Algazelus

Reminder! If you're in the Toronto area, please join us for an in-person gathering in solidarity with Philippine, Korean, and Canadian advocates for human rights, dignity, and justice.

Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere: Injustice is not a separate reality confined to an isolated part of the world. Justice is interconnected, and what affects one community ultimately affects us all. While it is easy for Canadians to live in relative comfort, there remains a deep yearning to build a more peaceful and just world.

Monday, September 28, 2026, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
East End United Church
310 Danforth Avenue, Toronto

Find out more and register for this special event: https://united-church.ca/events/injustice-anywhere-threat-justice-everywhere

🇵🇭 LET GOD FIGHT THE BATTLE

We do not need to destroy our enemies ourselves. We can entrust judgment to God.

When we face injustice, corruption, lies, and wrongdoing, let us stand for truth and pursue justice through peaceful and lawful means—but leave vengeance in God's hands.

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
— Exodus 14:14

“Do not take revenge… ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
— Romans 12:19

Let God deal with the wickedness. Let us deal with our own responsibility: pray, speak truth, seek justice, obey the law, and refuse to become what we oppose.

Lord, fight the battles we cannot fight. Expose what is hidden, bring truth to light, uphold justice, and turn the hearts of our nation toward righteousness. May Your will be done in the Philippines. 🇵🇭🙏

https://youtu.be/X8LCVldE46g

PEACE REQUIRES JUSTICE: Mindanao Land and Memory Reflection Note No. 233 Series 2026 "PEACE REQUIRES JUSTICE: Minda...

Reflection Note No. 233 Series 2026
Algazelus 22.Aug.26

Growing up in Mindanao, the grand geopolitical strategies of states and the dry economics of trade felt distant. Yet, my people have long lived the harsh reality of geoeconomics gone wrong. For decades, our ancestral lands—rich in resources and agricultural potential—have been treated not as homes, but as commodities to be extracted. Through legal maneuvering, state-backed displacement, and systemic land grabbing, Muslim and Lumad communities were pushed to the margins.

The decades of armed conflict in Mindanao are not merely religious or cultural disputes; they are deeply rooted in historical injustices over stolen land and the denial of our fundamental right to self-determination. While distant capitals debated investments, trade patterns, and regulatory efficiencies to boost national competitiveness, our rivers were polluted, our forests cleared, and our sovereignty eroded by policies that weaponized economic development against us.

When the state uses economic tools to integrate regions, it often creates dependencies that erase indigenous ways of life under the guise of progress. True peace in Mindanao will never be achieved through security narratives or economic metrics alone. It requires reckoning with the historical trauma of land dispossession and honoring our inherent right to self-determination.

As on of the human rights professional from Mindanao, I view the ongoing tragedy in Palestine through the lens of our own struggles for self-determination and justice.

The merit of international law lies in its promise of universal protection, yet its failure to deter Israeli aggression exposes a glaring double standard. While joint statements from Western leaders condemning the E1 settlement expansion are welcome, mere rhetoric is no longer enough. The suffering of Palestinians demands concrete accountability beyond diplomatic reprimands.

True justice requires dismantling the impunity that fuels illegal occupations. We must move toward tangible actions: enforcing economic sanctions, prosecuting war crimes through the International Criminal Court, and imposing arms embargoes.

Just as we advocate for marginalized voices in the Bangsamoro, we must stand firm against systemic oppression globally. International law is only as strong as our collective political will to enforce it, and the time for decisive, punitive measures against Israeli violations is long overdue.

Joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Canada.

Reflection Note No. 230 Series 2026
Algazelus 19.Aug.26

Holding The Messenger of God Muhammad by M. Fethullah Gülen in my hands always brings a deep wave of nostalgia and spiritual renewal. Gifting to me in 2016 by a dear brother in Islam.

Today, as I turn its pages once again, I am overwhelmed by a profound longing for the noble character, gentle grace, and unwavering resilience of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as so vividly described by the author.

Reading this book is never just a literary exercise; it is a transformative experience. Gülen presents the Prophet’s life not merely as a chronological history, but as a living, breathing blueprint for the soul.

In a world full of noise and distraction, revisiting these pages reminds me of how much more I have to learn and how deeply I need to discipline my heart and actions to truly embody the prophetic way of life.

I truly miss the purity, patience, and profound love that defined the Messenger of God. This book serves as a gentle reminder to slow down, realign my intentions, and strive daily to be a better Muslim, honoring the legacy of the best of mankind.