Understanding the Flow of History

Highlighting the severe and seemingly irreparable damage to Israel’s global image might seem unconvincing, especially given the official support the Zionist occupation enjoys from major powers. I noticed that my column last Saturday raised some questions in this regard. When viewed from the perspective of certain readers, their points may appear valid. However, to adopt a more realistic perspective, I’d like to revisit a few points and emphasize certain aspects:

- When discussing Israel and the Zionist occupation, if we exclusively focus on the disunity of Muslims, the fragmented state of the Islamic world, bombings, casualties, and injuries, several things happen simultaneously: the occupiers revel in this narrative, bolstering their morale; despair takes root in the hearts of our younger generations; and we fail to notice the deep cracks and divisions within the occupation's ranks. For these reasons, I prefer to shift the spotlight away from us and onto them. I stress the importance of addressing the Palestinian cause through the lens of Zionists’ multifaceted weaknesses and losses.

- Zionists did not achieve their current gains overnight. Their occupation project, underpinned by two centuries of intense effort, cannot be dismantled in an instant. A hundred years ago, Israel had virtually none of the advantages it enjoys today. There’s no guarantee it won’t face comprehensive decline and collapse a century from now. In fact, history suggests that such decline is inevitable.

- From a perspective of divine wisdom, we see that oppressors and occupiers are also granted a period of reprieve. Historical processes, like the balance of a scale, rise and fall over time. Good and evil alternate like day and night. Everyone faces their own test when their time comes. From this angle, the idea of a world where no injustice exists, where no one suffers, and where peace and harmony prevail is a colorful but empty dream.

- Muslims are taught the prayer, *“Do not make us a trial for the wrongdoing people”* (Yunus 10:85), to remind and instill this profound truth. While oppressors are tested by their acts of cruelty, the oppressed become the subjects of those tests. Both parties face trials in their respective roles.

- Although oppressors are given a divine reprieve, efforts to eliminate injustice can shorten that period. If the Muslim world had demonstrated the unity and resolve expected in response to Gaza’s plight, this catastrophic destruction might have been mitigated. The occupation’s grip could have been broken sooner, leaving the Zionists frustrated. However, no instance of oppression or occupation in history has been halted immediately or effortlessly.

- A major mistake in analyzing the dynamics of life is freezing events in the present and avoiding consistent reflection on the future. The weight of heavy traumas, genocides, and massacres often traps people in the moment—a natural reaction. Yet, history’s current keeps flowing, and tomorrow is always on the horizon. The Islamic world will continue to need capable and dynamic leaders who can avoid repeating today’s mistakes, stand firm in future crises, and rise to the challenges ahead. Overindulging in mourning for today can rob us of the determination and enthusiasm to build a better tomorrow. This can turn current traumas into future ones, making despair and disarray seem like an inevitable destiny.

- Maintaining calm and a consistent intellectual direction during crises is undoubtedly challenging. But Muslims, who understand history and the divine laws governing the world, are expected to rise above superficial and reactionary behaviors typical of those unaware of these principles. This is the mission history and geography have entrusted to Muslims.