Dated: 28 October 2023
Global Muslim leader warns world war is looming as world leaders complicit in the injustice of Israel-Palestine war
"As long as [world leaders] do not courageously strive for a ceasefire, they are invariably responsible for taking the world towards destruction."
During his weekly Friday Sermon, the Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad warned of a looming world war, highlighted the complicity of world leaders with their unjust policies, criticised Western media bias in the coverage of the Israel-Palestine war, and made an urgent call for concerted prayers.
Speaking to a congregation of hundreds in the Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, UK, His Holiness' address was broadcast to millions around the world through MTA International, the community's global 24/7 satellite channel.
Warning of the risk of a global war, His Holiness said:
"The rate at which the state of war is escalating, and how the Israeli government and other major global powers are adopting certain policies, it's apparent that a world war is staring us in the face. Now, even some leaders of Muslim countries have begun to openly state, as have Russia and China, and so too, Western analysts have begun to write and proclaim that the scope of this war seems to be expanding. If wise policies are not immediately adopted, the world will face devastation. All of this is being reported in the media. The (harrowing) state of affairs is in front of you all."
His Holiness criticised the lack of justice and courage of the leaders of Western powers in calling for a ceasefire or condemning atrocities.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"For as long as [world leaders] do not courageously strive for a ceasefire, they are invariably responsible for taking the world towards destruction."
His Holiness questioned and condemned the scale of Israel's response to the 7 October attack by Hamas. Israeli bombardment in recent weeks has decimated homes, hospitals and civilian infrastructure, killing an estimated 7,000 Palestinians, including more than 3,000 innocent children.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"Israeli government officials say, "Hamas killed our innocents, hence we will seek revenge." This 'revenge' has now exceeded all limits. The loss of Palestinian lives, as reported, is four to five times greater than the loss of Israeli lives. If their aim is to eliminate Hamas, as they so claim, then they should directly combat them. Why are they killing women, children, and the elderly? They have also deprived people of water, sustenance and medical care. This is where all claims to human rights and rules of warfare cease to exist when it comes to these governments."
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad praised the statement of people like former US President Obama who, on October 23 2023, released a message which was critical of Israel's policy of cutting off food, water and energy to Gaza.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"Indeed, some do draw people's attention towards this, such as the former US President Obama, who in recent days stated even if one is to wage war, one should fight in accordance with the rules of warfare, and civilians should not be harmed.
His Holiness also mentioned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who, on October 24, 2023, said "even war has rules" and called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian relief to Gaza. Mr Guterres also highlighted some of the historical context of the conflict saying Hamas's attack on October 7th "did not happen in a vacuum".
His Holiness said about the secretary-general's remarks:
"The UN Secretary-General also spoke in the same vein, whereupon the Israeli government raised an uproar over this. The claimants of peace in the rest of the world, who consider themselves to be those who establish peace and champions thereof, did not utter a word in support of the Secretary-General. Rather, they distanced themselves from it."
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad outlined the clear bias in Western media coverage of the war between Hamas and Israel, saying some stories and angles are unduly given more prominence than others.
"Western media overly amplifies one side of the story while sidelining the other to the back pages. For example, recently among the women who were freed [by Hamas], one woman said she was treated well in captivity. This story was relegated into a corner, while a statement saying "Hamas' imprisonment was a hell" is continuously making headlines.
His Holiness was referring to the release of the 85-year-old hostage Yocheved Lifschitz who shook the hands of her captors as she was freed on October 24, 2023.
"True justice requires presenting all affairs. Let the world determine who the oppressor and oppressed are, to what extent this war is warranted and at what point it should end. All the state of affairs should be presented to the world, as opposed to presenting merely one-sided coverage."
His Holiness said that since the situation is perilous and becoming increasingly more dangerous, there should be profound pain in the hearts of Ahmadi Muslims for the Muslim world to be alleviated of hardships.
He urged Ahmadi Muslims to spread these messages in their own spheres and make concerted prayers for the injustices to end.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"We should lay great focus on our prayers. We should pray for the end to this oppression and strive to end it in our remits. We should pray both for the oppressed Muslims and for the establishment of a comprehensive and long-term strategy by Muslim governments. There should be a profound pain in our hearts for Muslims to be alleviated of hardships We believe in that Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), who - despite their opposition to us, expressed in a Persian couplet that 'O my heart, be considerate towards them, for they claim to love for my Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)'. Therefore, our love for the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) 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."
