Chicago – September 13, 2025
In Gaza, a Friday sermon has captured global attention for its brevity and raw emotion. Regarded as the shortest Friday khutbah in history, it lasted only a few sentences, yet reflected the depth of human suffering under siege.
Standing before his congregation, weakened by hunger, the imam spoke words that have since echoed around the world: “O people, I am very hungry, I don’t have the strength to speak. You are very hungry, you don’t have the strength to listen. Come, let us pray.”
With those three sentences, the khutbah ended—but its weight was heavier than any long sermon. It summed up the silent struggles of families enduring hunger, fear, and uncertainty in Gaza. Social media has carried the imam’s words far beyond the mosque’s walls, touching hearts and stirring global reflection.
This sermon is more than just history—it is a cry against injustice. Forced starvation is being used as a weapon of war, a cruel assault on innocent civilians. The deliberate deprivation of food, water, and basic necessities stands as a war crime. For this, Israel and its allies must be held accountable for turning hunger into a battlefield and for worsening the suffering of the people of Gaza.
