Dr. Eyad Qunaibi | English

Khaled Al-Ashram, a sixth-grade student at Al-Sawafir School west of Gaza City, was sitting at his school desk when occupation forces opened direct fire on him. A bullet pierced his hand and lodged in his wrist. Even when the children of Gaza try to overcome their suffering and pursue an education despite the extremely difficult conditions, they are pursued by violence in every corner. Meanwhile, those responsible remain protected by an international system that later lectures the world about the rights of women and children—according to its own standards—while criticizing the laws of our religion.

The Frivolous Personality (Unserious)... and the Loss of Awareness! Many Muslims today have developed what can be described as the "frivolous personality"—a personality that is unserious and habitually treats serious matters as a joke. Such a person tries to extract humour from everything, jokes about everything, and fails to respect what deserves to be respected. Instead, they turn serious matters into objects of amusement. They shy away from seriousness and regard anyone who calls them to dignity and composure as gloomy, uptight, or overly stern. This is the personality that has been shaped over the years by a culture of comedy shows, theatrical performances, and sitcoms—a personality that cannot tolerate seriousness, not even in places such as funeral gatherings. It flees from its painful reality through stale and tasteless humour instead of striving to reform that reality. Worse still, it turns that very painful reality into material for jokes. It even turns the oppression of corrupt rulers and their supporters into a source of comedy, releasing feelings of humiliation and anger through pointless and superficial laughter instead of transforming those emotions into a driving force for meaningful change and a concern that lifts one's aspirations above trivialities. So do not be surprised when you see a president, king, or minister honouring a writer who jokes about the government or a cartoonist whose caricatures mock society. For what could be more beneficial to tyrants than for people to be oppressed and humiliated, only to laugh at their own oppression and humiliation? Those with a frivolous personality eventually reach a stage where they no longer even enjoy their constant joking. Instead, it causes them disputes, resentment, misunderstandings, the loss of dignity, and the loss of people's respect—yet they continue joking and behaving frivolously. They have reached the stage of addiction, where a person fears abandoning a habit they have grown accustomed to, even though it no longer brings them happiness. It is as though they have forgotten the path of seriousness and no longer even think of returning to it. The frivolous personality does not truly hold anything in the reverence it deserves, nor does it honour what ought to be honoured. Frivolity has spread into every aspect of its outlook. This is the root of the problem with those who joke about verses from the Book of Allah, Islamic terminology, or discussions about the Prophets, the angels, or the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). They may not intend to mock these sacred matters, but neither do they give them the reverence and respect they deserve. They have reached the point where anyone who calls them to such reverence is viewed as an extremist or an overly stern person. Perhaps this helps us understand why our righteous predecessors (the Salaf) warned against excessive joking—lest people's characters deteriorate into frivolous personalities, empty on the inside and inwardly miserable. Instead of finding joy in reforming society and guiding people, they resort to shallow humour that gradually expands until it begins to encroach upon their religion itself, ultimately ruining both their worldly life and their Hereafter. @EyadQunaibi1

The killing in Gaza continues through a strategy of relentless attrition, far from the media spotlight. Today alone, since dawn on Friday, 14 Muslims have been killed—may Allah accept them among the martyrs—and 37 others have been wounded. Just a short while ago, a funeral procession in Nuseirat was struck. Eight of those who had come to bury the deceased were themselves killed, so that each one who came to attend a funeral became the subject of a new funeral. Can you imagine the magnitude of such evil? Even a funeral is no longer a place of safety. Even those mourning the dead have become targets. O Allah, be gentle with the people of Gaza. Strengthen their hearts. Take vengeance upon those who have wronged them and conspired against them. And enable us to support them in a way that absolves us of the sin of failing them.

