SHAH ALAM – As Muslims, Allah is present in every moment, in happiness, sadness, fear, and anger. It is through faith that many find the strength to endure and move forward.
According to Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) activist Iylia Balqis Suhaimi, this unwavering belief became the foundation of their courage throughout the humanitarian mission.
Speaking about her experience, the Cinta Salam Malaysia project coordinator shared that spiritual resilience played a vital role in helping her and others aboard the flotilla remain calm amid fear and uncertainty.
“Throughout the journey, as Muslims, we had Allah to stay true.
“We didn’t have anyone else, so we were searching for something to hold on to and that was Allah. That was the only way,” she said during Sinar Daily's Palestinian Diaries podcast, recently.
Iylia shared that during the intense simulation training in Barcelona, Spain, the team underwent realistic exercises to prepare for possible interception scenarios. The organisers shut off all the lights, played the sound of waves and simulated the presence of Israeli forces to test how each participant would react.
“Everyone sat in circles, maybe 10 to 20 in total and then they started the simulation, the lights went off, we heard shouting and the actors came in, ordering us to put our heads down and hands behind our backs.
“It felt real,” she said.
When the simulation ended, one of the organisers, Brazilian humanitarian and climate activist Thiago Avila asked everyone to share how they felt during the experience. One woman from the United Kingdom said something that left Iylia deeply moved.
“She said it was strange because she found herself searching for something, or someone, to hold on to. And suddenly she said, ‘Allahu Akbar.’
“She’s not even a Muslim, but at that moment, she turned to Allah,” Iylia said.
That experience, she said, reminded her how faith can bridge differences and unite people under shared fear, hope and humanity.
During the mission’s mental health sessions, participants were asked how they coped with stress. Many mentioned playing games, singing, or strumming the guitar.
For Iylia, however, her answer was simple: Prayer.
“We only hold on to Him and insyaAllah, He will get us through everything,” she said.
During her time in Palestine, Iylia saw the words hasbunallah wa ni‘mal wakil written across the walls, a phrase that she said finally came alive for her through the experience.
It became her source of strength and the reminder that sustained her throughout the mission.
Even when the flotilla was intercepted at sea, she remained composed and unshaken.
Instead of fear, she felt a quiet sense of peace washed over her. While others were anxious, she focused on her prayers, reciting verses from the Quran after Subuh before resting again.
For Iylia, fulfilling her spiritual duties and placing complete trust in Allah gave her the calm she needed to face uncertainty.
That deep sense of serenity, anchored in unwavering faith, became the foundation that carried her through every challenge of the journey.
“In the middle of the Mediterranean, anything could happen. The boat could sink. But in the end, it is Allah who moves the hearts of people to help us. That’s what I held on to,” she said.