Both Palestine and Kashmir were territories that were part of an unjust partition in 1947 followed by a prolonged period of war. To this day, conflicts continue in both Palestine and Kashmir, which are as yet unresolved. The UN Security Council has passed numerous resolutions over the years, however there remains no glimpse of peace in sight. Both conflicts have had grave consequences for large Muslim populations.
Most of all, what stands out are the common forces that drove the partitioning and passing of aforementioned resolutions for both territories. The two bodies that are usually identified for this are the British Empire and the United Nations. However, there also exist greater powers at play, which are often overlooked.
This article will aim to give a short historical account of the partitioning of Palestine and Kashmir, identify the links we see between these ongoing conflicts and ultimately highlight the perpetrators that aim to benefit from destabilising Muslim regions.
A Brief History of the Two Partitions
The collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled Palestine for around 400 years, reached its culmination in the early 20th Century. In 1915, negotiations regarding the partition of the Empire took place among the British, French, and Russian Empires. With the Sykes-Picot agreement finalised in the following year, it was decided that some of Palestine would come under British control, and the rest of the state would be administered via an international body, due to the religious significance of certain areas.
To bring these plans into fruition, the local indigenous population were used to stage a rebellion against the ruling Ottomans, which came to be known as ‘The Great Arab Revolt’. In return the Arabs were promised an independent state.
“The operations against the Ottomans were originally started by Hussein bin Ali on June 10th, 1916. Both the British and French did not send much manpower, but instead sent officers, gold, and munitions to help the Hashemites fund their war efforts against the Ottomans. The only way the British could get the support from the Hashemites was to agree to the terms of Hussein bin Ali; a free and independent Arab state.”
However, such promises were not kept by Britain and their clear indication of deceit was exposed through the Balfour Declaration. In November of 1917, Lord Balfour sent a letter to a prominent Zionist, Lord Rothschild, which outlined Britain’s promise of establishing a homeland for Jewish people within the region.
Not only this, but in 1915 a future High Commissioner of Palestine, Herbert Samuel, proposed in his memorandum entitled The Future of Palestine:
“… the British annexation of Palestine [where] we might plant 3 or 4 million European Jews”
The Sykes-Picot agreement was never applied as a consequence of the Russian Revolution and World War I. As a result Britain was able to conquer Palestine from the Ottoman Empire between 1917-19.
The second major betrayal came at the hands of the United Nations. After World War I, British rule was administered in Palestine under a League of Nations mandate. The purpose of this mandate was ‘to lead the native population to self-government and independence.’ However, as we have witnessed, more efforts were put into the creation of a Jewish state in Palestinian land.
This was finally accomplished through the UN, who took responsibility for the mandate following its creation after World War II. On 29th November 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a Resolution for the establishment of an independent Jewish State in Palestine. This has led to over 75 years of occupation and conflict.
The UN Vision of Giving Away Palestine to Jewish Settlers
In a similar fashion, Britain played a major role in the current state of Kashmir, which was under the rule of the British Crown, from 1858 onwards, governing as a semi-autonomous vassal known as a Princely State. Following partition the Princely states were required to sign the Instruments of Accession which would incorporate their land into one of the new states, India or Pakistan. Britain advised all such states to base this decision upon their geography and demographics.
However, when it came to Kashmir, this was a highly illogical solution considering that the Hindu prince, Hari Singh, enforced discriminatory laws against his Muslim adherents, who comprised 77% of the population of Kashmir at the time. Under pressure, Singh signed the accession into India, which led to the deployment of Indian troops into Kashmir. This marked the beginning of the first Indo-Pak War in 1947.
Likewise, again, during the first Indo-Pak War over the state of Kashmir it was the United Nations Security Council that was handed the responsibility of bringing about a resolution for both nations through forming a plebiscite, albeit being unsuccessful in doing so. Eventually boundaries were established in which roughly one-third of Kashmir was administered by Pakistan, divided into the areas Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, and half the area became part of India, referred to as Jammu and Kashmir.