A dear brother contacted me with the following question: “I financially support my parents. Two of my brothers also live with them and both have incomes from their jobs, but they do not contribute enough toward our parents' expenses. As you know, I am married and also support my own family. Would it be permissible for me to reduce what I spend on my parents as a way of pressuring my brothers to contribute more?” I told the brother that I avoid answering questions of Islamic jurisprudence because I am not qualified to do so, and instead referred him to published fatwas on the matter. A few days later, he sent me a voice message saying: “You know, Doctor, after I asked you, I went to visit my mother while feeling upset with my two brothers because of their neglect toward our parents and because they had left the greater burden on me. But the moment I saw my mother, my heart opened up, and all that resentment disappeared. Then I spoke to one of my brothers about the matter. I chose not to speak to the other because I knew he might become angry and say things that would upset my mother. So I resolved not to reduce my financial support but to continue giving exactly as I had been. Subḥān Allāh! The very next day I went to work, and without any prior discussion, my employer said to me: ‘I'd like to increase your salary. May Allah expand your provision and bless it for you.’ It wasn't even a time when salaries were being increased! I was astonished by this provision that Allah sent me from a source I never expected. I felt deeply ashamed before Allah because of His generosity toward me. The salary increase itself did not affect me nearly as much as Allah's kindness, mercy, generosity, and the feeling that He was with me. I seek refuge in Allah from ever again asking about reducing what I spend on my parents.” The lesson here is this: From a legal perspective, there may well be room for concession or flexibility in a case like this. But there is a higher level to strive for. Do not let your relationship with your parents be governed merely by the boundaries of what is legally permissible and impermissible. Instead, consider their dignity. Consider their feelings. Consider ensuring that neither of them ever feels like a burden upon their child. Seek your reward from Allah by preserving all of that. Continue honoring your parents—not because others have fulfilled their responsibilities, but because you want to fulfill yours. May Allah bless our brother, and every son and daughter who honors their parents, whether they are living or have passed away.

Do you remember that American senator who became known for his intense hostility toward Muslims? The one who urged Israel regarding Gaza, saying: “Do whatever is necessary... level the place.” A few hours ago, he died—suddenly. Now there is no immunity, no influence, no titles, no state, and no armies to which he can turn for refuge. Everything he possessed in this world has come to an end. The life of the grave (*barzakh*) and its recompense has now begun, before the final judgment on the Day of Resurrection. He has died—and before him went tens of thousands of our people in Gaza, against whom he had incited. Now they are all approaching an abode where justice will not be distorted as it was in this world, where no injustice will be forgotten, and where every person will receive the recompense for what they earned. Death is a sufficient reminder. With it, all worldly power comes to an end, and accountability begins.

We are not a nation whose victories are measured by the outcome of a football match. The glory of nations is not built upon an inflated ball, nor is their honor measured by a passing kick or the whistle of a referee. When all eyes become fixed on the final score, and people's emotions are poured entirely into it, that in itself is a distraction whose place in our lives deserves careful reconsideration. The matches will end. The stadiums will empty. The television screens will move on to the next event. But the reality of the Ummah will remain as it is, with all its heavy burdens and accumulated pain. It awaits awareness rather than cheering, action rather than chanting, and genuine acts of courage in arenas whose outcomes are not decided in ninety minutes. We ask Allah to bring the day when the achievements of the peoples of our Ummah are known by their true names and their noble identity, rather than under labels that attribute Muslim peoples to identities other than their Islamic one.

There are also people who disagree with this humble servant's methodology and views, yet do not wish to state that openly because their ideas would not gain acceptance among the public. As a result, they resort to misrepresentation and false accusations. As for such people, I have no concern with trying to clear my name before them, nor do I consider myself obligated to do so. After all, I could never be better than Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas. When a man once spread severe falsehoods about Sa'd and completely distorted the truth, Sa'd said: > "By Allah, I will make three supplications: > > O Allah, if this servant of Yours is lying and has stood up for show and reputation, then prolong his life, prolong his poverty, and expose him to trials." The phrase: > "for show and reputation" in our age might resemble acting for likes, views, followers, and climbing over the backs of others for personal gain. And Allah answered his supplication, as reported in the authentic narrations of Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Such people are not worth occupying my thoughts. Nor do I feel compelled to respond to them, no matter how great their falsehoods may be or how many people may be influenced by them. Rather, I leave their affair until the Day of Judgment, when the Best and Most Just of judges—Allah, Glorified and Exalted—will judge between us. If we have rights owed to us by them, we will reclaim them on that Day, when good deeds will be desperately needed and sins will be transferred from one person to another. And we ask Allah to grant purity of heart to the reasonable and sincere among the Muslims.

