Plastic Food Bottle: The Heroism of Some and the Betrayal of Others
(Translated)
News:
In recent days, social media has been abuzz with photos and videos of Egyptian Muslims filling plastic bottles with food and throwing them into the sea so that they reach the shores of Gaza.
Comment:
The Muslim, while reading these posts, feels conflicting emotions. On the one hand, we rejoice that the Islamic nation is alive, and that it is as the Prophet ﷺ said: "The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for one another is that of a body; when any part of it aches, the whole body is affected by sleeplessness and fever." Bukhari and Muslim
Under Sisi's oppressive rule, which prohibits any protests against his treacherous siege of the Gaza Strip, the people of Egypt are finding more ways to support their brothers in Gaza, based on the opportunities available.
On the other hand, these pictures show the extent of the betrayal of the Muslim rulers, Arab and non-Arab, who responded, like silent statues, with shameful indifference and carelessness, despite possessing enormous economic and political capabilities, and more importantly, military capabilities, with which the Muslim countries abound.
Instead of extending a helping hand to their oppressed brothers in Palestine, they chose to support their enemies, which restricts Muslims and paralyzes their movement. Some of them have openly sided with the Jews in this conflict, while others are colluding, specifically Egypt. There were also rulers who declared their support for the people of Palestine, but for almost two years, they have only tried to embarrass the international system for what is happening, and to resort to international law and UN resolutions on Palestine!
Here, I would like to draw attention to the difference in evaluating any action in defense of Muslims depending on who does it.
For example, throwing a bottle of mixture into the sea by an ordinary Muslim in the hope that it will reach the shores of Gaza, to alleviate the food siege even a little, is an act worthy of praise, as it is a manifestation of piety and Islamic brotherhood.
Also, praying for the Muslims of Gaza, or allocating an amount to buy a sacrifice on Eid al-Adha to be slaughtered in Palestine, or publishing or republishing on social media condemning what the enemies of this nation are doing, is undoubtedly a good deed for its owner on the Day of Resurrection.
However, these same actions, when done by the rulers of Islamic countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, and Turkey, or rather, limiting themselves to them, are considered a betrayal of Islam and Muslims.
Let's compare what happens with the following simple example:
Imagine a situation in which a stranger starts beating your neighbor in the street, and two people come out of their houses in response to the noise;
The first is an elderly grandmother, who started screaming and appealing to others to separate the fighters, and also began to invoke the fear of God and the humanity of the aggressor to stop the beating.
The second is a strong, athletic young man who has been practicing wrestling since childhood. His appearance alone indicates his ability to end the bloodshed that has begun without much effort. However, he did not use the power that God Almighty gave him, and decided to suffice with invoking the aggressor's humanity only.
Which one deserves praise and which one deserves criticism? I think the answer is clear.
Of course, the responsibility of the members of this nation varies according to the abilities of each Muslim. A sheikh on the verge of death cannot be compared to a young man in the prime of his life. Nor can an ordinary Muslim be compared to the ruler of an Islamic country whose army is the second largest army in NATO.
For example, the ruler, whose army is the second in NATO, compared himself in a gathering to support Palestine, which brought together hundreds of thousands of Muslims, to a frail old woman who sees her neighbor being beaten, then said quietly, literally, "The West is primarily responsible for the massacre that is happening in Gaza", "We grieve for every civilian, but Israel doesn't care"!
There is no doubt that such words issued by an ordinary Muslim are an expression of Islamic brotherhood and deserve praise, but these same words issued by a ruler are nothing but betrayal, deserving condemnation from Muslims.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to find some Muslims agreeing with the condemned rhetoric directed at the Jewish entity from the mouths of these rulers, while this rhetoric, and these empty words in their essence, are completely disproportionate to the capabilities that God Almighty has granted this ruler to protect the interests of the nation.
God Almighty says in the Holy Quran: ﴿What is the matter with you? How do you judge?﴾!
Written for the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
Fadl Amzaev
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Ukraine