The Beautiful Mountains of Kashmir
The Right of Self-Determination
Sir Zafrullah Khanra, a companion of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be upon him, and the first foreign minister of Pakistan at that time, became the voice of the Palestinian and Kashmiri people at the UN Security Council. One of the main objectives that Sir Zafarullah advocated for was the right of self-determination. In regards to Kashmir, the United States Representative to the Secretary of State stated that Sir Zafrullah Khan visited him on January 19, 1948 and highlighted some of his concerns:
“On the first point, Sir Zafrullah claims that the security of Kashmir and Jammu ought to be guaranteed by an agreement that all armed forces withdraw from Kashmir and Jammu. This includes Indian forces. This is subject, however, to a proviso that enough joint forces of both India and Pakistan be permitted to garrison Kashmir and Jammu to insure the withdrawal of the tribesmen, and to maintain peace and order. Pakistan claims that if the principles should be agreed upon now for the political settlement, the tribesmen would accept the assurance of India and Pakistan that it is safe for them to withdraw, and that an impartial interim government would provide a fair and uncoerced method of holding a plebiscite to permanently decide such questions as the accession to either India or Pakistan, and the form of government that would give relative liberty to the population of Kashmir and Jammu.”
After the formation of a plebiscite, Sir Zafrullah Khan wanted the residents of Kashmir to have autonomy in deciding which nation they wanted to be part of, but this privilege was never granted to them.
In the same way, Sir Zafrullah Khan challenged the United Nations council on November 28, 1947 to seek clarification on what juridical authority the UN had to partition the land of Palestine without the approval of the local Arab population. He stated:
“Having cut Palestine up in that manner, we shall then put its bleeding body upon a cross forever. This is not going to be temporary; this is permanent. Palestine shall never belong to its people; it shall always be stretched upon the cross.
What authority has the United Nations to do this? What legal authority, what juridical authority has it to do this, to make an independent State forever subject to United Nations administration?”
To the Arabs, the Jewish settlers were seen as an alien population to whom they had no choice but to forfeit their own land. In simpler terms, this was a European problem that was forced onto them.
Sir Zafrullah Khanra with Saudi Royalty
Oppression Begets Violence
In addition to this, comparisons are often made between the resistance movements in Palestine and Kashmir, which are also a reflection of the unwavering loyalty and solidarity expressed by the leaders of India and Israel to each other.
While the matter of Kashmir was being discussed at the UN Security Council Meetings, India accused Pakistan of encouraging militant tribal fighters and members of their own army to engage in conflict. Sir Zafrullah Khan first rebutted the notion that Pakistan had given the green light to its forces to retaliate in such a manner, and then responded that this was only the result of the aggression shown by the Indian army and administration towards the local population of Kashmir. He stated:
“If, when they go home on leave, these officers or men find that their people are being massacred or persecuted, and if some of them take a hand in whatever is going on, it is nevertheless not a case of allowing them to go on leave in order to take part in the fighting.[…] They are expected to say, “My brother may have been killed, my father may have been killed, my wife may have been raped and my children butchered, but I am not a member of the Pakistan forces and must not retaliate,” That kind of thing might be expected of angels but it cannot be expected of human beings”
(Security Council Official Records. 3rd Year, 229th Meeting, p. 109)
We see similar arguments being made against the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023. While it is clear that their actions were against the teachings of Islam and have caused much greater harm to the Palestinian people, it is also dishonest to claim that this is the root cause of the current conflict.
Now, the purpose of this article is not to dive deep into the historical antecedents of this conflict, but it is necessary to point out how the methodology adopted by the Israeli and Indian governments to subjugate the adherents of Palestine and Kashmir has only led to an upsurge of radical extremist ideology. Aggression against the local indigenous population by a foreign entity only begets further violence. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the current Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, also pointed this out in 2010:
“Can those innocent children who saw their homes being destroyed; who saw their brothers and sisters being killed without any reason; who saw their helpless parents targeted whilst pleading for their lives; can those innocent children ever erase those horrific scenes from their memories? Their inner frustration will make them anxious, and when this anxiety is manifested, it will result in further disorder and that will lead to a reaction to check it. And as is evident from the history of Palestine, such a reaction will, of course, lead to further cruelty on them.”
