Yasir Qadhi – A Frank and Bold Appeal Defunding of UNRWA & What Muslims Need to Know

			Today shallow to Allah I wanted to discuss as you're aware, I am somebody who combines between
spirituality and politics and history. I believe this is the way forward that as Muslims living in
the modern world that we have to combine between activism between knowledge of reality and between
our faith in Allah subhanho wa Taala and belief in the Day of Judgment. Today will be a modern
history with a little bit of political analysis of what is going on in the situation in Gaza. As we
are aware, one of the most dramatic
		

			incidents one of the most dramatic decisions has taken place, and that is that nine of the
superpowers have agreed to withdraw aid to UNRWA. Now what is Onra you and RW a owner is the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. It is the only United
Nations body that deals with refugees of one country. This is a unique United Nations body. There is
no other United Nations body that is concerned with refugees of one nationality and ethnicity,
because the United Nations also has UNHCR and UNHCR deals with the refugees of the world. And Onra
deals with refugees from photos thin, separate, distinct entire entity. And as you're aware, the day
		

			that the International Court of Justice, the highest court in the global world of politics, there is
no appeal. The iCj is the highest court in this dunya we world that we live in the as you're aware,
by a resounding vote like 16 to 115 to two like a resounding vote, they sided with South Africa
against Israel, and they said this is a legitimate case, and we're going to need evidence or Israel
that you're not committing genocide the same day, the same day, nine countries announced that
they're going to withdraw aid from Andhra. So what exactly is Andhra? Why did they do this? What can
we do as muslims and what is the analysis as Muslims Onra is the sole United Nations representation
		

			for the Palestinian refugee crisis it was created in 1949 by a special UN resolution. When the first
expulsion took place, the first Nakba, the first Nakba, took place 700,000 refugees were expelled
from their lands, and the UN did not get involved. The UN basically allowed Israel a green light to
do that, in order to kind of cover up their crimes in order to have a guilty conscience asides. They
said okay, we will take care of these refugees, those 700,000 added to them, the second Nakba added
to them their children and grandchildren. Today, UNRWA is in charge of around 6 million Palestinian
refugees, not just in Gaza, in the West Bank, and in refugee camps in Muslim lands as well. There's
		

			refugee camps in Lebanon, there's refugee camps and other places where since the first Nakba, they
have been expelled over there. And they provide humanitarian aid to over 6 million Muslims of
Palestinian origin. They run 13,000 schools, sorry, not doing those schools. They run school sorry,
they run 1000 schools for half a million people sorry, I visited one of these schools myself, three,
four years ago, and I saw myself the work that Andrea is doing under the United Nations, they run
around 1000 schools for half a million for half a million people. 13,000 is the number of people
they employ in Gaza. They employ the largest employer in all of husba is the United Nations Andhra.
		

			They employ 13,000 people in Gaza. They employ 20,000 people and other places around the world, and
UNRWA runs 114 clinics, all across the Gaza and the West Bank. This is for most Palestinians the
only source of medicine, the only source of you know shots for their kids, the only source of day to
day medicinal needs, the only source for most of them is Onra. And where does the money come from?
It comes from voluntary donations from the United Nations member states. And yes, our government of
America was the number one for many years giving to Andhra followed by other Western countries.
Unfortunately, sadly, Muslim countries, by and large are not in the top 10 One or two are but by and
		

			large, they're not in the top 10. Now, as you're aware, since the October 7 attack that Israel has
done on elizab, Andhra has become the primary lifeline for Gaza. Over half of Gaza depends on Anwar
right now. That's the primary lifeline over half of Gaza depends on food and water from Andhra what
is going to happen when you cut that aid off? Think about it right over this is
		

