By Zuher Majid

The call to prayer is a duty practiced by Muslims since Bilal Al-Habashi recited it for the first time. It is an internal voice that remains abuzz throughout the life of Muslims, and it an anthem the quenches their thirst for holiness and a spiritual relationship with their lord.

Who can ban the call to prayer and decide, by means of a resolution, the existence of absence of it from the lives of Muslims? It is true that Israel has banned it being broadcasted on loudspeakers so far, but this is a prelude to something worse. If the Jerusalemites accept the ban, then it is as if they are telling the occupation authorities that they will accept a new reality that will harm the essence of their existence.

Muslims do not merely remember the call to prayer, but rather it mingles in their thoughts and controls their souls. It is more than a habit or routine, it is a haven verging on the natural formation of Muslim beings. The call to prayer is not whispered, like prayer; the louder it is, the more the demand is for it. It is as if Muslims want to express a small snippet of the strong feeling that permeates their bodies, hearts and souls.

When the Jerusalemites challenged the Zionist decision, which some claim came about because the call to prayer disturbed Netanyahu’s young son, they voiced their protest to the tune of the unblemished memory of the first call to prayer. The collective voices have an impact on the soul and are a combination of all balances, feelings and emotions in the body and soul. These voices and their echoes are a sign of the challenges that are repeated. Instead of the call of prayer being a normal routine for Muslims, and specifically for Jerusalemites, it is now a daily routine but also an act of defiance against the Israeli ban that is considered limitless craziness and an indescribable infringement on the sanctity of Muslim Jerusalemites.

We heard seconds of the voices of Jerusalemite men, women and children reciting the call to prayer on the news and my soul longed to hear more. I was enchanted by the voices that reached the ears of the Israelis; this was more than just news or a challenge, it their declaration, “you can take away our air and water, but you cannot touch the essence of our existence on this earth”.

When Dr Ahmed Tibi reciting the call to prayer in the Knesset, and all the surprises that ensued, it was heard by Israelis inside and outside the Knesset hall like a thunderbolt. It was as if a commando was fighting with their weapon against a clearly defined enemy that wants to come between a Muslim and their creator. Tibi opened the window for the Jerusalemites and they collectively responded, creating an echo for their acts, voices and challenges, which is the only way the Israelis understand.

There is no doubt that the Arab MK, Ahmed Tibi, led this phase with his voice and spread an idea that turned into a running river that will not stop and will become a historical mark and one of the intifadas against the oppressors who seek to create religious wars that will not last. The Israelis will be the biggest loser against the Muslim public, who go beyond Jerusalem and spread across the entire Muslim world.

I am certain that Netanyahu and his gang went crazy after they believed that their decisions go without discussion, but instead found that they turned into a problem for them. It resulted in a growing atmosphere of freedom and a challenge much larger than they anticipated or imagined, which will grow if the Israelis decide to play by force.

(Translated by MEMO from Arabi21 on November 21, 2016)