People all over the world observed ‘Al-Quds Day’ on Friday as peace loving people belonging to all faiths including Christians, Muslims and other communities joined hands in prestigious movement to expose true face of Zionism and barbarism.
International Al-Quds Day is a day of solidarity with the oppressed innocent Palestinian civilians in their struggle against the racist oppressive Zionist-Apartheid Regime (Israel).
By using the support of United States, United Kingdom and other Western countries including Canada, Israel perpetrates oppression of innocent civilians, extend illegal occupation, and increase horrific crimes against innocent civilians. In Pakistan protest rallies were held across the country including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kasmir. The demonstrators chanted slogans ‘the people want the destruction of Israel’, ‘stop barbarism against innocent Palestinians’. Protests were staged across the country to condemn the massacre of Palestinians by Israel.
International Youm-ul-Quds provides another opportunity to the Muslim Umma to get united to secure their interests and stand against the atrocities of oppressors. It is the need of time that OIC must play its role for eradication of hatred in Muslim Umma and there is need of joint struggle under the umbrella of OIC against massacre of Palestinians by Israel.
If we put a glance on the history of Youm-ul-Quds we would came to know the role of great visionary leader of Muslim Umma Imam Khomeini to make this day a universal success. Under the leadership of revolutionary Imam Khomeini Islamic Republic of Iran initiated to celebrate last Friday of Ramadan as International Quds Day to express solidarity with Palestinian against the brutality of Israeli in Palestine and occupation of Jerusalem. With passage of time event received unprecedented fame and today Quds Day is also held in several countries in the Arab and Muslim world with protests against the atrocities of Israel against innocent Palestinian. Outside of the Middle East and the wider Arab World, Quds Day protests have taken place in the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Sweden, France, the United States, and some predominantly Muslim countries in East Asia.
Imam Khomeini in 1979 announced that last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan each year as Quds Day, in which Muslims worldwide would unite in solidarity against Israel and in support of the Palestinians. Khomeini declared the liberation of Jerusalem a religious duty to all Muslims. I ask all the Muslims of the world and the Muslim governments to join together to sever the hand of this usurper and its supporters. I call on all the Muslims of the world to select as Al-Quds Day the last Friday in the holy month of Ramadan which is itself a determining period and can also be the determiner of the Palestinian people’s fate and through a ceremony demonstrating the solidarity of Muslims world-wide, announce their support for the legitimate rights of the Muslim people. Imam Khomeini was very keen for the unity of Muslim Ummah, he considered the liberation of Quds as the duty of all Muslims. He termed observing this day as the duty of all the Muslims of the world and to raise their voices against the brutality of Israel against innocent Palestinians.
Recent brutal attacks of Israel in Palestine that resulted killing of hundreds of innocent Palestinian, including women and children, have proved the ideology of Imam Khomeini to be united against the atrocities of Israel. If Muslims across the globe get united, most of the issues Muslim countries are facing would be solved just by being united. Although, its been over three decade that International Youm ul Quds is being celebrated in a wider spectrum today, but still Muslim needs to feel pain of each other by putting aside the petty issues, be united to gain their lost glory, this was the message of Imam Khomeini.
(Rizwan Haider)