During his weekly Friday Sermon, the Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad warned of a looming world war, highlighted the complicity of world leaders with their unjust policies, criticised Western media bias in the coverage of the Israel-Palestine war, and made an urgent call for concerted prayers.
Speaking to a congregation of hundreds in the Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, UK, His Holiness' address was broadcast to millions around the world through MTA International, the community's global 24/7 satellite channel.
Warning of the risk of a global war, His Holiness said:
"The rate at which the state of war is escalating, and how the Israeli government and other major global powers are adopting certain policies, it's apparent that a world war is staring us in the face. Now, even some leaders of Muslim countries have begun to openly state, as have Russia and China, and so too, Western analysts have begun to write and proclaim that the scope of this war seems to be expanding. If wise policies are not immediately adopted, the world will face devastation. All of this is being reported in the media. The (harrowing) state of affairs is in front of you all."
His Holiness criticised the lack of justice and courage of the leaders of Western powers in calling for a ceasefire or condemning atrocities.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"For as long as [world leaders] do not courageously strive for a ceasefire, they are invariably responsible for taking the world towards destruction."
His Holiness questioned and condemned the scale of Israel's response to the 7 October attack by Hamas. Israeli bombardment in recent weeks has decimated homes, hospitals and civilian infrastructure, killing an estimated 7,000 Palestinians, including more than 3,000 innocent children.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"Israeli government officials say, "Hamas killed our innocents, hence we will seek revenge." This 'revenge' has now exceeded all limits. The loss of Palestinian lives, as reported, is four to five times greater than the loss of Israeli lives. If their aim is to eliminate Hamas, as they so claim, then they should directly combat them. Why are they killing women, children, and the elderly? They have also deprived people of water, sustenance and medical care. This is where all claims to human rights and rules of warfare cease to exist when it comes to these governments."
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad praised the statement of people like former US President Obama who, on October 23 2023, released a message which was critical of Israel's policy of cutting off food, water and energy to Gaza.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"Indeed, some do draw people's attention towards this, such as the former US President Obama, who in recent days stated even if one is to wage war, one should fight in accordance with the rules of warfare, and civilians should not be harmed.
His Holiness also mentioned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who, on October 24, 2023, said "even war has rules" and called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian relief to Gaza. Mr Guterres also highlighted some of the historical context of the conflict saying Hamas's attack on October 7th "did not happen in a vacuum".
His Holiness said about the secretary-general's remarks:
"The UN Secretary-General also spoke in the same vein, whereupon the Israeli government raised an uproar over this. The claimants of peace in the rest of the world, who consider themselves to be those who establish peace and champions thereof, did not utter a word in support of the Secretary-General. Rather, they distanced themselves from it."
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad outlined the clear bias in Western media coverage of the war between Hamas and Israel, saying some stories and angles are unduly given more prominence than others.
"Western media overly amplifies one side of the story while sidelining the other to the back pages. For example, recently among the women who were freed [by Hamas], one woman said she was treated well in captivity. This story was relegated into a corner, while a statement saying "Hamas' imprisonment was a hell" is continuously making headlines.
His Holiness was referring to the release of the 85-year-old hostage Yocheved Lifschitz who shook the hands of her captors as she was freed on October 24, 2023.
"True justice requires presenting all affairs. Let the world determine who the oppressor and oppressed are, to what extent this war is warranted and at what point it should end. All the state of affairs should be presented to the world, as opposed to presenting merely one-sided coverage."
His Holiness said that since the situation is perilous and becoming increasingly more dangerous, there should be profound pain in the hearts of Ahmadi Muslims for the Muslim world to be alleviated of hardships.
He urged Ahmadi Muslims to spread these messages in their own spheres and make concerted prayers for the injustices to end.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
"We should lay great focus on our prayers. We should pray for the end to this oppression and strive to end it in our remits. We should pray both for the oppressed Muslims and for the establishment of a comprehensive and long-term strategy by Muslim governments. There should be a profound pain in our hearts for Muslims to be alleviated of hardships We believe in that Promised Messiah (peace be upon him), who - despite their opposition to us, expressed in a Persian couplet that 'O my heart, be considerate towards them, for they claim to love for my Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)'. Therefore, our love for the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) 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."
END RELEASE
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