(National Peace Symposium 2010)
These statements have proven to be true. In the midst of the current conflict, the Jordanian Ambassador to the US, Dina Kawar, stated in an interview:
“Now out of the 11,500 dead, the majority are women and children for sure. And this is asking ourselves, like, 17,000 to 18,000 children are going to be orphans. What do we do with that? Some studies have shown that some of the Hamas, the majority of Hamas fighters, were orphans.”
Many other experts have also vocalised the fact that aggression at this scale will only promote further militant groups to emerge and retaliate. Alon Burstein, who is an expert in understanding terrorism and political violence, stated:
“It is extremely rare for a terror group to be wiped out with violence”
He also stated:
“If Israel wipes out Hamas and leaves Gaza, either Hamas resurges or a more violent option rises”
Christian and Jewish Zionists must have failed to reflect over their own scripture, which ascribes blame on the one who cultivates an environment of iniquity and evil:
“Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.”
(Job 4:8)
This becomes even more prudent when light is shed on the fact that Hamas has always been a seed of Israel, who initially funded this resistance movement to counter the PLO and the Fatah party, led by Yasser Arafat. This has been admitted publicly by several prominent Israeli officials. Avner Cohen is a former Israeli religious affairs official, who categorically stated: “Hamas, to my regret, is Israel’s creation.”
Death and destruction rarely brings peace, rather it often brings more and more violence and misery
This self-destructive act has been ongoing even after Israel and Hamas have gone to war, prior to October 2023, with Benjamin Netanyahu consistently aiding Hamas. Gershon Hacohen, who served as a major general in the IDF and was a close associate of Netanyahu, said:
“We need to tell the truth. Netanyahu’s strategy is to prevent the option of two states, so he is turning Hamas into his closest partner. Openly Hamas is an enemy. Covertly, it’s an ally.”
In all of this, it is only the innocent people of Palestine who have had to suffer. The aggressive policies and acts adopted by Hamas have also been used by Netanyahu to his own benefit. In March 2019, Netanyahu told his Likud party colleagues:
“Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas…This is part of our strategy – to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank”
We saw the same take place in Afghanistan, where the US propped up militant rebels to fight a ‘good Jihad’ against the invading Soviet forces. This gave way to the rise of the Taliban and eventually the Afghanistan War, a conflict that cost the US $2.3 trillion and claimed the lives of around 245,000 people; not to mention the capacity this war created for ongoing conflict and strife in the region.
Even though history often tends to repeat itself and leaves us with many valuable lessons, people prefer to remain ignorant. In current times, it is a well-known fact that the US is Israel’s greatest ally, reflected by the $158 billion of unconditional aid that they have provided to Israel since 1948. This brings us towards our most potent question: why does the West show so much interest in the affairs of Muslim Nations?
The Second Khalifa’s Vision
Not long before 1947, Palestine and Kashmir were both part of the largest surviving Muslim Empires, the Ottoman and the Mughal. The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, had warned about the decline and subjugation of the worldwide Muslim community many centuries ago. He prophesied that this would occur at the hands of two blocs of nations, Gog and Magog, that represent separate ideologies. In the Holy Quran it is stated:
“They shall hasten forth from every height and from the top of every wave”
(Surah al-Anbiya, 21:97)
Their all-absorbing nature will affect the whole world and the situation of Palestine and Kashmir enables us to identify who these Nations are. In a similar fashion, the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, also prophesied a period where the Muslims will be in a weakened state, due to their own failures, and engulfed by various Nations as a consequence of this.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Soon the nations will be summoned to you just like one is invited to a feast.” It was said, “Will we be few in that day?” The Prophet said, “No, rather you will be many in that day, but you will be scum like such flowing down a torrent. Allah will remove your esteem from the chests of your enemies, and Allah will insert feebleness in your own hearts.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is this feebleness?” The Prophet said, “Love for the worldly life and hatred of death.” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4297).
However, the root cause and solution were only recognised by the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Movement, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be upon him, and his Community. In line with this, perhaps the greatest link between the Palestine and Kashmir issue was identified by the second Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra. A week after the establishment of the state of Israel in May 1948, his article titled ‘The Disbelievers are one Nation’ was published in the Al-Fazl newspaper. He stated:
“The day that the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith had warned about centuries ago, the day which the Torah and the Bible had warned about, that day which had been described as being exceptionally painful and dreadful for Muslims has, it seems, finally arrived. Jews are again being settled in Palestine. The United States and the Soviet Union, who are ready to cut each other’s throats, appear to be strange bedfellows on this issue. And the odd thing is that both of them also agreed on the issue of Kashmir. They both supported the Indian Union and now they both favour the Jews on the Palestinian issue.”
