MUSLIMS have been urged to shun complacency and avoid compromising Islamic teachings in order to promote global peace and understanding.
The call was made during the commemoration of the 2026 Quds Day in Ilorin, which also featured a public demonstration.
Speaking at the event, the Amir (leader) of Al-Harakatul Islamiyyah, Mallam AbdulRazzaq AbdulWahab Al-Amin Aladodo, blamed what he described as complacency within the Muslim Ummah and the compromise of Islamic teachings for the worsening humanitarian and political crisis facing Palestinians.
Aladodo said the continued suffering in Palestine reflects a broader failure of unity and adherence to Islamic principles among Muslims globally.
“The persistent agony of the Palestinians and the desecration of Masjid Al-Aqsa are clear indications that injustice continues to thrive in a world that has abandoned divine guidance,” he said.
He described Masjid Al-Aqsa as the third holiest site in Islam and stressed its historical and spiritual significance, noting that it remains central to Muslim identity and global solidarity.
The group called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take a firm position on the Middle East crisis, including severing diplomatic ties with Israel.
“It amounts to tokenism to merely call for cessation of hostilities when the aggressors are well known,” Aladodo said.
He also urged Nigeria to openly condemn what he described as “aggression” by Israel and the United States against Iran, insisting that neutrality in the face of injustice undermines global peace efforts.
Al-Harakatul Islamiyyah described the October 7, 2023 action by Hamas on Israel as a “defining moment” in the Palestinian struggle.
“It is evidently clear that there is a connection between ongoing hostilities in the region and the long-standing Palestinian question,” the Amir stated.
He expressed support for Iran’s role in the crisis, saying the country is “giving a good account of itself” in the unfolding conflict.
The group urged Muslim countries to close ranks and set aside internal divisions, particularly tensions involving Gulf states and Iran.
“The Muslim Ummah must rise above sectarian divides and use all available means to support the Palestinian cause and address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” Aladodo said.
He warned that continued disunity among Muslim nations risks sidelining the Palestinian issue on the global stage.
Al-Harakatul Islamiyyah also criticised the Abraham Accords, describing the agreement as detrimental to Palestinian interests.
According to the group, the normalisation of relations with Israel by some Arab countries undermines decades of struggle and sacrifice.
“Going ahead with such agreements amounts to dancing on the graves of those who paid the ultimate price in the struggle,” the statement added.
The group called on countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to reconsider hosting United States military bases, arguing that such installations serve strategic interests contrary to those of the region.
It also cautioned the United Arab Emirates against redeploying its ambassador to Israel, warning that such a move would signal support for what it described as “oppressive” policies.
In his lecture, Sheikh Abubakar Olori of Daarul Jaoharat Institution of Arabic and Islam, Ilorin, cautioned against internal criticism of Muslim countries over the Middle East crisis, urging unity within the Ummah.
He urged Muslims to prioritise spiritual solidarity and emphasised the need for prayers in support of Palestinians and other affected Muslim communities.
In his vote of thanks, Dr Abdullateef Raji attributed the prolonged Middle East crisis to what he described as longstanding Western geopolitical strategies, including divide-and-rule policies and Islamophobia.
He said these developments, which he traced to the early 20th century, contributed to the creation of Israel in 1948 and continue to influence regional instability.
Raji argued that the idea of a “Greater Israel” remains a long-term objective within Zionist ideology, adding that Iran has played a central role in resisting such ambitions through its support for Palestinian groups.
He noted that Iran’s post-1979 political identity has consistently placed it at the centre of resistance narratives in the Middle East.
Reports indicate that Quds Day, observed annually on the last Friday of Ramadan, and in some communities, its immediate aftermath, is traditionally marked by pro-Palestine demonstrations and calls for the liberation of Jerusalem.
The latest action by Al-Harakatul Islamiyyah comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran, alongside growing global concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
