I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {'Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge [with their lives], others are waiting [their turn]. They have never changed [their commitment] in the least'}[Al-Ahzab 33:23]. This is the word of truth from Almighty Allah.

Today marks the launch of the Annual Anniversary of the Martyr, which continues for a full week and includes a range of activities and cultural events. This is a significant occasion, and we begin by extending greetings, reverence, honour, and appreciation to all the families and relatives of the martyrs

On this occasion we must focus on celebrating the martyrs, appreciating and glorifying their sacrifices for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him), and recognising their pivotal sacrifices and contributions to their Ummah and its sacred and vital causes. It is also a moment to draw inspiration from their spirit and biography, to affirm the sanctity and greatness of martyrdom for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him) and its meaning for us as a Muslim Ummah, to honour the families of the martyrs, and to remember our duty towards them.

We begin with a reminder of the greatness and lofty rank of martyrdom and what it represents.

Martyrdom for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him) is a truly great victory. This truth is clearly affirmed in the blessed verses of the Quran, which show that martyrdom is a noble status, a high rank, and an elevated position with Allah (Glory be to Him). Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Never think of those killed in the cause of Allah as dead. In fact, they are alive with their Lord, well provided for, rejoicing in Allah's bounties and being delighted for those yet to join them: That there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve. They are joyful for receiving Allah's grace and bounty, and that Allah does not deny the reward of the believers'}[Ali 'Imran 3:169-171].

These blessed verses make clear that the martyrs have attained a great victory by sacrificing their lives for the sake of Allah. Allah has granted them an elevated rank, great honour, and a happy, pleasant life, in which they are in a continuous state of hospitality of Allah, reflecting all the profound honour that this entails.

Therefore, martyrdom is a distinction and a great honour bestowed by Allah (Glory be to Him) upon those who have been killed in His cause (with all that the noble phrase 'in the cause of Allah' signifies—striving for His sake), those who walked the path He has set, followed His teachings and guidance, and heeded His commands.

Thus, when they were killed for His cause, along the path He defined, and for the sake of the cause He commanded them to defend, they were awarded this privilege, this appreciation, and this immense honour. In fact, this is what has prompted many of the martyrs—and perhaps all—to echo what was said by the believer whose story is mentioned by Allah in Surah Ya-Sin. When he was martyred for the sake of Allah and witnessed the great honour and lofty rank granted to him, he said, {'If only my people knew of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honourable'}[Ya-Sin 36:26-27]. This is because Allah grants martyrs immense spiritual honour, along with a noble, joyful, contented, and serene life, free from hardship. They find themselves in complete peace, experiencing bliss, good news, and the sustenance they are granted, as well as reassurance regarding their future in the Hereafter, in the Garden of Refuge—in the everlasting abode. Indeed, martyrdom is a tremendous privilege and honour, showing us that there is never any loss with Allah, the Almighty.

When we act in the path of Allah and meet Him after we have been martyred for His sake, we have not lost by leaving this worldly life. Instead, Allah grants us what is better, greater, happier, and more elevated than this worldly life—something beyond all comparison: a life of everlasting joy. {'In fact, they are alive with their Lord}—in a state of divine hospitality and honour—{well provided for'}[Ali 'Imran 3:169]. That is, it is a true life, where they live in sustenance, joy, and glad tidings. They even rejoice {'for those yet to join them'}[Ali 'Imran 3:170]; for in the blessings they have received, they wish the same for their fellow companions on the same journey. They ponder when their friends will attain that bliss. Truly, it is only those who move along this path and meet Allah as martyrs who achieve it—there is no loss with Allah, only immense success.

Additionally, martyrdom in the cause of Allah is a profound source of consolation for martyrs' relatives and loved ones, for it carries within it Allah's promise to the martyrs: a pure, happy, and blissful life, along with immense honour and an exalted, lofty station. When martyrs' relatives and loved ones remember that their martyrs have transitioned to a pure and blissful life—one far happier, more peaceful, more delightful, and more exalted than this worldly life—and that they have been granted that immense grace and noble honour from Allah (Glory be to Him), this consoles them in their grief for their loved ones and relatives (the martyrs). Indeed, this makes them rejoice for their martyrs' achievement of this noble honour, their transition to that exalted station, and their reception of Allah's magnificent care and of a blissful, serene life. Who would regret that his relative or companion has reached such a high rank and a good, blessed life, while wishing them well? Rather, he rejoices for him, even if there is sorrow over his absence.

