ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars from various schools of thought, as well as leaders of religio-political parties on Thursday regretted the Muslim world’s inaction over the killings of innocent Palestinians, but stressed that any boycott or agitation should remain peaceful and not descend into violence or vandalism.

The call came following a string of recent incidents, where charged mobs had vandalised a number of fast food chain outlets across the country, leading to police action.

Addressing the national conference titled ‘Palestine and the Responsibility of the Muslim Ummah’, the participants emphasised the need for collective action and supported the move for a boycott in support of Palestinians, but in a peaceful manner.

In an emotional speech, former Federal Shariat Court judge Mufti Taqi Usmani asked the Muslim world “to do whatever they can” to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza.

Clerics warn against damaging life, property; deplore Muslim world’s ‘inaction’ against Israeli aggression

“What is the use… if they cannot save the Muslims from brutality,” Mufti Usmani asked, while expressing frustration over the silence of the Muslim world, despite Israel’s flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement.

He also stressed the need to avoid violence, saying: “Islam is a religion of balance. It is not a religion of vandalising [property] or hurting someone by getting carried away by emotions.”

“Pelting stones at someone or harming someone’s life and property is forbidden in Sharia. Do protest and boycott, but peacefully, there should be no element of unrest,” he said, apparently referring to recent incidents where some multinational fast food outlets had came under attack in different parts of the country, including Karachi and other parts of Sindh and Punjab.

He said the country’s rulers should also be convinced to carry out their responsibilities and obligations in this regard in a peaceful manner, recalling that the Quaid-i-Azam had also declared Israel an “illegitimate state”.

Speaking on the occasion, JUI-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman called Israel a “terrorist state”.

He said if Pakistan did not come out in support of the Palestinians, then it would be negating the very ideology under which the country was founded.

The situation in Gaza demanded that the Muslim world should unite, he said, claiming that the rulers of most Muslim countries were the main obstacles in the way of unity among the Ummah.

He specifically mentioned the names of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye, Malaysia and Indonesia, and called on them to take lead and play their due role in this regard.

The conference concluded with a unanimous declaration suggesting a number of actions required to be taken against Israel and to prevent the bloodshed in Palestine.

The declaration called upon the UN to immediately convene a meeting on the Palestine issue. It also urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to set up funds to help the Palestinian people.

The conference also urged the nation to observe a ‘Day of the Oppressed Palestinians’ today (Friday) and hold rallies and peaceful demos across the country.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025