In the more than 30 months since Oct 7, 2023, Israel – with unconditional support from the United States, the vacillation of Western governments, and the paralysis of the United Nations – has committed genocide with impunity against the Palestinians.
In that period, Malaysians, particularly Muslims in this country, have shown unwavering support for their brethren who have been under Israeli occupation for over 70 years.
The insidious British government – a trait that persists to this day – was instrumental in creating this pernicious state of affairs following the Balfour Declaration of 1917.
That inherently racist document unilaterally mandated the creation of a Jewish homeland over lands already occupied and owned by the indigenous Palestinians.
Through special prayers at mosques, public rallies and talks, social media postings, and participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla – an international civilian armada formed to break through Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza – Malaysians have consistently demonstrated their support for Palestinians. This has been reinforced by both federal and state governments, affirming that we will stand by them, come hell or high water.
Yet such solidarity has been notably absent in the aftermath of the unprovoked and criminal US and Israeli missile strikes against Iran on Feb 28, 2026, in which 168 young girls were reportedly killed at the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab.
I have not heard a single word of condemnation from the imams at the mosques I attend for Friday prayers. Instead, sermons continue to focus on pre-approved, routine topics, while the tragedy in Minab is met with silence.
What happened in Iran should be treated as an attack on the entire Muslim ummah, not dismissed as a distant tragedy. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The believers, in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion, are like one body. When one limb suffers, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6011).
Are Iranians not part of us in faith?
There appears to be little desire from the religious authorities to rouse Muslims from complacency, particularly when the victims are Shiites, as Iranians predominantly are.
This position is rooted in more than 1,400 years of division within the Muslim ummah between Sunnis and Shiites, with Sunnis comprising about 90 per cent of the global Muslim population.
While it is beyond the scope of this article to explore those differences, Malaysia formally practises Sunni Islam and generally regards Shiite teachings as deviant.
Herein lies the painful contradiction. Despite being raised as a Sunni Muslim, and within the Shafiee school of thought, I do not see Shiites as a threat to the ummah. Rather, I see them as a people who have remained steadfast against what they perceive as Western hegemony and Israel’s expansionism.
Groups such as Iran, the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon are often portrayed as controversial, yet to some, they represent resistance. Meanwhile, many Sunni-majority governments, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council, are seen as aligned with Western interests. Malaysia, too, appears cautious in its approach, likely due to economic considerations.
This was evident in the reception given to United States President Donald Trump during his visit to Kuala Lumpur on Oct 26, 2025. The display of cordiality, set against Washington’s support for Israel, raised questions about the optics of such engagements.
A similar sentiment arose during the meeting between our prime minister and India’s Narendra Modi on Feb 7, 2026, also at KLIA, given India’s alignment with Israel.
The irony is stark. Those often labelled as deviants are, in the eyes of some, among the few openly resisting perceived injustices, while others remain constrained by geopolitical and economic realities.
Even if we differ in matters of faith, we should not be indifferent to suffering. At the very least, our response should be grounded in shared humanity.
May Allah forgive us.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not represent that of Twentytwo13.