Furthermore, it serves as a powerful motivation to strive in the path of Allah with steadfast bravery and to act in the path of righteousness, whatever the challenges or risks. This is among the greatest benefits of martyrdom in the way of Allah, and it is part of the honour and the blissful, serene life that Allah has granted the martyrs. Martyrdom inspires others to strive in Allah's cause. When people realise the greatness, virtue, importance, and necessity of jihad and understand that martyrdom leads to a high rank, great honour, bliss, and a serene life, completely free from all worldly hardships—this really motivates them to act in the cause of Allah, as the most formidable psychological barriers then fall away. Many people may hesitate to take the way of Allah because of their fear of death, imagining that they may be killed only when they strive in the cause of Allah. Nevertheless, when they believe, as Allah mentioned in the Quran, that martyrdom in the cause of Allah is a transition to a life better, happier, higher, and nobler than this life, with great bliss and immense honour, then they overcome this psychological obstacle and take an action in the way of Allah, knowing that if they are martyred, they will attain this rank, this bliss, and this honour. Thus, they move forward with steadfastness, courage, resolve, and determination, no longer afraid of being killed in the way of Allah (Glory be to Him).

When the enemies (those who employ brute force, killing, and targeted attacks to humiliate and enslave people and who have made these tactics the means to subdue human societies) see in those who move in the cause of Allah (Glory be to Him) that they are unafraid and intimidated and that they have broken the shackles of fear and humiliation which the enemies impose on communities to subjugate and enslave them instead of submitting to Allah—this plays a profound role in changing the situation. It becomes an incentive and a driving force for jihad in the cause of Allah (Glory be to Him).

Moreover, martyrdom is a lofty spiritual rank: When a person reaches a level of faith in Allah (Glory be to Him) where he is prepared to sacrifice his own life in His path and he acts upon this commitment, this reflects the perfection of his faith and stands as one of the clearest proofs of sincerity in their religious devotion. For this reason, Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'Allah has indeed purchased from the believers their lives and wealth in exchange for Jannah. They fight in the cause of Allah and kill or are killed. This is a true promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran. And whose promise is truer than Allah's? So, rejoice in the exchange you have made with Him'}[At-Tawbah 9:111].

Martyrdom in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) is not an alternative to the culture of life. Some, for instance, claim that speaking of martyrdom in the cause of Allah encourages people to abandon this life, portraying it as a culture of death, far removed from the culture of life. In reality, martyrdom in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) embodies the true culture of life. A person who attains martyrdom in His path is granted a life that is nobler, happier, finer, loftier, higher, more serene and more honoured than this worldly life. Indeed, martyrdom represents life in the fullest sense of the word.

Indeed, a nation that moves forward bearing the spirit of jihad for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him) and the spirit of martyrdom esteems itself and averts dangers. Such a nation moves with a strong will, great valour, and steadfast resolve. Thus, it builds itself even through the martyrs it sacrifices for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him). In the context of active resistance to its enemies, it secures for itself a life of dignity—a genuine and dignified life that is caractrised by human and faith-based dignity and by a bulwark against the enemies. Such a condition is life for the nation and a protection from annihilation and humiliation. In this state, the nation does not reject the culture of life, for this is true life; rather, it rejects the culture that seeks to condition the Ummah into submission and humiliation before its enemies, leaving it neither safe nor spared from death or slaughter. For this reason, Allah set forth an important example in the Holy Quran: {'Have you [O Prophet] not seen those who fled their homes in the thousands for fear of death? Allah said to them, "Die;" then He restored them to life'}[Al-Baqarah 2:243] so that this might serve as a lesson to others.

In fact, martyrdom stands as an alternative to the culture that conditions the Ummah, which causes the Ummah to be slain senselessly and wastefully in acts of genocide, as has so often occurred throughout the history of Muslims. There were long periods—extending over centuries—during which the Ummah abandoned jihad for the sake of Allah (Glory be to Him) and came to regard martyrdom as though it were a loss. During these times, a state of weakness took root—a state manifested in the aversion to martyrdom and a wrongful attachment to this worldly life, based on false premises, misguided motives, and erroneous understanding. And what was the outcome? Was it the safety of the Ummah—its vitality, its survival, the survival of its people, and the safety of its communities?

