IUMS Statement on the iron wall between Egypt and Gaza

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger, his family, Companions, and those who follow his guidance.

 The iron wall currently being built by Egypt on its border with Gaza from the viewpoint of Islam is prohibited. Its intention to block all outlets to Gaza will surely aggravate the Palestinians hunger, humiliate them, and intensify the pressure on them in an attempt to let them submit and surrender to Israel.

On hearing the news, I immediately doubted it and maintained that it was meant to sow the seeds of dissension between Egypt and Palestine. However, I was astounded when it was confirmed that it was true.

We do not deny that, Egypt is free and has the right of sovereignty over its lands, but surely it does not have the right to support the killing of its brothers and neighbors in Palestine. This is clearly unacceptable, neither under the notion of Arabism, nor under the notion of Islamic brotherhood or even human brotherhood.

In the Glorious Qur’an, Almighty Allah says, (The believers are but brethren) (Al-Hujurat 49:10). Also, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he does not wrong him, let him down, or desert him.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said, “Support your brother, whether he is the oppressor [by preventing him from being so] or he is the oppressed.” The Prophet did not say, “Besiege him, starve him, or put him under pressure in service of your enemy.”

It is Egypt’s obligation to open the Rafah Crossing for the Gazans, because it is their only way out. This obligation is enjoined both by the Islamic Shari’a and by law. No law authorizes the tightening of the grip over the people of Gaza or consents to becoming accomplices in killing them.

The Gazans have resorted to digging tunnels in hopes of finding an alternative to the blockaded crossing, which is closed even in the face of human relief convoys. Blocking the tunnels by Egypt is tantamount to saying, “Palestinians may die, but Israelis must live.”

Each and every Egyptian, Arab, Muslim and honorable person has demonstrated chagrin over the unjust construction of the iron condemning the very thought of denying Palestinians help. This is very similar to the road map of Israel.

It is hard to believe and extremely saddening that after Palestinians suffered oppression from the Israeli’s erection of the apartheid wall that, Egypt would follow suit and construct another wall that is mainly in service to the Israelis.

I appeal to all my brothers in Egypt to stand united against the ruling regime and urge it to refrain from committing this unjustifiable crime. I call upon the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to interfere and stop this tragedy.

I hope that Egypt, which shares borders with Palestine, will not continue with this act, which is completely against the interests of Palestinians and surely in service of Israel. I wish that Egypt would fear Allah and support our wronged and besieged brothers, and that it would safeguard itself against the supplication of the oppressed and afflicted brothers in Palestine. Allah raises the call of the oppressed one over the clouds and opens for it the gates of heaven and says, “By My Might and Glory, I will render you victorious, even after a time.”

We seek Allah’s protection against every oppressor and his arrogance. O Allah, we are defeated, so make us victorious, and wronged, so avenge us. We supplicate You, so respond to us, O You Ever-Alive and Eternal.

Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

President of IUMS