Texas Islamic Scholar Mohamad Baajour said in a November 4, 2023 lecture in the East Plano Islamic Center that the people of Gaza have not been defeated, but rather they have "revived the faith" in the hearts of the Muslims. He continued to say that they have "exposed the enemy," ruined their enemy, and "thrown horror in their hearts." Baajour said that every true Muslim would love to die like the people in Gaza, who are "martyrs." He continued to supplicate to Allah, saying: "May Allah grant victory to the Muslims […] defeat their enemy." The lecture was posted on the YouTube channel of the East Plano Islamic Center. According to the website of the Islamic center, Baajour immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon and serves as the center's director for education and community development.
Mohamad Baajour: "We are all suffering and bleeding about seeing all these children [in Gaza] dying, all these families dying, all these young kids wounded, severe wounds, that does not mean in any way that they lost and were defeated.
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"They are the most resilient people. They have taught us the difference between a male and a man. They have revived the faith in our hearts. They have exposed the enemy, they have ruined their economy, they have thrown horror in their hearts. They have exposed them. Now many Muslims and non-Muslims know the truth.
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"So these people won in the material world by not giving up, and of course in the Hereafter by being martyrs.
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"Because many people [ask]: 'Oh, what kind of victory are you talking about, sheikh? The people died.' By Allah, every true Muslim would love to have such a death.
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"The biggest defeat is when you start thinking that the military victory is the only victory. What we have achieved in Gaza, or what they have achieved in Gaza – we have done nothing – what they have achieved in Gaza is something that you only hear about in stories of the Companions of the Prophet.
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"Oh Allah, support Islam and the Muslims. Oh Allah, grant glory to Islam and the Muslims. Oh Allah, guide us to what you like and what you approve of. Oh Allah, give them victory. Oh Allah, defeat their enemy."