Fight numbness on Gaza by living these virtues

We have lived, and are still living, through some of the most difficult weeks and days of our entire lives. We watch the killing of children and women live on air, with nothing in our ears but the sounds of screams and cries, and no smell in the air but the scent of blood.

Every second, more lives are lost, many more are injured, and thousands are trapped under the rubble.

Those who survive feel that those who died are the ones who are truly saved, as the survivors witness new chapters of suffering just to find a sip of water, a piece of bread, or a safe place to seek refuge.

Life has stopped dead in its tracks

Life has come to a halt under the eyes of a world that has stripped itself of its values and humanity, leaving the people of Gaza alone with no one to support them except God.

They have been abandoned by both those close and distant, by their brothers in faith, and by their fellow humans who share the same compassion.

It is a great agony to witness the height of injustice and be powerless to stop it.

Many of us now avoid embracing our children, as it reminds us of those who have been deprived of embracing theirs forever, those who were stained with their children’s blood when they hugged them, and those who could only hold onto their hands because the rest of their bodies were under the rubble.

We’ve become desensitised; we have dehumanised

Perhaps the most damning thing of the 21^st century is how accustomed we have become to bloodshed and the ugliest of human behaviour.

The soft screams of children under the roar of bombing no longer startle us, the sight of destroyed neighbourhoods no longer holds our attention for more than a moment, and the blood of the dead amidst the rubble no longer makes our heart tremble.

This is human nature; there is intensity to first experiences, those raw and often startling emotions that have not yet been dulled by repetition.

But human nature is also such that our interest fades in everything we become accustomed to, no matter how significant or worthy of reflection, wonder, or horror.

Perhaps this is a nature that deserves resistance and rejection, to protect the heart from turning into one that is dead — whose beats announce nothing of value. Our hearts should rid themselves of this monotony and coldness, even forcibly if necessary.

Of the most important virtues and values that we must hold onto and revive in ourselves and our children at all times — especially during times of trial and tribulation — are what Ibn Hazm (rahīmahullāh) describes as being the four pillars of all virtue:

1. Justice
2. Courage
3. Generosity
4. Understanding.

These are counterbalanced by the vices of injustice, cowardice, stinginess, and ignorance.

We are living in critical times to check ourselves for signs of desensitisation, especially as we support the cause of Palestine.

Justice vs. injustice

This value is the foundation of the universe; it is the reason why messages were sent and why the most advanced civilisations arose or eventually declined.

Allah Almighty says,

“We sent Our messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance, that people may stand forth in justice.” [1]

Justice is a divine law and a human necessity; it brings happiness to humanity, and it is the reason for the survival and progress of nations.

Injustice and oppression are condemned in Islam and in all religions; they lead to destruction and extinction.

Allah says,

“And those cities We destroyed when they committed injustices, and We appointed for their destruction a fixed time.” [2]

Justice has disappeared from our world and has been replaced by injustice, tyranny, and the killing of innocents and children.

It is the Muslim’s responsibility to strive to prevent injustice and establish justice. If the frequent exposure to killing has reduced your pursuit of justice for Palestine, then you are suffering from symptoms of desensitisation.

Courage vs. cowardice

Even before the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, his wife, Khadijah (radiy Allahu ‘anha), described her husband by saying:

“By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you.

“You maintain family ties, bear the burden of others, help the destitute, entertain guests, and assist those afflicted by calamities.” [3]

After his prophethood had commenced, the Messenger ﷺ said,

“Whoever relieves a believer of a burden from the burdens of this world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens of the Hereafter.

“Whoever alleviates the difficulty of someone in hardship, Allah will alleviate his hardship in this world and the Hereafter.

“Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah is in the aid of His servant as long as the servant is in the aid of his brother.” [4]

Our Gazan siblings in faith are in distress, facing fear, terror, and need. They need someone to help them and make them feel secure after long periods of fear and patience.

Shrinking away from courageously supporting them is a sign that desensitisation may be taking hold.

Generosity vs. stinginess

Generosity is the character of the prophets and the righteous.

Allah Almighty says about Prophet Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhi al-Salām),

“And certainly Our messengers came to Abraham with good news. They said, ‘Peace!’ He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf”. [5]

Allah condemns stinginess and miserliness, saying:

“And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allah has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them.

“Rather, it is worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the Heavens and the Earth. And Allah, of what you do, is [fully] Aware.” [6]

Sufyan al-Thawri (rahīmahullāh) said,

“I was circumambulating the Ka’ba when I saw a man saying, ‘O Allah, protect me from the stinginess of my soul.’ He said nothing more than that.

“I asked him why, and he said, ‘If I am protected from the stinginess of my soul, I will not steal, nor commit adultery, nor do anything wrong.’

“And it turned out the man was ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf, may Allah be pleased with him.” [7]

The ugliest form of stinginess is to be stingy towards our afflicted and distressed brothers with our wealth, time, prayers, and attention to their news and fate.

It is where we no longer carry their concerns, nor inform the world about their suffering and plight.

Such behaviour indicates a desensitisation to their suffering.

Understanding vs. ignorance

The situation in Gaza requires more than just knowing what’s happening; it demands a deep grasp of the divine interplay.

Ignorance only leads to a greater loss of virtue, hope, and motivation. Therefore, as a mere suggestion, we could consider balancing our media consumption to maintain a healthy mindset: 10 per cent could focus on direct news, 10 per cent on analytical commentary, and a significant 80 per cent on being guided by teachings from Muslim educators. Naturally, the actual percentages can vary, but this is just something to consider.

This balanced approach mirrors the way the Qur’ān deals with tragedies, mainly focusing on divine messages and deeper meanings to guard believers from becoming numb to the emotional and spiritual toll of such events.

Take, for example, the heart-wrenching subject of the killing of children — a topic deeply explored in the Qur’ān. Reflect on how Pharaoh’s decree to kill newborn Israelite boys is discussed.

The Qur’ān recounts this horror but simultaneously offers a vision of hope and divine justice:

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةًۭ وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ * وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَنُرِىَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَـٰمَـٰنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَحْذَرُونَ

“And We wanted to confer favour upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors, and establish them in the land, and show Pharaoh, Hāmān, and their armies what they feared most from them.” [8]

In this verse, Allah doesn’t only refer to the cruelty of such oppressors, He also emphasises the eventual empowerment and vindication of the oppressed.

Such framing is crucial. Without it, a constant focus on the difficult realities we are witnessing could lead to emotional overload and desensitisation. And so, this advice from Allah Almighty guides how we should expose ourselves to ongoing crises, ensuring that we stay informed yet spiritually and emotionally intact.

Arguably, the most dangerous thing for the Palestinian cause is to become desensitised to the massacres, the sight of killings, the injustice, and the shedding of innocent blood, where the system of central virtues erode and are gradually replaced by the vices summarised by Ibn Hazm in the aforementioned four points.

For this reason, it is incumbent upon leaders in the Muslim community and those with wisdom to revive and activate these virtues within the Ummah, protect and preserve them, in the hope that Allah will change our situation to a better one, for He is All-Capable and All-Wise.

Source: Islam21c

Notes

[1] al-Qur’ān, 57:25

[2] al-Qur’ān, 18:59

[3] Sahīh al-Bukhārī, 4,953; https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4953

[4] Sahīh Muslim 2,699a; https://sunnah.com/muslim:2699a

[5] al-Qur’ān, 11:69

[6] al-Qur’ān, 3:180

[7] Narrated by Sufyān al-Thawrī

[8] al-Qur’ān, 28:5-6