The Israel-Palestine conflict, which spans decades, has once again made headlines, unfortunately, once again, not for good reasons but for the loss of so many innocent lives on both sides including children, women and the elderly people.

There was widespread condemnation across the globe for the attack by Hamas on Israel, however, the world has failed to understand what led to such boiling point. The answer is continuous injustices. The world collectively has failed to provide a feasible and permanent solution to this decades-long conflict.

If the principle of true justice would have been upheld by all the stakeholders and world powers, this human tragedy would have been avoided and a road to peace and reconciliation paved.

If we ponder over the current state of world affairs, unquestionably today, the world teeters on the brink of disaster as nations around the globe are engulfed by a ferocious storm of political, economic and social unrest. The war in Ukraine has been raging for months and dark clouds indicating even greater turmoil and warfare are hovering ominously above us.

And, now, the war in the Middle East has made every sane person seriously worried and concerned about where the world is heading.

Speaking about the current war between Hamas and Israel on the BBC, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK said that “Hamas is a militant group. Hamas is not the Palestine government. The Israeli government is giving orders to its organised army. Don’t throw any symmetry here. Don’t equate the occupied and occupier. This doesn’t serve justice to understand the real situation.”

 At the same time, he raised the question, and rightfully so, that if true justice were to be established, then such things would not transpire; if major powers did not have double standards, then such restlessness and warfare in the world could never happen. Hence, if these double standards were eliminated, then such warfare would be eliminated.

What is justice? Justice means to render to everyone his due; and to maintain justice it is necessary that reward of good should in no case be less than what a person has earned and that, on the other hand, the penalty for a wrong should not exceed the wrong or transgression committed. To outline the standards of justice, the Holy Quran states:

“O ye who believe! Be steadfast in the cause of God, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness” (5:9).

The standards of true justice have further been elaborated in chapter 4, verse 136 of the Holy Quran that: “O ye who believe! Be strict in observing justice, and be witnesses for God, even though it be against yourselves or against parents and kindred. Whether he be rich or poor, God is more regardful of them both than you are. Therefore, follow not low desires so that you may be able to act equitably. And if you conceal the truth or evade it, then remember that God is well aware of what you do.”

May God the Almighty enable the major powers to establish justice on both sides and thereby establish peace- Laiq Ahmed Atif

If such high and true standard of justice is attained and maintained, it would surely have fostered peace, harmony and reconciliation, not only in Palestine and Israel, but also around the globe.

The worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has spoken at length on the current Hamas and Israel war and has urged the world to chalk the course to peace, instead of adding fuel to the fire. He said:

“Upon analysis, it would seem that the major powers are bent on fanning the flames of war, rather than putting them out – they do not wish to end warfare. After the First World War, the major powers created the League of Nations in order to bring an end to wars. However, due to not fulfilling the demands of justice, and in striving to maintain its own dominance, it failed. Then, the Second World War took place, and it is said that more than 70 million lives were lost. The same is happening now with the UN. It was created to establish justice in the world, support the oppressed, and to try and bring an end to wars. However, these are all far from being reality. Everyone is simply concerned with their own interests.”

May God the Almighty grant understanding to Hamas so they do not become responsible for the cruelties inflicted on their own people, nor should they commit injustices against anyone. If they are compelled to fight, then they must do so according to the commandments of Islam. Enmity for another nation should not lead us away from acting with justice; this is the command of God the Almighty.

May God the Almighty enable the major powers to establish justice on both sides and thereby establish peace. It should not be that they lean towards one side and thus usurp the rights of the other side. May they not commit injustices and cruelties, because injustice can never lead to peace and prosperity. Establishment of peace, love and reconciliation should be their ultimate objective because love can never beget hatred and peace can never lead to war.

Laiq Ahmed Atif

May God the Almighty grant us the opportunity to witness peace and security in the world.

Laiq Ahmed Atif is president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta.