Pakistani Clerics At Anti-Israel Rallies: 'Quran Mentions Jihad Hundreds Of Times'; 'All Mosques, Media Channels, Rulers And Influencer Institutions Should Have "Jihad, Jihad" On Their Tongues'; 'Israel Has Become An Ulcer... We Need To Unite To Terminate It'; Plan To Join 'Liberation Of Palestine'

In the weeks since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack in Israel, Islamic religious scholars in Pakistan have organized events, press conferences, protests, and rallies to condemn Israel and praise Hamas where speeches favoring jihad and qital ("fighting to kill"), calling for the liberation of Jerusalem and fighting against Israel are delivered. Following are reports of events held in various Pakistani cities on a single day, October 29.

Jamaat-e-Islami emir Siraj-ul-Haq addresses a Gaza March in Islamabad

Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi – the emir of radical Islamist network Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP, which is known for mobilizing street power) – met, as the head of a delegation of TLP clerics, with the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Ahmed Jawad Rabiei on October 18. During the meeting, the Palestinian ambassador thanked Rizvi for making the Labbaik Ya Aqsa March across the country.[1] Commenting on this news and TLP's Islamist policies, which mirror those of the Taliban, a social media activist commented: "To seek aid for Palestinians from the Taliban is like getting vaccinated for the disease of AIDS for fighting cancer. The Taliban are the Islamic model of extremist Jews."[2]

On October 29, Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi – the son of the late wheelchair-bound radical Islamic cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi who with his followers on many occasions blocked entrances to Islamabad, paralyzing the Pakistani government – also addressed a press conference, lamenting that the Pakistani rulers are not taking practical steps for jihad against Israel.

"On the matter of Palestine, today the entire Muslim Ummah has become a silent spectator and is playing the role of Kufis.[3] Everyone in power is not raising their voices for the oppressed people of Gaza because America has told them not to, otherwise the IMF will stop giving dollars [to Pakistan]," he stated.[4]

"The Muslim Ummah has become a silent spectator on Israeli atrocities," Saad Hussain Rizvi said and stressed that jihad is obligatory on Muslims, as mentioned in the Quran. He observed: "The sacred Quran mentions jihad hundreds of times, but none of those in power today can say this word because they are all colored with the West's hue"; "Today, all mosques, media channels, rulers and influencer institutions should have 'jihad, jihad' on their tongues."[5]

The news about Saad Hussain Rizvi's press conference

Addressing the Pakistani military leadership, the TLP leader lamented: "How can you claim that our position on defense is strong? If our position on defense is strong, then how was Kashmir taken away? If the position on defense is strong, then why is Palestine being ravaged? The nation asks: what day are these arms and weapons being saved for?"[6]

"The leader and founder of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, Emir-ul-Mujahideen [late Khadim Hussain Rizvi], left having taught us that if one has to live, then he must live with a relationship with the blessing of Prophet Muhammad, and if one has to die, then he must die for the honor and dignity of the Messenger of Allah," Saad Hussain Rizvi said, describing his late father as Emir-ul-Mujahideen, the leader of the mujahideen.[7]

The TLP emir also lamented that Muslim children are imbibing Western ideas and moving away from Islam, stating: "Muslims have taught only a Western education to their children. And today these children appear to have thoughts of the inhabitants of the West rather than the thoughts of Islam. One cannot reject the view that Islam protects [non-Muslim] minorities but Islam also protects Muslims."[8]

At the press conference, he was also asked about the return of convicted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from exile, to which he responded: "Nawaz Sharif has not come but has been brought to stop the path of the religion [of Islam] in Pakistan. However, nobody can stop the religion of Muhammad of Arabia from coming to the throne..."[9]

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, addressing a rally in Quetta, announced that he would join the Palestinian struggle

Also on October 29, another Palestine conference was organized in Karachi. Addressing the audience, Allama Shabbir Hasan Maisami – noted Shi'ite scholar and central secretary general of Shia Ulema Council Pakistan – said: "Israel has become an ulcer for the humans of the entire world. There is a need for us to unite to terminate it. We salute the courage, bravery, resistance, and steadfastness of the mujahideen."[10]

"The Palestinian people have been bearing the night of oppression and force for a quarter of a century," Allama Shabbir Hasan Maisami said, adding: "Israel is an illegitimate state. We will never accept it."[11] A number of Shi'ite religious scholars and others addressed the conference.

In the city of Quetta on the same day, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman organized a massive public event billed as "Toofan Al-Aqsa." The Urdu daily Roznama Jang published a report titled "Quetta – Announcement by Maulana Fazlur Rehman to participate in the liberation of Palestine."[12]

The JUI-F leader, addressing the Pakistani military leadership, told the audience: "The rulers should throw off the belt of America's servitude tied around their neck. [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi is openly supporting Israel. The message for the Jewish lobby is that we defeated their agent [Imran Khan] in our dear homeland, and like the Jewish agent will also defeat Israel. We make an announcement for equal participation in the liberation struggle of Palestine."[13]

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the JUI-F rally was a message to the rulers of America and Europe and added: "On the matter of Gaza, the world seems to be clearly divided ideologically. Those whom you call terrorists we view as the mujahideen of the times. America is no longer a superpower."[14] He said that the lack of a clear stand on "the Israeli aggression" in Gaza by Pakistani rulers, Islamic countries, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations, and other organizations is condemnable. "The rulers of Muslim countries are sitting in silence on this barbarism. The world does not see Israeli atrocities," he said, "[We] salute the self-respect of the people of Palestine and of Hamas."[15]

"Need To Unite To Terminate Israel – Palestine Conference" reads a headline in Roznama Jang

In Islamabad, again on the same day, a Gaza March was organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP), the largest religious organization in Pakistan, on the city's embassy road. Addressing the rallyists, Jamaat-e-Islami emir Siraj-ul-Haq said: "This ocean of humans is a message for America. America is standing by Israel, so we are with the oppressed of Gaza. When we announced the Gaza March in front of the American Embassy, the rulers [of Pakistan] got scared and beat up our workers. I ask the rulers: Who do you want to make happy?"[16]

According to another media report, the Jamaat-e-Islami leader, announcing a million-man march in Lahore for November 19, 2023, said: "Hamas has sent this message to America that the force of faith is stronger than technology... This Gaza March in Islamabad is a message for America to stop supporting the Israeli brutalities."[17]

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh also addressed the Gaza March by telephone, saying: "The mujahideen of Hamas and people of Palestine crushed all the enemy's determination into dust by unleashing a storm named Toofan Al-Aqsa against the enemy. The conspiracies to get the illegitimate state of Israel recognized by Muslim countries stopped breathing. I salute the people of Pakistan on behalf of the people of Palestine and Gaza."[18]