The 2nd Khalifara of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Khalifa pointed out the role of two major superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, in making decisions that disfavour the Muslims. These are part of the two entities that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, referred to as Gog and Magog. The reference was to nations that will be divided on the basis of two economic systems: capitalism and communism.
As mentioned, it is evident that the US is Israel’s greatest ally to this day. This unequivocal support for the Zionist movement was already in place prior to the creation of the state of Israel. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ernest Bevin, stated in the House of Commons on 25 February 1947:
“The claim made by the Arabs is a very difficult one to answer. We here in Great Britain as a House of Commons determine whether people shall be admitted into this country or not. No one else is doing that. Why should an external agency, largely financed from America, determine how many people should come into Palestine, and interfere with the economy of the Arabs, who have been there for 2,000 years?”
For many years it has also been clear that the UN does not have the ability to fulfil its intended purpose, to engender global peace, political and economic stability, mainly due to the undemocratic veto power system. There are five permanent members, out of the 15 in the Security Council, with veto power: China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States of America.
On certain occasions the UN even becomes an obstacle towards achieving peace, which is the case again now. The United States, on 8th December 2023, vetoed a proposed UN Security Council demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the current war, in which Britain abstained from voting and the other 13 member states voted in favour. On 20th February 2024 the US once again exercised their unjust right of veto against a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire. Zhang Jun, the Chinese Ambassador, said: “The continued passive avoidance of an immediate ceasefire is no different from giving a green light to the continued slaughter.”
This essentially means that global conflict resolution is dependent on a handful of self-serving states and that international law only seems to benefit the perpetrators of that conflict. Richard Falk, an international law expert at Princeton University, pointed out the dualistic approach to international law by the Global West in the following words:
“Well, there’s no question about the existence of big differences in the treatment by the Global West of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the Israeli attack on the people of Gaza. These NATO exhibits double standards and moral and legal hypocrisy; in other words, Russia is held accountable, and Israel is given impunity. This suggests that international law isn’t a framework for regulating states on some basis of equality as integral to the rule of law, but it is a manipulated series of norms that serve the purposes and often the contradictory and clashing strategic interests of geopolitical actors. When it is in their interest to enforce international law, these states become very self-righteous about their behaviour in condemning the violators. But if it’s in their interest to support the violations of international law, then they will either be silent or, in this case, lend unconditional and mostly, but not totally, indirect support to the government and country that is violating international law in a most extreme fashion.”
Sir Zafrullah Khanra also attached primary responsibility on what has happened in Palestine with Britain and the US:
“Whatever has happened in Palestine since and was to happen in the future – destruction of the world peace and causing agony to a large segment of mankind – the responsibility must lie, most of all, on Britain and Mr. Balfour and then on the United States, more particularly on President Truman.” [Tehdise Nemat (Recollection of Divine Favours), Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan, pg. 554]
From this we find strength in reasoning that Gog and Magog comprises a western bloc, namely the US and Europe, and an eastern bloc spearheaded by Russia, which was a part of the Soviet Union most of the 20th Century. It is reported that the US was involved with 81% of global armed conflicts from 1945 to 2001, and this was before their so-called ‘war on terror’ that has been the cause of around 4.5 million deaths and counting. A true fulfilment of the words: “They shall hasten forth from every height and from the top of every wave” (Surah al-Anbiya, 21:97).
US military bases, aircrafts, and other weapons of war are present throughout the globe
Hazrat Mirza Mahmud Ahmadra noted that the Muslims failed to recognise the harm that these Nations and their policies were causing them, and were mistaken in regarding them as their ally:
“I have continuously and repeatedly reminded the Muslims that the Soviet Union are their bitter enemies, but they have failed to pay any heed. Whoever comes [into leadership] looks at the Soviet Union lovingly and places all hopes on them. Whereas the truth is that the biggest enemy of the Muslims is the Soviet Union. The United States is helping the Jews to get their vote, but the Soviet Union is supporting the Jews so they can establish a base in Arab lands. The attitude is the same but the motives are different. Indeed, the underlying motive of the Soviets is far more dangerous than the motives behind the actions of the USA.”
