 Hello everyone, my name is Huda. I'm just a community member here at MCC. I'm also Palestinian and I wanted to take a moment to thank MCC for inviting me to speak and for hosting this event as the daughter both of us of Palestinian refugees. It's comforting and so reassuring to know that the community stands with Palestine and that their cries are not falling on deaf ears. I'm going to try to get through this without getting too emotional, inshallah, as best as I can. So I just want to take a moment to tell you a little bit about myself and my experience in Palestine when I was younger and what life has been like for Palestinians who have family that are still in Gaza and in the West Bank. So as for myself, my father's grandfather was driven out of Jerusalem and they fled to neighboring Jordan where my father was raised and eventually he came to the United States in the 1970s as a young man. My mother's grandfather and his family were also driven out but they fled to Rezda where they still remain today. For them, life in Rezda has always been unbearable, borders being controlled by a brutal military occupation where the food supply, travel, goods, water, and electricity is intentionally restricted by the occupation. Growing up in cozy California, I never really was aware of the extent of the situation until I myself as a junior of high school went to Gaza. This was during the cease fire I believe in 1999. My mother's father was terminally ill and she wanted us to meet him and she wanted the opportunity to see him as she came to California as an 18 year old, 19 year old girl getting married and she had not returned since. So it had been many years and she wanted to see him one more time and she wanted her kids to know him. I remember after an exhausting flight getting off the plane and being greeted by armed Israeli occupation forces. They wanted to interrogate my mother who was alone in the airport with her five children as to why she was coming into the country. That was my first experience living the injustices that we had only heard our parents talk about. Even as a young teenager in that moment being faced with this armed soldier and the way that he was speaking to us, I felt dehumanized. I felt degraded, humiliated and not having been used to this, I was very angry. And as growing up in American schools and being sold on from a young age, the idea of freedom and justice for all, I looked the soldier in his eyes and I told him, I want to speak to your supervisor. What makes you think that you could treat us this way? And he looked at me so condescendingly, laughed as he continued to give us a hard time. My young self with a strong spirit of fairness and justice realized in that moment that this place did not play by the rules. This place was different. My time there, however, once we finally reached Gaza was full of happy memories. I'm sorry. I remember laughing with my cousins as we hung up laundry together on the rooftop of my grandparents' home in Makhayimashat at refugee camp, sharing small meals together as a large family, the excitement of going and getting the popular shaped ice barad in the clear plastic cup from the local street vendor. But I also remember the cold showers, the very limited water supply, power outages for parts of the day, destroyed apartment complexes from the previous attacks from the Israeli occupation. And having to send our dishes to the local oven because there was no oven at the house. Just at the end of the road, they would send their dishes of what they wanted to bake for that night's dinner down the road so that he would bake it for them. Yet, I still remember being so impressed that despite having so little, they were full of joy and iman and contentment. And now, all these years later, to see the horror unfolding on my TV screen like a movie, unable to help them, unable to make an immediate