			The innocent people of Gaza, and the United Nations itself has said that Israel has killed 150
employees of our own the highest disaster for United Nations in this entire last, you know, seven
years has been this debacle. Now why was Andhra created separate from UNHCR what is UNHCR, the
United Nations High Commission for Refugees? If you are a refugee from Ukraine, refugee from Russia,
refugee from Mexico, refugee from anywhere, UNHCR is in charge of you if you have been expelled for
illegal reasons, political reasons, you become a refugee UNHCR will deal with you. If you are a
Palestinian origin. It is not allowed for the UNHCR to deal with your case. It is not allowed on
		

			camera, we'll deal with your case. Why? Listen to this, a lot of Muslims are not aware when Israel
first expelled 700,000 people. And the United Nations original agency which became UNHCR,
technically speaking, UNHCR was created after but there was an agency before I so let's not get into
the details there. That agency said we'll take them. Israel said no, we will not allow you to take
the Palestinians under the global umbrella of refugees. Why 1949 So many Jewish people were also
expelled from Europe. And the UNHCR parent organization took their case. And Israel said, as a part
of their rights, they must be given the option to return to their homelands. And the UN agreed, you
		

			guys following? If you were expelled from Poland, if you were expelled from Ukraine, the UN gave the
right of return to whom?
		

			To whom? The Jewish people that were expelled because of the Nazis. Now, if they gave the same un
code and resolution, the same organization took charge of Philistine what would happen?
		

			The rate of return?
		

			Israel said no. And the superpowers of the time our country included said no, we cannot allow the
same organization that deals with other refugees to take charge of Palestinians. Well, what are you
going to do? Where will 700,000 People go, who's going to take care of them, they are passport,
less, they are stateless. They don't have nationality, they don't have opportunity work. The highest
unemployment rate in the world for the last three decades is has the highest unemployment rate. Why?
Because they don't even have legal, they don't have they're not even legal recognized by any
country, they don't have an existence in the political system. So the UN created a separate body
		

			just for Palestine, just for Philistia refugees, and that is called Onra. Now, once you have created
two bodies, now it becomes very easy to control the one of them without influencing the other. And
this was the goal. And we see the reality this week. This was the goal from day one, to have a
separate entity. And that is why Onra has always always been under pressure, meaning Israel has
always put under under pressure to shut down his offices to minimize and that's why when Trump came
to office, the first thing that he did in 20, whatever 18 It was one of the first things he does, he
says, I'm going to cut off on his money. And he did for a year owners money was shut off because of
		

			the lobby in this country. Thank God the next year after that it came back and whatnot. But it was
it caused a mini crisis within its own land. So on camera, in reality is a creation, believe it or
not, because of Israeli pressure. They didn't want the United Nations to take charge of them. Now
that they created it. They feel they have control over it. And in a certain way they do as we see
what happened over here. And they have been trying to shut down on raw for the last 75 years because
as we said Andhra is the primary employer of the Palestinian people. Over 30,000 Palestinians across
the world are employed by UNRWA owners, the primary source of food and water owners, their primary
		

			source of clinical and medicine or aid owner is the largest body that teaches the children of Gaza,
the highest literacy rates in the Arab world. And the highest unemployment is also an as they go
figure right there smart kids, they want to study, they don't have any jobs, what are they going to
do? So what is going to happen? Obviously Onra becomes a soft target. Now, here's where I have to
get into a little bit of political analysis guys, and this is important.
		

			Do you really think after iCj announces that Israel is potentially guilty of guilty of war crimes?
Do you really think within hours, all of these superpowers withdrawing their support to Onra is a
coincidence. Wallahi brothers and sisters
		

			is use your brain within hours of IC JS announcing the verdict. All of these superpowers including
the four big ones, America, Canada, Australia, UK, and Finland and some other of these superpowers,
Germany, others, these major superpowers simultaneously withdraw support of UNRWA. This is a
coordinated attack against the most defenseless of the defenseless. It is a tit for tat Wallahi I'm
sorry to be a little bit crude this year. It is a child's tantrum.
		

