Islam’s Dignity in Times of Oppression: Khaled Nabhan’s Legacy

MAY ALLAH ACCEPT Khaled ‘Soul of my Soul’ Nabhan among the Shuhada and reunite him with his beloved grandchildren in the highest place of Jannah

His serene and heartfelt reaction to the murder of his granddaughter Reem and grandson Tariq by the Israilis touched millions worldwide. He traveled through Gaza comforting others who had lost family. To one woman, he said: “Your loved ones are with our Lord, who is kinder and more loving than their loved ones.”

To the Muslims, it showed us what it means to have sabr and to accept Allah’s decree with true submission. We all wanted to be like him.

To non-Muslims, his dignity in the chaos of war made them wonder what Islam is that brings such grace during tough times, leading many to become Muslims. Through his kindness and understanding, he defied the negative stereotypes of Muslim men shown in Western media.

His stance, like that of all the Gazans, reminded me of the harsh boycott faced by the Prophet ﷺ and his clan in the 7th year of his mission.

The Quraysh agreed to cut off support from the Muslims, pressuring Banu Hashim to hand over the Prophet ﷺ for execution. For three years, the Muslims and their relatives endured severe punishment, suffering from starvation and isolation.

Not one Muslim gave in; they followed the Prophet ﷺ faithfully. Their stance made some of the Quraysh uncomfortable and questioned what they were doing. News of the Muslims’ suffering spread to nearby Arab tribes. They were struck by the way the Muslims endured hunger, thirst and isolation for their beliefs, leading them to explore whether there was truth to this new deen. They began to question the Quraysh and public opinion began to shift in favour of the Muslims.

Even in such extreme hardship, Allah elevated the Muslims due to their dignity in the face of oppression and opened the hearts of some to Islam. Indeed it is said that after the boycott eventually ended, there was a surge of people who embraced Islam.

Is this not similar to what we see today? The strength of the Gazans in facing severe oppression and violence is making them more respected worldwide, while their attackers seem weaker. Many people who ignored this oppression before are now seeing the truth of the lies they have been told for years and are looking at Islam differently.

Who would have imagined that instead of achieving their goals, the enemies of Islam are causing their own downfall!

وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرُ ٱلْمَـٰكِرِينَ

They planned, but Allah also planned. And Allah is the best of planners. (an-Anfal 30)