## How Much I Love Having a Pure Heart Toward Fellow Muslims About a month ago, I happened to come across the thumbnail of a video made by a brother. The thumbnail placed a picture of this humble servant, Iyad, alongside someone who legitimizes falsehood and its proponents, accompanied by a highly prejudicial title. The video had been online for about a year and had been viewed by a large number of people, yet I had never seen it before. In fact, I have still not watched it to this day. I do not like to track everything that is said about me. I asked a trusted friend about the brother who made the video: > "Is he a reasonable and sensible person?" He replied: > "Yes." So I sent the brother a message explaining my actual positions, expressing my disappointment regarding the video, and asking Allah to open his heart to the truth and guide him. This was during the first days of the blessed ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Toward the end of my message, I wrote: > "If you come to realize that you have wronged your brother, then I ask you to remove the video in question and correct your position regarding your brother, so that you may clear your conscience before Allah. > If you do so, then I forgive you in this world and in the Hereafter. > I do not wish to exhaust my heart and mind in side battles with brothers while all of us are under attack. > Otherwise, Allah knows that what you have done constitutes wrongdoing and transgression. > And I remind you of the Prophet's ﷺ saying: > 'There is no sin more deserving of having its punishment hastened in this world, in addition to what Allah stores for its perpetrator in the Hereafter, than oppression and severing family ties.' > Peace be upon you." May Allah honor him, the brother did nothing but apologize, immediately remove the video, and then publish another video publicly retracting what he had said about this humble servant. I greatly appreciated that gesture, and so did his followers. People prayed for goodness for him and for his brother, this humble servant. And my heart is now completely clear toward him, without the slightest trace of resentment. Someone may ask: > "But what about those who watched the original video, developed a negative opinion of you, and mistreated you because of it?" My answer is: It does not matter. Allah has made many people think better of us than we deserve. Therefore, for His sake, we overlook the occasions when people think worse of us than we deserve. ### The Point I wish this would become a common culture among us: That reasonable people would communicate with one another directly and resolve misunderstandings and disagreements, rather than occupying Muslims with side battles and unnecessary conflicts. By Allah, this is better for both parties and for the people as a whole. This does not mean that I reject criticism or responses. Nor does it mean that I require those who criticize me to do so in a manner that I personally like. A brother may criticize me correctly, and I may genuinely be the one at fault. If it is apparent from his words that he seeks the truth rather than trying to score points or hunt for mistakes, then I do not dwell much on whether his style was good or bad. My concern is something more important: > Is what he said true? > If it is true, then should I publicly acknowledge it to those who follow me so that they do not continue following me in error? For the truth has more right to be followed. Someone may then ask: > "Why did you first inquire whether the brother was a reasonable person?" Because there are also people whose sole concern, judging by their behavior, is gaining views and attention—even if that requires falsely accusing this humble servant or people far better than him. They are not deterred by Allah's words: > "And those who harm believing men and believing women without their having earned it have certainly borne upon themselves a slander and a manifest sin." > > — Qur'an 33:58

