Friday Sermon: Colonialism on Earth Must Be Abolished

By Ali Farkhan Tsani, Ambassador of Al-Quds

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ اْلأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ ءَايَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ

مَا شَاءَ اللهُ كَانَ وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ

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فَيَا عِبَادَ اللهِ، أُوصِي نَفْسِي وَإِيَّاكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللهِ، فَقَدْ فَازَ الْمُتَّقُونَ، كَمَا قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ

Honored Friday Congregation, whom Allah has blessed,

All praise is due to Allah alone, who has instilled within us love, compassion, and a deep sense of belonging toward Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine, whose surroundings have been blessed. Praise be to Allah as well, for there is still faith in our hearts  a faith shown by our concern for the fate of our brothers and sisters who are in dire need of help and defense, even while we live in a free and independent country like Indonesia.

Peace and blessings be always upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who gave extraordinary attention to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine.

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The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged his ummah to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine, alongside making pilgrimage to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also urged his followers to contribute to the preservation of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine, to keep it protected from desecration, Judaization, and colonial domination by those who have no rightful claim to it.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) greatly upheld the dignity, honor, and sanctity of human life, and called upon us to protect it.

Therefore, let us continue to maintain and increase our piety toward Allah, in all conditions, situations, times, and places.

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As Allah states in His Word:

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ

“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims (in submission to Him).”
(Surah Ali Imran [3]: 102)

And Allah also says in another verse:

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يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُواْ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا (٧٠) يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا (٧١)

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. (70) He will amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great success.”
(Surah Al-Ahzab [33]: 70–71)

Imam Ash-Shafi’i once said that taqwa (God-consciousness) is the foundation of faith. Without taqwa, the structure of one’s faith will collapse, and life will fall into ruin. It is through taqwa that the morality of a society can be built and preserved, so that the community may be protected from destruction and chaos.

Therefore, let us always maintain our taqwa, consistently do good, and stay close to the righteous as Allah says:

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إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ

“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who do good.”
(Surah An-Nahl [16]: 128)

O Muslims who seek the pleasure of Allah,

The Zionist Jewish occupation in the land of Palestine continues to this day. Meanwhile, the people of Palestine especially in the Gaza Strip are suffering ever more deeply, victims of a genocide marked by starvation, without access to food, water, clothing, or medicine.

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We stand under the same sky. We breathe the same air. Our blood is the same red.

Then why do some of our brothers and sisters still live under oppression and pain?

Why are there still people whose rights are stripped, whose freedom is locked away?

That is colonialism. Colonialism is not only about people being killed or wounded it is a bleeding wound in the history of humanity, a crime committed before the helpless eyes of the world. Colonialism is not only the sound of bullets and the roar of bombs
It is the theft of childhood, the denial of education, the destruction of human dignity, and the robbery of a nation’s future.

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Indeed, Allah created humankind with dignity granting the right to live and to be honored.

No one has the right to be stripped of their humanity. No nation deserves to be oppressed forever. Therefore, the world must unite in raising its voice: “Abolish colonialism from the face of the earth!”
Every child crying in war, every mother losing her child to bombings, is a cry from the entire human family. As long as there is land under occupation, our humanity is not yet fulfilled.
And as long as oppression exists, we are obligated to stand and resist.
It is the duty of all Muslims to help their fellow believers break free from the shackles of occupation.

Our oppressed, wronged, persecuted, and colonized brothers and sisters must not be left alone, they deserve our full support. Allah reminds us in His Word:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوْا وَنَصَرُوا أُولَٰئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَايَتِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا ۚ وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

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“Indeed, those who believed and emigrated and strived with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aid they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate you owe them no protection until they emigrate. But if they seek help from you in religion, then you must help them, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.”
(Surah Al-Anfal [8]: 72)

Imam Ibn Kathir, in his Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, explains that this verse describes the group known as the Muhajirin, those who left their homes and possessions in Makkah for the sake of helping Allah’s religion and His Messenger. They sacrificed their wealth and lives for that noble cause.

The other group, known as the Ansar, were the Muslim residents of Madinah. They welcomed the Muhajirin into their homes, gave them a share of their wealth, helped the cause of Allah and His Messenger, and stood united in the battlefield to defend the truth.

They supported one another and protected each other completely.

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Because of that unity, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him formed bonds of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar, pairing them two by two, as siblings in a strong and sincere Islamic brotherhood.

