Draft:Quds Day Rally

Template:Rituals Infobox Quds Day Rally (Persian: راهپیمایی روز قدس) is a symbolic movement in support of Palestine against the Israeli occupation, held annually on the last Friday of Ramadan. This ceremony was initiated by Imam Khomeini and promoted by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Some Shi'a religious scholars consider participation in it to be a religious obligation (wājib sharʿī).

The Quds Day rally is held in more than 90 countries, including Iran, Palestine, Turkey, and some non-Islamic countries. However, some Western governments impose restrictions on holding it, citing the fight against anti-Semitism.

Significance and Status

On Mordad 16, 1358 Sh/August 7, 1979, Imam Khomeini, in a message addressed to Muslims, named the last Friday of Ramadan as Quds Day and called on Muslims and Islamic governments to join hands to cut off the hand of Israel and its supporters.^[1] According to Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, commemorating International Quds Day ensures that the Palestinian nation does not feel alone and can continue to resist.^[2] He compares the Quds Day rally to a lineup against falsehood and introduces it as an international measure.^[3]

Husayn Nuri Hamadani^[4] and Nasir Makarim Shirazi,^[5] among the Shi'a Maraji', consider participation in the Quds Day rally a religious obligation. In Makarim Shirazi's view, the Quds Day rally is the least costly way to confront the Zionist regime.^[6] State officials, including the president, participate in this ceremony.^[7] In Western countries, since Friday is a working day, the Quds Day ceremony is held on Saturday or Sunday.^[8]

Ceremony and Symbols

In the International Quds Day ceremony, various posters and flags, including the Palestinian flag and those of its supporters such as Hezbollah and Ansarallah of Yemen, as well as images of prominent figures of the Axis of Resistance, are distributed. Other actions in this ceremony include carrying the coffin of the Zionist regime or burning the Israeli flag.^[9] In this rally, slogans supporting Palestine and condemning Zionist occupation are chanted.^[10] Generally, at the end of the Quds Day rally, a statement or resolution supporting the Palestinian cause is read.^[11]

In Iran, a headquarters titled "Central Headquarters of Intifada and International Quds Day" has been established within the Islamic Development Coordination Council to organize the Quds Day ceremony.^[12] During the International Quds Day rally, cultural and artistic events are also executed, such as the International Quds Day Cartoon Festival.^[13] Also, concurrent with Quds Day, film production and mural painting festivals are held in some countries such as Malaysia.^[14]

Geographical Extent

According to news reports, the Quds Day rally is held in more than 90 countries worldwide,^[15] including Palestine, Malaysia, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Turkey, USA, Canada, Norway, Azerbaijan, Sudan, UK, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, Pakistan, Australia, Germany, Romania, Kuwait, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Venezuela, Albania, Yemen, Greece,^[16] Brazil,^[17] and Austria.^[18] In Iran, this ceremony is held in various cities.^[19] Conversely, many Arab countries have had a passive view regarding the official holding of rallies on this day.^[20] The newspaper Al-Akhbar claimed in a report that Saudi Arabia had advised other Arab countries to prevent the holding of Quds Day rallies.^[21] Reports were also published about the Taliban's opposition to holding this ceremony in Afghanistan.^[22] Additionally, some non-Islamic countries like Germany have prevented the holding of Quds Day rallies, claiming to prevent anti-Semitism.^[23]

Impacts and Consequences

One of the impacts of the Quds Day rally is drawing media attention to this event and issues related to Palestine.^[24] Media outlets cover this ceremony in Islamic and non-Islamic countries.^[25]

Attention to the Issue of Palestine

After the media covered the topic of Quds Day and issues related to Palestine, more attention was drawn to this issue by jurists worldwide. Research shows that the attention of jurists from countries such as Spain, UK, Belgium, and Sweden to Palestinian issues increased after the holding of Quds Day ceremonies. Rallies defending the rights of Palestinians by human rights activists around the world have caused NGOs in non-Islamic countries to pay special attention to this issue,^[26] to the extent that in some non-Islamic countries, the Quds Day rally is executed with a majority of non-Muslim participants.^[27]