Steadfastness Is the Greatest Miracle Sometimes a person wishes that he might experience an extraordinary miracle—a supernatural sign—especially when he is going through hardship, so that he can feel that Allah is with him. But upon reflection, as our scholars have said: “Steadfastness is the greatest miracle.” When you, as a steadfast Muslim in these difficult times, remain firm upon your faith, you face continuous assaults from both human and jinn devils—*“the plotting of night and day.”* Some organizations and institutions operate in three shifts around the clock so that not a single hour passes without their work continuing. And the matter does not stop at merely human efforts. As Allah says: “Indeed, the devils inspire their allies...” As we might say today: *the devil thinks on their behalf.* Billions are spent on media campaigns. Hundreds of strategic planning centers around the world operate with enormous budgets, placing at the top of their priorities the goal of: “Turning people away from the path of Allah.” Billions more are spent on military conflicts, while Allah says: “They will continue fighting you until they turn you back from your religion, if they are able.” And assisting them are people from among your own people, bearing Muslim names just like yours, who: “Mix truth with falsehood,” and quote the Qur'an while distorting its meanings and taking words out of their proper context. Yet despite all of this, if you remain firm upon your religion and steadfast in obedience to Allah— what greater honor could you ask for? What greater supernatural feat could there be than this? Allah says: “Indeed, their plotting was such that mountains might have been moved by it.” Yet despite the force of their schemes, they have not been able to remove faith from your heart. Your faith has proven more deeply rooted and more solid than mountains. If you remain steadfast, then you have attained for yourself a distinction greater than the extraordinary signs that people usually seek. For all of these reasons: Steadfastness is the greatest miracle.

Don’t treat me as “a brother in faith” … please! We often notice an unfortunate pattern in our interactions. Some people display the highest level of discipline, professionalism, and punctuality when dealing with a foreigner or a non-religious authority figure. Yet the moment the other person is “a brother in faith,” a drastic shift occurs. In that situation, the person unconsciously slips into what might be called “easy mode” or “relaxed mode”: 1. Productivity drops. 2. Appointments are delayed. 3. Messages go unanswered for days. 4. Work is promised, then forgotten. ### Why does this contradiction happen? It may often stem from a hidden sense of inadequacy toward outsiders—especially foreigners—which pushes a person to prove their worth in front of them. Meanwhile, the concept of brotherhood gets misused. The Muslim brother is expected to tolerate neglect, delays, and indifference under the banner of familiarity and forgiveness. But treating your fellow Muslim with this kind of carelessness does not demonstrate closeness. It sends a message of lack of concern and reflects a diminished regard for the shared identity that is supposed to unite us. True brotherhood requires excellence, reliability, and keeping one’s commitments—not exploiting the relationship as an excuse for disorder and negligence. So if “brotherhood” means wasting my time, delaying my rights, and expecting me to excuse every shortcoming simply because we know each other, then please don’t treat me as “a brother in faith.” Treat me as you would a stranger: with respect, clarity, and commitment. May we correct this imbalance, because the respect we show our brothers and sisters is one of the clearest reflections of the respect we have for our own identity.

Yesterday, on my way home after the Isha prayer, I walked with a virtuous brother who is one of the regular worshippers in the front row of the mosque. He is a cheerful and kind-hearted man. One of the things that most distinguishes him is the gentle way he treats children in the mosque and the effort he makes to win their affection. He told me about something that happened to him as a child that caused him to stay away from mosques for 25 years. During that entire period, he did not enter a mosque—not for Friday prayer, nor for congregational prayer—from the age of fourteen until the age of thirty-nine. This aroused my curiosity, so I asked him about the reason. He said: "I always felt unwelcome in the mosque. Some of the older people would become annoyed over the smallest things. Once, when I was young, I entered the mosque wearing a shirt with the Chicago Bulls logo on it. One man drove me away and said: 'You've brought a cow into the mosque?!' I felt as though some of the adults were hostile toward me if I made the slightest movement or sound. There was no welcome, no understanding that I was just a young boy. That is why I make a point of being gentle with children—to make them love the houses of Allah." He then told me how he finally returned to the mosque after those twenty-five years away. That happened in 2018. He heard a short lesson about one of the Prophet's Companions, and it deeply affected him. From that point on, he continued attending, and today I believe his heart is truly attached to the mosques. Just imagine the sin and responsibility borne by the person who drove this brother away from the mosques during his childhood. Someone behaves harshly and rudely, unaware that he may be counted among those who turn people away from the path of Allah. A man once came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "I sometimes delay attending the Fajr prayer because of so-and-so, who makes the prayer excessively long for us." The narrator said that the Prophet ﷺ was never seen more angry in a sermon than he was that day. He said: "O people, some of you drive others away. Whoever leads the people in prayer should keep it brief, for behind him are the elderly, the weak, and those with needs." This was because an imam had lengthened the prayer. So what if the Master of Mercy, the Prophet ﷺ—who was so compassionate and gentle with children—had witnessed those who scold children and drive them away from the houses of Allah? And when is this happening? At a time when many Qur'an memorization centers and summer programs are being closed. Where, then, do you want our children to go? So to those who repel and discourage others: Fear Allah. Leave the children in peace. If you cannot encourage them to love the mosque, then at least spare them your harm. It is entirely natural for children to move around in the mosque, to come and go, to laugh together, and sometimes to raise their voices. If they disturb the worshippers, they should be guided gently and kindly. The presence of children is a sign of life in the mosque. They are the generation upon whom we rely to fill and maintain these mosques in the future. Driving them away from the mosque is, without realizing it, a contribution to its decline and emptiness.

