The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Gaza Strip called on imams and preachers around the world to “harness their inkwells, pens, voices and pulpits in defense of Palestine and in support of Muslims in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.”
The ministry said – in a letter addressed to the ministers of endowments and religious and Islamic affairs in the Arab and Islamic countries, and to “our sheikhs, imams and preachers in the great Arab and Islamic world” – that “you have an example in the Sheikh of Islam, Al-Izz bin Abdul Salam, nicknamed the Sultan of the Scholars, how he shook the thrones of the oppressive usurpers with his sermons.” And his words that stirred the consciences of the nation, awakened in them chivalry and dignity, and kindled in their chests the flame of jihad and victory.”
The Ministry addressed the scholars and preachers, saying, “Even if borders prevent us, jihad in Lebanon is no less than jihad with the teeth, in light of the Zionist enemy’s violation of all divine laws, customs, laws, and international covenants, desecration of sanctities, and desecration of honour. The blood of our children, women, and elders has been spilled in the streets, and body parts have been scattered everywhere, cursed.” “Everyone is weak and neglectful in supporting the oppressed Muslims in Gaza.”
She continued, “We hold you responsible for defending Palestine, supporting its people in Gaza, and lifting injustice against them, which you will be asked about on the day when neither wealth nor children will benefit.”
In its message, the Ministry recalled the two hadiths of the Prophet – may God bless him and grant him peace – “No one abandons a Muslim in a situation where his sanctity is violated and his honor is diminished except that God Almighty abandons him in a situation where he loves to support him, and no one supports a Muslim in a situation where he is diminished.” Whoever honors him and violates his sanctity, unless God grants him victory in a place where He loves to support him.” And his saying, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not oppress him or betray him.”
The letter also indicated that the people of Gaza have been exposed for more than 90 days at the hands of the Israeli occupation army to “the ugliest forms of killing, torture and displacement (nearly 90 thousand martyrs, missing and wounded), and the destruction of government institutions and educational headquarters (more than 500 institutions, schools and universities). Destroying homes on the heads of their residents day and night (355 thousand housing units, completely and partially), destroying mosques (nearly 500 mosques completely and partially), obliterating every cultural and archaeological Islamic landmark, preventing water, medicine and food, starving people and displacing them from their homes in the open without food or shelter. In the extreme cold.”
