Op-Ed   The voice of a sane Muslim |04 November 2023

On October 7, on a Saturday morning – a sacred day of the week in Jewish tradition, which coincided with the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah – the Jewish communities in southern Israel bordering the Gaza Strip were suddenly attacked by terrorists.

As the hours passed, the brutal attack perpetrated by Hamas (whose full name is the ‘Islamic Resistance Movement’) resulted in more than 1400 people murdered and over 240 taken as hostages to Gaza. Among these were women, children, and elderly. This was without a doubt the most horrific attack in Israel’s history.

But it was also a betrayal of Islam and its principles. There is nothing in Islam that justifies such a terrible attack. Islam as a divine religion denounces violence and terrorism. And, in our world view, the holy Qur’an affirms complete faith in all prophet.As stated in Surah Ali Imran 84: “We believe in God and what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants; and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets from their Lord – we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we fully submit.”

Moreover, regarding the killing of innocent people, the Qura’an says clearly, in Surah Al-Israa, ayah 33: “Do not kill any person whom God has forbidden to kill.”Even capturing women, whether they are Yazidis in Sinjar of Iraq, or Israeli Jews from Nir Oz, whether they are Muslim women or not, is absolutely prohibited in Islam. It is clear that Hamas has violated Islam.

Therefore, this is my message to Hamas: You are betraying Islam. You are dancing on the blood of the innocent souls you murdered. Which Islam permits the killing of innocents in the name of religion and God? Which religion allows the slaughter of defenseless people? You built your glory with the skulls of those defenseless victims. How will you face God on the Day of Judgment? What will you say to Him? Will you say that the Jews in those communities are all infidels and atheists? Will you say that they are not human servants of God? I am telling you: on that day, you’ll bite your fingers and have no one to help you! On that day, all the innocent victims will stand before God, and say: Lord, for what sin did they kill us, for what crime did they slaughter us, made our blood permissible, orphan our children, bereave our women, disperse us and deprive us of the life You gave us?

I call upon Islamic institutions: Don’t you see how Hamas killers are dancing on the blood of innocent people? What right do they have to shed their blood? By what law do they deny their sanctity? You know Hamas is to blame. You know they’ve falsified truth, distorted religion, shed the blood of innocents, and betrayed their honor. They have distorted the laws of heaven, of the Torah, the Gospels, and the Qur’an.

You must speak up.There can be no justification for silence in the face of what was perpetrated in the name of Islam, while rejoicing in killing, distributing sweets, and wishing for Jewish annihilation. 

I am also addressing those who profess to wisdom and issue fatwas – without your fatwas, temptations and promises of virgins in paradise, the youth would not pursue death, nor would they hate life. Your fatwas issued in the name of Islam simply legalise violence, murder, and suicide. 

What happened on October 7 was not about a political conflict, but rather a heinous terror attack in the name of Islam. However, I want to assure you that Israel will continue to take every action needed to bring the captives back home safely to their families, to protect its citizens and to destroy Hamas capabilities. And the world must realise: Israel is not fighting against the Palestinians. The Palestinians are not Israel’s enemies. The enemy is Hamas and its venomous hatred of Israel, as reflected in the Hamas charter. Israel has always strived to achieve a lasting, brave peace, via direct and honest dialogue, exactly as the Quraan calls for in Surah Al-Ankabut Ayat 46: “Don’t argue with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but with good words and manner…”

I pray to Allah that this becomes a reality…Amen.

By Ambassador Ismail Haldi,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Seychelles NATION newspaper.