Leveraging Shock We have become accustomed to the fact that whenever an event occurs that is labeled politically and by the media as “extremism” and attributed to a Muslim, official institutions immediately mobilize and exploit the event—they *leverage the shock*. Grand slogans are raised. An imminent danger is invoked. Comprehensive packages of legal, educational, and media reforms are introduced. Dissenting voices are restricted. Measures that further detach the Muslim Ummah from its Islamic identity are advanced. Policies that would have been difficult to pass under normal circumstances are pushed through. Public consciousness and social reality are reshaped. All of this is justified under the slogan: “No voice may rise above the voice of the battle. We are now in a battle against extremism, and any objection is treason and sympathy with extremism.” One of the many examples of this is the way the United States leveraged the events of September 2001. By contrast, Muslim societies have experienced enormous political and moral earthquakes that should have been sufficient to reclaim their suppressed identity and uproot their dependence on the West, yet these events were not strategically leveraged. Among the most significant examples in recent years are: 1. The fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the exposure of six decades of tyranny and criminality protected by international powers. 2. The events in Gaza, broadcast live for nearly three years amid international complicity. 3. The Epstein network scandal, which implicated world leaders, politicians, and influential global elites. All of these events exposed the falsehood of claims about human rights, equality, and international law. They demonstrated that the world is, in reality, a jungle that ultimately recognizes only decisive power. Moreover, these were not isolated actions committed by individuals in fleeting moments—such as the killing of the French teacher who mocked the Prophet by a Muslim. Rather, these events represent the international system itself, its institutions and foundations, and they unfolded over decades, encompassing millions of stories of oppression and criminality. The question, then, is this: Why have Muslim societies—both as peoples and as individuals—not leveraged these shocks to undertake a fundamental reassessment of the intellectual assumptions imposed upon them, to uproot the remnants of Western cultural dominance, and to reestablish concepts centered on the authority of Islamic law and pride in the Islamic frame of reference? Why have they not used these events to restore confidence in Qur’anic concepts and verses concerning struggle against forces of falsehood and the establishment of Islamic authority—concepts from which many Muslims themselves seem embarrassed? Why does the situation continue as though nothing has happened? Think about yourself: Consider your own understanding of your religion, your willingness to articulate an Islamic perspective in your workplace or place of study, the appearance and hijab of your daughters, your pride—as a man or woman—in your faith when issues arise that the United Nations and its affiliated rights organizations constantly campaign around, such as male guardianship (*qiwāmah*) or polygamy. Has any change occurred in these areas that is proportionate to the magnitude of those earthquakes? Notice that all of this lies within the capability of ordinary people. No one can prevent you from making these changes in your thinking, your awareness, your convictions, your emotions, and in whatever portion of reality is under your control. Nations are not shaped merely by the events that happen to them. They are also shaped by how they interpret those events, and by whether they possess the courage to draw conclusions from them and build upon them. So have the courage to leverage these shocks, reclaim your stolen foundations, purge corruption and falsehood with strength and confidence, and do so without hesitation or equivocation. Eyad Qunaibi

