Settler Colonialism: A Global Injustice and an Islamic Obligation for Justice

Sam Jarada – The Public Trust

Introduction

As a Palestinian and a Muslim, settler colonialism isn’t distant history. It’s a constant reminder of what I lost connection to: my homeland, my Palestinian family, and my identity. I feel deep sorrow that I couldn’t truly live there from a young age; although I was born in Gaza, I’ve lived in London for many years. Hence, I see settler colonialism as a universal, persistent injustice requiring moral evaluation. We must face it as a humanitarian and religious duty as Muslims.

The Global Pattern of Settler Colonialism

Settler colonialism is the deliberate replacement of Indigenous populations with foreign settlers, usually justified by false narratives like the “civilising mission” or “empty land”. Key examples include erasing the Indigenous Palestinian population via the Nakba and their constant oppression to “create” and maintain an apartheid ethnostate (Israel); the genocide of the Natives and residential schools across North America; land rights and Stolen Generations among Aboriginal and Maori communities, and Indigenous struggles across South America, Asia and Africa, particularly the Kashmiri and Rohingya populations and the legacy of apartheid South Africa. Amongst these countries and regions, there’s a common thread of systemic discrimination, cultural erasure, land theft and war crimes, among other atrocities, showcasing living realities rather than horrific past actions.     

The Palestinian Experience: A Case Study in Ongoing Displacement 

The Nakba (catastrophe in Arabic) involved the displacement and ethnic cleansing of over 700,000 Palestinians in 1948, leading to the “creation” of Israel. Currently, more than 700,000 Israeli settlers illegally live in the West Bank; Palestinians encounter home evictions in neighbourhoods/cities like Sheikh Jarrah, and Palestinians in Gaza have very restricted access to essential resources. These atrocities occur via apartheid, backed by Western governments and their proxies through diplomatic, military, and economic support. Nonetheless, Palestinians aren’t alone in their efforts for self-determination and human rights, which other indigenous populations are also facing.  

Islamic Principles on Justice and Moral Responsibility

When reflecting on Islamic teachings, there are some insights we must heed: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, of what you do, Aware” (Quran 4:135). 

Also, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one.” People asked, “O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By preventing him from oppressing others" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2444). Both encapsulate the concepts of ‘adl (justice) and rahmah (mercy), whereby Muslims must strive against oppression, even when it inconveniences them. Moreover, as human beings, we have khilafah (stewardship), meaning we’re Earth’s caretakers, so land belongs to no one but Allah and dispossession violates divine trust.   

What Can Muslims Do?

I’d emphasise sharing stories of Indigenous communities’ oppression through Friday Khutbahs (sermons), social media and community events, continuously supporting organisations led by Indigenous communities like Al-Haq, Land Back Movement and Māori sovereignty groups, boycotting companies complicit in oppression and pressuring governments to stop enabling oppression. 

In terms of local actions to lessen settler colonialism’s harms, partnering with Indigenous communities for mutual aid, advocacy, donating to legal funds, educational programmes/cultural preservation initiatives and meaningful land acknowledgements, which are typically dismissed as a “virtue signalling”, yet they are vital; this is because they dismantle the “empty land” myth, i.e. land is “owned” by a state. By explicitly naming the original land custodians, we prevent Indigenous history erasure and reaffirm khilafah: land belongs to Allah, not the settlers. 

When done with sincere intentions, all these acts can raise awareness and educate Muslims and non-Muslims about present-day dispossession, and develop spaces for authentic conversations and interventions to facilitate land return and reparations. As Muslims, we must consistently learn the sins of certain rulers in our history who contributed to injustices and seek forgiveness from Allah while upholding justice for everyone.

Conclusion 

Settler colonialism isn’t history; it’s a present reality that all Muslims must tackle with action, courage and compassion. By analysing historical and modern examples, we don’t only acknowledge suffering; we learn from the resilience of communities who resisted before us. Understanding the common patterns exposes how universal dispossession is, thereby allowing us to see that justice for Palestine is tied to justice for every Indigenous community. When atrocities, like culture erasure and land theft, occur, we realise that our struggle is part of a global movement against imperialism. 

This interconnectedness should empower us to share strategies, build solidarity and refuse the isolationist tactics neocolonial powers use to divide and conquer. I don’t see settler colonialism as a political issue; it’s a moral issue because justice for one oppressed group is justice for all. As the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind" (Sahih al-Bukhari 4557), so let’s live up to this title by tackling injustice, reflecting on the past and fighting against land dispossession.   

Bibliography 

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Wolfe P. Settler Colonialism and the Elimination of the Native. Journal of Genocide Research. 2006;8(4):387–409.

OCHA. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - occupied Palestinian territory [Internet]. Ochaopt.org. 2019 [cited 2026 July 7]. Available from: https://www.ochaopt.org/