Toronto – On March 18, 2025, Naj Abu Saif, known as Abu Hamza, joined his family for martial arts. Abu Hamza, in particular, lived on the message of Ahlbite (a), quoting the sermon in his speech, constantly reminding us that our duty on earth pleases God in the way he carried himself.
In one of his speeches, he said: “Our position is clear. Are we not on the side of truth? And then we don’t care about artillery, hunger, displacement.”
Here, Abu Hamza cited Ali Akbar (as) and Imam Hussain (as). Imam Hussain (AS) replied, “Yes, by Allah, we are certainly on the side of the truth.” Ali Akbar (AS) described it as “In that case, we are not afraid of death.”
Resistance is a way of life, and martialism is not the end, but the beginning of true eternal life. Resistance against Imam Hussain’s tyranny, his longing to please his Lord, and his martialism shows that this life is fleeting, and for change to occur, we must not be afraid to take an stance against the tyrants of the times we may face.
The Palestinians are truly embodying Imam Hussain’s (as) message. According to scholar Ali Reza Panahian, “The main and important reason for Aba Abdira al-Hussain’s (AS) martialism was to maintain dignity.” Accepting humiliation is not an option, and Palestine is a great example.
Suspension meant abandoning dignity, and in Imam Hussein’s words, “never accept humiliation,” so they held the line no matter what. In his previous speech, Abu Hamza cited Mrs. Zainab’s sermon before the Yazid tyrant after the Battle of Kalbara.
“You deceive criminals, strive to make your efforts, and deploy your energy. By Allah, you will not kill our resolve, nor will you extinguish the dishonor of your actions in the Gaza Strip.
Your gatherings are dispersed, and D and your days are numbered. We are people of war and victory by Allah, and you are the loser. ”
Abu Hamza never failed to remind us of the path we should follow, the path of our beloved prophet (saw) and his blessed descendants. Abu Hamza was someone who faced sectarians through his words and actions. He was someone who strived to bring unity among believers compared to today’s leaders who incite hatred among certain denominations.
In an excerpt from his final speech, he expressed his gratitude to those who stood up and continued to stand for Palestine.
“We have faced this profession with a group of followers of the Islamic Republics of Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Iran on behalf of one Muslim.
“We pay tribute to the free people and the axis of resistance, starting with Lebanon’s resistant people, and the Hezbollah fighters, which remained immovable on the field, prevented the enemy from achieving their targets.
“And we remember Hassan Nasrara, who said that we were dear Martyr of the nation, great leader, and his prominent.
We must continue our legacy of martyrs and implement their words into our lives against the oppressors of our time. Each follower has an obligation. How they fulfill this obligation may look different.
One can fill it using a pen, while the other can fill it using a weapon. Ultimately, if they fail to fulfill their duties, they will not be able to maintain the dignity of their brothers and sisters, and they will not be able to maintain Islam.