Shahood Asif, Lecturer, Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana
The Israeli attack on Qatar on 9 September has once again exposed the helplessness and misery of Muslim countries. They may be rich in oil, abundant in natural resources and strategically located on the world map, but panic has spread. There is a looming fear that soon, it will be their turn.
So it’s not that Muslims lack wealth – God has blessed these countries with invaluable natural riches like oil, gas, coal, copper, precious minerals, and more. Nor is it that they lack diplomatic ties with Western powers – just a few months ago, these same Arab states were outdoing each other in lavishing billions of dollars on the US president.
In fact, when one looks at the economic power of the Arabs, it leaves one in shock. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which consists of six countries, has a combined GDP of over $2 trillion per year. During Trump’s recent visit to the Middle East, three of these six countries (Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) are said to have promised nearly $2 trillion in investments on American soil.
Along with this economic strength, Arab nations have also stockpiled enormous arsenals of Western-bought weaponry. Take Qatar, for example, which spent $19 billion to install modern air defence systems. Yet when it was time to use them, they all proved ineffective.
So, what’s missing?
The only thing missing is unity and mutual agreement. The tragic irony is that after the attack on Doha, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Arab League held a joint emergency session on 15 September, yet even then, the Muslim countries could not agree on any practical step against Israel apart from verbal condemnations.
The self-proclaimed champion of global peace, the United States, shed crocodile tears for Qatar by offering condolences after the attacks, but on 14 September, the US Secretary of State visited Israel and patted Netanyahu on the back, affirming, “We stand with you.”
The moral bankruptcy of Western nations is evident; during the UN Security Council session, Western countries condemned the attack – but refused even to mention Israel by name. On 18 September, for the sixth time, the United States vetoed a resolution to halt the ongoing genocide in Palestine immediately.
This is a wake-up call for Muslim nations. Will the eyes of Muslim leaders still not open after seeing all this? Will they still try to hide in the lap of the US and the West?
At the time of the creation of Israel, a divinely appointed representative had already, through his deep and perceptive insight, realised that forces had united, intending to eradicate Muslims. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra, Khalifatul Masih II, had issued a prophetic and insightful message to Muslims at the time of the establishment of Israel, foretelling today’s conditions. He said:
“It is patently obvious both that the Arabs are not strong enough and that it does not affect only the Arabs. This is not a question of Palestine; it is a question of Medina. This is not a question of Jerusalem; it is a question of Mecca itself. This is not a question of a Zaid or a Bakr but rather a question of the honour of the Prophet Muhammadsa.
“The opponents, despite their disagreements, have banded together against Islam. Will the Muslims, despite thousands of reasons for unity, not come together on this occasion? […] The time has come for us to decide whether we should die one by one, turn by turn, or work together diligently for victory. I believe the time has come when Muslims have to decide either to perish in a final struggle or completely eradicate all hidden ploys aimed at Islam.” (Al Fazl, 21 May 1948, p. 3)
Unfortunately, short-sighted Muslim leaders, engrossed in their personal interests, ignored this warning. As a result, Israel has turned Palestine and other Muslim countries into a battlefield of bloodshed for the past seventy years.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat has continuously guided Muslim leaders toward the right path – but so far, they continue to bury their heads in the sand like ostriches. The current Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa has repeatedly advised Muslim leaders to unite, warning that otherwise, this monster will swallow them one by one. A few months ago, when Israel launched an attack on Iran, he said:
“The Israeli government seems determined to inflict harm upon all the Muslim countries, one by one. And the Muslim world remains heedless. They are engrossed in worldly pursuits and personal development and completely oblivious to what lies ahead. […]
“Every country is in danger because the disbelievers have all united as one, and thus, the Muslims also ought to become united as one nation. It is only then that they can survive, and there is no other option besides this.” (Friday Sermon, 13 June 2025)
There are indeed sectarian and political divisions among Muslim countries. But isn’t it necessary now, in this battle for survival, that Muslims politically unite? Isn’t it finally time to act upon the Quranic teaching, “Indeed, the believers are brothers”? (Surah al-Hujurat, Ch.49: V.10)