Syria is depicted as an international pariah state, a supporter of terrorism who has gone to war with Israel on more than one occasion. The US regime has long argued that Syria's support for Hizbollah and Palestinian militants, its interference in Lebanon and its encouragement of militants in Iraq is highly irresponsible and not conducive to regional peace and stability. At the same time successive Syrian regimes have oppressed the Muslims and sought to undermine Islam. With the Arab Spring now firmly taking root in Syria the ummah has moved to change the status quo.
Syria has always been a place of interest to the world's powers throughout history. Its agricultural development and irrigation earned it the title of the "fertile crescent." Syria became a transit country for rulers from the East and West, who crossed it in pursuit of power and wealth. Cultures from all directions left their effects on Syria, including The Aremaeans, who were followed by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, Persians, and finally, Greek and Roman rulers. Thereafter Syria or al-sham came under the attention of the Muslims lead by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Al-Sham was a Roman colony where Roman culture and Christianity were predominant. Al Sham had been under Roman rule for seven centuries prior to the Islamic conquest and included Palestine and all the desert plains north of the Hijaz to Anatolia. In 629 AD the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sent forces to the Roman boarders near Busra as punishment for the murder of a Muslim envoy. The battle that ensued was known as the Battle of Muta, where Khalid Bin Waleed was able to instil fear in the Romans with minimal casualties where the Muslims were outnumbered 6:1. This success aided Abu Bakr (ra) when he became khaleefah, who strove to carry through on the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم vision to take Islam to the world.
The conquests of Al sham was undertaken in three phases. Southern Sham, bordering the Hijaz was first targeted, the Muslims came to easily dominate the open Southern countryside of sham due to very little resistance.
The second phase consisted of the Byzantine emperor, Heraclius sending of his imperial army to combat the Muslims. This led to direct engagement between the armies and in 636 the battle of Yarmuk took place. The Byzantine imperial army was defeated as the Ghassanids - a Byzantine vassal state, were overthrown and following the Battle of Yarmuk, some 12,000 Ghassanid defected to the Muslim side - this was the decisive blow. This defeat broke the ability of the Byzantines to offer organised resistance in the face of the Muslims advance.
The final phase constituted the consolidation of the conquest into the Northern areas of Al Sham. A number of towns were left alone to resist as the Byzantine army collapsed, they still put up some resistance. Damascus, Beirut and eventually Jerusalem were brought under Islam. The Muslim army pushed further into Armenia and Anatolia, Heraclius' homeland. The city was isolated from the remainder of Anatolia and having little hope of help from the Emperor, Antioch surrendered in 637 under the condition that all Byzantine troops would be given safe passage to Constantinople.
Islamic Rule
The inhabitants of Al Sham were promised security for their lives, property and churches, on payment of the Jizya. The integration of the Nestorian and Jacobite Christians and Jews was completed through this strategy as previously they were persecuted under Byzantine rule. Islamic rule was further consolidated when Damascus became capitol of the Khilafah. Christianity in the Khilafah experienced a new and unprecedented level of revival and vigour. Nestorian and Jacobite theologians and philosophers became teachers in Islamic institutes and contributed to the flourishing of Science and learning in the region, Nestorian's also became the attending physicians of the Muslims.
The consolidation of Al Sham, which included Palestine and Jerusalem, took place after the Byzantine army was shattered and routed. The Siege of Jerusalem lasted for four months and when all further resistance was hopeless the Patriarch, Sophronius (the head of the Christian defenders) capitulated on the terms that the Christians were to keep their churches and sanctuaries and that no one was to be forced to accept Islam. Sophronius insisted that these terms should be ratified by the Khaleefah Umar (ra) in person. Umar (ra) came himself to accept the surrender of Jerusalem. The Umari treaty was agreed, it was signed by Umar (ra) on behalf of the Ummah and witnessed by some of the Sahabah, hence in April 637 - Jerusalem was officially surrendered to the Muslims.
The Umari treaty became the template for Muslim - non-Muslim relations which included:
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Beneficent.
