Muath Basem Abu Owda

Peace and mercy of God be upon you.

I am Muath Abu Owda, a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, and I am 21 years old. I am a حافظ (memorizer) of the Quran and have an unbroken chain of transmission from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I achieved a score of 95.9 in my high school exams, and due to financial circumstances and the high cost of education in Gaza, I moved to study at Mansoura University in Egypt, where I enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine (modern system).

Thanks to God, I am now starting my fourth year in medical school. As you know, Gaza has been under siege for 11 and a half months. During this time, I completed my third year despite the immense pressure faced by all students abroad and the lack of living expenses due to the war. My family's financial situation was dire, with my father's salary not exceeding $600 a month. Normally, he would send me half of his salary, which barely covered my rent and living expenses. However, during the war, due to rising costs and the challenges they faced, he could not send me a single dollar (may God support and strengthen them).

I tried to help my father by working to cover my needs, but I couldn't find a job in Egypt due to low salaries, which range from 5,000 to 7,000 EGP (approximately $100-150) for an 8-hour workday. This would affect my studies and focus.

Additionally, my family in my beloved city of Khan Younis has faced repeated displacement, first to the west of the city, then to Rafah, and finally back to our destroyed home (thank God for allowing us to sacrifice for Palestine and the blessed Al-Quds) due to the occupation and its evident brutality. My father could not provide the tuition fees as he normally does, either by borrowing or cutting back on expenses for my siblings (may God protect them).

Anyone who is aware of the Palestinian cause knows that the occupation does not only attack Palestinians on their land but also fights against their education, thoughts, excellence, and freedom. As a Palestinian, I was raised with the determination to pursue my dreams and love for my land, willing to sacrifice my blood for it. I will not allow the occupation to stand in the way of my long-held dreams, and I will continue on the path I started despite the challenges (financial circumstances) and the current struggles (war and occupation).

I am confident in God Almighty (who is stronger than the occupation and circumstances) and firmly believe in the words of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said, “And the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge.” I am sure that I will continue and excel in my studies and return to my beloved homeland, which has been forsaken by many, to stand beside my family, friends, and every free Palestinian, and serve them in the health sector, joining the hospitals in the Gaza Strip that have been destroyed by the Nazi occupation. We will restore them despite their efforts to the contrary.

The efforts of Muath and all the students and our years of hardship are not more valuable than the blood of any Palestinian who has been martyred since 1948 until this year, 2024. We are all sacrifices for Palestine and Al-Quds.

May God have mercy on our martyrs, heal our wounded, free our captives with honor, and remove the burden from the patient, steadfast people.

Muath Basem Abu Owda