He stated all of the above to show the Muslims that their carelessness had caused them great harm. This burden was not to be solely carried by the Palestinians, but it was a harm that would affect the whole Muslim Ummah. It was essentially now a matter of faith, which required due attention.
“It is patently obvious both that the Arabs are not strong enough and that it does not affect only the Arabs. This is not a question of Palestine; it is a question of Madinah. This is not a question of Jerusalem; it is a question of Makkah itself. This is not a question of a Zaid or a Bakr but rather a question of the honour of the Prophet Muhammadsa.”
This was a call for Muslim Nations to wake up before it was too late.
A Feud Amongst Blood Brothers
Another commonality between Palestine and Kashmir is the presence of the Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, with the first being his birthplace and the latter the location of his grave. The Second Khalifa also points out in his article titled ‘The Disbelievers are one Nation’ that the people involved in both conflicts belong to the same nation, the `Bani Israel`, but they hail from opposing camps.
“It is a rather extraordinary fact that the issue of Palestine and Kashmir have begun at the same time. Moreover, it is remarkable that the people living in Kashmir and Palestine both hail from the same nation [the Bani Israel]. And what is even more astonishing is that one part of the people became Muslim and are currently living in Kashmir and attracting the sympathy of fellow Muslims, whilst the other is engaged in a deadly battle against Palestinian Muslims. Half of the people are offering sacrifices for the sake of Islam, whilst the other half is offering sacrifices to eradicate Islam.”
The Jews in Kashmir had converted to Islam due to the long influence of accepting Jesusas, while the Jews in Palestine were persecuting the Muslims. Unfortunately, what Zionists fail to understand is that the majority of the Palestinian population are descendants of Jews who had converted to Christianity and Islam from Judaism.
The Jewish ancestry of contemporary Palestinians was also a fact accepted by the founders of modern Israel, David Ben-Gurion and Itzhak Ben-Zvi, as we analysed in a recent video on our Youtube channel, titled ‘Zionism: The Secret Evidence Israel Tried to Bury’.
Why Do Gog And Magog Want To Destroy Muslim Nations?
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ahmadra notes that, despite being enemies, the US and the Soviets have unified in both of these matters for the following reasons:
“Why are they united over these issues? Why have these two enemies united against the Muslims? There may be many reasons for this, but perhaps one likely reason, which also bodes well for us, is that they both see the progress of Islam ruining their plans.”
Their involvement points towards Gog and Magog potentially seeing Islam as a threat to their personal endeavours. He further stated:
“Hence, I am alerting the Muslims to understand that these are precarious times and remember that the words of the Holy Prophetsa, ‘the disbelievers have become one nation’, are being fulfilled word for word. The Jews, the Christians and the atheists have stood up together to wipe out the power and might of Islam. In the past, each European country acted alone in attacking Muslims but now all the powers have united together to attack. Let us all join together to oppose them since we do not disagree about this issue. Bringing up other issues on where there is disagreement into this issue on which everyone agrees is extremely foolish and ignorant.”
He highlighted that it was not the case that people of a particular religious background were uniting in opposing Muslims, but a collective effort was being made ‘to wipe out the power and might of Islam.’
This situation served as a poignant reminder of the Battle of the Confederates at the time of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, in which all the Arab tribes, regardless of their faith, formed a superficial alliance to eradicate Islam. It was only due to the faith and steadfastness of the Muslim believers that they were saved.
As pointed out earlier, from the nations that took part in the Sykes-Picot agreement, it was Britain who took a particular interest in Palestine. Building a stronghold here held multiple imperialistic benefits for the British Empire. Amongst these the most important being the expansion of their influence over Egypt and the Suez Canal. By mid-19th Century India had become Britain’s largest colony, which held significant economic gain for the Empire. To make the most of this it was necessary to adopt shorter trade routes between India and Britain. The only passage that allowed this was the Suez Canal.