difference in their lives, it has me from a distance here has made me physically ill. I can't sleep at night. I can't go to bed. I can't function. I wake up with headaches from thinking constantly. And this is not just me. All Palestinians living abroad who have to watch this feel this way. All we can do is think about them. How are my cousins doing? How are their children? What about the neighbor that gave us sugar when we were out when I was there in Reza? What about the baker that we used to send our dishes to? Are they still alive? Are their kids alive? Are they under the rubble? Are their homes demolished? Power has always been limited by the occupation forces. But now it is even worse and days go by. We don't know what's happening to them. So we watch Al-Jazeera live to get the news covers directly from the reporters on the ground. And then, just a few days ago, a week or so ago, the day that I fear finally came and I could hear the reporter on Al-Jazeera screaming, Mohayama Shaltah is being bombarded. Air strikes, Mohayama Shaltah. Just where I was. And I can't turn it off. I just want to watch the news. I was frozen, glued to the TV, unable to function or do anything else. But scanned the bloodied and maimed bodies flooding into the hospital. Scanning the faces of people carrying them. Wondering if these people could be my cousins, whom I haven't seen. Is that my cousin? Is that who they are? Hoping to see that they are okay and alive and praying to Allah not to see them on a stretcher and not having to learn about it this way. Alhamdulillah, my aunt in Denmark was able to make contact with one of my younger cousins on Facebook. And he told her that Alhamdulillah, the members of our family, made the harrowing trip from Northern Reza to Southern Reza with extended family. Taking what little belongings they could carry with them. And now they're all staying with one family member, all crowned into one small space. No electricity, no water, no heating, no way to cook their meals. We've received one photograph because they don't have a way to charge their phones. They must conserve electricity. They can't even send us voice notes. Just a word here, a word there, maybe a picture. We received a picture of gray bricks with some shrubs and cardboard torn up to create a fire. Alhamdulillah, yet despite this years of occupation, years of living under siege and checkpoints and injustice in their homes, now Western media is trying to silence even us here with lies and AI generated images. Yet Alhamdulillah, their constant coverage of Palestine has only done the opposite. It has shown the world, the courage, the fortitude, the strength, the resilience. And as one TikTok user put it, the ironclad faith, the ironclad faith of the people in the Holy Land. Subhanallah, this wall to wall coverage, there are millions of dollars that they're spending on their spear campaigns and lies against the people of the Holy Land has only made the world curious to ask, what is Islam? What is this unusual faith where a man could be carrying the bloodied bodies of his children and only say joyously, Alhamdulillah, with pure and full contentment? There's one thing they don't know about Razawiyah and our brothers and sisters in the West Bank is how extraordinarily strong their iman is, how content they are with Allah's plan and how tightly they hold on to the Allah's rope. How I've learned that they are just cut from a different cloth, excelling with sabr and jameen, a beautiful patience and resilience and teaching the world what it means to say, La ilaha illallah subhanahu wa ta'ala, La ilaha illallah Muhammad and they bow to no one but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and despite not having even the simple comforts, the lights, the water, electricity, still every day, every time we get a voice note, a message from them. Always, Alhamdulillah. Every