The Boycott or the Victory Weapon

Praise be to Allah (SWT) and Blessings on Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

Bear in mind! You were praying to your Sustainer for aid, whereupon He consequently responded to you, “I shall, certainly, help you with a thousand angels following one after the other! And Allah ordained this only as a glad tiding, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest — since no [decisive] support can come from any save Allah: verily, Allah is magnificent, wise! [Al Anfal, 8:9-10]

The liberation of British journalist, Sami Hamdi, from Californian prisons, represents, per his own words, a victory for the Ummah. The worldwide mobilisation that followed his illegal detention has bent those who are responsible for numerous human rights violations, with the help of Allah (SWT).

According to Hamdi, his 18-day detention is nothing compared to the ongoing plight of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, especially those in Gaza. This liberation is but a small victory on the forces of evil, which will only complete when Palestine will be free and the Ummah’s dignity restored.

The so-called ceasefire, which has so far claimed 300 lives, by the Zionist army, seems to have provoked a laxity among Muslims. The genocide seems to be a faraway nightmare, Muslims have forgotten about the boycott.

And do not think that Allah is unaware of what the evildoers are doing: He but grants them respite until the Day when their eyes will stare in horror [Ibrahim, 14:42]

How can we remain indifferent to the horrible living conditions of our Palestinian brothers and sisters? How can we not feel the biting cold in which they are living, in flooded tents following the heavy rains?

How can we enjoy the comfort of our living rooms while Palestinians remain hungry and thirsty? While hospitals are no longer functioning, while children have been shown to make way to what used to be their schools? Let’s not be lured by AI images of apparent joy on children’s faces.

Say, “O Allah, Lord of all dominion! You grant sovereignty to whom You will, and You take away sovereignty from whom You will; and You honor whom You will, and abase whom You will. In Your hand is all prosperity. Verily, You have the power to will anything. [Ali ‘Imraan, 3:26]

Israel is more isolated than ever. The latest hint comes from the prestigious Harvard University which is collecting all documents pertaining to the existence of Israel, an indication that, for the first time, an “after-Israel” is being seriously contemplated.

This should have been seen as a small victory, following other small ones. When a high-ranking official from the illegitimate Israeli government says that the boycott has considerably reduced his country’s influence on European governments, he is only confirming the boycott’s impact. And this has been made possible without Ben Salman, or Sissi or Erdogan. It is the Ummah’s victory. Thanks to countless boycott messages on social media and the engagement of each one of us, the Ummah has caused Starbucks, McDonald’s, KFC and other companies guilty of genocide, to bow.

And the deniers planned and schemed [against ‘Iså], but Allah had His plan: for Allah is the best of planners. [Ali ‘Imran, 3:54]

The Ummah will never forget that a genocide had been committed during more than two years, making 68,000 victims, without counting thousands still under the rubble, two million refugees, living in tents, and the highest number of amputated children ever known. The Ummah cannot forget that level of atrocity and barbarism committed by the Zionist army.

Behold, as for those who are in denial [of Allah’s direct power and urgent authority], it is all the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them: they will not ac- knowledge [and commit to Allah]. Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes is a film; and theirs is a magnitude of misery. [Al Baqara, 2:6-7]

The world now knows that Zionists are no less than war criminals, per international conventions standards, with a rock in the place of a heart. The butcher of Tel Aviv delights in the carnage of innocent Muslims. The Ummah will never forget.

The economic boycott is the action par excellence, the efficient weapon to bend the Israeli economy and provoke the disappearance of Zionism, Insha Allah.

The victory will not be complete without the liberation of the 10,000 Palestinians, detained in inhumane conditions in Israeli prisons. We need to remain rallied to end the torture of our brothers and sisters detained under the shameful system of administrative detention, to end the detention of women and children without any judicial cases. We need to denounce the violent treatment meted to them, the rapes of men and women with objects.

Violating women’s dignity originates from the very principle of exploitation, slavery and human trafficking. We have no right to remain silent in the face of the horror and ordeal that political prisoners suffer in Israeli prisons, under what Zionists call administrative detention. We have no right to remain silent while Palestinian prisoners are held in atrocious conditions, naked, blindfolded and prohibited from sitting on their behinds. Others are forced to wear nappies for long hours.

The Marwan Barghouti case, which we will soon address, requires denunciation.

Let’s be conscious of the fact the Zionists are rebels against Allah (SWT), which explains their abnormal level of cruelty, barbarity and savage nature. It is an inhuman genocidal extremism that has been tolerated by the West for decades.

Based on our duty of hisbah, to invite towards goodness and prevent falsehood, it is our duty to denounce Zionists, their American protectors and their Arab allies.

Through boycotts, we can show our solidarity with the oppressed. Any sincere effort, no matter how small, to stop ethnic cleansing, torture and arbitrary detentions, should not be underestimated.

Many are those who criticise those who do not do enough for our oppressed brothers and sisters.

Let’s earmark a few hours, among so many others given by Allah (SWT) to exercise our freedom of speech, to show our support to our brothers and sisters, as well as denouncing a wrong action by our speech, as per the commandment of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Let’s ignore those who state that marches, protests and vigils serve nothing.

We can all be morally supportive. Let’s not underestimate the power of boycotts. It contributed to weakening the economy of the apartheid state of Israel.

It is certain that Allah (SWT) is shifting power dynamics. Allah (SWT) will soon make the destruction of Zionism a lesson for the world.

May Allah (SWT) help and guide us.