The "11th Baitul Maqdis Opinion Leaders Forum", organized by Turkey-Islamic World Relations Center (TAIM) and the International Union of Support for Jerusalem and Palestine, was started with the participation of scholars and opinion leaders from many Islamic countries.

The President of the International Coalition for the victory of Palestine and Jerusalem, Hemmam Said, who made the opening speech of the program, stated that the Ummah was in a difficult position because it did not properly perform its duties of Fard-ı ayn and Fard-ı kifayah.

He continued his speech by saluting those in the Hall on behalf of the Mubarak Masjid Al-Aqsa Murabits and said that the murabits were torches for Masjid Al-Aqsa with their blood and efforts.

Hemmam Said said: "I salute those who, along with you, are symbols of the Resistance in Gaza. Gaza is a stronghold of the Ummah's arsenal and strongholds. I greet Turkey's president, its people and Istanbul together. I salute Tunisia's new president Kays Said. He has made statements that have a great deal of repercussions in the world. He said it was treason to align with the Zionists. By Allah's leave, his words will serve as a distinction between two centuries. There will be a distinction between seeing alignment with Zionists as Case Law (İjtihad) and that consider it treason."

"We are united in a task which has been given to us by our Lord as a responsibility."

Thanking the organizers, he said: "You have united and become one despite the differences of your languages, shapes, colors and cultures. The Blessed Palestinian issue brought you together. The Al-Aqsa Mosque has brought you together. You prepared a trip for it and you came. You are at the Masjid Al Aqsa station today. Today we have come together on a task which has been given to us by our Lord."

"What the Ummahhas lost  is that it has gone away from the Fard-I kifayah"

Reminding that the Islamic Ummah and Muslims are responsible for two Fards, he continued:" Muslims are responsible for Fard-ı kifayah and Fard-ı ayn. People call them Fard-ı kifayah but I name them fards of the Ummah. Perhaps the Ummah has been fulfilling the Fard-ı ayn for centuries. They have been fasting during Ramadan for centuries and have been performing many prayers and pilgrimages. But where is the Ummah today? The ummah is scattered and lost.

What is the loss of the Ummah? The loss of the ummah is that it is away from the Fard-ı kifayah. What are the Fards of the Ummah? The Fards of the Ummah are everything that concerns the Ummah's honour, dignity and glory. Muslims understood the Fard-I kifayes only as participation in the funeral prayer. It is also Fard-ı kifayah to establish the Islamic State and to invite and preach in the way of Allah, and to enjoin good and forbid evil. It is Fard-ı kifayah to save the occupied lands. It is Fard-ı kifayah to protect and defend the Bayt'ul Maqdis. The struggle against the policies of normalizing relations with Zionists is Fard-ı kifayah. But what do these mean, dear brothers? These are the obligations of the entire Ummah. Imam Shâtibi divided the Fard-I kifayah according to the Ummah. The first group is the ones who have power, the other is the ones who doesn't. We are the ones without power. But what is obligatory on those who have no power is that they have to help those who have power. And we will support those who have that power. That's why we had this meeting."

Hasan Turan, deputy of the AK Party Istanbul and Chairman of the Turkey-Palestine Friendship Group, started his speech by reading a poem written by the recently deceased Jerusalem poet Nuri Pakdil about Jerusalem.

"You may be invading, you may be powerful, but it doesn't mean you are justified"

Turan said: " Jerusalem is our common homeland. The homeland of all of us, which is not within our borders but at the heart of our hearts. The common heartbreak of all our brothers and sisters in the Islamic world is Jerusalem. Our meeting was named, ' Living with the invaders on our land and standing together against the Treaty of the Century'. Living with the invader is like going into a sack with a scorpion or a snake. It is not possible to live with the occupier. It goes against human dignity, honor, faith. It is against all the values that make Man human. Imagine that your house is occupied and you accept it, it is not possible. The Palestinian people today show the best example of this. Maybe their land is being invaded, their children are being slaughtered, their men are being imprisoned, but they have been resisting the occupation for a hundred years.  You may be invading, you may be powerful, but it doesn't mean you are justified."

"We are saddened by the fact that the Western world views the issue as a matter of political interest."

Inviting everyone who carries the conscience and cause of humanity in his heart to support Palestinian people, Turan concluded as follows:" We invite all our brothers and sisters to support us. We do not distinguish between the security of Jerusalem and the security of Istanbul. If Turkey's security is threatened and compromised, we believe that the Palestinian cause loses a lot. We are aware of that. Everyone who listens to the cries of the Palestinian people, who is the spokesperson for their cries, and who is in solidarity and support with them, regardless of any faith, is doing a sacred job for us. But today we see the Western world employing double standards. We are aware that countries in the Western world, unfortunately for their own benefit, are not fulfilling their obligations in the proper way. But today we see the Western world employing double standards. We are aware that countries in the Western world, unfortunately for their own benefit, are not fulfilling their obligations in the proper way. There is no shortage of Muslim peoples to share the suffering of Jerusalem. Wherever you talk to a Muslim in the world, he considers Jerusalem as his cause. However, we are saddened by the fact that the Western world looks at the issue with political interest. We believe Western parliamentarians need to do more work on this issue."

In the meeting, a poem recited by a Palestinian little boy about Jerusalem was applauded at length by those in the Hall.

İLKHA