“Reclaim Our Religion”: Sheikh Musa Drammeh Calls on Muslims to Confront Decades of Anti-Israel Politics and Rebuild at Home
In a candid open letter, the president of Muslims Israel Dialogue urges self-reflection, honesty and a renewed focus on education, development and human dignity.
Published October 8, 2026 · 5 min read
Sheikh Musa Drammeh
President, Muslims Israel Dialogue; Chairman, National Center For Health Equity.
Photo: Sheikh Musa DrammehA widely shared open letter from Sheikh Musa Drammeh, president of Muslims Israel Dialogue, is prompting debate across Muslim communities. Addressed to “my fellow Muslims,” the message argues that the community must “have the courage to confess, acknowledge, regret and reclaim our religion.”
Drammeh contends that for decades the Muslim world has been exposed to what he calls relentless anti-Israel and anti-Zionist indoctrination, and that what began as a political position has often been presented as though it were an essential part of Islam. He names scholars, imams, politicians, journalists and activists as having reinforced a narrative that placed opposition to Israel at the centre of Muslim political consciousness.
The Priorities He Says Were Neglected
At the heart of the letter is a list of what Drammeh believes was sidelined: poverty, education, economic development, corruption and poor governance, the welfare of children, and conflicts and suffering within Muslim communities. Tap a node below to see how the letter frames each one.
Figure 1 · The letter’s argument at a glance
Difficult Questions
Drammeh poses a series of pointed questions for readers. Open each to see the question and the context in which he raises it.
Did BDS deliver the economic transformation Palestinians were promised?
Asked as part of the letter’s broader challenge to whether decades-old strategies have produced tangible results.
Did decades of hostility bring us closer to peace?
The letter argues that perpetual conflict is not a foundation on which a future can be built.
Did the events of 7th October bring a viable two-state solution closer?
Drammeh asks whether they instead made an already difficult path more complicated.
What have we actually built while trying to destroy Israel?
He calls this “perhaps the most important question” in the letter.
“Israel Is Not Going Anywhere”
Drammeh writes that Israeli society, shaped by decades of conflict, is deeply focused on military strength, intelligence, security and counterterrorism, adding that people may disagree with Israel’s policies but “cannot afford to ignore the reality of its capabilities.” He cites a recent incident involving a Flydubai flight, in which he says Israeli passengers and professionals responded bravely, as an example of embedded vigilance.
He is explicit that he is not asking anyone to abandon Palestinians or stay silent about injustice. Rather, he says, the aim is “refusing to allow hatred of Israel to become a substitute for solving our own problems.”
Figure 2 · The path he proposes
Based on the letter’s closing call: “time for reflection… time for honesty… time to reclaim our religion.”A Vision of Islam Rooted in Knowledge and Life
Drammeh closes by urging a return to “a vision of Islam that values knowledge, justice, human dignity, economic prosperity, peace and the preservation of life,” concluding that the community’s future “cannot be built on perpetual conflict.”
The letter is the personal view of its author and is likely to draw a range of responses. FFN welcomes readers’ perspectives on the questions it raises.
Original Post — Sheikh Musa Drammeh
My fellow Muslims,
We have reached a point where we must have the courage to confess, acknowledge, regret and reclaim our religion.
For decades, the Muslim world has been subjected to relentless anti-Israel and anti-Zionist indoctrination. What began as a political position has, in many instances, been presented as though it were an essential part of Islam.
We must be honest about where this has taken us.
Scholars, imams, politicians, journalists and activists have too often reinforced a narrative that made opposition to Israel the centre of Muslim political consciousness.
And while we focused relentlessly on Israel, we neglected ourselves.
We neglected poverty.
We neglected education.
We neglected economic development.
We neglected corruption and poor governance.
We neglected the welfare of our children.
We neglected the conflicts and suffering within our own communities.For decades, we were told that Israel was the source of our problems. Yet Israel remains, while many of our own problems have grown worse.
Therefore , we need to ask ourselves some difficult questions.
Did BDS deliver the economic transformation Palestinians were promised?
Did decades of hostility bring us closer to peace?
Did the events of 7th October bring us closer to a viable two-state solution, or make an already difficult path even more complicated?
And perhaps the most important question:
What have we actually built while spending so much energy trying to destroy Israel?
Israel is not going anywhere.
Decades of conflict and attacks have produced a society deeply focused on military strength, intelligence, security and counterterrorism. We may disagree with Israel’s policies, but we cannot afford to ignore the reality of its capabilities.
The actions of ordinary Israelis can also demonstrate how deeply security and vigilance have become embedded in Israeli society. The recent example of Israeli passengers and professionals responding bravely during an incident involving a Flydubai flight is a reminder of how decades of conflict have shaped the instincts and preparedness of ordinary Israelis.
Meanwhile, too many Muslim societies continue to struggle with problems that have little or nothing to do with Israel.
We cannot keep making Israel the centre of our political, religious and emotional universe while neglecting the urgent work of building stronger Muslim communities.
This does not mean abandoning Palestinians or remaining silent about injustice. It means refusing to allow hatred of Israel to become a substitute for solving our own problems.
It means thinking differently.
It means asking whether some of the ideas we inherited have actually served us.
It means having the courage to say when we were wrong.
And above all, it means returning to a vision of Islam that values knowledge, justice, human dignity, economic prosperity, peace and the preservation of life.
Our future cannot be built on perpetual conflict.
It is time for reflection. It is time for honesty. It is time to reclaim our religion from politics that have failed us.
Salaam,
Sheikh Musa Drammeh
President
Muslims Israel Dialogue
Source: Sheikh Musa Drammeh on Facebook
About Sheikh Musa Drammeh
Sheikh Musa Drammeh is Chairman at the National Center For Health Equity. He works as a Television Host at Muslim World News and hosts New York Healthy Lifestyle at Lifestyle Lifespan. He is also president of Muslims Israel Dialogue.
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