As’salaam Alaykum (peace be upon you):

Over one million Palestinians in northern Gaza have been given 24 hours to flee their homes. Their water lines have been cut, their food and medicine supplies have been blocked and their electricity has been turned off. Their roads have been bombed and entire neighborhoods have been razed. There is no possible way for a whole population larger than that of Seattle to escape in this state by this ultimatum. And escape to where? The entire Gaza strip is closed off and being suffocated. It is unfathomable that we are witnessing genocide in front of our own eyes as Gaza, an open air prison, gets turned into a cemetery. 

The Muslim Association of Puget Sound asks all our community members and people of all faiths, backgrounds, and conscience — including our non-Muslim allies and Jewish friends — to step up in this moment of crisis and call on our elected leaders to stop this madness. It is a war crime to collectively punish an entire population (including children, women, elderly and civilians) in this manner. History will expose the moral depravity of this moment if we fail to stop it.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered special supplications at the time of great calamity. We believe this moment requires this special supplication, called Dua-e-Qunoot. After Jumuah (Friday congregational prayers) tomorrow at all three MAPS facilities (Redmond, Seattle, and Snohomish), we will perform these special supplications, and we invite you to join us in this supplication and additional prayers for an end to the violence and bloodshed. 

May Allah SWT (God Almighty) protect all the innocent, end their suffering and oppression, and bring peace, freedom, liberation, and justice for all.  

Wa’salaams (with peace),
Mohammad Vakil
MAPS President