Britain gave assurance to the Arabs of an independent state to consolidate the mass migration of Jews into Palestine, which was directly overseen by the British army. What has become apparent now is that the true intention was to create a Zionist nation by force within Muslim territory to divide and weaken the community. The West created a proxy state in the Middle East which would act on behalf of European interest to keep Muslims divided. Throughout history this is how the West has utilised Israel and this is a relationship that Israel has fully benefited from by urging the West to back war policies that further their agenda.
When the Suez Canal crisis occurred in 1956 Britain and France utilised Israel to wage their war against Egypt in order to regain control of the canal. Following this, the battle between Gog and Magog, between the West and Soviet Union, was a battle of ideologies – capitalism vs communism. Initially, the West propped up Muslim nations, leaders and militant fighters to oppose a communist atheist ideology. As soon as communism collapsed in 1991 the West immediately turned their attention towards the Muslim World with the Gulf Crisis. Here again Israel was used to further their own agenda.
In the current conflict there have been talks about the Ben Gurion Canal project, a new trade route that was backed by the US in the 1960s to pass through Gaza. Now that Gaza has been levelled to the ground, the West is another step closer to make Israel the guardian of their entry to the East.
Iraq has been the centre point of significant conflict over recent decades
During the Gulf War Crisis the fourth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh, gave a lengthy analysis on the causes of the conflict and what the West hoped to gain from this. In regards to the targeting of Iraq, he stated:
“This tightening of the noose around a Muslim country, which has itself not exhibited any Islamic morality, is not just an attack on this individual Muslim country – it is in fact an attack on Islam! These animosities are very profound and historical in origin; and these recent decisions have been taken at the highest level to contain the rising force of Iraq in the region which, they thought, might consolidate its influence over the neighbouring Middle Eastern states, to present a unified Islamic-front in the region, with a sizeable portion of world’s oil-resources providing an economic backbone to enable it, in time, to become self-sufficient in other respects and emerge as a remarkable military force. This is the stuff that their apprehensions are made of. Whatever their apprehensions, the real danger that should be visible to the Muslim world is that it has been decided that a Muslim state would be eliminated from the face of this earth.” [The Gulf Crisis and New World Order, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, pp.51-52]
He points out that the West was deliberately targeting a Muslim state that was growing their influence in the Middle East. In particular a country that had the capability to unite the neighbouring Muslim nations. All such hopes were gradually vanquished, with the final nail in the coffin being the second Gulf War.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh then goes on to explain what it is that united the Muslim Nations and why other countries and empires lack this. He stated that most countries are formed on the basis of nationalism or ideologies, with prime examples being Communism for the Soviet Union or Zionism for Israel. Such inventions divide on the basis of racial and ideological boundaries. On the other hand, Islam provides the solution to this in the form of a universal message that negates all racial and regional affiliations. It was their commonality in faith that led to the rapid unification of majority Muslim member states in the Ottoman Empire. The division and collapse of this empire, many centuries later, was caused as a consequence of abandoning Islamic roots and adopting nationalistic tendencies.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ahmad also pointed out that Gog and Magog feel threatened because of the dominating potential of Islam as a unifying moral and political force. It creates a framework which binds Muslims together by making them understand their place in the world and this occurs despite differences in nationality and ethnicity. Not only this, but it also possesses a totalising aspect through providing policies on political and economic affairs, all the way down to guidelines on interpersonal relationships. It truly reforms from the individual soul to the whole nation. As a result of this, the greatest threat to the hegemony of the West in the world is the Islamic threat.
The Solution
The involvement of external influences does not necessitate that the Muslims were helpless in defending their lands and rights. In fact, the main purpose of Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ahmad’sra article was to guide the Muslim Nations and leaders on what actions they must take to resolve these dilemmas, both Palestine and Kashmir. He stated:
“The opponents, despite their disagreements, have banded together against Islam. Will the Muslims, despite thousands of reasons for unity, not come together on this occasion? Both America’s dollars and the Soviets’ schemes and cunning have combined together against the poor Arabs. How can Arab tribes oppose those powers who could not be defeated by Germany? The time has come for us to decide whether we should die one by one, turn by turn, or work together diligently for victory. I believe the time has come when Muslims have to decide either to perish in a final struggle or completely eradicate all hidden ploys aimed at Islam.”