			This is a two year olds tantrum, like you took away my toy. This is what I'm going to do back to
you. I'm just going to yell and scream because you took away my toy. This is the equivalent. What
has Onra got to do with iCj? What has this issue of feeding Palestinians? So Andhra employs 30,000
Palestinians, and Israel allegedly allegedly said 11 of them are Hamas sympathizers. I don't know
whether it's true or not. But even if 11 employees out of 30,000 are guilty of something, are you
going to shut the entire corporation down? Can you imagine if a university 10 students did a crime
you shut the university down? Can you imagine if a hospital in hospitals you have doctors that could
		

			that might even do a crime on the patient? Are you going to shut the hospital down the whole
hospital? The equivalent of shutting down on camera because of the even if we say even if I'm not
even going to debate, maybe they are? I don't know. But I'm not talking about that. Even if 11
employees are sympathetic or guilty, okay, get rid of those 11 to shut down Onra is nothing other
than the equivalent of a childish tantrum and who's going to suffer. The 2 million people of Gaza
who are right now lifeline of the Lifeline is on them. And subhanAllah sisters and brothers. The
fact of the matter is that
		

			at one side, it's very depressing. I wish I could give you some good news here, because this
decision, potentially will have fatal consequences for 1000s of innocent people. This decision,
potentially, you are literally turning the water off literally turning the water off. The only
source that was guaranteed admittance was UNRWA, the only source of medicine the owners are now
though these major superpowers have withdrawn and their funding has been cut 60% Alhamdulillah. Many
countries have refused and they're still giving. But the big donations that were coming from the
biggest have all been shut off. So UNRWA, which was already struggling already financially, it
		

			wasn't enough. Now more than 50% overnight has been shut off because of one decision. And that
decision by the way, it is coming straight from Israel through our country, it cannot come from
anywhere else. Israel has requested all of the superpowers within a few hours, they withdraw from
Andhra and now we're dealing with this crisis. Now. No doubt on the one side it is very tragic, very
painful. But I still say that we look at the flip side, what is the flip side? What is the silver
lining? What is the light at the end of the tunnel?
		

			This type of tactic demonstrates it demonstrates complete and utter anger that is coming from out
from without any rational plan. It is a retribution. It is a nastiness and meanness that indicates
they are losing power. They have nothing else to do the ICJ ruling, even though in my humble
opinion, if it's out of 10, I wouldn't give it 10 I'd give it a nine or nine and a half. It's really
good. By the way. I know some of us were not fully happy even myself, I wish they would use stronger
language Wallahi. I did. But in the end of the day, that ruling was phenomenal. Why? Because South
Africa basically said that we want to sue Israel for a genocide. And Israel said you have no right
		

			to sue. This is not genocide. And the court ruled Actually no, we are sympathetic to is to South
Africa that it could be potential genocide. So Israel, you need to defend yourself. The court case
is valid. So what was the trial about the trial was about is there a court case or not? And the UN
said yes, there is a court case. So now it's going to go to court within three months or two months,
it's going to go to full trial. So in reality, this is a win. And also the wind was a resounding
majority 15 to one, literally like you couldn't really ask for a better one. I mean, massive
support. So it is a slap in the face. Our Secretary of Defense, our spokesperson, last week was
		

			asked about genocide and iCj, he has said the case is meritless meritless. And yet 15 of the world's
supreme judges basically said this is a case full of merit, complete slap on the face of our country
and every Western superpower. So
		

			So child's tantrum, they are embarrassed, they don't know what to do. So what did they do? They're
gonna cut off a to Palestine to has to unwrap. So on the one hand, it is very sad and tragic. On the
other hand, there is a clear indication that the people who thought they had the power or losing
power, and because they're losing power, you know, desperate people do desperate things, right?
People that are cut off Shut up, they do desperate things. By the way, this applies to people in
Gaza, as much as it applies to superpowers, right? desperate people do desperate things. Now, the
superpowers don't know what to do, because the highest court has ruled against them. So as a
		

			tantrum, to demonstrate, oh, we're still in charge, they take it out on the innocent people of Gaza.
And as they said, on the one hand is very tragic. On the other hand, this shows the world's opinion
is changing. It shows slowly but surely more and more people. There's a division now, even in the
Western world, even amongst the superpower, the American judge sided with South Africa against
Israel, the Georgia the the British judge the judges in the UN, they sided with South Africa against
Israel. So what's going to happen? The political powers here are now as I said, throwing their
tantrum. And when a child throws a tantrum, it indicates he doesn't have control over the situation.
		

