On the Path of Martyrdom: The Heroic Epic of Palestine and the Power of Resistance

The meaning of martyrdom for the sake of God had been forgotten by many societies. Wars of independence bring forth countless unsung heroes. During World War I and the Turkish War of Independence, every province and region had hundreds of anonymous heroes with countless stories. Just the other day, Prof. Mazhar Bağlı spoke about the organized role of a mayor and tribes during the liberation of Urfa from French occupation. These historical truths can be seen in every region of our country and in the lost territories of the Ottoman Empire.

Gaza was the last Ottoman stronghold on the Palestinian front. Today, the number of Gazans resting in the Gallipoli Martyrs’ Cemetery is not far from that of our martyrs from Anatolian provinces. While the British fought the Gallipoli campaign with soldiers they forcefully brought from their colonies in India and New Zealand, the Ottoman Empire was fighting with people from across a vast territory—from Palestine to Bosnia and Aleppo.

The 100-year retreat of the Ottoman Empire is a story filled with great suffering for the nations that lost their lands. The colonial era left no country untouched by occupation. Yet, the British continue their lives as if they never had colonies or inflicted such pain on humanity. For instance, the British occupation of and withdrawal from Istanbul is rarely discussed, as if it was occupied and then abandoned by phantoms.

Nations are not just defined by strong leaders but also by their heroes. This nation’s history is filled with unparalleled sacrifices and heroism, unmatched by any other. Yet, due to the cultural hegemony efforts of the imperialists, the names of all heroes, except for Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Abdulhamid, are being erased from our collective memory. Ironically, the children of this nation know Greek gods and Western false heroes by heart.

When the Gaza war started, humanity realized it was facing a new reality. Before the war, the global agenda was filled with materialistic concerns like the stock market, money, Bitcoin, and social media influencers. People questioned, “Why can’t I spend as much as the next person?” or marveled at “America’s dazzling wealth.” Even religious figures were swept away by this relentless tide.

When Israel began committing genocide in Gaza, we encountered something extraordinary: a people who, despite dire conditions, resisted the Israeli vampires. This was a society of faith—people who believed in God, spoke to Him, sought refuge in Him, and proclaimed, “God is enough for us.” The Muslims of Gaza led Muslims elsewhere to reexamine their own faith. Thousands of Christians, moved by the submission of parents who lost their children, converted to Islam.

The people of Gaza, along with leaders like Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and tens of thousands of immortal heroes, reminded humanity that virtues, morality, and deep human values still exist. At the same time, they showed the world how the Zionists, soldiers of Satan, have enslaved it. Today, people protesting the genocide in Palestine in the U.S., UK, and Germany realize that their own countries are as besieged as Gaza. The late Erbakan spent his life warning about how Zionism, like an octopus, has wrapped itself around the world. The Gaza war has made this clearer than ever.

Izz al-Din al-Qassam set out from Egypt, where he was studying, to join the Gallipoli campaign, but the war ended before he could arrive. He returned to his homeland, where he organized his noble people against the occupying British and Zionists, becoming part of the caravan of martyrs that began with Hamza, the Prophet’s uncle.

Every Palestinian leader knows that martyrdom is their destiny. When Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated, it left Muslims in a state of despair. The most painful feeling for a human being is a sense of helplessness in the face of events.

Yet, by the grace of God and the blessing of martyrdom, Yahya Sinwar's lion-hearted resistance to the genocidal forces gave new hope to Palestine’s war for independence.

Today, the global media speaks of the colossal mistake Israel made. People are talking about how martyr Yahya Sinwar became an immortal hero. What one person feels is the same as what all of humanity feels. Western activists, reflecting on Israel and America’s lies about Sinwar, are asking, “How many more lies have they told us?”

At a time when the Muslim world seemed to have lost its vitality, Gaza’s great heroes reminded us of what it means to be a Muslim, to possess virtue, and to live with a deep sense of morality as a servant of God. Yahya Sinwar, like the many great heroes this nation has produced throughout history, showed that even in this era, there are still people like Fahrettin Pasha—fighting without fear for the liberation of their people and inspiring a global awakening of hope.

May he rest in paradise. Some have compared him to Omar Mukhtar. Let the imperialists fear for their future. Palestinians will not be extinguished by genocide; their spirits will rise again. And in the world you worship and the afterlife you perversely believe in, peace will be forbidden to you.