By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Sunday, Ramadan 26, 1447 AH (March 15, 2026)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, who has honoured the Muslim believers with servitude to Him alone and submission to Him, and has bound their hearts with the bond of allegiance to Him, and has made it obligatory upon them to show mercy to each other and to support one another for His sake. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger, who conveyed the Message, fulfilled the mission with which he had been entrusted, and strived in the way of Allah as is His due. May Allah bless him, his family, and his Companions, ameen. To proceed:
Dear brothers and sisters! This moment must not confuse us. No doubt, our disagreements with the Iranian regime are real. The crimes of its militias against our Ahlus-Sunnah brothers and sisters are real. But none of this should be weaponised into acquiescence before a far greater project of domination. Israel seeks a Middle East that is broken, intimidated, and permanently subordinate. This wicked project must never be accepted. It must be resisted at every level.
But resistance cannot remain a slogan. Anger is not a program. Noise is not strength. Our Ummah will not be saved by performative outrage, sectarian slogans, or the childish fantasy that the humiliation of one rival will somehow secure the freedom of the rest. True strength is built: in spiritual discipline and moral clarity, in knowledge, in industry, in technological capacity, in institutions, in disciplined statecraft, and in credible deterrence. What is required now is faithful realism. The path forward is not surrender, and it is not delirium. It is sober long-term preparation, coalition-building, and the patient construction of true strength.
And let us be clear: we do not seek to become mirror images of our oppressors. Our aim is justice, sovereignty, dignity, and a peace worthy of human beings—not the peace of fear and managed humiliation.
For us Muslims Ummah, the duty is especially clear. If America and Israel wages war against our fellow Muslims—even those whose wrongdoing against us is real and painful—we fulfill our obligation toward our coreligionists and compatriots by working to restrain injustice. We must also work to free our people from Zionist capture and from an Epstein-class political elite, so that our Ummah is no longer dragged into unjust wars by compromised and morally bankrupt leadership. If anyone is pressured toward direct participation in an unjust war, then every available legal protection, including conscientious objection where applicable, should be pursued with full seriousness. We do not betray our society, and we do not betray our faith.
As for Iran, we sincerely hope for a deep and candid reexamination within Twelver Shiism—an honest reckoning with its theological excesses, a more rational engagement with religion, and a clearer recognition of its position within the broader Muslim Ummah. Iran was once a stronghold of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. If it does not return to that path, it can still return to the Ummah as a constructive and responsible member—one that seeks cooperation over sectarian ambition, and solidarity over supremacy.
Respected brothers and sisters! In times of intense conflict, such as the US/Israel-Iran situation, Islamic teachings emphasise patience, maintaining justice, and unwavering reliance on Allah the Almighty. Muslim believers are urged to remain steadfast, seek peace, and avoid despair, holding firm to the promise that divine justice prevails.
Even in conflict, Islam mandates upholding moral integrity. Allah the Almighty says:
“Do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just.” [Qur’an, 5:8]
In geopolitics, this means speaking truth and protecting innocent lives, regardless of political alliances. True strength is not in destruction, but in ethical conduct under pressure.
When trials seem insurmountable, remember Allah’s saying:
“Do not lose heart or despair—if you are true believers you have the upper hand.” [Qur’an, 3:139]
This serves as a powerful reminder that victory is defined by holding onto faith, integrity, and dignity, rather than mere physical domination.
Like the story of the People of the Cave, or Prophet Ayyub’s patience, Islamic history teaches that, however dire the circumstances, righteousness brings ultimate triumph. Trust in Allah’s plan brings inner peace in the midst of global turmoil.
Utilise the divine names in prayer, focusing on the unity of the Ummah. In times of crisis, turn to collective prayer and charity as acts of spiritual resistance and compassion for the oppressed.
No doubt, worldly power is temporary. The real strength lies in devotion to Allah alone, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Focus on actions that benefit humanity, uphold justice, and reflect faith.
Dear brothers and sisters! There are many lessons to be learn from this US/Israel-Iran War. The war uncovered seven truths that the world forgot:
- Oil and energy are the ultimate currencies in which the entire global supply chain is priced.
- The free flow of oil from the Strait of Hormuz is critical for the global economy. This single geographical region can make or break the global economy.
- The world is nowhere near being free from oil. Independence from oil is far, far further away than you can imagine.
- You simply cannot go to war with two top energy-producing nations at the same time. That is why the Trump administration unsanctioned Russian energy to keep fighting with Iran.
- As energy is the real currency, Russia is truly wealthy and can keep fighting for decades. It has that strength.
- Modern war depends on how fast you can produce missiles and drones and send them toward your enemy. So unless you are producing hundreds/thousands of missiles and drones per day, your chances of winning the war decrease with every passing day.
War has always been industrial, and it will always be industrial. A country with deep industrial strength will easily win over a country that does not have it.
- Central banks can print trillions of dollars, but that cannot feed people, nor run factories or cars. It requires oil, energy, commodities, and fertilizer to run the economy smoothly.
So fiat money loses value when there is war or extreme chaos. Energy becomes the true currency, and gold can keep the price of energy stable.
So during every war, bank money (bonds) loses value, while real money (gold) keeps its value intact.
If central banks could print energy, then fiat would become a superior form of money and could hold its strength during war.
Ya Allah, honour Islam and its people and humiliate disbelief and its people. Ya Allah, support Your servants who strive for Your Cause and for the elevation of Your religion. Ya Allah, save the weak and oppressed people in Nigeria, in Gaza etc, show compassion to them, empower them, and envelop them in Your mercy. Ya Allah, defeat the transgressing enemies of truth, destroy them one by one, eliminate them entirely, leave none of them behind, and grant us victory over them with Your Mighty strength. Indeed, You are the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.
Ya Allah, grant success to the leaders of our affair in what You love and are pleased with. Guide them towards righteousness and piety. Our Lord, grant us the good of this world and good of the Hereafter and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
Ya Allah, as the noble month of Ramadan is leaving us, forgive us and cover us with mercy; indeed You are the Forgiver of all sins and You are the Most Merciful.
May Allah bring a just and lasting peace to the world—one grounded in truth and dignity, ameen.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.