In his Friday Sermon earlier today, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, urged Ahmadis to intensify prayers and raise awareness against oppression amidst the growing escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land and said:
“Given the current state of the world, I am once again drawing attention to the importance of prayer.
“The conflict between Hamas and Israel is intensifying, resulting in an increasing number of innocent Palestinian women and children being martyred. With the pace at which the situation of war is escalating and the policies being apparently adopted by the Israeli government and major global powers, it seems as if a World War now looms large before us. Now, even the leaders of certain Muslim countries are openly stating, as have Russia and China, and similarly, Western analysts have begun to write and proclaim that the scope of this war seems to be broadening. If immediate, wisdom-based policies are not adopted, the world will face devastation. All of this is being reported in the news. All of you can see the circumstances.
“Therefore, Ahmadis must pay special attention to prayers; we must not become complacent. At the very least, one prostration [sajdah] during every prayer [salat], or at the minimum in one of the prayers, should be dedicated to this cause while supplicating during it.
“No leader from the Western world, from any country, wants to deal with this matter justly, nor do they possess the courage to speak about it. Ahmadis should not get embroiled in debates about which country’s Prime Minister or leader is good and which is not, or in discussions about who should or should not have said something, or whether Muslims should or should not speak against someone. These are all futile matters. Until someone bravely strives for a ceasefire, they are invariably responsible for pushing the world towards destruction.
“Hence, in your respective circles, and along with your prayers, strive to spread the message of stopping oppression. If any Ahmadi has connections, explain this to them. This is real courage, and it is the standard of acting upon God Almighty’s command.
“Representatives of the Israeli government claim that Hamas has killed our innocents; hence, we will take revenge. This revenge has now gone beyond all limits. The loss of Palestinian lives is four to five times greater than the loss of Israeli lives, which is reported. If their target, as they claim, is to eliminate Hamas, then why do they not directly combat them? Why are they targeting women, children, and the elderly? They have also deprived these people of water, food supplies, and medical care. All claims to human rights and the rules of warfare end when it comes to these governments.
“Indeed, some voices do draw attention to such matters, such as the former US President Obama, who recently stated that if one must wage war, one should adhere to the rules of warfare. There should be no atrocities committed against civilians. The UN Secretary-General had spoken in the same vein. The Israeli government raised an uproar over this. Yet the global ‘advocates of peace’, who consider themselves the ‘ultimate champions’ or even the ‘paragons of peace’, not only did not support the statement of the Secretary-General; rather, they expressed their dislike for it.
“In any case, the situation is perilous and becoming more dangerous. Western media, on the one hand, exaggerates certain news, and, on the other, sidelines certain stories. For example, a story about a released woman who said she was treated well was pushed to the corner, while her statement saying ‘Hamas’ imprisonment was hell’ is constantly presented as major news. True justice requires presenting all scenarios and facts. Then, let the world decide who the oppressor is, who the oppressed are, how justifiable this war is, and where it should end. The entire situation should be laid out for the world, instead of one-sided coverage.
“Nonetheless, we should intensify our prayers. Pray for the end of oppression, make efforts within your means, and pray both for the oppressed Muslims as well as for the establishment of a comprehensive and long-term strategy by Muslim governments. We must feel profound empathy for the plight of Muslims. We believe in that Promised Messiahas, who – despite our being regularly afflicted by them, expressed the following sentiments for Muslims [in a Persian couplet]:
“‘O my heart, be considerate towards them,
“‘For they claim to love my Prophetsa.’
“Therefore, our love for the Holy Prophetsa demands that we pray intensely for Muslims. May Allah grant us the ability to do so and also to the Muslims. And may He bestow wisdom upon the world. [Amin.]”