			That's all the child can do. So the long term in sha Allah is positive, even though the short term
is not I want to mention one or two other things based on this right. And again, I'm really, may
Allah give me a Lawson hikma? What I'm about to say it's very problematic. I know, it's going to get
usual, you know, usual issues that happens online. But it needs to be said. One of the things that
we are seeing in the last three, four months is the reality of certain understandings of Islam that
emphasize petty and trivial matters, versus other understandings that emphasize global ummah. What
do I mean by this? I don't want to get too explicit. But one of my messages for the last decade or
		

			more has been on Muslims, stop fighting amongst yourselves over differences of opinion, or Muslims.
We have always had diversity of thought, yes, even diversity of opinion. I know it's painful for you
guys. But look at the reality since the beginning of the tabular, whatever tab you're on, we've had
multiple strands within Sunni Islam outside of Sunni Islam, multiple med hubs, multiple positions.
And so we need to learn to debate in a civil manner, learn to come together. And if you disagree,
don't demonize other another Muslim who loves Allah and His Messenger, don't consider another Muslim
who prioritizes the OMA prioritizes has to be an evil person because of a position of fear. Or even
		

			Yes, I'll say the position of al Qaeda. These are mainstream positions now at this stage in time and
this needs to be said, when has is literally burning, when we have the potential of millions of
people not facing even food and water. And we still have super fundamentalist strands of Islam
bickering amongst themselves, pointing fingers to other you know, movements within Islam. While the
bombs are dropping, they're going to point to me and you are these are the enemies although he made
a mistake there while law he it's no longer fun and games is no longer a nuisance. You're
demonstrating either stuck for Allah you are not sincere and you have been planted or your
		

			understanding of Islam is so disconnected from reality that you really cannot understand this is not
the time and place to bicker amongst ourselves or Muslims we need to and this leads me to my final
point is going to really be blunt, but it needs to be said we need to have a frank conversation. Who
are you taking as your final authorities and leaders in how we're going to move forward in this
land? This is the blunt question. And I'm gonna be blunt here may Allah protect me but will Allah He
I say this from sincerity and it's not about me and I'm going to come to this point, every strand of
Islam that is mainstream that it has its roots in the Middle East or Pakistan or India, every
		

			standard of Islam has its major teachers and mentors back home, we love and respect them. And
Wallahi I love and respect them as well. I'll mention some names of the people I love and respect as
good people move the doctor with money mashallah met him multiple times shook Allah do you know from
Mauritania, Masha, Allah great Allah and Allah Lim right any other strands look up to solder hippos
on others may Allah bless all of them. I say bluntly, their Iman and Taqwa and Zote and rabada is
better than anybody I would know in this part of the world. But that doesn't mean we go to them to
figure out what do we do right now in America. We differentiate between fatwas about Ibadat and
		

			taharah and Zika and rituals versus the way forward.
		

			Because let me be again blunt here. The tide is changing in the Western world. Muslims in the West
are demographics wise, much more than they've ever been. Canada, the Muslims of Canada did a massive
protest in which they boycotted the prime minister. The prime minister has a regular meeting with
them. The Muslims came together, it's national news in Canada. Toronto has 12% Muslims 12% 12% of
the city is Muslim. You don't think they're gonna play a massive role in politics? Ottawa, seven 8%.
Muslim, England, 12%, Muslim London, the country is 7% Muslim, Norway, Oslo 10%. Muslim 10% of Oslo
is Muslim. The world is changing. And we Muslims are a part of the modern world with utmost love and
		

			respect to these are llamas and great scholars. I love them. But they don't live amongst us. They
cannot tell us the way forward still some not these three sub Well some of them maybe some of them
literally still say voting is haram. Some of them still say politics is haram. Some of them still
say protesting is should cover with, with utmost love and respect all Muslims of America and England
and Canada and Australia. Your intellectual leadership about your way forward has to come from
within your own ranks. Now, my critics immediately say Oh, you're so called you're putting yourself
up? No, I would have been no, I'm going to be blunt here. I am still in my 40s I don't deserve that
		

			position, not just from my age from my sins and my person. I'm just a minor student of knowledge.
But there are people in this country and I'll mention some names far older than me. They had been
born and raised here they converted to Islam before I was born. Imam Suraj will * mom's day Chuck
and others of their nature. They've been here for generations. Go to them for fatwas and verdicts
about leaving Islam in this country about how we move forward as a community if you want those from
our ethnic background. Well, because we're ethnically the immigrants are new, we don't have born and
raised in America of that age group. But we have those that came from that batch, Dr. Jamal Badawi
		

