*Gaza's Silent Screams and the Lamp of Faith*
*By Maulana Fuzail Akhtar Qasmi Bhairvi*
There were once settlements nestled in the lap of the earth where the call to prayer perfumed the air, where the laughter of children and the prayers of mothers were signs of peace. But today, those same settlements are drenched in blood and tears. Gaza, that sacred and blessed city which absorbed the dust from the feet of the prophets (peace be upon them), is today shrouded in the dust of oppression and barbarity. Its people may be empty-bellied, but the light of faith shines brightly in their hearts. They are hungry, but they are embodiments of patience and honor. Amidst the noise and chaos of the world, their lips are silent, but the sound of certainty echoes in their hearts. This is a nation that rises even from the rubble, saying "Allahu Akbar."
The Divine Command is:
"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient." (Surat Al-Baqarah, Verse: 155)
Translation: And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient. (Aasan Tarjuma Quran by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Volume 1, Page 109)
The land of Gaza still looks towards the sky with questioning eyes, its existence wounded. The faces there, which once shone with the light of faith and the glow of determination, are now hidden in the dust of hunger, thirst, and torment. This is the same holy land where the prophets (peace be upon them) lit the torches of monotheism, but today the children there stand with their hands outstretched towards the sky for a morsel of sustenance. Their lips are dry, but there is no complaint on their tongues. There are sobs, but the warmth of certainty remains in their hearts. From here come the silent screams of Gaza, which shake hearts and illuminate the lamp of faith.
It is as if a stone has been placed on the conscience of the world. Those same nations that chant slogans of humanity, freedom, and equality stand today with the perpetrators of oppression. Those same powers that claim to be ambassadors of peace stand by as silent spectators, watching the explosives rain down on the bodies of innocent children. The champions of human rights have become supporters of the greatest murderers of humanity. Oppression has crossed its final limits, and justice is buried somewhere deep in the caves.
God Almighty has said in the Holy Quran:
"And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision." (Surat Al-Imran, Verse: 169)
Translation: And never think that those who have been slain in the way of Allah are dead; nay, they are living, they have sustenance from their Lord. (Aasan Tarjuma Quran by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Volume 1, Page 232)
There is no life in the streets of Gaza now, only smoke. That smoke rises not from burning houses, but from shattered dreams. The sighs of mothers pierce the air and reach the heavens, but there is no one on earth to hear. The faces of children, which once radiated smiles, now tremble in the shadow of fear. These are the same innocent souls who should have had books in their hands, but today those hands are searching for their parents buried under the rubble. The silence of the world has itself become a crime. The hands of the oppressor are strengthened only when the voice of justice is silenced. The insensitivity of the nations of the world is proof that the corpse of humanity now lies rotting on the floor of political interests. Debates are taking place in the halls of diplomacy, meetings are being called, but no one feels the weight of the tears of a small Palestinian child on their heart. This storm of oppression, which devours innocent faces every day, has perhaps swept away the conscience of the world as well.
Hunger has taken root in the Palestinian tents. Mothers have no milk, but there are children crying with hunger in their laps. A piece of bread, a drop of water, is now less than a treasure there. But there is still steadfastness in their eyes, and the spark of faith is burning in their hearts. They are hungry, but the springs of honor have not dried up. The scent of martyrdom is embedded in the soil of their feet, and the dreams of freedom are alive in their eyes.
Qala Rasul Allah ﷺ: "Lā tazālu ṭā'ifatun min ummatī 'ala al-ḥaqqi ẓāhirīna, lā yaḍurruhum man khālafahum, ḥattā ya'tiya amru Allāhi wa hum 'ala dhālik." (Sahih Muslim)
Translation: A group from my Ummah will continue to remain steadfast on the truth, and those who oppose them will not harm them until the command of Allah comes.
The cruel rulers of the time may not know that oppression does not last forever. One day, history will tear the veil from their faces. Every drop of blood shed on earth is preserved as a testimony in the record of heaven. Every scream, every sob, every sigh will one day stand as evidence before divine justice. The day will surely come when the wounds of Gaza will turn into flowers, and the lamp of hope will be lit again from the ashes of suffering.
The patience of the people of Palestine is actually an expression of faith. Their hunger is a symbol of sacrifice. They are reminding the world that faith is not just a verbal affirmation, but a covenant to be fulfilled with body and soul. They are hungry, but they have not bowed down. They are weak, but they have not lost. There is rubble beneath their feet, but the power of the Quran is in their hearts. Their sobs are louder than the halls of the world, their silence is shaking the thrones of oppression.
This war is not just about land, it is a struggle between faith and disbelief. On one side are the weapons of power, on the other are the prostrations of certainty. On one side are bombs, on the other are prayers. On one side is an army supported by the world, on the other are mothers who believe in God. Those mothers who do not shed tears over the martyrdom of their children, but smile and say: "Alhamdulillah, my son has gone to Paradise." The story of Palestine is not over, it is an ongoing saga, on every page of which faith is written, and in every line sacrifice is recorded. No matter how blind the world becomes, this darkness of oppression will surely disappear one day. Because no one can destroy a nation in whose hearts the Quran resides.
Now is the time for us, the scholars, intellectuals, and all those who spread light in the light of books and thought, to break our silence. Your intellectual power and spiritual insight can shed light on hearing the silent screams of Gaza and raising your voice for the oppressed. Now is the time to awaken the conscience of the world, to light the candle of knowledge and action against oppression, and to take steps in the path of faith and justice. If we remain silent today, the cries of the oppressed will be recorded in history as a witness to our knowledge and power. Therefore, every scholar and learned person should stand up for the rights of Palestinians with their knowledge, their pen, and their voice, and remind the world that oppression never lasts, and supporting the truth is a duty in every era.
*Student, Department of Specialization in Jurisprudence, Fatwa and Judiciary, Darul Uloom Hyderabad*