This is affirmed in the words of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, which state:

O Those Who Seek Allah’s Mercy,

Such is the character of a true Muslim:
He feels for his brother in pain and rejoices at his brother’s joy.
A Muslim will never abandon his brother, nor will he hand him over to the enemy. rather, he must care, pay attention, defend, and come to his aid.

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As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reminded us in his noble hadith:

All praise is due to Allah, who has bestowed upon us love, care, and a sense of belonging toward Al-Aqsa Mosque in the blessed land of Palestine. We are grateful that within our hearts still resides faith, which is reflected in our concern for our brothers and sisters in need of help and defense while we live in a free country, Indonesia.

Peace and blessings be upon the beloved Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, who gave great attention to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine.

The Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam encouraged his followers to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine, along with Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. He also encouraged Muslims to contribute to maintaining the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, protecting it from desecration, Judaization, and colonization by those who have no right over it.

The Prophet greatly upheld the dignity, honor, and lives of human beings, commanding us to protect them. Let us continue to cultivate and increase our piety (taqwa) to Allah in all situations, times, and places, as Allah commands in His words:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُواْ قَوۡلاً۬ سَدِيدً۬ا (٧٠) يُصۡلِحۡ لَكُمۡ أَعۡمَـٰلَكُمۡ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ فَقَدۡ فَازَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمًا (٧١)

“O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.”
(Surah Al-Ahzab [33]: 70–71)

Imam Ash-Shafi’i stated that taqwa is the foundation of faith. Without taqwa, a person’s faith collapses, and their life falls into ruin. It is through taqwa that the character of a society is built and protected from destruction and corruption.

Thus, let us always uphold taqwa, do good, and remain in the company of the righteous, as Allah says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ

“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.”
(Surah An-Nahl [16]: 128)

Beloved Muslims who seek Allah’s pleasure,

The Zionist occupation of Palestine continues to this day. Meanwhile, the people of Palestine especially in the Gaza Strip are suffering more and more: genocide, hunger, lack of food, water, clothing, and medicine.

Under the same sky, we live. With the same breath and red blood flowing through us.

Yet why are some of our brothers and sisters still suffering? Why are there still people whose rights are stripped, whose freedom is imprisoned?

That is what colonization is. It is not just about people being killed or wounded. It is an open wound in human history, in full view of a helpless world.

Colonization is not only the sound of bullets and bombs. It is also the theft of childhood play, of education, of a normal life, and of the future of a nation.

Even though Allah created humankind with honor, granting the right to live with dignity, no one has the right to strip another of their humanity. No nation deserves to be oppressed indefinitely.

Therefore, the world must unite in proclaiming: “Colonialism on this earth must be abolished!”

Every child who cries in war, every mother who loses her child to an attack, is the cry of all humanity. As long as there is land being colonized, our duty as humans is not yet complete.
And as long as oppression exists, we are obliged to resist.

Thus, it is the duty of every Muslim to help their oppressed brothers and sisters break free from the chains of colonization.

How can we stand idly by while our fellow brothers and sisters are oppressed, wronged, and occupied without giving them support?

Allah reminds us in the Qur’an:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوْا وَنَصَرُوا أُولَئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ وَلايَتِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا وَإِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ إِلا عَلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

“Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided – they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate – for you there is no guardianship of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people with whom you have a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.” (Surah Al-Anfal [8]: 72)

Imam Ibn Kathir, in his Tafsir Al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, explained that this verse refers to the Muhajirin (those who left Makkah and their wealth to support Allah’s religion) and the Ansar (residents of Madinah who welcomed and supported them). The two groups stood together, supported one another, and fought alongside the Prophet. The Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam made them brothers, bonded in strong unity (ukhuwwah), pairing each with another as siblings in faith.

Another group, namely the Ansar, were the Muslims who lived in Madinah at the time. They welcomed the Muhajirin into their homes and supported them by sharing part of their wealth. They aided Allah and His Messenger, and together with the Muhajirin, they stood shoulder to shoulder in battles to defend Allah and His Messenger. They mutually protected and supported one another.

For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) established a bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar. Each pair of individuals was joined as brothers, forming a solid and sincere brotherhood.