The Muslim Ummah, over the course of its history, has suffered great catastrophes and lost millions of its sons who were killed in states of surrender, abasement, and total submission: without fighting and without taking a position. Their enemies violated them, ravaged them, and annihilated them.

Read the history of our Islamic Ummah and consider what the Mongols did to it. In Baghdad alone, then the capital of the entire Islamic state, when the Mongols arrived, they killed—according to historical records and what has been documented in the books of history—one million people. One million souls were annihilated in an act of mass extermination, even though the people were neither fighting, defending, nor resisting. Rather, they were in a state of total surrender. They accepted, offered, and presented submission, yet they were exterminated with that most atrocious brutality. As recorded in the books of history, a similar number of people who had been hiding at that time, or even more, perished from the plague, which spread with other diseases because corpses were left unburied. Entire communities were obliterated—cities whose populations were wiped out completely: some numbering three hundred thousand, others two hundred thousand, and so on.

What the Crusaders did in their eight campaigns against this Ummah—how many people did they annihilate? How many did they kill? How many women and children of this Ummah did they enslave and take away to Europe? What occurred were immense tragedies in the Ummah's history.

Then, in the most recent era of colonialism—indeed, throughout the entire colonial period, from the colonisation imposed by Portugal and Britain to that carried out by Europe in general, and continuing up to this stage in the history of the Ummah—vast numbers of people were killed, not in battle, not in resistance, nor through any effort capable of repelling the evil of the Ummah's enemies, but rather, they were slain in vain.

The Americans admitted, in this very year, that over the past twenty years they had killed nearly three million people, most of them sons of this Ummah—killed not in battle, nor in resistance, but as part of their well-known acts of aggression against this Ummah.

The situation would have been different had that sacrifice—three million martyrs—been channelled into jihad and a stance taken to repel the enemies' threats, to counter their evil, to target them, and to respond to their attacks against the Ummah—unjust attacks, oppression, attempts to enslave the Ummah, and endeavours to humiliate it, plunder its resources, occupy its lands, dominate it, and strip it of all its rights.

Martyrdom opposes the culture of conditioning, whose consequence is annihilation without yield, neither in this world nor in the Hereafter.

Moreover, martyrdom offers an alternative to the exploitation of this Ummah—to the practice of using its people as sacrificial offerings in service of their enemies. Many sons of this Ummah are being recruited (through payment, mobilisation, encouragement, incentives, material inducements, and grave deception) to present themselves as sacrifices in service of America and Israel and of the agendas, conspiracies, and slogans they promote. Indeed, this serves them, benefit them, and fulfil their goals of reshaping the Ummah's internal condition, preparing it for total domination.

We observe this happening, whether in takfiri movements or other forces and factions, which have shifted their hostility in the direction desired by the Americans and Israelis: They direct their enmity towards those whom the Americans and Israelis want them to oppose, devoting all their energy and capabilities and making immense sacrifices for the sake of America and Israel. Today, within our Ummah, we witness military formations, regimes, and numerous factions operating on this principle, offering significant sacrifices without facing any discouragement, opposition, blame, or defamation of such action—one that serves American and Israeli interests, relying on their labels of deceit and misdirection, often accompanied by temptations and other incentives.

Martyrdom in the cause of Allah is the noblest way to make use of this inevitable end that is reality for all humans—a daily occurrence seen in accidents and deaths. Every day, many people depart from this world by various means, including the numerous fatal accidents that occur. Even if we only account for traffic accidents, they alone cause thousands of deaths worldwide every day. Also, 'Who does not die by the sword will die by something else; the causes of death are numerous, but death itself is one.'

Thus, martyrdom is the alternative to all of that, for it is a great opportunity that Allah has offered to His believing servants. Departure from this life is inevitable, but when that departure comes through martyrdom in the cause of Allah, it becomes the highest and most honourable way to leave this world, transforming the inevitable departure into a great investment. This is how we should perceive martyrdom in the cause of Allah, the Almighty.