			is still alive 80 to 83 years old, he's still alive was a Mr. Dickey came in the early 70s. He has
studied martial law, in other words, in Medina in Harvard, and now he is mashallah, you know, one of
our Maharaja one of our sources of knowledge. So I'm asking a very blunt reality, why am I saying
this, because if we at this stage, sit back and allow our governments to turn the water off. And if
we at this stage in Canada, Australia, England, especially in America, we are 1%, I've said, this is
one of our biggest problems, and Muslims are 1%, we still have a ways to go. But by the way, by the
way, we are 1% How many are pro Israeli, from that background less than us? How many, but they have
		

			more power than us. There are more Muslims in America than pro Israeli Zionists. From that part of
the world, there are more Muslims, but we are disconnected from the world of activism, we don't know
how to be active, if we're just going to sit back and say, Oh, we can do nothing. Subhanallah This
is a volume, this is an injustice. So this is a controversial issue. But we need to mature up, go to
the dilemma of the world for fatwas, that are not relevant on where you live, your issues of
personal rituals, you know, hadith is Sahaja, if you go to these 11, no problem aspect of Aikido
you're interested in go to this aroma, but when it comes to your land and what to do when it comes
		

			to activism, when it comes to influencing with utmost love and respect, I'm making a plea use the
brains that Allah has given you, that people disconnected from the reality of our world are not the
people you should go to for the details of how to live, we have people of knowledge in our ranks,
people of wisdom, people, the majority. And this leads me to my final point. And I say this as
somebody who is a part of that world of clerical scholarship, sisters and brothers are Muslims. The
person who can quote you the classical texts, is not necessarily the first point of reference about
activism,
		

			the ruler ma have a role in place and activist have a role in place, go to both of them and get a
middle ground here. Sometimes pure theory is disconnected from reality. And sometimes people
involved in reality get disconnected from theory as well. There is good in both of them, and we need
to find benefit. And that's why I personally have not been somebody who has been extremely harsh
against the Muslim politicians in the western world I haven't been we criticize specific aspects,
but we need them as well. We cannot let me give you a simple example the Prime Minister of Scotland
their first semester in Scotland, right, most of them guy from our background, whatever. When he
		

			came into office, he made a statement about LGBT And subhanAllah so many Muslims became so angry as
in the kaffir this and that. I'm not supporting that statement. Well Allah here I'm not supporting
it, but I was
		

			Quiet. I didn't say anything, because, well, at least he's in office. And now he came up with a very
strong statement, Scotland is not going to cut off aid for herself. Scotland is going to support
Onra, we're going to be of the first Ferdous. So one of the most powerful statements. So when we
have Muslims in office, and again, this is our problem, we don't have the luxury to not talk about
it. Many of us are still simple minded, either he's an angel, or he's a shaytaan. Yeah, the politics
doesn't work this way. You can have lots of shades in the middle, you can have somebody who has lots
of evil, and I have no defense of that. But they can also have lots of good. So we need to weigh
		

			pros and cons. The people in office now I'm not defending because I know what's gonna happen.
Someone's gonna take this clip, because they've done this over and over again. Next time one of
these politicians makes a foolish statement about Islam. Oh, Yassa called the praise this politician
No, I again, this is the problem binary, either zero or one. shaytaan or Djibouti? It doesn't work
that way. politicians, activists, people that influence are not true. They have different roles to
play. And if they make mistakes, that's bad on them. And you know, I'm not going to defend that. But
if they come with good, and if they defend, as they are doing right now, then what are we going to
		

			do? Are we just going to sit back and say, because you made that mistake, I'm not going to support
you. So Oh, Muslims of the Western world, because I know people watch this and all Muslims of
America. The situation is so dire now. We need to have very frank conversations about what are we
doing in America? What is our goal and focus? What is our activism? To what level can we be
involved? Right? What do we do when millions of people are literally because of our government? Are
we going to allow this to continue, we have the power by Allah's blessings and put it up, we have
the power to influence politicians. We have the power in multiple countries, more so in Canada and
		

