Conference Of Islamic Clerics In Pakistan Calls For Jihad Against Israel: 'The Entire Region, Including Israel, Is The Ancestral Homeland Of Palestinians... America, If It Wants, Can Settle The Israelis Anywhere Else'

Memri

18-04-2025

On April 10, 2025, a National Conference on Palestine organized by Islamic religious clerics in Pakistan issued a declaration calling for jihad against Israel and said: "Gaza war is not merely a war but an open genocide of Palestinians. Jihad has become an obligatory duty for Muslims. All Muslim rulers should formally announce it [jihad against Israel]." [1] The declaration adopted by the conference also stated: "We want to say it openly that the entire region, including Israel, is the ancestral homeland of Palestinians; they have legal and natural rights on it. America, if it wants, can settle the Israelis anywhere else." [2]
The conference, billed as "Palestine and the Responsibility of Muslim Ummah," was organized at the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad by Majlis Ittehad-e-Ummat Pakistan, a collective of Islamic religious organizations of different sects and religious-political parties. [3] The conference was addressed by top-ranking clerics like Mufti Taqi Usmani, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Liaqat Baloch, Allama Zahoor Alvi, and others. [4]
Mufti Taqi Usmani, the Grand Mufti of Pakistan, addressing the conference whose attendees included predominantly the followers of religious-political parties, said: "The leaders or the mujahideen of Hamas are not ready to retreat even an inch. We have told all Islamic governments openly through a fatwa [Islamic religious decree] that jihad has become obligatory upon you. Muslim rulers cannot hide from their obligation by mere talk. What are the armed forces of Muslim countries if they cannot wage jihad?" [5]
"Pakistan neither has nor will have any relations with Israel," Mufti Taqi Usmani said, reminding the audience that before the creation of Pakistan in 1947 its founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah had described "Israel as an illegitimate child." [6] The cleric added: "The state of Pakistan is even today firm on its stand for not recognizing Israel." [7]
Mufti Taqi Usmani, noting that the United Nations has become "a toy in the hands of Israel and the U.S.," told the participants: "There are many paths for you to wage jihad. It is your obligatory duty to wage jihad. Today's conference is giving a message to the rulers to perform their responsibilities. How long we will spend our lives this way? Boycott Israel and its allies." [8]
Hamas representative Dr. Zuhair Naji, who lives in Pakistan, addresses the conference
In his address, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the emir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUI-F), said: "Behind every difficult in Pakistan, there is a Jewish conspiracy. Jihad has become obligatory on all Muslims. In the matter of Palestine, no pact is an obstacle to participation in jihad." [9] Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, a leading religious scholar, "in his address formally announced the jihad becoming obligatory on the Muslim Ummah." [10]
Speaking on the occasion, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, former senator and a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, asked: "Where are the 57 Islamic countries? Are they 57 Islamic countries or American military bases?... Intervene militarily in Gaza, send the armed forces. Jihad has become obligatory amid the situation in Gaza." [11] Mushtaq Ahmad Khan added: "We salute the inhabitants of Gaza and courage of Hamas, which are standing tall in front of America and Israel. Keep in mind: victory and triumph will be for Gaza and Hamas." [12]
Maulana Qari Haneef Jalandhari, addressing the conference, said: "The entire world has become a spectator. It is sad that the OIC and Muslim countries are silent. While Israel is a cruel animal and terrorist, the rulers of Muslim countries too are equally participants... After Gaza, attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen and threats to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt are [caused by] the dream of Greater Israel." [13]
Dr. Naji Zuhair, Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al's special representative to Pakistan, said: "The land of Palestine is indeed the land of Bait-ul-Muqaddas [Holy Land]. Palestine is indeed the land of prophets. The oppressed of Gaza are looking up to the Muslim Ummah. The oppressed Gaza's people are looking up to the government of Pakistan, the Ulema [religious scholars] of Pakistan, and the people of Pakistan. In this situation, the Pakistani people's full support is needed by the Palestinian public." [14]
A view of the audience at the National Conference on Palestine
Following is a translation of the Urdu-language Declaration adopted by the conference and photos from the conference: [15]
"With The Blessing Of America And The Inhabitants Of The West And Complete Material, Financial, And Military Aid, Israel Has Unleashed The Present Century's Most Destructive Atrocities On The Oppressed Palestinians"
"With the blessing of America and the inhabitants of the West and complete material, financial, and military aid, Israel has unleashed the present century's most destructive atrocities on the oppressed Palestinians. No example of this can be found in the entire world in the recent past. About 55,000 people, including children, women, the elderly, and youths have become martyred. Approximately two million people have become wounded and disabled, and more than 70 percent of the area has been transformed into rubble.
"The entire infrastructure of civilian services has been destroyed. Most hospitals, educational establishments, institutions of management and welfare services have been destroyed. This is not merely a war, but an open and organized ethnic cleansing (genocide) of Palestinians.
"It seems that the global conscience has died. Those struggling for autonomy and independence of their homeland are called terrorists, and killers, oppressors, and tyrants are deemed as based on rights. The United Nations, the Security Council, have become ineffective. America is vetoing every resolution for an unconditional ceasefire. Human rights, women's rights, the rights of children, the International Court of Justice and other international institutions have become paralyzed and helpless.
"In such a situation, according to shari'a, jihad has become an obligatory duty and helping the Palestinians has become obligatory on the Muslim Ummah based on the principle of Al-Aqrab Fil Aqrab [i.e., jihad becoming obligatory on those experiencing oppression and the circle of jihad becoming wider and wider to include communities close by]. Quranic verses, sacred ahadith [sayings and deeds of Muhammad], and universally accepted principles of Islamic jurisprudence are reliable witness. Muslim rulers and the entire Ummah will be accountable for it before Allah and no excuse will be acceptable regarding it before Allah the generous.
