Debate regarding number of casualties in Gaza- brief dialogue with Mathilda Heller
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah, The Exalted, said:
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَۚ إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَاۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah; even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. [An-Nisaa. 135]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
Allah, Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections, commanded His servants to stand out firmly for justice on behalf of everyone – be it an enemy or an ally, and the matter that is most worthy of being established with justice are the statements and methodology related to the commands of Allah as well as everything that Allah has (revealed in the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah). Therefore, to establish these affairs based on desires and disobedience is contrary to Allah’s command and a negation (i.e. either intentionally or unintentionally) of that which Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was sent with. [1]
Allah, The Exalted, said:
وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ
الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ
وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ
أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ
لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Woe to Al-Mutaffifin [those who give less in measure and weight (decrease the rights of others)], those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, and when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due. Think they not that they will be resurrected (for reckoning), on a Great Day, the Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)? [Al-Mutaffifeen. 1-7]
[وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ – and when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due].
Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
This noble verse shows that just as a person takes from the people what he is entitled to, it is also obligated to him to give them everything they are entitled to – whether related to wealth or mutual dealings; rather included in the generality of this verse are proofs and statements, because what usually takes place between those engaged in argumentation and discussion is that each of them is eager to establish his proofs, thus, it is obligated to a person to also make known the proofs possessed by the other person and examine the proofs of the other person just as he examines his own proofs. In relation to this affair, the justice of a person is known as opposed to whether he is afflicted with bigotry, his humility as opposed to being haughty, his common sense as opposed to foolish behaviour. We ask Allah bestow on us every good. [2]
Allah said:
سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْمًۢا بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ قُل رَّبِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا مِرَآءً ظَٰهِرًا وَلَا تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِم مِّنْهُمْ أَحَدًا
(Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth, guessing at the unseen; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): “My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few.” So do not debate(about their number, etc.) except with the clear proof. And do not consult any of them about (the affair of) the people of the Cave. [Al-Kahf 22]
“So do not debate”, meaning, (do not) engage in debate and argumentation, “except except with the clear proof”, meaning, grounded in knowledge and certainty. [3]
There is doubt that Zionist injustices stem from a profound disregard for fear of Allah, which has consistently driven them to engage in unfounded speculation and an unwillingness to acknowledge their obligations to the Palestinians. At the same time, they continue to demand more than what is rightfully theirs. This pattern has been evident over the past 70 years of land theft and violence against the Palestinian people. However, it is important to clarify that not all individuals who identify as Jewish share this mindset, nor are those of other faiths entirely free from similar behaviours, including some Muslims. Nonetheless, this discussion focuses on the actions of Zionists, particularly the recent excessive violence and brutality witnessed in Gaza under the guise of retaliation and self-defense. Similarly, this does not absolve us from unequivocally condemning the actions of certain individuals and groups who identify as Muslims, especially when they resort to the murder of unarmed civilians and non-combatants under Netanyahu’s regime. [Footnote a]
In the article by Mathilda Heller, the perspectives of two factions regarding the fatalities among Palestinians in Gaza have been articulated. It is widely recognised that this discourse has persisted for an extended period, during which unlawful killings have been perpetrated by the operatives of Netanyahu under the pretext of retaliation and self-defense, as well as efforts to eliminate Hamas. At times, these operatives have reluctantly acknowledged their recklessness or significant errors, while vowing to conduct investigations and asserting that their military is making every effort to prevent civilian casualties. This ongoing debate serves as a distraction from the more pressing issue that demands urgent attention: the impunity that accompanies the actions of the Zionist forces when an unarmed civilian or non-combatant is murdered. The focus should not solely be on the number of casualties, but rather on the mindset of those within the Zionist military who disregarded the value of innocent Palestinian lives. This issue fundamentally exposes the moral decay and psychological corruption of the perpetrators, regardless of their claims to possess a higher moral standing. Allah said:
