In an article, an Urdu-language jihadist website describes the Palestinian issue as a conflict between Israel and the Muslim Ummah, and not as between the Arabs and Israel. The article, titled "This is not An Arab-Israel Issue but a Confrontation between Muslim Ummah and the Infidels," was written by one Yousuf Ali Hashmi. Not much information is available about the writer.
However, the Malhamah website, which published the article, is a jihadist website with several articles and interviews of militant commanders such as Mullah Nazir Ahmad and Maulana Waliur Rehman of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and translated messages of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. [1]
"Since Palestine was the Land of Prophets, Muslims were Given Palestine as an Inheritance; On the Night of Miraj, It was in Al-Aqsa Mosque that Prophet Muhammad Led All Prophets in Prayer"
"First of all, it is important to bring to the attention of the Muslim Ummah the point that has been discussed in the media since the very inception of Israel … that it is basically an Arab-Israel issue. It is deplorable that the Muslims' slavery over the last century has diluted their minds to the extent that they have started believing in all Western thoughts. Among these is the idea of modern nationalism [i.e. the nation-state] enshrined within the limits of a geographical boundary. On this very basis, the Palestinian issue has been declared an issue between the Arabs and Israel. It is my endeavor here to throw out the … Western ideas from the minds of Muslims. Let's try to look into the issue historically.
"Israelites entered Palestine during the era of Prophet Joshua. Afterwards, Allah offered the rulership to Prophet David. Thereafter, Allah bestowed the power on Prophet Solomon. He made Palestine his seat of power and constructed the great prayer house of Islam, which we Muslims know as Al-Aqsa Mosque, while Jews call it their Solomon's Temple. After his death, the Israelites continued with their mischief and remained inundated in the disobedience of Allah. As a punishment, Allah thrust Nebuchadnezzar over them. Nebukadnestsar drove them out of Palestine, enslaved them and brought them to Babylon [in modern-day Iraq], and demolished the Solomon's Temple. However, Prophet Daniel prayed for them that:
i) They be returned to Palestine;
ii) The Solomon Temple be rebuilt; and
iii) They regain the kingdom of Prophet Solomon.
"This prayer of Daniel remains the greatest purpose of today's Jews. The prayer was accepted, and as a result the Israelites, who were by then known as Jews, returned and were resettled in Jerusalem, and Solomon's Temple was reconstructed. Afterwards, Allah kept on sending his messengers among them but they continued with their mischief, defied their prophets, and killed them unjustly. They even hatched a conspiracy to kill Prophet Jesus. Therefore, as a punishment 50 years after the Jesus assassination conspiracy, Allah thrust the Roman king on them. He again displaced them from Palestine again; this way Palestine went from the Jews' into the hands of the Christians. Thereafter, the Christians never let the Jews live in peace anywhere in the world until the 19th century.
"About 560 years after Palestine went into the hands of Christians, Allah made Muhammad (peace be upon him) a prophet in Hijaz [Mecca-Medina region]. Allah revealed the religion of Islam in complete form to him and ended the revelation of Islam with him. Therefore, during the beginning days of Islam, the great prayer house of Islam, i.e. Al-Aqsa mosque, was the Qibla [the direction to which Muslims turn in prayers] for Muslims. This was changed to the Al-Haram mosque [Ka'aba in Mecca] after the prophet's Hijrat [migration] to Medina.
"Now the leadership of the world passed over to the Muslims. Since Palestine was the land of prophets, Muslims were given Palestine as an inheritance. On the night of Miraj, it was in Al-Aqsa mosque [in Jerusalem] that Prophet Muhammad led all prophets in prayer. Therefore, during his Caliphate after the death of Prophet Muhammad, [Islam's second caliph] Hazrat Umar (peace be upon him) went to Palestine to receive this inheritance. This is how Muslims obtained Palestine from the Christians, and it became the part of Islamic caliphate."
"Islamic Shari'a Teaches Us that If Even a Small Piece of Muslim Land is Taken Away by the Infidels, Jihad Becomes Obligatory on Every Individual Member of the Muslim Ummah to Take It Back; Our First Qibla is Still in the Hands of the Most Wicked of the Infidels, the Jews"
"[I] hope that this elucidation of history has clarified the importance of Palestine and Al-Aqsa mosque. Because of this perspective, Christians and Jews make their own claims on Palestine. Keeping this perspective in mind, let's discuss the later history.
