Quds Day (officially called International Quds Day) is an annual event held on the last Friday of the month of Ramadan on which demonstrations are held across the world to protest against the occupation of Palestine. On this day, rallies are organized before Friday Prayer to protest against the occupation of Palestine and the oppression of its people.
Its Background
Since the occupation of Palestine by the Zionists began in 1948, most religious scholars have been demanding justice for the Palestinian people. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Khomeini had stated from the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, that one of his goals was the liberation of Palestine from its usurped occupant. Therefore, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, all official ties with Israel were broken and Israel’s embassy in Iran was granted to the Palestinians.
On August 7, 1979, the founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Khomeini declared the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan every year as Quds Day. It is a day set aside for Muslims worldwide to show solidarity with the Palestinians against Israel (The Zionist regime) and unite for the liberation of the Quds Mosque (in Jerusalem). In an address by Imam Khomeini, he said: In the name of Allah the All-Compassionate, the Most Merciful. For many years, I have been notifying the Muslims of the danger posed by the usurper Israel which today has intensified its savage attacks against the Palestinian brothers and sisters, and which, in the south of Lebanon in particular, is continually bombing Palestinian homes in the hope of crushing the Palestinian struggle. I ask all the Muslims of the world and the Muslim governments to join together to sever the hand of this usurper and its supporters.
I call on all the Muslims of the world to select Al-Quds Day the last Friday in the holy month of Ramadan—which is itself a determining period and can also be the determiner of the Palestinian people’s fate—and through a ceremony demonstrating the solidarity of Muslims worldwide, announce their support for the legitimate rights of the Muslim people. I ask God Almighty for the victory of the Muslims over the infidels. (Ṣaḥīfa-ye Imām, vol. 9, p. 267)
Since its introduction in 1979, Quds Day has been marked internationally as the day to support the oppressed against the oppressors. On al-Quds Day, demonstrations are held around the world in over 80 Islamic and non-Islamic countries including the United States of America, Canada, Norway, and England. In January 1988, during the First Intifada, the Jerusalem Committee of the Organization of the Islamic Conference decided that Quds Day should be commemorated in public events throughout the Arab world.
In the Islamic Republic of Iran, Quds Day is marked with a demonstration by the masses and lectures are given by the Supreme Leader, the Friday prayer’s Imams and the top Iranian leaders.
However, Western news agencies generally attempt to play down the events of ‘Al-Quds day’, as they either remain silent or use vague expressions such as ‘thousands’ to show that the number of protesters is not significant.
It Goals
The following are the main goals of the International Quds Day celebration:
- It is the day the oppressed stand up against their oppressors;
- It is the day the oppressed Palestinians feel supported by other nations;
- It is the day to stop the omission of the name of Palestine from geographical maps;
- It is the day to pump fresh blood into the veins of Muslim nations;
- It is the day Muslim nations speak their words directly – not through their government officials
Quds Day in Imam Khomeini’s Speeches
The following are sections of the speeches of the founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran on International Quds Day:
- Al-Quds Day is an international day and is not exclusive to Quds. It is the day of confronting the oppressed with the arrogant; it is the day of encountering the nations oppressed by America or else; it is a day for the oppressed to be prepared against the arrogant to defeat them.
- Al-Quds Day is not only for Quds; it is the day for Islam; it is the day for the Islamic government. It is the day on which the flag of the Islamic government must be raised. It is the day on which, superpowers need to be taught that they can no longer advance in Islamic countries. I know al-Quds Day as the day of Islam and the day of the Prophet (PBUHH); the day on which we need to fully prepare ourselves and relieve Muslims from the isolation they are brought in so that they can stand against their enemies with all their power.
- Al-Quds Day is when we must warn all superpowers that Islam will no longer be controlled by you through your evil agents; Al-Quds Day is the day of Islam’s life.