These are the children of Abdul Rahman Yassin and Dr. Rania al-Abbasi. After the discovery that their father had been killed—may Allah have mercy on him—and after his death was identified among the photographs documented by Caesar Photos, it became apparent that all six of their children had also been killed. As much beauty and innocence as one sees in the faces of these murdered children, one also sees ugliness and criminality—not only in the regime of the “fugitive rat,” but also in the international system that enabled this disgraceful dynasty to rule for 54 years and that was preparing to normalize relations with Bashar in its final years. The tragedy of this family is only one among millions of painful stories. And if this particular story has reached the media, countless others have not: in Syria, Palestine, Sudan, Burma (Myanmar), East Turkestan, Kashmir, and every land where Muslims are persecuted. The innocence and beauty reflected in the faces of these children should awaken within us a sense of responsibility toward suffering humanity in the absence of the justice and protection that Islam seeks to establish. It should remind us of the Qur’anic call to stand against oppression: “And what is [the matter] with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and for the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, ‘Our Lord, take us out of this town whose people are oppressors, and appoint for us from Yourself a protector, and appoint for us from Yourself a helper’?” — Qur’an translated meaning 4:75 We offer our condolences to the families of the Yassin and al-Abbasi children, and we ask Allah to reunite them with Abdul Rahman, Rania, and their children in the Gardens of Eternity, without reckoning and without punishment.

Yesterday, I entered a large supermarket and noticed that it did not sell cigarettes. I playfully nudged the cashier and asked: “Do you have Marlboro?” Thinking I was serious, he replied: “No, by Allah.” So I said: “I only asked so that I could tell you: May Allah reward you for not selling cigarettes. And let me remind you of what the Prophet Shuʿayb (peace be upon him) said to his people: *‘What remains with Allah is better for you, if you are believers.’* In other words, whatever Allah has left for you from lawful earnings is better for you. And by Allah, a single blessed dinar is better than a thousand that contain no blessing.” The man was pleased to hear that. The lesson here is that offering words of encouragement to people of principle is important. It helps strengthen and support them in an age dominated by materialism, where adhering to the principles of lawful profit is viewed by many as an unnecessary burden. We need to support and encourage one another so that we do not feel isolated, become strangers to our values, or break under the pressure of the overwhelming current around us. And remember the saying of our Prophet ﷺ: “A good word is charity.”

For those who may have fallen short in striving in worship during the past days: The train has not passed you by. The opportunity is still open. The coming days are the greatest of all days — so come, let us strive together. Dear brothers and sisters, do you realize what we are approaching tomorrow? We are approaching the Day of Day of Arafah, about which our Prophet ﷺ said: “Fasting the Day of Arafah — I hope from Allah that it expiates the sins of the year before it and the year after it.” A single day of fasting through which the Most Merciful forgives the sins of two years! And regarding this day, our Prophet ﷺ also said: “The best supplication is the supplication made on the Day of Arafah.” Do you have hopes and needs that you long for Allah to fulfill? Worries you pray He will remove? Then now is the season. Do you feel distant from Allah and hope that He will draw you close again and allow your heart to find comfort in Him? Now is the season. Has your heart become hardened and filled with spiritual diseases, while you yearn for Allah to soften and purify it? Now is the season. Do you wish for Allah’s pleasure to descend upon you so that He will never again be displeased with you? Do you wish for your body to be forbidden from the Fire? Now is the season. The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the Day of Arafah.” So it is no wonder that Allah made the day after Arafah a day of Eid — a celebration in which Muslims rejoice in the mercy, forgiveness, and generosity of Allah that they hope for. In Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr is hidden from us; we do not know exactly when it is. But the Day of Arafah is a day Allah has clearly informed you about. If striving hard in worship during five nights — the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan — feels difficult, then will striving during this one known day truly weigh heavily upon you? So let your resolve rise. Think well of Allah’s mercy and the vastness of His forgiveness. Beware of letting Satan enter through the door of excessive self-reproach, making you feel cut off from your Lord and unworthy of His mercy. “Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.” And do not forget your brothers and sisters in Gaza, throughout Palestine, in Sudan, and everywhere else — pray that Allah grants them relief and uses you in supporting them, a support through which He removes from you the sin of abandoning them. O Allah, grant me and my brothers and sisters success in performing righteous deeds that are accepted by You.

