AN UUCSA PRESS STATEMENT

 

The United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) expresses deep concern and its unequivocal condemnation of the conduct of certain Ulama from Rwanda who accepted an invitation to be hosted by the Zionist regime in occupied Palestine.

 

A 12-member delegation of Rwandan Muslim religious leaders, including Imams and women, was received and hosted by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their itinerary, arranged under the auspices of the Israeli occupation, included token visits to Masjid al Aqsa, communities of Palestinian citizens of Israel, Bedouin localities, as well as historical sites in Jaffa and Jerusalem— all curated to promote a Zionist-centric narrative.

 

UUCSA regards this ‘visit’ as a grave breach of ethical responsibility and a betrayal of the collective conscience of the Muslim Ummah. The visit, sponsored and facilitated by the Zionist state, constitutes an act of legitimising an occupying power while displaying callous indifference to the ongoing Gaza Genocide. It further amounts to tacit endorsement of the Zionist narrative at a time when Israel faces deepening isolation, even from its traditional allies, and undermines the principled global resistance against normalisation. Such actions stand in stark contradiction to the moral duty of Ulama as custodians of religious integrity.

This collaboration with the Zionist entity deepens the open wounds of the Palestinians, betrays their sacrifices, and disregards the overwhelming sentiment of the Muslim Ummah and the broader international community, who remain outraged at the continuing atrocities perpetrated against the people of Palestine.

 

UUCSA firmly disavows the actions of this group of scholars and calls upon all Ulama, both locally and globally, to remain vigilant against being co-opted into projects that serve the nefarious objectives of occupiers and oppressors. The integrity of the scholarly tradition demands unwavering solidarity with the oppressed and uncompromising rejection of any form of complicity with the oppressor.

Released by:

 

Yusuf Patel (Moulana)
Secretary General

 

25 Rabi ‘al Awwal 1447 / 18 September 2025