"The United Nations, through its resolutions in 1967, has declared Israel's occupation of Jerusalem and other occupied Palestinian regions as illegitimate, usurped, and illegal. According to Islam and universally accepted international laws, to struggle for the freedom of one's homeland is the Palestinians' shari'i [shari'a compliant], legal, and moral right. The International Court of Justice has declared Israeli atrocities in Gaza as ethnic cleansing, and the countries that are supporting, aiding, and backing Israel at present are guilty of breaking international pacts and international consensus."
"Inside Muslim Countries, To Wage Armed Struggle Against Governments For Reforming Situations And For Change Is Corruption On Earth, Terrorism, And A Non-Shari'i And Illegal Act"
"Inside Muslim countries, to wage armed struggle against governments for reforming situations and for change is corruption on earth, terrorism, and a non-shari'i and illegal act. And according to the Quran, such individuals or groups are rebels and liable to be killed, and are ideological offsprings of the Kharijites, [16] if they do not abandon rebellion and obey the Islamic government. For their destruction, for domestic and external security, we support the government and armed forces. History teaches that the result of such operations [against Islamic states] became the reason for differences within the Ummah and its downfall.
i) "We demand that the Organization of Islamic Conference [sic] establish an immediate fund for the rehabilitation of Palestinians and make arrangement for their transport to the affected persons.
ii) "The Muslim countries that have established diplomatic and trade relations with Israel should break these relations until the unconditional ceasefire [is agreedon ], recall their ambassadors, and expel Israeli diplomats.
iii) "Muslim countries should temporarily quit the membership of the international institutions that are not performing their responsibilities. A meeting of the UN Security Council should be called immediately, and Pakistan, since it is its non-permanent member, should take the initiative on this."
"This Conference Strongly Condemns The U.S. President's Statement In Which He Has Spoken About The Palestinians To Leave Their Ancestral Homeland And Emigrate From There, And Has Also Expressed In Hints And Whispers The Intention To Occupy Gaza"
"In principle, the responsibility for representating the Muslim Ummah and for the realization of its demands is upon the Muslim governments. But until the Muslim government perform their responsibilities, the duty of the Muslim Ummah is to:
"a) Offer financial aid to Palestinians on priority through trusted welfare organizations.
"b) Make the world aware of your sentiments through writings, speeches, and peaceful gatherings and protest rallies.
"c) Provide food supplies and clothes, appropriate for their situation, to the besieged of Gaza.
"d) Establish mobile hospitals in convoys of containers that should have an operation theater, laboratory, medical equipment, x-rays, ultrasound and CT scan, and medical and non-medical staff. Involve the Doctors Without Borders organization. Surgeons, physician and technicians with senior expertise should offer free services.
"e) Boycott peacefully at the international level the products of businesses engaged in economic activity with Israel.
"f) Mark the next Friday [April 18] as the Day of the Oppressed and Besieged of Palestine, and organized peaceful protests and rallies across the country.
"g) Use all available modern electronic and social media platforms to shake up the international conscience.
"h) An all-parties conference should be called at the non-governmental level to shake up the global conscience and raise a consensus voice in favor of the rights of the oppressed and besieged Palestinians so that nobody has an execuse for the absence of their participation. If no one takes the initiative, then the Majlis Ittehad-e-Ummat Pakistan will author a strategy regarding this.
"This conference strongly condemns the U.S. president's statement in which he has spoken about the Palestinians to leave their ancestral homeland and emigrate from there, and has also expressed in hints and whispers the intention to occupy Gaza. We want to say it openly that the entire region, including Israel, is the ancestral homeland of Palestinians; they have legal and natural rights on it. America, if it wants, can settle the Israelis anywhere else
"In the current serious situation, we demand of the government of Pakistan and state [military] institutions to really work for the establishment of peace in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, crush the heads of the rebels and secessionists, but also make arrangements for expanded dialogue at the political level for restoring the trust of the people. Because, a definitive and lasting solution of problems can come only from mutual trust and respect for each other. This is the strategy through which we can counter the intrigues and conspiracies of domestic and foreign enemies."
Pakistan's top Islamic religious scholars addressed the conference
Following are screenshots of the four-page Declaration in Urdu:
Page 1 of 4 of the Declaration
Page 2 of 4 of the Declaration
Page 3 of 4 of the Declaration
Page 4 of 4 of the Declaration
Renowned Islamic religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani addressing the conference
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman addresses the conference
Islamic religious scholar Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman also addressed the gathering
A day before the April 10 event, top Pakistani religious scholars met to discuss the organizational mattes involving the National Conference on Palestine
[1] Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[2] X.com, April 10, 2025.
[3] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[4] Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[5] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[6] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[7] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[8] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[9] Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[10] Roznama Jang (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[11] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[12] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[13] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[14] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[15] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), April 11, 2025.
[16] The Kharijites (literally, "those who come out"), were an early Islamic sect that advocated excommunicating Muslims for even minor sins and was proclaimed heretical by the mainstream Sunna. Today, the term is used to brand Muslim groups as extremist