Martyrdom, as we mentioned, is connected to a cause and a stance. The martyr in the cause of Allah has a cause that drives him, and he embarks on this journey for the sake of Allah, the Almighty. In fact, Allah is not in need of His servants or their jihad, as He says, {'And whoever strives [in Allah's cause], only does so for their own good. Surely Allah is not in need of [any of] His creation'}[Al-'Ankabut 29:6]. Therefore, the martyrs in the cause of Allah moved forward in response to Allah (Glory be to Him), following the path and teachings He laid out for them to act within the realm of truth and just causes and to establish justice, goodness, and the great values for which Allah commanded us to struggle in His way. The fruit of this is protecting the vulnerable, safeguarding individuals, repelling evil from them, confronting oppression, and resisting crime and criminals. 

So when we strive in the cause of Allah, who is our adversary, and who is our enemy that we confront? They are the people of falsehood, the unjust, the tyrants, the criminals, the arrogant; they are the forces of evil that pose a danger to people, as well as to people's lives, security, stability, property, and dignity. This is an evident reality.

Therefore, in our era, we observe that those criminal tyrants, who oppose the mujahidin in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him), operate with satanic goals, false aims, and criminal acts. They treat people with injustice, oppression, and horrific crime, just as America, Israel, and their allies do. Their approach to treating societies, civilians, the unarmed individuals, captives, and communities in general is one that is based on crime, oppression, injustice, and arrogance. Also, their objectives are aimed at enslaving people, plundering the wealth of nations, occupying them, subjugating communities, and exploiting human beings in ways that serve their demonic and criminal agendas.

Indeed, the martyrs are the bearers of a just cause and a righteous stance. Their sacrifices and contributions were magnified by martyrdom for the cause of Allah, for they, from the outset, were driven by the spirit of martyrdom for Allah's sake, liberating themselves from all the constraints that hold others back. Many individuals may hold back in various situations due to the possibility of martyrdom for the sake of Allah. Their fear of martyrdom restrains them and prevents them from engaging in many actions, taking strong stances, or involving in important matters. Therefore, their contributions remain limited and minimal, as they constantly take the fear of martyrdom into account in all matters. 

On the other hand, those who carried the spirit of martyrdom were the most impactful and the greatest in their contributions. They took action during critical, sensitive, and decisive situations, and they were actively present on the battlefield in a way that embodied Islamic and faith-based values at the highest level. They are the pride of their Ummah, inspiring role models, noble examples, and an eternal school. Furthermore, their wills, biographies, and stances serve as lessons for this Ummah and for generations to come. They provided profound lessons in values, steadfastness, and loyalty. That is in addition to the direct victories achieved and the honour brought to their Ummah through their giving, efforts, and sacrifices, as well as the blessings Allah has ordained for them and their Ummah as a result.

Nations and communities that have taken action, freed themselves, and offered martyrs for the sake of a just position and righteous objectives are free and honourable nations. They possess high morale and a will as strong as iron, unshaken by fear.

In contrast, communities that are fearful, submissive, and hesitant to offer martyrs or embrace martyrdom are nations that submit to their enemies, surrender to them, have their will easily shattered, and fail to confront great challenges and threats. Such communities exist in a state of humiliation, fearmongering, exaggeration, and overwhelming fear. Thus, they chain and bind themselves to their enemies. This submission not only fails to protect them, but it also exposes them to even greater dangers. History confirms this and bears witness to it: Many communities have paid a steep price due to their humiliation, surrender, and submissiveness, because of their fear of martyrdom and hesitation to take decisive action against their enemies—actions that could have shielded them from the enemies' evil, tyranny, and crime. It paid a heavy price: its people killed and wounded, its life ruined, and its dignity stripped away completely.

Therefore, through faith-based and Islamic formation and identity—for both are connected to Allah (Glory be to Him)—the Ummah is built to attain a lofty level of morale, courage, resilience, steadfastness, and strength in facing challenges and dangers, without breaking down or succumbing to humiliation or weakness when confronted with trials or called upon to make sacrifices. For this reason, Allah (Glory be to Him) praised the godly ones, of whom He said, {'And they did not waver regardless of that which afflicted them in the way of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor did they give in. And Allah loves the patient ones'}[Ali 'Imran 3:146]. This is the essence of the Islamic formation, for it is connected to Allah—His teachings and guidance. Allah says, {'And to Allah belongs [all] honour, and to His Messenger, and to the believers'}[Al-Munafiqun 63:8]. Thus, believers advance with faith-inspired dignity, human honour, lofty morale, strong determination, and great steadfastness. They possess a spirit that shields them from weakness of will or collapse when facing challenges or making sacrifices.

