Muslim scholars speak on resistance
Islamic Republic of Iran hosted an international conference in support of the Palestinian resistance in Tehran in which over 200 Muslim scholars and intellectuals were attended from 53 countries.
On the sidelines of the conference, a number of the attendants spoke to Quds News Agency about the Palestinian resistance status especially following the 51-day genocidal Israeli war on Gaza as well as the developments in the Muslim world.
Excerpts of the interviews follow.
SAfrical alim: God orders us to defend the oppressed
Head of the Islamic Office in South Africa, Sheikh Najjar says it is a commitment rather than an option to help the Palestinian people.
The pro-Palestinian activist said God orders us to defend the oppressed against the oppressor.
Najjar said the recent war on Gaza showed that military power was no more a determining factor and that by keeping committed to its aspirations, any nation may prevail against its enemies.
The senior activist expressed regret Muslims have failed to get united while the Western governments regularly equip the Zionist regime.
The scholar added however that in God's favor, the Zionist regime would eventually be defeated.
The conference started work in Tehran to review how Muslim scholars may help advance the Palestinian resistance against Israel. It will wrap up work on Wednesday.
Palestinian Mufti: Combat against Zionism would continue until Palestine is liberated
Lebanese-based Palestinian Mufti, Salim Lababidi says veteran Muslim scholars have kept the cause of struggling against the Zionist regime since decades ago.
He recounted his memoires when in 1982 he came along with other Sunni and Sghia colleagues to Tehran for an anti-Zionism meeting and then returned to Lebanon to step up their combat against Israel.
"We have still kept the cause. One day we will reach the occupied Quds and the al-Aqsa mosque," he said.
The Palestinian mufti urged all the world countries to join hands to end the Israeli occupation.
Senegalese alim: Negotiations, no effective way for liberating Palestine
A senior pro-Palestinian activist from Senegal, Sharif Balou says Muslim scholars are heirs of the Divine Messengers and must play their key role in promoting the basic issues of the Islamic ummah and human values.
Head of the Palestine Defense Association said the Palestinian issue the topmost issue of the Islamic community so that the resolution of other Muslim problems depends on the resolution of the issue.
Balou also considered the Zionists as the root-cause of the ongoing crises in the world of Islam.
Asked about the recent war on Gaza, Balou said the Palestinian resistance got victory in God's favor and by the assistance of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"In the recent war, the Zionist regime sustained a toll ten times its toll in previous wars," he said, adding the resistance also penetrated into the strategic depth of the regime.
The Senegalese scholar said negotiations would offer no effective way for liberating the occupied lands of Palestine, adding that the sole way to liberate the occupied lands was armed resistance.
The scholar urged for arming all Palestinian areas, including the West Bank.
Iranian Sunni alim: Gaza belongs to all Muslims
A Sunni prayers leader in Iran says he was delighted to see that Iran was at the forefront of supporting the Palestinian nation.
Prayers leader in the Laaft Port, Sayyed Ahmad Pouazi touched on the large number of attendants in the conference and said they actually have joined the meeting in order to thank the Islamic Republic for its defense to the Palestinian nation.
In another regard, Pouazi said the recent war on Gaza made many things clear, including the reality that Muslims consider Gaza as their own land and that the martyrs of Gaza are the martyr of the world of Islam.
"The war also let us to know the enemies and friends," he added.
Asked about the future of Palestine, the scholar said Muslim nations will eventually arrived at a common idea and will get united in combating the Zionist regime. "Zionists will eventually return to their countries of origin," he said.
Kuwaiti lawyer: It is legitimate to give arms to West Bank
A senior Kuwaiti lawyer says the Zionist regime was a virus cultivated by the western governments in the Middle East with the aim of dividing the Muslim community.
Jalil Ibrahim al-Tabbakh said the sole way to counter the Zionist regime was to offer military aid to the Palestinian resistance and further equip it with arms.
He was asked about an offer by the Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei that the world of Islam give arms to the occupied West Bank populations made amid the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.
The lawyer called the offer fully legitimate and legal, adding that any human needs arms in order to defend its land.
"The weapon in the hand of the Palestinian resistance is only for self-defense and not for aggressing others," Tabbakh said.
The lawyer said no one is in dark that Israel was aggressing and persecuting the Palestinian nation and that it is Israel that initiates war not the Palestinians. "Palestinians thus need weapons to defend themselves," he said.
The lawyer said not only the West Bank but also any country that sees its security threatened by Israel must be armed as well.
"Why the US and other western governments tend to give military aid to Israel while asking us to pres the resistance groups or help disarm them," he enquired, adding the western approach was illogical.
The lawyer also rejected the Israeli call for disarming Gaza, adding Israel makes the call while it is continually expanding its weaponry.
The Kuwaiti personality said the time has come for Muslims to get united and demand the end of occupation of Palestine.
"Israel lurks behind any problem in the world of Islam," he noted.
Ex-Comoros president: Resistance's major role in restoring Palestinian rights
Former president of Comoros, Ahmad Abdullah Mohammad Sambi says confident Muslim scholars must take the center stage and strive for the materialization of unity among the Muslim sects.
The Comoros personality also said the Palestinian nation direly needs the support of the Muslim and Arab states so that it could keep its diligent defense against Israel.
"Today, the Palestinian nation proved it has a major share in restoring the rights of the Palestinian nation," he said.
The former Comoros president said it was an absolute priority for the world of Islam to secure the freedom of Palestine.
Malaysian scholar: Unity of Muslim, key to liberate Palestine
A prominent Muslim scholar from Malaysia says Muslim scholars may play a key role in defending the Palestinian nation.
"Israel too knows if Muslims get united, the occupied Quds will be united," Sheikh Ahmad Avang said, adding that non-Muslim governments would be encouraged to join an anti-Israeli drive if Muslims advance the drive in unison.
Gambian scholar: Muslims must supply Palestinian resistance with advanced arms
A senior pro-unity Muslim scholar says the sole threat facing the Zionist regime is the weapon of Palestinian resistance and for the same reason, Israel seeks to disarm it.
Founder of the Center for Proximity among Muslims in Gambia, Sheikh Osman Mohammad Jaah urged the Muslim community to secure its interests in the face of Israel by giving arms to the Palestinians resistance.
The scholar also said the Muslim nations must continually offer state-of-art weapons to the Palestinian resistance.
"Zionist regime would keep its call for disarming the resistance as long as the Palestinian resistance could threaten the existence of the regime," Mohammad Jaah said.
Lebanese scholar: Muslims must send arms to West Bank
A Lebanese scholar says the Palestinian resistance was indeed the victory in the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza and that it repelled an army that is equipped with the most advanced weapons in the world.
Head of the Unity for Lebanese Social Cooperation Association, Adel Turki said the Palestinian resistance was armed with the superior weapon of faith in God, something the Israeli army lacks.
The scholar said those who claim the Palestinians failed the war actually seek to promote the Israeli interests.
The scholar was then asked about an offer by the Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei to supply the West Bank population with arms in the face of the Israeli aggressions. Turki approved the idea, adding that the idea was especially welcomed as the Israeli regime receives any weapons it needs for killing the Palestinians from the US government.
The Lebanese scholar urged the Muslim nations to back the idea by sending arms to the occupied West Bank.
The Lebanese Alim also urged Muslims to ban Israeli-made goods and cut their relations with the regime.