The overarching message: in unity there is strength. If the disbelievers, who fight amongst each other, are able to unite then why are the Muslims not able to do so when they have so much in common. This was not just a short-term solution, but principles that needed to be adhered to in order to be protected from the continuous onslaught of Gog and Magog.
Around 30 years prior to the partition of Palestine and Kashmir, the second Khalifa had already been warning the world about the implications of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. He wrote an article titled ‘The Future of Turkey’ which was published on 27th September 1919. He stated:
“The question of the future of Turkey can not fail to possess an interest for every one who calls himself a Mussalman. This is at once natural and a fact. And so long as such sympathy and friendliness do not conflict with the commands of religion, such a sentiment is both a duty and a necessity. […] “There is no doubt that the whole Islamic world has been looking upon the future of the Turks with doubt and misgivings and there is no doubt that the complete extinction of the empire or any curtailment of its independence will deeply wound the Moslem feeling.”
[The Moslem World, Vol. 10, p. 274]
Despite the fact that Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din Mahmud Ahmadra and his followers had been ostracised by the Non-Ahmadi Muslim community, and did not regard the Ottoman leadership as a legitimate claim to Khilafat, he still advocated for its protection as he believed this was necessary to keep a large population of the Muslims united.
These warnings seem to have fallen on deaf ears, and as a consequence of this we have seen the collapse of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Sudan and Yemen, amongst others, due to external policies and wars dictated by Gog and Magog.
On the other hand, more affluent Muslim Nations, who on the surface do not bear any scars, have become politically enslaved to the West. Children on the streets of Palestine have been calling out to the Arab Nations to come to their aid, but none heed their call. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadra also pointed out that the Muslim powers were not using their God-given wealth for the betterment of the Muslim community, but rather to destroy each other.
“The fact of the matter is that at present some Muslim countries are using their wealth against their own brothers. This oil was granted by God as a blessing to the Islamic world. Oil has brought a means of unprecedented advance for the outsiders whose industry is benefitting from its discovery. All kinds of sources of energy found in the Muslim countries are creating a fortune that is benefiting the outsiders. Alas! the Muslim countries are using this very oil to incinerate each other’s homes and reduce each other’s countries to ashes. As a matter of fact this is the ultimate analysis of the predicament of Muslims.”
[The Gulf Crisis and New World Order, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, p.34]
We also saw this become a reality in recent events when Iran and Pakistan exchanged cross-border airstrikes that killed several civilians. Instead of coming together in support of the people of Gaza, they seek more reasons to grow their shared animosity.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh also mentioned that the root cause of all dilemmas facing the Muslim world, including their incapability against Gog and Magog, was the abandonment of the true teachings of Islam. He stated:
“There is still some time left! If the Islamic world were to follow the standards of righteousness and resolve to act upon the teachings of the Holy Quran, then there would be no chance for any non-Muslim power to interfere in the affairs of the Islamic world.”
[The Gulf Crisis and New World Order, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, p.34]
Through this he reminded the Muslims that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, had already prescribed the remedy to be protected from Gog and Magog.
“The Holy Prophet, referring to the latter days, prophesied Gog and Magog will rule the world and they will rise wave after wave and the whole world will be overwhelmed by the waves of their power. At that time the Messiah will be raised in the world and the Messiah with his followers will try to fight them, and will attempt to counter them. Allah will then speak to the Messiah saying: that no man in the world has been granted the power to fight these two nations which We have created – not even you! There is only one way, that you seek shelter on a mountain and pray to God. It is only the weapon of prayer that can subjugate these nations.”
[The Gulf Crisis and New World Order, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, pp.67-68]
Such words of guidance are offered repeatedly by the Caliphs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Even in the recent conflict, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba has been urging Muslim Nations to come together and raise a unified voice for the people of Palestine, otherwise they will become the cause of their own doom.
“His Holinessaba said that many years ago, Hazrat Musleh Maudra , the Second Caliph admonished that Muslims must become united. They should decide whether they wish to die off one by one and individuals, or whether they want to maintain their existence as a single entity. If only these people would understand this today and become united.”
He instructed that a unifying voice will grant the Muslim community and leadership strength and influence, which should then be utilised for the establishment of peace and justice.