The reward for sacrifice in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) is what Allah grants in this worldly life—such as victory, honour, and empowerment—and what He also bestows in the Hereafter: the true, great, and eternal victory, immense bliss, and everlasting happiness, as He promised His believing servants.

Allah (Glory be to Him) has affirmed this truth in the Holy Quran, saying, {'If you support Allah, He will grant you victory and strengthen your foothold'}[Muhammad 47:7] and {'And Allah will surely grant victory to those who support Him'}[Al-Hajj 22:40]. When a nation or community moves forward sincerely in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him), sacrificing and offering martyrs in His cause, Allah grants it victory, supports it with His aid, and never forsakes it. He (Glory be to Him) is the Most Faithful, whose faithfulness knows no equal: {'And whose promise is truer than Allah's? '}[At-Tawbah 9:111] and {'Allah does not fail in His promise'}[Ar-Rum 30:6]. He fulfils what He has promised, but this only takes place when the movement is carried out in accordance with His teachings and instructions, correctly and as required. In such cases, Allah (Glory be to Him) grants victory, and reality itself bears witness to this truth.

In our Quranic march, we have offered martyrs in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him). So what was the outcome? The enemies, with their tyranny, criminality, oppression, arrogance, and aggression, hoped to break the will of this striving ummah. Yet Allah increased its honour, empowerment, and victory, enabling it to face challenges from one stage to another. All that our Quranic march has offered in Allah's path—through sacrifices, efforts, martyrs, and more—has borne fruit in great leaps and mighty victories granted by Allah.

Thus, we see evidence of this in the lives of believers and those striving in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) through numerous examples across different parts of the world today and throughout history.

When we speak about martyrdom in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) and jihad in His cause, we are not referring to a methodology, direction, or course that causes people problems in this life, creates crises, or leads to wars. Rather, we are discussing the noblest way to confront a reality that exists among humanity, particularly in our present age. As Muslim societies today, when we reflect on reality, we recognise the inevitability of conflict. There is an ongoing and inescapable struggle in the reality of humans due to the criminal, arrogant, and oppressive forces of evil that possess none of the values of mercy, benevolence, justice, or goodness. Instead, they operate in the theatre of life with all their evil, crime, tyranny, and oppression, seeking to enslave people. This encompasses all criminal groups and forces of evil, including disbelievers, oppressors, and hypocrites, as well as those who claim affiliation with Islam yet stand in opposition to its noble values and core principles—hypocritical, criminal, oppressive, and tyrannical factions aligned with, connected to, and supportive of the disbelievers.

When we reflect on our reality, what protects people? What guarantees their salvation? Allah has laid out the path for them. This is why jihad in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) came to address an existing reality filled with great dangers. When we seek to move forward and establish in our lives the values of goodness, justice, mercy, and benevolence, and to submit ourselves to Allah—His command, guidance, and instructions—the forces of evil reject this and fight against us. They want to enslave us for themselves instead of Allah, and they want to subjugate, oppress, humiliate, crush, and exploit us for their own satanic interests, ambitions, and desires. Therefore, we speak of a reality built on inevitable conflict, but what truly matters is how we respond and act in the face of these dangers.

Regrettably, we as a Muslim Ummah have reached extremely difficult circumstances in this era—circumstances that have emboldened our enemies from all factions of disbelief and evil, along with those allied with them, to covet this Ummah. This has occurred because the Ummah has, over a long period and successive centuries, neglected its great, sacred, and monumental responsibilities. These sacred responsibilities, together with its noble values, would have built it into the strongest nation on earth: a nation that calls to goodness, enjoins what is right, forbids what is wrong, strives in the path of Allah, and establishes the values of truth, justice, and goodness based on Allah's guidance and teachings, all while enjoying His great support and victory. However, through centuries of neglect, the Ummah has reached its present state: a reality coveted by its malicious, criminal, evil, tyrannical, corrupt, and unjust enemies. When you address these enemies with human values, they neither possess nor reciprocate them; they are utterly devoid of such values. When you speak to them of religious, faith-based values, they reject those as well—despite the fact that human values are originally innate, for Allah created people upon them, and Islam (the true religion of Allah) came to affirm and reinforce them.

