Islamic Caliph criticises response of Western powers to disproportionate Israeli military action in Gaza

In his Friday Sermon, broadcast live to millions of Muslims around the world, the Global Head and Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has called for a stronger response from the UN and Western powers against the disproportionate Israeli military action against Gaza.

The Caliph, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad began by commenting on the attacks by Hamas:

“Even in a state of war, Islam does not permit the killing of women, children, elderly and innocent civilians…If there is a legitimate state of war, it should be entirely limited to the respective armies and never against innocent women, children, elderly and civilians. In this respect, the action Hamas took must be condemned.”

Turning to the actions of the Israeli government since the Hamas attacks of the previous week, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Whatever injustice and cruelty Hamas committed, the response to that, or war, should have been restricted to Hamas. However, the (indiscriminate) response of the Israeli Government is extremely dangerous… The Israeli Government has suggested it will destroy Gaza and to this end, they have carried out severe and overwhelming bombardment. They have turned the city to dust.”

The Caliph also expressed his dismay at the weak response of the world powers to the injustices of the Israeli military, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Now the most recent development is that the Israeli Government is telling a million or so people to leave (Northern) Gaza immediately…Thankfully – albeit with much hesitation – the United Nations is, at least, now raising a faint voice in response to this development. They have said it is against human rights and would create huge problems and so Israel should think about their decision. Rather than unequivocally saying that it is wrong, and instead of taking a stronger stance, the United Nations is making mere requests.”

More than 2200 Palestinians, including 724 children have already been confirmed as killed in Gaza. His Holiness spoke of the lack of sympathy shown to Palestinian women and children and said:

“…where the world considers Israeli women, children and civilians to be innocent, it should also remember that the Palestinian women, children and civilians are innocent too.”

The Caliph explained that the only route to justice for the Palestinians was through Muslim unity and prayer. He also warned the major powers that they would not be insulated from the destruction that could ensue.

“An ordinary person cannot even imagine the war that may now ensue as a result of the injustices that have been seen. The major powers know the intensity of the damage it will cause, yet, they are not interested in establishing justice and are unwilling to pay heed.”

He ended his sermon with the following prayer:

“May Allah guide the Muslim powers so that they may unite in order to establish true justice. May the major world powers of the world also be granted right-mindedness so that instead of taking the world towards destruction, they try to save it. They should not make it their objective to simply fulfil their Selfish desires. They should always remember that if and when there is destruction, the major powers too will not be safe from it…

“May Allah give sense to Hamas as well. May they not become the reason for the injustices against their own people and may they not carry out barbaric cruelties and injustices against others. If they are to fight, then they should do so in light of the just principles of Islam – wherein an enmity of a nation should not incite us to act otherwise than with justice – this is the commandment of Allah the Almighty. May Allah enable the major powers to fulfil the obligations of justice on both sides of the conflict in order to establish peace. It should not be that they become lenient towards one side at the cost of the other. May they not increase in injustice and may we see peace with our eyes in the world.”