This is what the slave of Allah, Umar b.Al-Khattab, the Amir of the believers, has offered the people of Illyaa' of security granting them Amaan (protection) for their selves, their money, their churches, their children, their lowly and their innocent, and the remainder of their people. Their churches are not to be taken, nor are they to be destroyed, nor are they to be degraded or belittled, neither are their crosses or their money, and they are not to be forced to change their religion, nor is any one of them to be harmed. No Jews are to live with them in Illyaa' and it is required of the people of Illyaa' to pay the Jizya, like the people of the cities. It is also required of them to remove the Romans from the land; and whoever amongst the people of Illyaa' that wishes to depart with their selves and their money with the Romans, leaving their trading goods and children behind, then their selves, their trading goods and their children are secure until they reach their destination. Upon what is in this book is the word of Allah, the covenant of His Messenger, of the Khulafaa' and of the believers if they (the people of Illyaa') gave what was required of them of Jizya.[1]
The application of Islam unified the different people in society by not intervening in their worships. It commanded their loyalty in return the Khilafah provided security and sanctuary. Arculf, a Frankish bishop who went on a pilgrimage to the city in the seventh century, gave the following account: "The caliphs of Damascus (661-750) were enlightened and tolerant princes, on quite good terms with their Christian subjects. Many Christians (e.g. St. John Damascene, d. c. 754) held important offices at their court. The Abbasid caliphs at Baghdad (753-1242), as long as they ruled Syria, were also just and tolerant to the Christians. The famous Harun Abu-Ja-'afar (Harun al-Rashid, 786-809) sent the keys of the Holy Sepulchre to Charlemagne who built a hospice for Latin pilgrims near the shrine."
Ummayads
The Ummayad family took over the reigns of power in 661. Mu'awiyah bin Sufyaan (661-680) was the first of the Ummayad rulers and enacted a policy of spreading Islam. Under the Ummayads North-west Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), Spain, western India and portions of Central Asia were added to the Islamic territories. Mu'awiyah also strengthened the military of the Khilafah, this would include a powerful navy and the creation of military bases. Mu'awiya had realised that the decisive battle against the then superpower the Byzantines would be at sea. Mu'awiyah's policies resulted in the creation of dockyards in Acre in Syria and also in Eastern Egypt which was in Muslim control by 641. By 649 the construction of 1000 fleet was complete. This policy also resulted in ship building factories being constructed at important ports such as Abla and Sirafin in the Persian Gulf, Tunis on the North African Coast, Sus in Morocco then after further victories facilities developed in Palermo and Messina in Sicily and Bari in Italy. Within a hundred years these ports also served as commercial centres for Trade which facilitated the Khilafah's riches.
As a result of Ummayad economic and military policies and with a supply line supported by two huge military bases and a powerful navy. The Berber turned Muslim Tariq ibn Ziyad in 711, from around Tangier (modern day Morocco), with an army of around seven thousand three hundred crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and began the conquest of Spain.
The Ummayads also minted the first standard coinage. This replaced the Byzantine and Persian coins, which until the reign 'Abd al-Malik were the sole currency in circulation. 'Abd al-Malik coined Dirhams in specific Islamic style carrying Islamic texts engraved upon the Dirhams in Kufic script after abandoning the Persian style. He coined Dinars in a specific Islamic style and engraved upon them Islamic texts with Kufic Arabic script while abandoning the previous Byzantine style. After Abdul Malik had coined Dirhams and Dinars in a specific Islamic style, Muslims had their distinct currency in a unique Islamic style and they abandoned other people's currency. This under the Abbasids resulted in the development and sophistication of the system of banking and exchange
Uthmani's
The Uthmani Khilafah ruled over Syria from 1616 and divided the region into four wilayah's: Aleppo, Damascus, Tripoli and Sidon (in modern Lebanon). The industrial revolution and subsequent colonization of the world by Western powers brought the Islamic territories to the attention of preying Western eyes. In the 19th Century Napoleon led European colonialism into North Africa and the Middle East. French, British and Italians divided the region into their spheres of influence.
The breakout of WW1 led to the Uthmani's to side with Germany, the subsequent defeat at the hands of the allied powers led to the break-up of the Uthmani Khilafah. The British spy TE Lawrence "on behalf of his majesty" promised Prince Faisal of the Hashemite royal family in Mecca Arab independence in return for his cooperation against German and Uthmani rule. Anglo-Arabian troops moved to Damascus in 1918 and Faisal in 1920 was elected king by a Syrian Provisional Congress. The secret Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916 had, however, divided the region between France and Britain. France received Syria and Lebanon, England took Iraq and Transjordan/Palestine. French troops moved into Damascus and expelled Faisal to Palestine. The Treaty of Sèvres confirmed the new colonial situation. France separated Lebanon from Syria and founded a new state of "Greater Lebanon." The French divided the remaining area of Syria into four parts. The result was the districts of Aleppo, Latakia (where the Alawites were located), Damascus and Jebel Druze to the south.
The last French troop left Syria in 1946 and ever since April 17 is the day Syria celebrates its Independence Day.
Whilst the Muslims centuries earlier rid Syria of the corruption of nationalism, many Arabs eager to be liberated from western domination turned to Arab nationalism. After independence various individuals and political groups vied for power resulting in the Ba'ath party coup in 1963. Whilst the Ba'ath party advocated some socialist ideas in reality it was just another power grab. The loss of the Golan heights in 1967 further weakened the Ummah
Al-Assads
In the 1971 Hafez Al-Assad took power and remained until his death in 2000. Hafez Al-Assad proved to be ruthless, preventing any challenge to his rule, banning an open press and political debate. He strengthened the secret police (Mukhabarat) and turned them into permanent informants. Such tactics led to the crushing of the Muslim brotherhood in Hama in 1982.