The Ummah's present reality—marked by fragmentation, division, severe lack of awareness, and an abundance of collaborators serving the enemies—is a state that arouses the covetousness of the enemies of Allah, emboldening them to attack. Thus, whether we like it or not, we are a targeted Ummah, and nothing protects or defends us except jihad in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him). Neither surrender, compromise, humiliation, nor submission to the enemies can shield us from their evil or repel their dangers—indeed, those dangers are great.

Therefore, jihad in the path of Allah (Glory be to Him) is a sacred responsibility to confront evil and tyranny, and it is one of the essential necessities the Ummah must embrace to protect itself.

In this era, we witness that our fiercest enemies are the Jews, whom Allah has clearly identified in the Holy Quran as the most hostile towards us as Muslims: {'You will surely find the most serious of mankind in enmity to the believers to be the Jews'}[Al-Ma'idah 5:82]. We also witness what their hostility looks like. Do they not strive to annihilate this Ummah, to corrupt it, to mislead it, to enslave it, and to entrench a system in which this Ummah can be violated with impunity? Do they not seek to normalise such treatment in the Ummah's eyes, blaming only those who refuse to accept it and treating those who refuse to submit as enemies? This is what they seek to bring the Ummah to. And indeed, they have succeeded in bringing most of it to that shameful state of weakness and humiliation—a disgraceful state for this Islamic Ummah that possesses every factor that, only if it acted upon them, would enable it to triumph over its enemies, reclaim its dignity and honour, and restore its human worth and legitimate rights.

The Jews, along with all the global arms of Zionism—America at the forefront, followed by Britain, Germany, and others allied with them—act as enemies to this Ummah through their Zionist scheme and their criminal actions, maintaining a constant state of aggression against it. The Jews have maintained this state of aggression against this Ummah since the beginning of the Israeli Zionist Jewish occupation of Palestine—an aggression and targeting directed at the entire Ummah. Before this, other forms of targeting existed, and since then—throughout and up to the present—their assault on the Ummah has continued relentlessly. When they target the Palestinian people, they indeed target the entire Ummah, for Palestine is part of it. In fact, neither the Palestinian people nor Palestine alone is the sole target, nor is the Al-Aqsa Mosque the only sacred site on their list of objectives. Furthermore, Lebanon, Syria, and the wider region surrounding Palestine are not the only targets. These merely stand at the forefront of their aims—behind them lies the rest of this Ummah.

If we only see, hear, understand, reflect, and comprehend the enormity of the atrocities committed by the Israeli enemy—since the beginning of the occupation more than seven decades ago and during the past two years of its latest assault on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, marked by every imaginable form of heinous crime—we cannot but recognise that this enemy is truly dangerous, wicked, and criminal to the highest degree. Indeed, its cultural and ideological roots are profoundly perilous and steeped in falsehood, breeding that very kind of people and that very degree of criminality upon which they act. They hold a distinct ideology and clear objectives, to which they remain wholly bound and by which they operate. This stands as clear evidence of their aggressiveness and reveals their nature that Allah mentioned about them: {'They are hastening into sin and aggression'}[Al-Ma'idah 5:62].

The issue is not that we are the cause or that we provoke or incite them. What did the Palestinian people ever do to the Jews that brought them from every corner of the earth to occupy Palestine? What had the Palestinian people done before that? What could possibly have provoked the Jews? Nothing at all—no provocation whatsoever. They do not need to be provoked. They act upon cultural, intellectual, and doctrinal foundations steeped in evil, criminality, and tyranny. Therefore, it is what manifests in their actions and in their relentless targeting of this Ummah.

Even after the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, their aggression remains evident as they continue killing. They honour neither agreements nor covenants. Their American guarantor partners with them in their crimes, while the other guarantors stand powerless and unable to act—for this Ummah has chosen weakness for itself and remains trapped within it.

