The convergence, this year, of Rabi-ul-Awwal and September, calls on us to reflect on the life of the Prophet (SAW) as well as Imam Abdullah Haron’s martyrdom.
As we approach the annual Moulood commemorations, we are reminded of the unrelenting commitment of the Prophet (SAW) to human dignity and social justice. His message, delivered over 1 400 years ago, also resonates as we witness the current genocide in Palestine, a struggle that must strike our collective conscience.
The life of the Prophet (SAW) was a profound embodiment of obedience to Allah and resistance against oppression. His spiritual mission was never isolated from his solidarity with the oppressed and marginalised, offering a model for justice that transcends time and borders.
The Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are resisting an unspeakable genocide under the brutal Israeli occupation and the Zionist state. The recent expansion of Israel’s atrocities to the West Bank to drive Palestinians from their homes reminds us of the way the Prophet (SAW) and his followers were driven from Makkah. The Palestinians continue to be systematically stripped of their basic rights and subjected to daily bombings and terrorist assaults.
Yet, the wheels of justice, slow though they may be, continue to turn. The inquest into the death of Imam Abdullah Haron, an anti-Apartheid martyr, highlights this truth. Detained and tortured to death by the apartheid state in 1969, the Imam’s story is a solemn reminder of the costs of resistance. His arrest on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal, on the eve of the birthday of the Prophet (SAW), ties together the sacred and the political, reminding us that the fight for justice is the duty of every Muslim.
Imam Haron’s legacy resonates deeply as we look to Gaza. His death, which occurred at a time when Apartheid forces sought to crush any form of resistance, mirrors the plight of Palestinians today. Just as the Imam was a beacon for justice during Apartheid, the people of Palestine continue to stand as symbols of resistance against an unjust regime. Their bravery is a testament to the enduring struggle for human dignity, a right enshrined in both Islamic values and international law.
As we commemorate Moulood, we are reminded of the teachings of the Prophet (SAW), from defending the rights of the oppressed to ensuring equality for women, orphans and the poor. The Zionist atrocities in Gaza expose the complicity of the west and the hypocritical Arab and Muslim leaders who are part of the broader global systems of oppression. The model of the Prophet (SAW) calls on us to adopt the struggle for the liberation of Palestine from Zionist occupation, no matter where we are located.
We must affirm our commitment to justice, in our prayers and in deed. The mission of the Prophet (SAW) was never confined to spiritual matters alone. It was a call to establish justice on earth. We owe it to all oppressed people to carry forward that Prophetic mission.