In the twilight hours of February 2nd 1982, the city of Hama was awakened by loud explosions. The Syrian air force had begun carpet bombing the city. The bombing sorties purpose was to disable the roads so no one could escape. Syrian tanks and artillery systems had surrounded Hama during the night. With the conclusion of the air bombing run, the tanks and artillery began a relentless shelling operation of the town. Between 30,000 to 40,000 people are believed to have been killed in this atrocity.
Like many of the post colonial regimes, physical occupation came to an end, but subservience by the rulers did not end. Syria has been completely compliant to foreign powers and on occasions it has even excelled in being a loyal US servant. The US has secretly orchestrated talks between Syria and Israel to settle the Golan Heights issue that Israel occupied in the 1967 war. The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz said the meetings, held in Europe, began in September 2004 and were initiated by the Syrians. The talks covered security, water, borders and normalization of ties. President Assad's treachery has no limits, he has even tried to convert the secret talks into a formal peace process with Israel but has been rebuffed both by Tel Aviv and Washington.
In Iraq, the public perception was that Syria encouraged Islamic fighters to cross over into Iraq to undermine the authority of the Iraqi government. The reality was that Syria played an active role in infiltrating such Islamists and passing on valuable intelligence to the US led coalition. It was Syria that drove a wedge between the Baathists and the Sunni militants who offered material assistance to Baathists in exchange for their support for Islam. Added to this effort, the Syrians restored full diplomatic relations with Iraq after an absence of 24 years.
Syria also participated in the US led multinational coalition aligned against Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf war [1990-91], which marked a dramatic watershed in Syrian relations with other Arab states. It was one of the only non-monarchical Arab states to have backed the United States against Iraq during the first Gulf War, dispatching troops to support Operation Desert Shield. Syria also cooperated with the United States against al-Qaida, the Taliban, and other organizations and individuals. It has passed on hundreds of files of crucial data regarding al-Qaida and other radical Islamic groups in the Middle East and Europe to US officials, including information on the activities of radical cells and intelligence about possible future terrorist operations. CIA sources have acknowledged that "the quality and quantity of information from Syria exceeded the agency's expectations" but that Syria "got little in return for it." What Syria did get in return was a slap in the face with the ‘Syria Accountability Act,' passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in late 2003, which paves the way for possible US military action against Syria. It spells out, in more detail than the administration ever did regarding Iraq, reasons for a US invasion. The act declares that "Syria will be held accountable for any harm to Coalition armed forces or to any United States citizen in Iraq if the government of Syria is found to be responsible due to its facilitation of terrorist activities and its shipments of military supplies to Iraq."
The Assad family have a history of torture and murder of anyone who calls for Islam or challenges the regime's hold on power. Individuals are routinely kidnapped and throne into Syria's notorious underground torture cells. For example, Kamal Lawani and six activists who were calling for change in Syria were handed a 12-year sentence after meeting officials at the White House. The conviction was part of a wider crackdown. Anwar Bunni, a human rights lawyer, received a five-year prison term last month on charges of spreading false information and contacting a foreign power.
In the autumn of 1999 the Syrian security forces launched an extensive campaign of arrests of members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Shortly after the meeting between Hafiz Assad and Bill Clinton HT members had distributed leaflets critical of the behaviour and policies of the Syrian government towards occupied Syrian territory, the Palestinian issue and peace with Israel. The security forces had been able to plant some spies within the ranks of HT and began to wage a campaign of arrests of its members and sympathizers. These arrests continued from 2001-2002 and new waves of people were arrested. The Syrian committee for human rights issued a list of those HT prisoners kept in the Saydanya prison in Syria whose total reached a provisional figure of 60 prisoners.
Conclusion
It was only a matter of time before the Muslim of Syria demanded change. Seeing their brothers and sisters taking to the streets to remove their rulers the people of Syria have taken to the streets to change their oppressive rulers imposed upon them by the West. The Kafir rulers of Syria have used every tactic possible to halt the demonstrations, from shooting those demonstrating and then those who attend the funerals of those killed. Syria has a long history steeped in Islam, It was Islamic rule that turned Syria into a global power and it was this prestige that drove many to the region.
We pray Allah سبحانه وتعالى gives his victory and places the illegitimate regime in the dustbin of histor.
[1] See http://www.scribd.com/doc/14131343/The-Pact-of-Umar
Source: www.khilafah.com
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