night, Alhamdulillah, praying in massajids that have been struck by shrapnel, destroyed, they still go to the masjid every Salah, Alhamdulillah. My 22 year old cousin, Mahmood, is a Shahid, Hafid of Quran, teacher of Quran and all my uncle says is Alhamdulillah. He doesn't even want me to say to him, Inna lillahu, Inna ilayhi raja'ur, they say, Allahumma allahu ajnaka. They have submitted themselves fully and completely and their families to Allah's will. They know, they know their purpose. They know, they have their eye on the eternal prize of the Jannah. But do we, do we truly remember Inna lillahu, Inna ilayhi raja'ur and live and support them fearlessly? Their strength and resilience does not absolve us from our obligations here to act and speak. As you know, the occupation's digital forces has seen the impact of the news coming directly out of Palestine and how it has shifted the public opinion and they're doing everything in their power with secret meetings, with social media executives that they have access to, to silence journalists coming out of Reza and activists who repost their content. Just a few days ago, a page called Eye on Palestine that reports directly from Reza, six million followers was taken down without any kind of notice. Images and videos from Reza are being taken down. Accounts are being blocked. Journalists are being censored. They want to ethnically cleanse and commit genocide under the veil of darkness. Particularly in these last two days, as we were just discussing, there's their internet, they're not able to get it out. Even the journalists are having trouble with connectivity. So this is where we can step in inshallah. We as Muslims here who have full electricity unlimited, can use our resources to amplify their voices. That we can stand with how fearlessly and use our platforms, our voices, our du'ats, and our night prayers like this to support them. So that when we stand before Allah SWT, we too can stand with a clear conscience and a pure heart and say that we truly did everything we can to support our brothers and sisters in Palestine. Reza Kuma Allahi. So as sister said, at least I know our brothers and sisters in Gaza, I don't know if they're sleeping now or not even asleep. So we should not be sleeping the whole night. We should fear them, we should be with them, we should at least say, Hasbun Allah wa ni'mu l-waki, Allah at inshallah. InshaAllah we'll bring the victory inshallah. So let's do this du'a inshallah with the intention of Faraj inshallah, with the intention of Ezan and Nasr and victory inshallah. Just du'a inshallah, people they used to read before us inshallah. Let's read it in the same intention inshallah. Anta al-lathiyy tadiyy idha qawla al-naa, Anta al-lathiyy tafuh idha zalal naa, wa syatakul lama khala qta'i il-maa, wa raqfatan wa rahmatan wa hi il-maa, wa lisa minna fi'n wujud i'ahkaru, wa lalima aindaka minna afkaru. Ya wa siyal ihsaniya man khayruhu, amm al-warada ghayruhu, ya munqida al-gharqa wa ya hananu, ya munjiya al-halqa wa yaam. Taqan ni taqu ya sabi'u ya mujib, az-dawa'u ya sari'u ya qareel. Wa qad madadna rabbana al-akufa, wa minka rabbana raja'un allotfa. Wa qad madadna rabbana al-akufa, wa minka rabbana raja'un allotfa. Faltubbina fi mabiyyi qadaita, wa raddina fi mabiyyi radaita. Wa abdilil lahum mahal al-usriya, bil-yusri wa mdudna bi-rihi al-nasriya. Wa abdilil lahum mahal al-usriya, bil-yusri wa mdudna bi-rihi al-nasriya. Wa jallana al-bughati al-ghalabah, wa qasur az-sharri al-aam talabah, Wa qur'idana ya azizu qahra, yafsim wa hablahum, wa yusm al-nahra. Wa aksmuradahum wa khayib sa'iyahum, wa hazm shulushahum, wa afsidra'irahum. Wa ajilil lahum mafihim niqmatak, fa innahum layu'ajizun qudratak. Wa ajilil lahum mafihim niqmatak, fa innahum lahum qudratak. Ya Rabbi, Ya Rabbi bi-habli ismatik, qadi'a tasamna wa bi'izin usratik. Fa kullana walatakun alayna