"During the caliphate of Hazrat Umar, Palestine had become the part of the caliphate; and it continued to be under Muslim control for about 350 years. After that, Christian Pope Urban II lit the fire of faith across the Christian world, and the heat of this fire pitched the Crusaders against Muslims. Thus there began the series of Crusades, and Christians snatched Palestine from Muslims. However, Muslims of that era were aware of the fact that Palestine was the land of our prophets and Al-Aqsa mosque our first Qibla. At that point in time Muslims did not say that it was the issue of the Arabs and Christians, and they should decide it. No, they knew that it was an issue of the entire Muslim Ummah. Therefore, the military chief of the Kurdish race rose and wrested back Palestine and Al-Aqsa mosque after inflicting defeat on the Crusaders, and hoisted the flag of Islam there again. The world knows this military chief by the name of Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi [Saladin]; and Muslims and the infidels will remember his name for eternity, Allah willing! For nine centuries thereafter, the flag of Islam kept flying on Palestine.
"However, in the 20th century, the Crusaders and Zionists rose again and established a Crusader-Zionist alliance, and started advancing toward the Muslim Ummah. The Ottoman Empire ended; the Muslim Ummah was divided into pieces. However, it is sad that amid such conditions Muslims remained unalert and asleep. After that, with the aid of Britain, the Jews entered Palestine; Muslims were evicted from there and the modern state of Israel was established. It is sad that the Jews and the Crusaders know that they are doing this on religious ground and at times they have expressed it as well, but Muslims are unable to comprehend it.
"For past 60 years, Muslims of Palestine have been suffering the atrocities of Jews all alone, and Palestine is under their occupation. They are engaged in the quest to achieve their Great Purpose. They have resettled in Palestine; the construction of Solomon's Temple is also underway; and the map of Greater Israel is hung on the wall of their parliament… Islamic Shari'a teaches us that if even a small piece of Muslim land is taken away by the infidels, jihad becomes obligatory on every individual member of the Muslim Ummah to take it back. Our first Qibla is still in the hands of the most wicked of the infidels, the Jews; and [at a time like this] Muslims are lost in their lives and indulging in its luxuries."
"I have Complaints with the Mothers of This Ummah, that None of Them has a Child in Their Laps Who could Become a Salahuddin Ayyubi; Every Mother is Looking for a Salahuddin Ayyubi in the Lap of Another Woman and Keeps Her Children Attached to Her Chest; Why Don't They Give Them the Toys of Swords and Guns, Spears and Daggers to Play With…"
"The Holy Koran calls upon us: 'And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women and children, whose cry is: Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressor; and raise for us from You one who will protect and raise us from You one who will help. (Surah Nisa, Verse 75)'
"We do listen to this call [of the Holy Koran] but we wish sitting in our homes and praying for a Hazrat Salahuddin Ayyubi to emerge. But alas! We don't think that Salahuddin Ayyubi would not come down from the sky, but one among us has to become Salahuddin Ayyubi.
"I have complaints with the mothers of this Ummah, that none of them has a child in their laps who could become a Salahuddin Ayyubi. Every mother is looking for a Salahuddin Ayyubi in the lap of another woman, and keeps their children attached to their chests. Why don't they give them the toys of swords and guns, spears and daggers to play with, and why don't they inculcate the attributes of Salahuddin Ayyubi in them? Still they wish for a Salahuddin to come and fight for the survival of the Muslims Ummah and recover Al-Aqsa mosque from the Zionists.
"I have complaints against the sisters of the Ummah as to why they are not aware of the character of Hazrat Suffiya [i.e. Suffiya bint Huyayy, the daughter of Jewish tribal leader Huyayy ibn Akhtab, who was captured and became the wife of Prophet Muhammad]. Why don't they force their brothers to go out of their homes, fight against the Crusader and Zionist infidels, and hoist the flag of Islam on all occupied lands, including Palestine? If they don't do so, why don't they show them the dagger?
"I have complaints for our brothers and the elderly: why do they hide their face despite seeing the [miserable] situation of the Muslim Ummah? At most they shed tears and take out processions [of protests]. Why doesn't their sense of religious honor get inflamed even after watching their brothers and sisters crying? They have gone so far away from the character of their ancestors that they don't rise up even after watching the mothers of Palestine crying over the bodies of their martyred children. Their faith is not woken up despite the sisters of Palestine being robbed. The youth of Palestine are fighting against Jews on their own with stones in their hands and these Muslims don't feel shame to come to their help. Despite all these, they are sitting contented. Don't they have to be accountable before Allah? Would they get the intercession of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) without doing anything? Would the paradise become their destiny this way?
"[Urdu couplet reads]:
"'There remains neither the attributes of Muslims nor there is a sign of faith;
"'They are moving corpses but look like human beings;
"'They don't have anything to do with someone's restlessness;
"Blood remains not in their veins now, and the loss has crossed all the limits.'
"For God's sake, may the Muslims get up, bring their sense of religious honor and respect to boil, and resurrect their faith. Quit the democratic paths and way of protest demonstrations, and sacrifice everything, their hearts and bodies and properties, in the way path of jihad for Allah until the Crusader and Zionist enemies are driven out from the Muslim lands, and the first Qibla is restored to Muslims; and the Caliphate on the lines of Prophet Mohammad is established in the world."
