Shafaat Yar Khan
As the war in Gaza drags on with horrifying intensity, the silence, indecision, and division among the political and religious leaders of the Islamic world has become more glaring than ever. At a time when the suffering of Palestinians demands urgent, coordinated, and courageous intervention, what the world witnesses instead is a fractured ummah—divided in opinion, timid in action, and unwilling to collectively rise to the occasion.
The current war, which erupted in late 2023, has seen some of the most devastating attacks on civilians in Gaza in recent memory. Entire families have been buried under rubble. Hospitals have been bombed. Electricity, water, and food supplies have been cut off. Yet, despite the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis, much of the Muslim leadership has confined itself to expressions of “deep concern” or symbolic protest. The widespread expectation—that Muslim countries and their religious scholars would rally together to confront this injustice—has been met with disappointment and frustration.
Among the few voices urging meaningful action is Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, a respected scholar and former judge of Pakistan’s Federal Shariat Court. He recently declared that military jihad against Israel has become a religious duty for Muslim governments, urging states to intervene and protect the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the lives of Palestinians. Similarly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman has stressed unity among Muslim nations, asserting that standing with Palestinians is not just a matter of politics but of faith and morality.
On an international level, Ali al-Qaradaghi, secretary general of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, has called for comprehensive action—military, economic, and political—to halt what he termed a genocide. These calls reflect growing frustration with the repeated failure of Muslim governments to go beyond diplomatic platitudes.
Yet, even these statements have not gone unchallenged. Egypt’s Grand Mufti Nazir Ayyad has publicly rejected the idea of religious leaders issuing fatwas calling for jihad. He labeled such declarations as “irresponsible,” arguing that decisions of this scale must come through state mechanisms and follow strict criteria under Islamic law. This rejection underscores a deeper problem within the Islamic world: even its spiritual leaders are at odds, unable to agree on whether and how to respond to Israel’s actions.
This theological tug-of-war over fatwas—Islamic legal opinions that are traditionally respected but non-binding—has created more confusion than clarity. While some scholars see Gaza as a battleground that justifies collective self-defense under Islamic teachings, others caution against what they see as populist religious fervor that lacks legal or strategic grounding. In the end, the discord leaves ordinary Muslims bewildered, wondering which voice truly represents the conscience of the ummah.
Beyond religious circles, the political leadership in the Muslim world has also faltered. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a body meant to represent collective Muslim interests, has held emergency meetings and issued condemnations—but little else. There has been no serious diplomatic offensive, no economic retaliation, and no coordinated strategy to pressure Israel or its backers. The Arab League, similarly, has done little beyond issuing statements that express sorrow but avoid any meaningful consequence for Israel or its allies.
The reason for this paralysis is clear: many Muslim-majority governments are deeply entangled in geopolitical calculations. Some have normalized ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords or through backdoor diplomacy. Others rely on security or economic partnerships with the United States and its allies, making them hesitant to take bold stances. As a result, the collective political machinery of the Islamic world has failed to mount even the basic semblance of solidarity when it was most needed.
Meanwhile, Western support for Israel has remained firm and unapologetic. The United States has stood at the forefront, providing Israel with political cover at the United Nations, blocking ceasefire resolutions, and defending Israeli actions as self-defense even in the face of widespread civilian casualties. Washington continues to approve military aid packages running into billions of dollars, equipping Israel with advanced weapons systems that are now being used in Gaza. In addition to security and financial support, Western countries have also used diplomatic channels to silence criticism of Israel in global forums, and in some cases, have criminalized solidarity with Palestine by labeling it as extremist or antisemitic. From military resupply to veto power at the UN, the alliance between Israel and the West has not only empowered Tel Aviv’s actions but has also emboldened its refusal to negotiate or de-escalate.
This imbalance on the international stage further exposes the weakness of the Islamic world’s response. Despite the moral, emotional, and historical weight that the Palestinian cause carries in Muslim societies, there has been no serious counterweight to Western influence. The failure to build global coalitions, present unified narratives, or provide substantial humanitarian support has made Muslim countries appear powerless—even indifferent.
The people of Gaza, meanwhile, continue to endure suffering on a catastrophic scale. Children born into blockades now grow up under airstrikes. Parents bury their children without graves, and hospitals operate without anesthesia. Every day that passes without action from the Islamic world reinforces a tragic truth: the Palestinians are largely alone in their struggle, even among those who call them brothers in faith.
The disunity is not just tactical; it is also spiritual. If the Islamic world cannot find common ground on the issue of Palestine—a cause that has unified generations of Muslims—then what remains of the concept of the ummah? What does it mean to call oneself part of a global Muslim community when that community cannot unite to oppose a genocide?
There is still time for course correction. Unity cannot be built overnight, but it can begin with a common humanitarian platform: aid convoys, diplomatic missions, and international campaigns for justice. The theological debates will continue, but they must not be allowed to paralyze action. The duty of the moment is clear—to protect life, restore dignity, and uphold justice. And that responsibility falls on both rulers and religious scholars alike.
Gaza does not need more conferences. It needs courage. It does not need more fatwas. It needs unity. And above all, it does not need more silence. It needs voices that will not waver and hands that will not tremble in the face of tyranny.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance.
