In support of the Palestinian people in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, has quoted the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) about rejecting injustice and standing up for the oppressed.
On Tuesday, February 6, Pandor appeared wearing a headscarf during a meeting with the Islamic community in South Africa.
She said one of her colleagues sent her a recent statement in which Israel described us as the legal arm of Hamas, commenting sarcastically and asking, saying, “The South African government is the arm?”
She added, “You know that they say that I take orders from Iran and that I am a supporter of ISIS. I don’t even know what ISIS stands for,” describing this as “some fake news and insults” against her, which reached “my family, my husband and my children.”
“But that’s okay. We will strive hard, as long as the Palestinians know that we, South Africans, are with them. We will continue our striving and will not tire,” she continued.
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Pandor said, “To be clear with you, I do not aspire to be the head of state of South Africa. I am a government employee, and I will be present, God willing, in any activity that supports the Palestinians.”
She noted that, “Hadith plays an important role in helping us understand the values on which Islamic practice is based, and that Whoever goes with an oppressor to help him while knowing that he is an oppressor has departed from Islam.”
She quoted another Hadith saying, “Support your Muslim brother, whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed person. When the Prophet was asked: How do we support the oppressor, he said: “Support the oppressor by preventing him from oppression.”
The minister added, “These are just two hadiths that indicate that Muslims cannot and should not cooperate with those who oppress others, and most importantly, we must refrain from supporting oppressors, because that only strengthens them.”
She concluded by saying, “These hadiths very clearly command us to support the oppressed in their struggles, and to engage in activities that will hold the oppressors accountable for their actions.”
On December 29, South Africa filed an 84-page lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, requesting an immediate order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
On January 26, ICJ ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and direct incitement to it, as it rejected the Israeli request to dismiss the lawsuit brought by South Africa.
About Naledi Pandor
70-year-old Naledi Pandor converted to Islam after she met her husband Sharif Joseph Pandor while studying in Botswana. The duo has four children together.
Pandor, upon her religious conversion, affirmed that her parents believed in God’s existence and supported her in her worship and adherence to Islamic principles.
