The Second Intifada left a lasting mark on me
I was just nine years old, growing up in Australia, thousands of miles away from Palestine. Yet, I can still vividly see the haunting image of 12-year-old Mohammad Al-Durrah, sheltered desperately by his father, bullets raining around them.
This single moment became permanently etched in my memory. While the details of the Intifada faded, this powerful image stayed, intensifying and deepening my vision for the ummah and magnifying my concern for the oppressed. It fortified my sense of purpose and anchored my commitment to the struggle for a free Palestine. To this very day—and undoubtedly for the rest of my life—this memory continues to energize, inspire, and guide my path.
The immense loss of life, the unending carnage, the ruthless genocide, and the heart-wrenching disregard for Muslim lives will never go in vain. Allah witnesses everything. He has a meticulous account, He rewards generously, He grants boundless success.
Through trials and tribulations, He refines and elevates His servants. He is preparing and cultivating the hearts and minds of those who will rise in defense of truth and justice. At the same time, He is sieving out the hypocrites and those complicit.
So never allow despair or hopelessness to take root.
Instead, reflect deeply. Consider your position with Allah:
Your efforts, your sincerity, your compassion, your heart.
Ask yourself:
- Does it beat for Allah, or does it thirst for fleeting worldly desires?
- Is your vision centered around yourself, or driven by compassion for others?
- Is it confined to your family, or does it extend to the entire ummah?
- Is it defined by comfort, or elevated by sacrifice?
- Are your actions rooted in self-righteousness, or genuine righteousness?
- Does your life seek fulfillment in this transient world, or strive passionately for the everlasting next?
- Do you feel only your own pain, or do you also feel the pain of others?
While we might feel powerless to physically intervene, ask sincerely:
Are we truly powerless to give from what we treasure?
Whether it’s our wealth, our time, our sweat, our tears, our knowledge, our experience, or even our vision.
Just as one powerful image forever enhanced my life’s direction, each heartbreaking scene today molds and inspires the hearts of countless youth. For every precious soul lost, thousands awaken and rise.
So hold your head high—strengthened by your faith and inspired by your purpose.
Work tirelessly for Allah.
Remain steadfast, courageous, consistent, and creative.
As oppression reaches new heights, know with unwavering certainty that Allah’s help is imminent. Prepare yourself, so that when that moment arrives, you will stand firmly among those chosen to witness and partake in it.
A Prayer
O Allah, ease the suffering of the people in Ghazza,
Support those who stand by them,
Perish those who cause them hardship,
And reward those who assist or defend them in any capacity.
آمين.