MUSLIM clerics have called on Tanzanian Muslims to come forward and join their fellow Muslims in the world that will be showing their solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine and other suffering people in the world.
The call to that effect was made in Dar es Salaam on..... (Friday) by the Dar es Salaam region Chief Sheikh of Supreme Council of Tanzania Muslims (BAKWATA) Sheikh Al Hady Musa Salum at a one day symposium aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians.
The annual event held on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadhan, better known as Al Quds Day, was organised jointly by BAKWATA, the Association of Tanzania Muslims and Iranian Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran at Mtoro Mosque, Kariakoo in Dar es Salaam.
Speaking to thousands of Muslims who gathered there, Sheikh al Hady said the Qur’an has highlighted the racist, genetic concepts of Israel and the rise, the arrogance and the fall of Jewish power.
He admonished Muslim Ummah for marginalizing the central issue of Palestine, which is under constant repression and occupation of Israeli forces while the international community stands idle as mere spectators.
"We cannot allow colonialism to continue flourishing in the Muslim heartland unabated and as Muslims, we are bound to take immediate steps to contain the sityuation," he said.
He added that by cooperating with and by assimilating into the contexts and framework of Zionism and Imperialism, Muslims are committing sin that is to associate others (the Jews) with the power of Allah.
The major powers, including the US, are openly supporting Israeli aggression against Gaza and the people of Palestine who are daily witnessing long distance Israeli rocket attacks and bombings meant to terrorize the entire population.
On his part, Sheikh Murtadha Allidina, Imam of Shia Mosque said Al Quds Day was thirty years ago proclaimed by Imam Khomeini, who called for the establishment of Quds Day on last Friday of the month of Ramadhan.
The month of Ramadhan is a time of spiritual improvement for the individual as well as the community.
"Echoing this month-long improvement, Quds Day is another step in improving our connections with rest of the world-wide community and our connection to the Creator’s command to stand with the oppressed against the oppressors," he said.
The word "Quds" is Arabic for "the holy place" and is the Arabic name for Jerusalem and the surrounding lands.
He said Quds Day is an opportunity for participants to proclaim support for a Holy Land free from the oppression and injustice wrought by Zionism.
He added that it is a day to reinvigorate our support for our brothers and sisters who are struggling to live in dignity.
Sheikh Ali Basaleh, the grand Imam of Idrisa Mosque in Kariakoo began by establishing that from a Jewish perspective rooted in the Torah, the entire existence of Israel is illegal.
He said Zionist ideology that led to its creation is also the root cause of every drop of blood in Palestine.
He urged the world powers to ensure that Jews and Palestinians live in peace and harmony with one another.
"The creation of the State of Israel," he mentioned, "marks the Zionist attempt to transform Judaism from a spiritual religion to a political and nationalistic one."
He castigated the belief that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is based on religious differences between Muslims and Jews, and not the politics of oppression and usurpation of resources.
He said the symposium aims at bringing awareness to their cause, and is a perfect example of the creativity that can be employed. This approach is necessary because, despite the deaths that have occurred on both sides, the playing field between Isrealis and Palestinians is not equal.
He urged the audience to be with those who are oppressed while justice cannot be served.
"Until we find that our brothers and sisters in Palestine have a safe, decent, hopeful future we cannot do otherwise except to stand with them," he said.
He said one example of this inequality and oppression is the security wall, which the cleric said is designed for a land grab, to control the water, the movement of people, and that is apartheid, and there’s no other way to cut it.
As for the settlements, he said: "We have to continue to resist settlements being placed on Palestinian territory. These settlements are against international law, moral law, and the law of God. Stand up and continue the resistance."
He said wisdom, experience and encouragement were all offere in the struggle to remember and support our brothers and sisters in Palestine is not adquate enough.
Aside from this outstanding panel of speakers, there was another source of encouragement and inspiration which was the crowd itself which was filled with young Muslims who never knew the length of the Palestine-Israel conflict, but the seed for peace through justice is firmly planted in this youngest generation.
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