In the momentous year of Islamic Revolution in Iran, Quds Day was established by Ayatollah Khomeini in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. While every year, on the last Friday of Ramzan, Kashmir witnesses the signature protest, this time around the marchers batted for larger unity and inclusiveness.

As squares and streets swelled with marchers—holding placards, shouting slogans, denouncing Zionist and American policies on Palestine—the day’s significance and what it stood for became obvious.

Be it Downtown Srinagar’s archetypical neighbourhood called Hassanabad, or the bucolic square of Budgam, Quds Day witnessed a ‘sea of solidarity’ — calling for the unity among Muslims.

40 years back, when Ayatollah Rohullah Khomeini—the supreme leader of Islamic Revolution of Iran—declared the last Friday of the Holy month of Ramzan as Quds Day, it became the way of resistance and struggle against the oppression.

Ayatollah declared the liberation of Quds—Palestine: the first Qibla of Muslims—as the religious duty upon all Muslims.

On this day, Muslims globally unite in solidarity against oppression and tyranny, especially of illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel.

But given the message the day carries, it isn’t limited and exclusive to Quds. The day holds the distinction to inspire Muslims across the world, to fight tyranny.

But sadly, in Kashmir, some of the reputed Islamic scholars have only confined the day to the traditional cause only.

The world has changed, so has its oppressive realities. The plight of Kashmiris can’t be left out on the day when struggle meets solidarity.

Quds Day demands that Kashmir should be included in the annual global solidarity akin to Palestine, as the two faraway lands tagged disputed at the outset of the post-colonial era, share somewhat the same political umbilical cord.

“In both the regions,” said a young boy, while taking part in Quds Day in Budgam, “people are forced to travel through military checkpoints, to move almost everywhere including commuting to work.”

These solidarity rallies teach oppressed souls to rise against the arrogant oppressors and defeat them, the boy continued. “But for that, unity in Muslims is the need of the hour.”

Pitching slogans against all forms and manifestations of injustice, tyranny and oppression, these solidarity rallies in Kashmir carried a general message with multiple aspects.

It also reflected the reality of the ongoing world tensions.

While Muslims are in a constant need to understand the concepts of conflict, its goals and objectives, a marcher in Hassanabad said, Kashmiris should also observe the day for themselves.

“We should be united on Quds — the day to heal the injuries, console the bereaved, encourage the weak, reward the martyrs, award the fighters and punish the cruel,” he said. “The day surely distinguishes hypocrites from the true believers, for true believers do acknowledge accordingly and rise against oppression.”

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