GARIIF 23: Habib Ali Zaenal Abidin’s advice on Palestinian issues

By Shafiy Nordin

GOMBAK, 22 December 2023: “I don’t want to address problems, I just want to express my feelings about what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” said a well-known Muslim preacher in Malaysia, Habib Ali Zaenal Abidin bin Abu Bakar Al-Hamid. He delivered the grand tausiyah for the programme Ruhani Resonance: Harmony of Zikr and Salawat.

The grand tausiyah was held in conjunction with the Global Arabic Islamic Annual Festival 2023 (GARIIF23). The most awaited and heartwarming speech was attended by more than 1,200 jemaah on 13 December in the main prayer hall of Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Mosque, IIUM Gombak. To highlight, Habib Ali Zaenal Abidin said the following:

Muslims are like one body of a person. If the eye is sore, the whole body aches. If the head aches, the whole body aches. We love each other as if we are one body. At this moment, we do not know what to do and how to help our family there. They are lacking food and water, being killed, the children and women are suffering. What can we do?

The solution is mentioned in the Quran Al-Karim

The answer according to Habib Ali, is no other than in the Quran. It is mentioned, “We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers” Quran (17:82). The Quran is a Shifa for all diseases and a solution for all problems. However, when referring to the Quran, do not read in hurry. Allah has told many stories from the Quran for us so as to remain calm in any situation.

Do not be influenced with negative emotions

Our emotions are easily influenced by incidents. We become sad, angry and even happy without limitation. Humans say, “Allah loves me” when they are tested with prosperity but say, “Allah contempts me” when they are tested with hardship. As believers, we should be positive and optimistic. “Do not grieve. Indeed Allah is with us,” is mentioned in the Quran (9:40).

Stay calm and find hikmah

Keep calm to think and act rationally. Do not sacrifice ourselves for viral issues. We should reflect on ourselves and learn lessons from awful moments. We do not like what is happening in Palestine right now but there is hikmah from what has happened. Many people accept Islam as they see the truth clearly in front of their eyes and in their hearts.

Focus on the root cause

Do not only focus on the problems such as persecution, violation or how many have been killed. We should find the enemies’ motive and the reason why they act like that. Everything must have reasons and causes. Focus on the asbab. This is a religious issue. There is a clash between two groups, Islam and the musyrikun.

“Who does more wrong than the one who fabricates lies about Allah when invited to submit to Him? For Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. They wish to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will certainly perfect His light, even to the dismay of the disbelievers.” Quran (61:7-8)

Take part and defend with your mouths 

Palestinians fight and defend their homelands physically. We also fight, defend and help them by participating in the war of ideologies on social media. Our enemies have spread lies and confusion. We fight by telling the truth and delivering the right messages. That is why we have to do research and study the history of the land and increase our knowledge. 

Protect Palestine with your properties, hearts and mouths. Be the ones who heal yourselves and ummah. Build and strengthen your love for knowledge, knowledgeable people or the ulama and educational events or majlis ilmu. Remember, the best day in your life is the day you gain beneficial knowledge.***