– Y.A. Mohamed
In a time when the Muslim community faces increasingly targeted legislation and systemic marginalisation, unity is not a luxury – it is an obligation. The recent passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, perceived widely as being against the interests of Muslims in the region, marks a critical moment in our socio-political reality. Yet, even in this moment of adversity, a particular sect chose to stand apart, aligning itself with the very forces that have consistently positioned themselves against the broader interests of the Ummah.
The Qur’an and the Sunnah emphasise the profound importance of Muslim unity. The Ummah is not merely a term of identity – it is a covenant of collective responsibility. It is this collective strength that has historically enabled Muslims to survive, thrive, and defend their rights and dignity in the face of oppression. To fragment that unity for political convenience or temporary favour is a betrayal not only of the Muslim community but of the very principles of Islam.
The term Momin denotes a believer – not merely in words, but through sincere allegiance to the commands of Allah and the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. A true Momin stands with justice, sides with the oppressed, and acts as a shield for the Ummah. What then should we call those who, when the Muslim community is under assault, choose silence – or worse, solidarity with the aggressors?
This moment demands serious introspection. While schools of thought within Islam may vary in jurisprudential details, our moral compass must remain fixed on one direction – towards unity, justice, and unwavering loyalty to the cause of the Ummah. Aligning with those who undermine Muslim rights, for political survival or sectarian preference, is not just short-sighted – it is a betrayal.
The community that distanced itself during the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill must ask itself a difficult but necessary question: when the Ummah cried out for solidarity, where were you? Islam does not ask us to agree to every interpretation, but it does ask us to stand together in the face of injustice.
In the eyes of history – and more importantly, in the sight of Allah – silence in the face of oppression is complicity. Neutrality, when the Ummah is being wronged, is not neutrality. It is abandonment.
This particular sect has, time and again, remained silent when the wider Ummah cries out in pain – whether under siege, occupation, or systemic injustice, as our brothers and sisters today face in Palestine and beyond. Yet every Muharram, they gather in solemn tribute to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Ḥusayn (رضي الله عنه), honouring his sacrifice for justice and truth. How poignant, then, that when the Ummah encounters similar trials in our own era, they avert their gaze and withhold their voices. Such selective solidarity stands in sharp contrast to the principles of loyalty and compassion we inherit from the Ahl al‑Bayt and the broader teachings of Islam. Let us reflect: true allegiance to the ideals of Imam Ḥusayn compels us not only to mourn his martyrdom but to stand unwaveringly with all who suffer injustice today.
Let this moment serve as a reminder to all of us: sectarianism must never become a veil that blinds us from our duty to each other. For in the final account, our affiliations will not be weighed by the labels w
e carried, but by the loyalties we honoured and the justice we upheld.
May Allah عزّ وجلّ grant us all increased tawfīq (divine guidance) and steadfastness to uphold the unity and honour of the Ummah. May He guide our hearts to sincere loyalty, strengthen our resolve in the face of adversity, and bring us together upon truth and justice.
May every step we take be for the pleasure of Allah and the upliftment of the Ummah. Aameen.
[The writer is based in the United States of America]