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allah by committing the major sins) in the land! [Al-Ma’idah. 32]
Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
If a person is bold enough to kill someone who does not deserve to be killed, this implies that he does make a distinction between the one he killed and other than him; rather he would commit this act whenever his evil calls him to that. Therefore, his bold attitude that led him to kill is as if he has killed all humankind. On the other hand, if a person saves a life and does not kill – whilst his soul calls him to do so – due to fear of Allah, this is as if he has saved the lives of all humankind because the fear of Allah he possesses stops him killing one who does not deserve to be killed. [4]
The arguments presented by Zionists in response to accusations regarding their actions in Gaza—both current and historical—concerning the numerous Palestinians they have killed without just cause, serve to implicate them. The murder of even a single innocent individual constitutes a serious crime in the sight of Allah. Consequently, it is irrelevant whether they acknowledge the additional casualties; the principle remains the same. Just as any individual who identifies as Muslim and takes the life of an innocent Zionist or Jew is condemned, so too should the actions of the Zionists be condemned and no room for excuses should be offered. Various organisations have documented evidence suggesting that Zionist forces intentionally target areas populated by civilians in the name of pursuing Hamas, despite the disapproval of certain Zionist figureheads and media outlets towards those who expose their actions. Their typical response to criticism is to label it as biased; however, when the evidence becomes undeniable, they often resort to accusations of antisemitism or invoke the memories of the Holocaust. There is no doubt that Antisemitism [Footnote b] is unlawful in the sight of the Creator when it is clearly identified and substantiated with credible evidence, rather than being used as a shield for Zionist violence or to suppress genuine discourse regarding the expected conduct of Zionists. The visible devastation in Gaza, the heartbreaking loss of thousands of civilian lives, coupled with aggressive Zionist propaganda aimed at silencing those who present evidence, raises legitimate concerns about their behaviour, even as they attempt to portray themselves as a moral force or champions of humanitarianism. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, stated:
People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favour the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good. [5]
Imam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
Whoever manifests good, it will be accepted from him and a good suspicion is held about him. And if he manifests evil, it will held against him and an evil suspicion is held about him. [6]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
The fact that a statement regarding something is lies and falsehood is sometimes known based on the statement in and of itself, its contradictions, perplexity and the manifestation of those clear indications which shows that it is lies. Lies may manifest due to what it is in reality, what is apparent and what is being concealed. It is sometimes known due to the situation of the utterer of the lie, for indeed the one who is known for lying, wickedness and deception, his statements do not show anything else except a state of conformity with his deeds. He does not utter a statement or perform an action similar to that of a pious and truthful person – the one innocent of every evil, deception, lie and wicked behaviour; rather the heart, intention, statements and deeds of the truthful one have the same image; and the heart, statements, deeds and intentions of the liar have the same image. [7]
The absence of a profound fear of Allah, which affects the actions of a sinful believer, or the total lack of such fear, characteristic of entrenched Zionist opposition to the teachings of the Messengers, suggests that an individual in either state is unlikely to accept the truth, recognise their misdeeds, or strive for correction unless Allah guides them. It is crucial to emphasise that, aside from the Zionists, any individuals who commit acts of violence against non-combatants and defenseless civilians are firmly condemned. Furthermore, it is essential to acknowledge that no group has perpetrated greater cruelty and injustice against the Palestinians than the Zionists since 1948, a time that commenced with the backing of Christian Zionist colonialists who aided their ascendance in Palestine. [Footnote c] May Allah ease the suffering of the Palestinians, which has persisted for 70 years, and grant us all the strength necessary to overcome the weakness in the Ummah Amin. Read:
https://abukhadeejah.com/state-of-ummah-causes-of-weakness-means-of-rectification-ebook/
Footnote a: Just Rules of Fighting in the Sharīʿah of Islām Compared to Genocidal, Ethnic-Cleansing, Tribal-Vengeance Doctrines and Excesses of Trojan-Horse Muslim Extremists: https://abuiyaad.com/a/amalekite-genocide-doctrine-gaza
Footnote b:
https://abuiyaad.com/sn/muslims-antisemitism
https://abuiyaad.com/w/antisemitism-ernest-renan
https://abuiyaad.com/a/muhammad-semitic-prophet
Footnote c:
https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2024/11/13/the-initial-rise-and-gradual-impact-of-christian-zionism-on-some-european-political-decision-makers/
An Overview of Christian Zionism in America Since the Arrival of The Puritans
[1] An Excerpt from “Bada’i at-Tafsir Al-Jami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim. 1/300-303
[2] An Excerpt from “Tafsir As-Sadi”
[3] An Excrept from “Tafsir As-Sadi”
[4] An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi]
[5] Al-Bukhari 2641
[6] An Excerpt from Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhari 2/397. Footnote 1
[7] An Excerpt from As-Sawa’iq Al-Mursalah 2/469-470