8^th May 2021

URGENT PRESS RELEASE

Green Lane Mosque and Community Centre (GLMCC) is shocked and disturbed by the attacks on Palestinian worshippers at Al Aqsa mosque in the holiest month of Ramadan.

Hundreds of worshippers have been injured, including men, women and children. The violence at one of the holiest of sites to Muslims, in one of the holiest of months, is another shameful example of the continued persecution of the Palestinian people.

The attacks have come after the Israeli government sought to evict Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem.

We commend the UN Human Rights office in their call to Israel to immediately halt all forced evictions in occupied Palestine, including those in Sheikh Jarrah. Sheikh Jarrah remains part of the occupied Palestinian territory and is still subject to International Humanitarian law where the occupying power must display respect and cannot confiscate occupied territories.

We call on the UK government and Human Rights monitoring bodies to condemn the violence and call on Israel to uphold UN Security Council Resolution 2334 concerning the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.

The Al Aqsa mosque is one of the holiest sites of worship in Islam. There are tens of virtues attached to the holy mosque, due to centuries of rich Islamic heritage. Muslims believe that all of the Prophets of God were gathered in Al Aqsa and were led in prayer by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Al Aqsa is where many of the major Prophets of Islam migrated, lived and called to the worship of God.

In the Quran, we are told that Al Aqsa and its surrounded areas are blessed by Allah (God), and that one prayer in the holy mosque is worth 500 times more reward than anywhere else. It is therefore deeply violating to hear reports of cruel attacks on worshippers in some of the holiest nights of the year.

We remind the Muslim community that we are in the last 10 days of Ramadan and that there is ultimately no power or might except by the will of Allah the Almighty. We therefore advise Imams and Muslim communities to stand in prayer and make dua (supplication) to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians and all those oppressed around the world.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

‘The supplications of three persons are never turned away: a fasting person until he breaks his fast, a just ruler, and the supplication of the oppressed which is raised by Allah above the clouds, the gates of heaven are opened for it, and the Lord says: By my might, I will help you in due time.’ (Tirmidhi).

Green Lane Masjid