the yearly Quds rally on the last Friday of Ramadhan, remember that we are also protesting the oppressed people of the world.
For those of us who are hesitant to participate in al-Quds Day rallies, it is a good time to reassess our faith as the holy month of Ramadhan culminates. Surely it is contradicting to claim that we are preparing ourselves for the return of our Imam (AJ) when we are struggling within ourselves to protest against one of the most obvious cases of oppression in our present time. Yet again, it is a commonly observed phenomenon that Truth is usually supported by few while the majority tends to lean towards Falsehood where ever it is convenient. We hope and pray that we are not among those whom Imam Husayn (A) described, “Verily, people are the slaves of the world, and religion is just on their tongues. They are attentive to it as their material benefits are provided, but when they are tested, the number of true devotees dwindles!”
Yasir Abbas,
Quds Freedom Movement
Bangalore, India