Their aggression is unmistakable. In roughly three weeks or a little more, over 250 Palestinians in Gaza have been martyred. The blockade against the Palestinian people continues: of the aid shipments agreed to be allowed in—what rightfully belongs to them—only a very small portion actually enters, a mere fraction of what was promised. The Israeli enemy continues to kill, to impose its blockade, to close the Rafah Crossing, and to prevent the evacuation of the sick and wounded—violating every term of the agreement. It carries on with demolitions and destruction and blocks the provision of tents and everything the Palestinian people need for shelter. It persists in abductions and in the torture of captives through the most brutal forms of abuse and humiliation, and it has even enacted a law authorising their execution. Within its prisons and detention centres, its criminals boast about threatening and humiliating captives. The Israeli enemy has subjected most of the captives—those whose bodies have been returned—to the harshest and most inhumane treatment, and it has committed the most atrocious crimes against them. It has become evident that some were executed beneath the tracks of tanks; others were hanged after prolonged torture; and others were killed through sustained and savage abuse. Even then, it steals from their very bodies—their organs, hearts, livers, and kidneys. Against them, it commits every form of horrific crime, revealing an enemy of unparallelled criminality, depravity, and aggressiveness, stripped of all human values. It blocks the evacuation of the wounded and the sick and continues to abduct captives. During this period of aggression against the Gaza Strip, more than eighty captives have been martyred. It goes on threatening Al-Quds, working to erase Islamic landmarks, and targeting the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. It persists with incursions and excavations that now threaten partial structural collapses—precursors to total collapse.

Hence, we call upon our Ummah to remain alert to the Jewish approach, which embodies contempt and mockery towards it. This approach employs conditioning and psychological preparation to make the Ummah accept the enemy with all its crimes, wickedness, aggressiveness, and satanic objectives—until it becomes welcomed and relations with it are normalised. It moves based on the principle of violating this Ummah: humiliating it, killing whomever it wishes daily, looting and destroying as it pleases, and committing the worst atrocities—yet being accepted and even welcomed, with some even rushing to normalise relations, to yield to its demands, and to tie everything in this region to it. The enemy wants the Ummah to depend on the Israeli enemy for everything—such as water, energy, oil, and goods—and make the Ummah's entire economy shackled to it. It also operates on the basis that anyone who refuses such submission must be blamed, vilified, and branded with familiar accusations: 'Iran and Iran's tool' and so forth. In short, anyone who does not accept the Israeli enemy's domination over this region—marked by its wickedness, criminality, and brutality; its violation of this Ummah; and its contempt for the Ummah, its religion, and its sanctities—is, in its eyes, the true enemy, against whom all attention, power, and resources must be directed.

In the West Bank, the Israeli enemy continues its assaults in every form: killings, bulldozing, and especially intensified attacks during this season of the olive harvest. Turn on your television and see what the Zionist, Jewish Israelis have done to the Palestinian people to stop them from harvesting their olives. These are despicable acts: They beat the Palestinians in their fields, burn some of their farms, cut down olive trees, and steal the harvest once it is gathered. Such conduct is vile, criminal, unjust, and deeply degrading to human dignity. What kind of person can witness such scenes and remain indifferent, directing all his anger, propaganda, and hostility instead towards those who take a position against the Israeli enemy?

The Israeli enemy continues its assaults in Lebanon, with UNIFIL acknowledging that it has documented 9,400 violations of the agreement committed by the Israeli enemy. Nonetheless, many remain preoccupied with echoing Israeli calls to disarm Hezbollah: They want to deprive Lebanon of the very weapon that protects it, the only weapon that safeguards it. Indeed, their sole concern seems to be vilifying Hezbollah.

Regarding Palestine, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories issued an official, data-backed report, documenting the involvement of sixty countries—including several Arab states—in the genocidal aggression against Gaza over the past two years. The United States gave its full support and was a full partner in the injustices, genocide, and aggression inflicted upon the Palestinian people. In addition, it used its veto power seven times to block the adoption of a ceasefire resolution. America, Germany, Italy, and Britain were the principal suppliers of weapons to the Israeli enemy, joined by twenty-six other countries that sent arms shipments during the aggression against Gaza. Several Arab states also continued their trade with the enemy.