- Al-Quds Day is an Islamic day and is an Islamic public mobilization. I hope it would be a prelude to [formation of] a party of the oppressed all over the world.
- If the Islamic ummah is not woken up to their duties, if Islamic scholars do not feel responsible and do not rise, if the true Islam which is the cause of unity and movement of all Islamic schools against the enemies and the guarantee of honour and independence of Muslim nations and Islamic countries is burned under the black screens of imperialism by the hands of the agents of the enemies, miserable days will be ahead of Islamic nations and destruction threatens Islam and rulings of the Qur’an.
- It is strongly recommended and even obligatory that some religious alms such as zakat and other types of charity are allocated to these fighters who fight for God in sufficient amounts and helping them with all forces and facilities is obligatory.
Quds Day in Imam Khamenei’s Speeches
The following are sections of the speeches of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran on International Quds Day:
- What is important is that the world of Islam should not forget about the issue of Palestine… America, the arrogant powers and constant supporters of Zionists have forced Muslims to forget the issue of Palestine but the Islamic Ummah and the Iranians should not allow the issue of Palestine to be forgotten.
- This holy flame should be ignited inside Palestine as well more and more every day. Those youth, those men and women, and those who sacrifice themselves and fight the usurper regime inside Palestine must know that the main point is what they press. That is where their enemy would defeat. That organizations outside Palestinian borders sit at the table of negotiations or show off in different tribunes in the name of Palestine would not solve any problem. General support of the Islamic world from the outside and the real sensible fight of Palestinians inside will solve the problem and hit the head of the enemy to the ground.
- Commemorate al-Quds Day and if world propaganda does not broadcast it, it does not matter. Those Palestinian prisoners feel strengthened by your sincere intention and determination and will resist. The prisoner behind the walls of the prisons in Occupied Palestine must not feel lonely to resist. Those men and women who are attacked by Zionist scum in alleys and streets of Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and other cities of Occupied Palestine need to feel that you support them to resist. Of course, governments have some duties as well!
- I frankly announce that every Palestinian who is martyred and every Palestinian family which is destroyed, the President of the United States and its government associated with that act.
- The issue of Palestine has only one solution and that is the establishment of a Palestinian government in all the lands of Palestine.
- Every inch of Palestine is an inch of Muslims’ house. Any government other than a Palestinian one and other than a Muslim one over Palestine is a usurper one. Our word is what Imam Khomeini said: “Israel must be wiped away”. It is not fighting with Jews. The issue is usurping the house of Muslims.
Quds Day in the Speeches of Others
The following are sections of the speeches made by great and famous personalities about International Quds Day:
- An American Muslim minister and human rights activist, Malcolm X said: “The Zionist argument to justify Israel’s present occupation of Arab Palestine has no intelligent or legal basis in history.”
- A South African anti-apartheid activist and former President, Nelson Mandela Said: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
- An Indian lawyer, and anti-colonial nationalist, Mahatma Gandhi said: “Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs.”
- Secretary-General of Hizballah of Lebanon, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, said: “The priority must be stressing on confrontation with the Zionist enemy and if it was this way from the beginning, we would not come to this point today… If ‘Arabs spent one-fifth of the budget they spent for war on Iran and Shia-phobia for Palestine, it would already be free.”
Conclusion
In light of this, it is expected that Muslims worldwide to:
- Unite in solidarity with the oppressed and less-privileged people of the world, irrespective of their religious affiliations or geographical locations.
- Dissociate themselves from the oppressors. They should never have a relationship with the oppressed government.
- Avoid any form of cooperation with the oppressors. This is because supporting an oppressor is tantamount to its endorsement. And they should give necessary support to the oppressed.
- Boycott the products/services rendered by the oppressors. One of the ways to weaken the influences of the oppressors is to cut off every form of financial relationship with them.
- Publicize the atrocities of the oppressors: One of the ways of showing solidarity with the oppressed is to publicize the atrocities being committed by the oppressors to the world.