“The Muslims must ponder over this, and establish their unity. This is the only way to eradicating disorder from the world. They should unite and raise a resounding voice for the fulfilment of the requirements of justice and fulfilling the rights of the oppressed, wherever they may be. If they unite as one, then there will also be strength in their voice. Otherwise, these Muslim governments will be responsible for the loss of innocent Muslim lives.”
The role the Ahmadiyya Caliphs are playing in the pursuit of global peace and unification of the Muslim Ummah is precisely why the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, stressed the importance of the coming of the Imam Mahdi and the establishment of Khilafat through him. Over 1,400 years ago he advised his companions about the future of Islam.
“Prophethood shall remain among you as long as Allah wills. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood for as long as He wills and then bring about its end. Kingship shall then follow, to remain as long as Allah wills and then come to an end. There shall then be monarchical despotism which shall remain as long as Allah wills and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood.” Prophet Muhammadsa then became silent.”
(Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Kitab al-Riqaq, Bab al-Andhar wa al-Tahdhir)
The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, categorically stated that the emergence of a prophet in the latter days will lead to the establishment of Khilafat. Along with this he also instructed the Muslims to only associate themselves with the community of the Imam. All other groups will only lead to misguidance. Hazrat Huzayfa ibn Al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
“People used to ask the Prophet (pbuh) of Allah about the good, but I used to ask him about the evil lest I should be overtaken by them. So, I said, ‘O Prophet of Allah! We were living in ignorance and in [an extremely] worst atmosphere, then Allah brought to us this good [i.e. Islam]; will there be any evil after this good?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Will there be any good after that evil?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but it will be tainted [not pure.]’ I asked, ‘What will be its taint?’ He replied, ‘[There will be] some people who will guide others not according to my tradition? You will approve of some of their deeds and disapprove of some others.’ I asked, ‘Will there be any evil after that good?’ He replied, ‘Yes, [there will be] some people calling at the gates of the [Hell] Fire and whoever will respond to their call will be thrown by them into the [Hell] Fire.’ I said, ‘O Prophet of Allah! Will you describe them to us?’ He said, ‘They will be from our own people and will speak our language.’ I said, ‘What do you order me to do if such a state should take place in my life?’ He said, ‘Attach firmly to the jamaat [group] of Muslims and their imam.’ I said, ‘If there is neither a jamaat of Muslims, nor an imam?’ He said, ‘Then turn away from all those sects even if you were to bite [eat] the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state.’”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Fitan, Hadith 7084)
For the Muslims, the rejection of the one appointed by Allah has manifested in their disunity and subsequent oppression by Gog and Magog. Ultimately, it is only through the acceptance of the Imam Mahdi, who was to come as the Hakam (Judge) and Adl (Arbiter) to remove all the differences and misconceptions amongst the Muslims, that the Ummah can become one body.
On numerous occasions we have seen that Nations are emboldened to strike at the heart of Muslim countries without any fear of repercussions. Most recently, Israel carried out an airstrike on the Syria consulate of Iran, which caused the death of two senior commanders. As always, virtually no Muslim Nations expressed their support for Iran and left them to fend for themselves. Their response involved a retaliatory attack on Israel through the use of drones on 13th April 2024. As opposed to the lack of solidarity displayed by Muslim nations and rulers for Iran, we saw US, UK, France and even Jordan immediately come together to physically defend Israel.
A week prior to the response by Iran, the current Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community stated the following in his Friday sermon:
“Now, it seems as though war is imminent, and not just imminent, it has already begun; in fact, a world war has commenced. However, the rulers of the world seem unconcerned. They believe they will remain safe while the common people suffer. But this is their folly. They are prioritising their egos. They have no regard for the masses. These are the tricks of the Dajjal; they have ensnared the public, claiming, ‘We are doing this and that for you.’…As I have just mentioned, the World War has already begun. The war has now moved beyond the borders of Palestine. The attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, which they carried out, is a major crime under any law. And because Israel has committed it, the world remains silent. Now, this will lead to the further spread of war.”
Within a week of this statement we witnessed the fulfilment of his words. The consequences of not heeding the warnings of the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa are evident. Let’s keep praying that in the current situation, history, and the Muslim Ummah, decides to take a new route.