			Australia and England and America, but we have the power to literally put in people that reflect our
values, and that will save lives. Now that's not going to take one day, it's not going to take one
year, but collectively we can do it. And the tide is shifting look at the public opinion used to be
used to be that Israel was considered a proxy of America in that part of the world. Now Wallahi it
is as if we are a proxy of them. And people are seeing this. Americans are seeing this. Why are we
again, I don't be too political. But one of our main politicians is drumming the wars for Iran now.
Are you out of your mind? The Americans themselves are saying have you lost the plot? How many wars
		

			how many trillion now at this stage? If me and you are quiet? Oh, we don't get into politics. Oh,
it's hot on bit. I should go for Xander. Yeah, he SubhanAllah. What is your purpose here? It is the
worship of Allah and the betterment of the ethics and values of the land you live in? Is that not
the case? That's what we're doing here. There is no hidden agenda. If Fox News comes and says I'm
preaching sell jihad. I say no, I'm preaching democracy. Why do Israelis and pro AIPAC have the
right to influence politicians and me and you are debating is haram and confidential? Isn't this
foolish? Why do they have the right to enforce this country? And we don't we have the same rights
		

			and we should have the same rights and our Islam and our Eman should tell us we worship Allah we
live pure lives and we influence the world around us is this not the case? And that's why my message
to you we don't have the time to play games anymore. These strands of Islam that are busy where
should I place the hands what is this actually the aspect this please for the love of God higher
room get your people debate. Once you're done debating come outside and shake hands and pray
together, worship together. We are one OMA, we worship the same God we face the same Qibla we've we
read the same book come together as an OMA and leave these petty disputes of trying to read in
		

			confidential look into other Muslims get over it. We don't have time for this anymore, come together
as an ummah come together for the sake of Allah. And then for the sake of your Palestinian brothers
and sisters and across the globe, and Insha Allah, the tide is changing. Every one of us needs to
act as a catalyst. The time is of the essence. We might not see it today and tomorrow, but will
Allah He truth is on our side. Again, I can go on and on. You saw the videos of these people
entering a hospital and assassinating a person in coma. You saw the videos and footage, you don't
think the world is going to start changing its mind but they're only going to change if the catalyst
		

			the pushing, they're only going to change if every one of us says guys How can you support this?
What is your our State Department couldn't even call it a crime and Americans themselves British
people they saw on their TV the life would it Britain Britain is going crazy 100 in a positive
manner. How can we support this regime at this stage and us Muslims are still debating where should
I place the hand?
		

			What is behind should guys please for the love of Allah get over it you want to discuss, like I
said, hire your whole privately do it and then move on. If you still believe in those versions,
there's a time and a place. That's all I'm saying right now there are people dying right now you and
I have the power by Allah's blessings to change hearts and minds. So please, let's come together
let's influence let's do what we can for the sake of Allah and insha Allah Insha Allah, I am
optimistic within a few years or decades, I'm optimistic The tide is changing. And we will see
again, I can say so much more. For the first time, Britain's Foreign Secretary said we're going to
		

			acknowledge a Palestinian state for the first time ever is this not some clear and good coming out
of it some we see bits here and there. So now is not the time for pacifism. Now is the time for
activism. Now is the time for mobilization now is the time for unity now is the time for visionary
long term and if you have issues and problems this discuss internally in a civil manner so that we
can we can move forward as an OMA I pray that Allah subhana with the other helps our brothers and
sisters by the way, I am in touch with on HR I actually had a conversation with them today and
others I'm in touch with others insha Allah to Allah I myself will be announcing ways to donate so
		

			that we can go to you because on run needs money right now it needs money right now. So I'm going to
be announcing soon Inshallah, how we're going to be helping the Palestinian brothers and sisters
from now your Ramadan zakat from now put it in your mind. These people literally have no food and
water so we ask Allah subhana wa Tada to help our brothers and sisters. We ask Allah to purify our
hearts we ask Allah to make us all people who are moving and bringing about positive change and
coming together for the sake of the Ummah May Allah subhanho wa Taala all make us pure in our hearts
and activists for his cause. Zach Mala has cinematic monocrystalline watercolor
		

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