This week marked the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration—a stark reminder of the British, American, and Western role in enabling the Zionist enemy to occupy Palestine, met with Arab negligence, Arab complacency, lack of vision, and grave Arab and Islamic weakness. What is deeply saddening is that this negligence persists and that any effort to take a serious stance continues to be undermined, even during the past two years amid the genocide committed by the Israeli enemy against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, other peoples have awakened, taking to the streets in thousands of demonstrations. In Europe—and even in America—public opinion has shifted markedly. Across the world, people have awakened and acted upon their human conscience, supporting and standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people and declaring their stance against the Israeli enemy. They pressured their governments to such an extent that the Americans and Israelis began to fear international isolation and the expanding wave of awareness spreading across the globe. Despite all this, some Arab states remain steeped in heedlessness, which grows even worse. Indeed, there are deliberate efforts to condition the peoples of our Ummah into submission to their enemy. Our peoples, who should be the first to awaken, to understand, and to act, are instead those who largely remain motionless, submissive, and subdued, as though lifeless. Peoples in the farthest corners of the earth are stirred to act, while these very nations—the most targeted and most responsible before all others—remain asleep, which is an extremely dangerous state.

On the contrary, there is a highly determined and concentrated effort to discredit the active, struggling, and independent forces within the Ummah. Since the end of the escalated aggression against Gaza—which continues otherwise—and from the announcement of the ceasefire until today, all those loyal to America and Israel have launched extremely intensive campaigns against those who stood with Gaza and supported the Palestinian people. They have carried out propaganda aimed at defamation, slander, sowing doubt, and inciting hostility. Thus, they have aligned themselves with America and Israel, following American and Israeli policy. The hypocrites who are loyal to America and Israel adopt the same Israeli-American logic and labels, branding anyone who supported the Palestinian people as 'Iran', 'an Iranian proxy', and similar terms. They have even defamed the Islamic Republic of Iran—the free Muslim country that refused to submit to America and stood with the Palestinian people. Their focus has become framing any opposition to the Israeli enemy, which is an enemy of the entire Ummah, having acted against the Arabs, the Muslims, the Palestinian people, and the surrounding Arab nations. In fact, it is an enemy to the whole Ummah, with its sacred sites and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which are sanctities to all Muslims. The hypocrites label each stance according to the Israeli and American label, and they defame Iran and all the free peoples of the Ummah. Meanwhile, they encourage crime and sow division.

Who supports the most heinous crimes that are happening in Sudan? Who finances it? It is those same powers that stand hostile to the Palestinian people and to all who stand with them—and who are in alliance with the Israeli enemy. At the same time, they sow discord and violence within the Ummah in every form, fuelling conflicts among its people—just as they are doing in Sudan.

Therefore, we recognise the importance of following the right path, which is founded upon the guidance of Allah and rooted in the Quran, in truth, and in the clear realities of life—a path that stands against the true enemy. Whoever aligns himself with the true enemy is bound for loss and moral ruin—as Allah affirms in the Quran—thereby exposing his crime, malice, and corruption. None stand with the Israeli enemy or oppose those who resist it except criminals, wicked individuals, hypocrites, those whose hearts are diseased, and those who will inevitably be the losers in the end, as Allah declares in the Holy Quran. We recognise the need to continue building, grounded in readiness for the next round of confrontation with the enemy and those who collude with it.

By the grace of Allah (Glory be to Him), our dear people were enabled to adopt a noble stance: standing against the Israeli enemy, alongside the oppressed Palestinian people, and against genocide and the horrific crimes that have shaken the world. Our people took an honourable position with all they could muster—militarily as far as possible and through a vast and intense popular mobilisation. This was accompanied by an intensive process of strengthening military capabilities, and by Allah's grace, we emerged from this round stronger than at any previous stage: stronger in military capacity, in military training and preparation, in mass mobilisation and readiness at all levels, enriched by experience, lessons, and our engagement with Western technologies and tactics—and in many other respects.

Anyway, we are certainly heading into another round of confrontation with the Israeli enemy. Our region cannot know stability, security, or peace so long as the Israeli enemy remains an occupier of Palestine and pursues its Zionist scheme against us as a Muslim Ummah.

We must continue all our activities. Among the most remarkable activities in these days are the great tribal gatherings. We extend our warmest greetings, esteem, and deep appreciation to the tribes of our dear people, who have held magnificent gatherings that affirm their complete readiness and loyalty to the martyrs—an attitude evident at every level.

At the end of the speech, we emphasise the importance of caring for the families of the martyrs, of feeling a sense of responsibility towards them, and of giving due attention to this occasion throughout the days of Martyrs' Week, for it is a significant occasion. We should also make good use of the programmes broadcast on satellite channels about the martyrs—their lives, their wills, and the valuable documentaries produced about them—as well as all the activities dedicated to this occasion during these days.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the All-Hearer of prayer.

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.