walatakil na tarfa'tan ilayna. Fa ma ataqna quwataan laddaf'eem, wa al-stataan ahilataan ladnaf'eem. Wa na qasad. Rababika al-kareem, wa ma rajahun aghira fadlika al-ameem. Fa ma rajahat min khairika al-dunulu, b'nfsi ma taqulukun yakunu. Ya Rabbi, Ya Rabbi bi-kata ussuluh, lima ladayka wa bi'kata ussuluh. Ya Rabbi, anta ruknuna al-rafi'u. Ya Rabbi, anta husluna al-mani'u. Ya Rabbi, Ya Rabbi anilna al-amna. Idhar tahalna wa idha'aqamna. Ya Rabbi, wahfiz zra'ana wa dar'ana. Wahfiz tijarana wa wahfiz jimana. Wuj'al biladana bilad al-dini. Wa rahhatan al-muhtaji wal-miskini. Wuj'al lahabin al-bilad sa'ulah. Wa hurmatan wa min'atan wa da'ulah. Wuj'al minas sirr al-masun i'izzaha. Wuj'al minas sitr jamil i'irzaha. Wuj'al bil sadin wa bi'qafil wa binun. Alfa hijabin min wa raiha yakun. Bi jahinur iljika al-karimi. Wajahi sirr mulkika al-azimi. Wajahi la ilaha il. Wajahi khair il-khalki ya Rabbi Hu. Wajahi ma bihi da'aqil anbiya. Wajahi ma bihi da'aqil awliya. Wajahi qadr al-kutbi wal-awtadi. Wajahi halil wal-afradi. Wajahi al-akhyaari wajahi al-nujaba. Wajahi al-abdali wajahi al-nukaba. Wajahi kulli abideen wa daqir. Wajahi kulli hamideen wa shakir. Wajahi kulli marrafaate qadrah. Mimman satar ta'urna shar tadikra. Wajahi ayatil kitabil muhkameen. Wajahi il-ism al-azameen al-mu'azzameen. Ya Rabbi ya Rabbi wa qafna fukaram. Bina yadayka dua fa'a huqarah. Wa qadda'unaka dua'a amin da'aq. Rabbin kareeman la yarruddu bin sa'aq. Faqbal dua'ana bimahdil fadli. Qabula man al-ghahisa bil-adli. Wa minun alayna minna ta'al kareemir. Wa tiff alayna itfata al-halibi. Wa nshur alayna ya rahim wa rahmatak. Wa nsut alayna ya kareem wa ni'matak. Wa khil fisa'iri al-akwali. Wa khtar lana fisa'iri al-afali. Ya Rabbi waj'ad da'bana tamsuka. Bis sunnatil gharra iwa tamsuka. Wa hasr lana aghradana al-muftalipah. Fika wa arrifna tamam al-ma'rifah. Wa jma'lana mabina ilmin wa amal. Wa srif iladar al-baqaa minna al-amal. Wa nhajbina ya Rabbi na jissu aadaa. Wa khtim lana ya Rabbi khatm al-shuhadaa. Wa jaal bani na fudala as-sulaha. Wa ulama a'ameelina nusaha. Wa asbihil lahumma haal al-ahli. Wa issiril lahumma jam'al-shamlil. Ya Rabbi wa ftafat haka al-mubina. Lim tawalla wa a'az al-dina. Wa nsarhu ya'z al-tawli wa an-surhi z-ba'u. Wa mla'bi ma'i wa mla'bi ka'al huqalbahu. Ya Rabbi wa an-surdina na al-muhammadin. Wa jaal khitamah izzii ka mabudi. Wa hafadu ya Rabbi bihafd al-ulama. Wa rfa manara nurihi ilas samaa. Wa afi wa aafi wa kfwaaqfir din banaa. Wa dinba kulli muslimin ya Rabbi naa. Wa salli ya Rabbi a'la al-mukhtari. Salataka al-kamilat al-mikdari. Salataka al-latitafi bi amri. Kama ya liqb ibtifa'i qatrihi. Umma a'la al-kirami wa a'la. Ashabi il-ghurri wa man taumtala. Wa alhamdulillahi l-adhi bihamdi. Yablu ghudu al-qasri tamam. Qasrihi al-fatiha. Qasrihi al-fatiha alaniyat al-kabul inshaAllah. Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim. Alhamdulillahi Rabbi al-alameen. Al-Rahmani r-Rahim. Maliki yawmi al-din. Iyaka na'bdu iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. Iyaka na'sta'in. in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Allahumma inna n'awudu bikka min ʿarhabi al-murhibin wa min safki dima'il aaminin wa n'alata'addi ala a'hadin min khalqaka ajma'in Allahumma inna n'awudu bikka ya'arhabi al-murhibina ala ta'addi ala a'hadin min khalqaka ajma'in Allahumma inna hum ya'arhabi al-murhibin iqtarru ya'arhabi al-murhibina bi quwatihim wa la hawla lana wa la quwata illabik Allahumma inzurni alayhi Allahumma inzil melaikah min al-samā'i il-Ikhwānina Félistein, tu dāfi'a anhum ya'a Allah la hawla lahum wa la quwata illabik ya'a Allah inna humsaabirun, inna humsaabirun, Allahumma ya'arhamal rāhimin onsurhum nasran azeezan tuaizz bihi dīn wa tudilnbihi rāyatah shirk wa al-mushrikīn Allahumma harrila al-masjid al-aqsa wa riddahu ila idil muslimin ajilun ghayru ajilun Ya Rabbi Alameen, Ameen, Ameen, Alhamdulillahi Rabbi Alameen.