This is also mentioned in a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which states:

Dear brothers and sisters who long for Allah’s forgiveness,

Such is the ideal condition: every Muslim individual should feel deeply for their fellow brothers and sisters grieving when they grieve, rejoicing when they rejoice. A Muslim will never abandon their brother, nor hand them over to the enemy. Rather, they are obliged to care, to be concerned, to defend, and to support them.

This is also emphasized in his sayings:

مَا مِنِ امْرِئٍ يَخْذُلُ مُسْلِمًا فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُنْتَقَصُ فِيهِ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ وَيُنْتَهَكُ فِيهِ مِنْ حُرْمَتِهِ إِلَّا خَذَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُحِبُّ فِيهِ نُصْرَتَهُ، وَمَا مِنِ امْرِئٍ يَنْصُرُ مُسْلِمًا فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُنْتَقَصُ فِيهِ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ وَيُنْتَهَكُ فِيهِ مِنْ حُرْمَتِهِ إِلَّا نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي مَوْطِنٍ يُحِبُّ فِيهِ نُصْرَتَهُ

“No one lets down a fellow Muslim in a place where his honor is violated and his sanctity is harmed, except that Allah will let him down in a place where he seeks His help. And no one helps a Muslim in a place where his honor is violated and his sanctity is harmed, except that Allah will help him in a place where he seeks His help.”
(Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud and At-Tabarani)

And in another hadith:

المُسْلِمُ أَخُو المُسْلِمِ، لَا يَخُونُهُ وَلَا يَكْذِبُهُ وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ

“A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not betray him, lie to him, or forsake him.”
(Hadith narrated by At-Tirmidhi)

Especially for the oppressed, the imprisoned, and the colonized like our brothers and sisters in Palestine the Prophet instructed:

فُكُّوا الْعَانِيَ وَأَطْعِمُوا الْجَائِعَ وَعُودُوا الْمَرِيضَ

“Free the captive, feed the hungry, and visit the sick.”
(Hadith narrated by Bukhari)

Dear Muslims honored by Allah,

We, as the Indonesian nation and part of the global community, hold a significant role in defending the rights of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We owe a historical debt to Palestine, which supported and recognized Indonesia’s independence in 1945.

The Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, 1945, affirms:

“That independence is the right of all nations, therefore, colonialism must be abolished in this world, because it is not in accordance with humanity and justice.”

In 1953, the declaration of Jama’ah Muslimin (Hizbullah), a unifying platform for Muslims promoting mercy to the worlds, stated: “Jama’ah Muslimin (Hizbullah) stands firmly among the Muslim community, calling for virtue, enjoining good and forbidding evil, rejecting all forms of colonialism and injustice by one nation over another, and striving for understanding among nations.” Regarding the occupation of Palestine, our nation’s founding father, Bung Karno (Soekarno), declared in a 1962 speech:

“As long as the independence of the Palestinian people has not been given to them, then Indonesia will stand in defiance of Israeli colonialism.” That speech emphasized Indonesia’s unwavering stance in supporting Palestinian freedom and rejecting all forms of colonialism perpetrated by Israel. It also served as a call for all nations to unite in backing the Palestinian struggle, affirming that Palestine will never fight alone.

Dear Respected Congregation, May Allah Have Mercy Upon You

The call to liberate the Palestinian people from oppression is not only the responsibility of the Palestinians themselves, but also the duty of all humanity in general—and of the Muslim ummah in particular.

As Muslims, it is our obligation to unite, to stand together in solidarity and strength in this struggle, as Allah affirms in His verse:

وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعٗا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ أَعۡدَآءٗ فَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم بِنِعۡمَتِهِۦٓ إِخۡوَٰنٗا وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٖ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡهَاۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَ

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you—when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.”
(Qur’an, Surah Ali ‘Imran [3]: 103)

Therefore, let us strengthen our efforts to support our brothers and sisters in Palestine—through our charitable donations, our acts of advocacy, our solidarity, by boycotting Zionist-affiliated products, through our writings and trainings, and most importantly, through our prayers.

May Allah grant victory to the Palestinian people and nation in their struggle against Zionist colonialism and occupation, until they achieve true independence with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as their eternal capital. Ameen.

باَرَكَ اللهُ لِيْ وَلَكُمْ وَنَفَعَنِيْ وَاِيَّاكُمْ بِمَا فِيْهِ مِنَ الاَيَةِ وَذِكْرِالْحِكِيْمِ وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوْهُ اِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرٌ الرَّحِيْمٌ. [Nia]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)