Holidays for Muslims are about joy, happiness, peace, family unity, and reconnecting with relatives. It's a time when elders are visited, the graves of those who have passed are honored, and friends come closer; in short, everything good about humanity is manifested on a holiday.
The Hajj pilgrimage, required during the Feast of Sacrifice, is a day when pilgrims from all over the world prepare spiritually and materially, standing before God.
Today, pilgrims are at Arafat. It is known as the moment when prayers are accepted, and the sins committed throughout one's life are forgiven.
When I went on Hajj with my late mother, we listened to heart-touching speeches by Mehmet Savaş Hoca and Prof. Hüseyin Algül at Arafat, on behalf of the Directorate of Religious Affairs.
When the two muezzins from Istanbul began to call the adhan, it felt as if the heavens and earth had merged. Many have heard the morning adhan in Istanbul, but the spiritual atmosphere of Arafat, combined with the adhan recited by the Istanbul muezzins, took the pilgrims far away.
During the standing at Arafat, as people reflected on their lives and prayed, the congregation wept uncontrollably. The imam not only prayed for the personal reflections of Muslim individuals but also made heart-wrenching prayers for the oppressed Muslims around the world, thirsty for justice.
There was a light mist in Arafat. Belief is a matter of faith, but after the standing at Arafat, one feels reborn.
On holiday days, all aspects of humanity come to the fore, reminding us of our humanity. Aside from all these good aspects, there is also something that pains us: in the hadith, it is said, "Believers are like a single body; if one part hurts, the whole body feels the pain."
Since the 19th century, Muslim countries and communities have been subjected to oppression and occupation all over the world. Since its founding, Israel's Jewish oppression against Palestinians who have continued the cause of Al-Aqsa Mosque has never ceased. For 75 years, Muslims have been passionately continuing the cause of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Stoning the devil is one of the important rituals of Hajj and strengthens the bond between humans and God. Muslims, whose faith in God is strengthened, perform the ritual of stoning the devil during Hajj.
I performed Hajj during the February 28 process. Some of the Turkish pilgrims, throwing stones at the devil in anger, shouted, "Take this for Güven Erkaya," "And this for Çevik Bir." The generals of February 28 were seen as the epitome of hostility to Islam.
I saw someone weeping bitterly in the Prophet's Mosque, and it was one of the Turkish pilgrims. He prayed, "Oh Lord, lift the dark clouds over our country, give strength and patience to the Muslims, help us against the oppressors."
Another painful issue is Palestine. Years ago, while talking to an experienced diplomat, he said, "Palestine is the womb of humanity; if there is oppression in Palestine, there is no justice in the world. Humanity continues to suffer."
Since the Gaza war began, our pain has continued, and what hurts the most is humanity's helplessness in the face of Israel's oppression, which even surpasses that of Nazi Germany.
Imagine a genocide: children are killed, women are killed, homes are destroyed, hospitals are destroyed, mosques, churches, young people, the elderly, the sick, newborn babies, and those in need of surgery are dying of hunger. The oppression has reached the heavens and is so great that it defies description.
There are nations that have sacrificed their lives, land, religion, nation, and honor to protect during their wars of independence. The Palestinian cause is not just a land issue; it is the cause of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first qibla of Muslims and the site of the Prophet's ascension, making it the common cause of Islamic countries.
Another infuriating issue is this: Zionists are creating fear and power that leaves the whole world helpless. However, what comforts the heart is the global resistance, especially from European nations and US universities, against the Palestinian cause. This is a hopeful development.
The holiday days will be spent with joy, visiting family, relatives, and friends, feeling the depth of the sacrifice. However, we must know that this holiday is a dark holiday for humanity in Gaza, facing genocide. When Palestine is free from the river to the sea, we will celebrate even in our own country.
