In a rare and emotional tribute, Muslim News Nigeria has named the ‘People of Gaza’ as the joint winners of its prestigious Global Muslim Personality of the Year 2025, recognising their extraordinary courage, resilience, and sacrifice in the face of unimaginable suffering, brutality, humiliation and dehumanisation.
The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Award Convener and Publisher of the faith-based newspaper, Alhaji Rasheed Abubakar, on Friday, November 28, 2025.
It comes barely two weeks after the newspaper unveiled the winners of the Nigerian category of the same #MNAwards, celebrating excellence and impact within the country.
According to him, the Award is not just symbolic, but a heartfelt honour to both the survivors and the more than 69,000 martyrs who lost their lives during the prolonged Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.
The recognition, he said, reflects the unyielding spirit of a people who, despite being starved, bombed, and displaced, have refused to surrender their right to life, dignity, and homeland.
Now in its fifth edition, the #MNAwards celebrates Muslim excellence across all sectors, including governance, health, education, law, and advocacy. It also acknowledges leaders and personalities who use their influence and professions to defend the rights of the oppressed Muslims globally.
Past recipients of the overall Global Muslim Personality of the Year Award include the Emir of Qatar, His Excellency Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the President of Türkiye, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who won the Award for three consecutive years for their bold stances in support of Palestine and other oppressed Muslims across the world.
Muslim News Nigeria, a leading faith-based newspaper in the country, noted that this year’s decision to honour an entire people rather than an individual was not only unprecedented, but a moral obligation to amplify the voice and resilience of Gaza in a world that more often than not, do look away from the sufferings of the oppressed and disregard the oppressor.
“This year, we decided to take a closer look at the resistance and perseverance of the people of Gaza and Palestine in the face of a genocidal war that has lasted more than two years,” Abubakar said, adding that, “despite limited resources and global silence and criminal complicity of the Super Power, they stood tall. They didn’t give up on their right to existence.”
Why the people of Gaza deserve the honor
In explaining the rationale behind this year award, the Publisher of Muslim News Nigeria said the People of Gaza have demonstrated an extraordinary level of steadfastness, collective resistance, courage, and unshakable faith throughout the prolonged and brutal assaults on them and their land.
He noted that, despite the grief and unbearable losses, Palestinians continued to worship, educate their children, and uphold their communal virtues as well as human dignity and values.
“They refused to surrender spiritually and morally, even as the physical structures around them were destroyed. That kind of resilience can only come from a deep sense of purpose and unshakable faith,” he added.
Remembering the martyrs, saluting the survivors
As part of the recognition, Muslim News Nigeria honours the memory of thousands of brave souls who lost their lives, including innocent tortured and, or raped to death in incarceration, those still experiencing torture in prisons, journalists killed while covering bombings, medical professionals who died treating the injured, mothers and children killed or abducted in their homes, and countless civilians caught in the brutal wave of violence. 
The killing of baby Zein, a two-month-old and the youngest member of the al-Najjar family, who was murdered alongside 17 relatives in an Israeli airstrike on their home on October 10, 2023, remains one of the most heartbreaking incidents of the war.
Similarly, 6-year-old Hind Rajab was tragically killed after being trapped in a vehicle with her family and later targeted by Israeli forces, including the medics who came to rescue her. These innocent lives represent just a fraction of the mass civilian toll.
He said, “Their names may not all be known, but their sacrifices echo in every shattered building and with every surviving soul in Gaza. Yet, amid the rubble, they stood firm. Teachers resumed classes in tents, medics operated with bare hands, and journalists kept reporting even after losing their entire families. These are not just victims; they are the embodiment of resistance. They are the voice of justice and humanity.”
To the survivors, the newspaper extends heartfelt congratulations and prayers to all Gazans and the suffering Palestinians “May your strength not be in vain. May your stories be heard. May your Land be freed from the River to the Sea. May your communities be rebuilt with dignity and support from the global Muslim Ummah and all people of conscience across the globe,” the publisher said.
A clarion call to world leaders and the Muslim Ummah
Alhaji Abubakar called on world leaders, international organisations, and the global Muslim Ummah to act with urgency and sincerity in securing a lasting peace in Palestine, one that is anchored on justice, dignity, and the protection of fundamental human rights.
The publisher stressed that the only viable and just solution remains a two-state arrangement that allows both Palestinians and Israelis to coexist peacefully, each in their sovereign homelands, free from fear, occupation, and violence.
According to him, “The memory of the fallen heroes and the ongoing atrocities in Gaza must serve as a moral compass for humanity. This award is not merely symbolic; it is a call to action. The sacrifices of the people of Gaza must not be in vain. The world must not look away, and the struggle for freedom, justice, and lasting peace must continue until it is fully realised.
“We urge all people of conscience to protect the Palestinian people from the current and future Israeli aggressions and to ensure the perpetrators of war crimes are held accountable under international laws.”
Muslim News Nigeria called on the Muslim Ummah including its governments, leaders, organisations, and communities etc. to step up their support for the people of Palestine. This support, the paper noted, should come through sustained advocacy, humanitarian relief, and diplomatic engagement aimed at ending the suffering and restoring justice.
About Muslim News Nigeria:
Founded in 2018, Muslim News Nigeria is a leading faith-based media platform that reaches an estimated 120–135 million Muslims in Nigeria (approximately 56% of the population). Through consistent reporting, in-depth features, and the #MNAwards, the organisation amplifies Muslim voices and achievements — ensuring fair representation and global engagement. For more information, visit www.muslimnews.com.ng. or Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Finalists for Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the Year (#MNAwards20242025)
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