This sister, Zohar Regev, was born into a Jewish family in Palestine 54 years ago and held “Israeli” citizenship. However, she later left the country, embraced Islam, and became one of those defending her brothers and sisters in Palestine and working to break the siege on Gaza. She was recently arrested during her participation in the “Freedom Flotilla” solidarity mission. While most of the participating activists were released, Zohar remains in detention. How magnificent is this religion: the moment this woman embraced Islam, she became our sister. We care about her situation, pray for her, and recognize our responsibility to strive for her release just as we would strive for the release of our own sisters of flesh and blood.

Sacrifices the Cameras Do Not See A scene of a foreign activist standing firm before occupation soldiers, shouting “Free Palestine,” or a foreign “artist” with tears in his eyes speaking about the children of Gaza — such scenes move our hearts and fill us with gratitude toward those who stood with the oppressed out of compassion and human decency, despite not sharing our faith. And yes, these are honorable positions worthy of appreciation. But the problem begins when this admiration turns into self-flagellation against the Muslim Ummah, as though it were a barren nation devoid of goodness, or as though others are the ones sacrificing while Muslims do nothing. Let us remember that within our Ummah are many who have paid — and continue to pay — tremendous prices since the beginning of this ordeal: people who have been imprisoned and sentenced harshly; others who lost their jobs; others who were humiliated or persecuted simply because they tried to support their brothers and sisters in whatever way they could. And beyond the issue of Gaza and Palestine, let us also remember the scholars and callers to truth who refused to remain silent in the face of wrongdoing in their countries. They spoke the word of truth, and today they languish in prisons for years, until they have faded from the memory of most Muslims. They could have lived lives of comfort and luxury. Doors would have been opened for them. Titles and honors would have been bestowed upon them. Gatherings, status, and wealth would have been prepared for them. They could have remained safely with their families. All of that was possible — if only they had spoken words of compromise, remained silent before falsehood, or flattered an oppressor. But their noble souls chose instead for their bodies to suffer humiliation so that the religion of the Muslims might remain protected. They refused to surrender anything of their faith, fully aware of the punishment awaiting them, and knowing they would become mere numbers behind prison bars. And now their families and children continue to sacrifice alongside them. All of this is apart from those who gave their very lives for this religion. None of these people should disappear from our memory amid the noise of “trends” and viral moments. Our emotions should not be shaken more by a thirty-second video clip of a Western activist shouting words of solidarity than by the news of our scholars and young people disappearing behind bars for long years, barely noticed in passing. We say this not to diminish the sacrifices of others. On the contrary, such people are among those whom we should most sincerely hope to guide to the truth, in gratitude for their noble stance and so that their sacrifices may become accepted before their Lord. We say this out of fairness to our Ummah — so that we do not fall into an inferiority complex. This Ummah is still fertile with goodness. Within it are still people willing to trade their freedom and worldly comfort for the pleasure of Allah. And we ask Allah to grant relief and deliverance to us, to them, and to all Muslims. Our Ummah is not “a heap of failures,” as some try to portray it. And sacrifice motivated by faith and hope for divine reward is not the same as sacrifice driven solely by humanitarian feeling. For this reason, Islam greatly emphasized the meaning of: “out of faith and seeking reward from Allah” (imanan wahtisaban). Whoever sacrifices and remains patient because he believes in Allah and the Last Day has combined support for the oppressed with worship of Allah Himself. That is what transforms sacrifice from a mere emotional reaction into a deeply rooted act of worship — one that trades what perishes for what endures forever. Eyad Qunaibi