Voice of British Muslim Women

Maleeha Mansur, Hayes

Learning about World War II at school, I remember being perplexed at how it was possible for such large-scale killing to take place. How could the world witness such atrocities and not stop them? Surely, there was more good in the world?

Today, I look at the atrocities being inflicted in Gaza and sadly, I understand how the combination of greed, apathy and fear of repercussion for involvement by the observers, by countries who may not be directly involved allow a massacre to happen right before our eyes. There is no justification for the killing of 10,000 children and yet this number increases by the hundreds. There is no justification and certainly no proportionality in the massacre of over 24,000, the displacement of 1.9 million people and the destruction of 70% of homes in Gaza in retaliation for the death of 1,300 Israelis.

The apathy of the world is in complete contradiction to the great wisdom and teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who so beautifully instructed, “Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is unable to do so, then with his tongue. If he is unable to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith.”

Looking away and hoping someone else will have the courage to stop the war, will only bring the war to our doorstep. The world has never been more of a global village. Indeed, the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has warned us in no uncertain terms, “The rate at which the state of war is escalating, and how the Israeli government and other major global powers are adopting certain policies, it’s apparent that a world war is staring us in the face…The (harrowing) state of affairs is in front of you all.”

Sending aid is well and good but the root cause, the merciless bombardment of innocent civilians needs to be addressed. The world should take heed from history and show true justice. After the First World War, the League of Nations was founded to prevent such a war in the future. However, failing to uphold justice meant that it was unable to prevent the Second World War. Thereafter, the United Nations was formed, again with the intention of preventing such a war again. However, once again, we see history repeating itself with justice not only being not upheld but barefacedly overlooked and some countries being granted veto powers. We need to show courage and guide the hand of our governments towards justice as His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad has said,
“For as long as [world leaders] do not courageously strive for a ceasefire, they are invariably responsible for taking the world towards destruction.”

And the world will once again have failed to learn from history. Let it not be so, let us write a history for how the good in the world responded to evil. Let us use any opportunity we can to rally for peace, let us be the #VoicesforPeace.

Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Imaan, Hadith 49a
Press Release – 28th October 2023, “Global Muslim leader warns world war is looming as world leaders complicit in the injustice of Israel-Palestine war”
https://www.pressahmadiyya.com/press-releases/2023/10/global-muslim-leader-warns-world-war-is-looming-as-world-leaders-complicit-in-the-injustice-of-israel-palestine-war/
Ibid
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/14/1224673502/gaza-numbers-100-days-israel-hamas
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/live-updates-gaza-death-toll-tops-24000-israel-106374183