THE CALIPHATE AND THE MIRAGE IN THE DESERT

The dec­la­ra­tion by the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS), regard­ing its estab­lish­ment of the Caliphate sent rip­ples around the world. Stretch­ing from Diyala province, Iraq, to Aleppo, Syria, the dec­la­ra­tion has placed the ‘Caliphate’ on the global map and led to a raft of responses by Mus­lims and Non-Muslims alike. The new Islamic State (IS) called for pledges from all groups and mus­lims, across the world[1] and requested for doc­tors, engi­neers, lawyers, econ­o­mists and any­one with skills to migrate to the islamic lands and aid the build­ing of the new caliphate[2]. The announce­ment, how­ever,  has largely failed to achieve the cen­tre of grav­ity the new IS had hoped, as many con­sider the Shari’ con­di­tions not to have been met, whilst oth­ers have been scep­ti­cal of the dec­la­ra­tion. Despite wide­spread sup­port for the return of the Caliphate the ISIS Caliphate has strug­gled to gain wide­spread sup­port and they’re five key rea­sons for this.

Firstly, con­trary to pop­u­lar opin­ion, the IS pre­vi­ously known as the ISIS did not emerge from the chaos which ensued from Syria’s upris­ing. Its ori­gins date back to 2003 when the Jor­dan­ian war-veteran Abu Mus’ab az-Zarqawi founded the AQI (al-Qaeda in Iraq) after hav­ing formed Jam­mat at-Tawhid wal-Jihad in 1999. From the onset, az-Zarqawi’s move­ment was at odds with al-Qaeda’s lead­er­ship even before the two groups (Jam­mat at-Tawhid wal-Jihad and al-Qaeda) joined hands in Iraq. Points of diver­gence revolved pri­mar­ily on issues of tak­feer — the polit­i­cal and legal impli­ca­tions which fol­low from the pro­nounce­ment and vision.  The merg­ing of these two move­ments how­ever was as much tac­ti­cal as it was prag­matic. These ide­o­log­i­cal dif­fer­ences cou­pled with Al-Qaeda’s decen­tral­ized nature pro­vided Zar­qawi and his nascent move­ment with the auton­omy and power needed to form a fac­tion which would later com­pete with al-Qaeda for lead­er­ship. In 2006 Zar­qawi con­sol­i­dated his power by cre­at­ing an umbrella Jihadi group Majlis Shura al-Mujahedin. Shortly after, Zar­qawi was killed and the new leader of the group, Abu ‘Umar al-Baghdadi declared the for­ma­tion of ‘the Islamic State of Iraq’ – and later the ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Lev­ant’ until Abu Muham­mad al-Adnani’s dec­la­ra­tion of a Caliphate, leav­ing the orga­ni­za­tions name to be sim­ply ‘Islamic State’. A his­tor­i­cal eval­u­a­tion of the orga­ni­za­tions evo­lu­tion and rela­tions with al-Qaeda and other movement’s makes it all the more clear that the rogue-nature and extreme dis­course of the ‘Islamic State’ is noth­ing new.

Table: Evo­lu­tion of the Orga­ni­za­tion[3]

Name	Year(s)	Leader
Jam­mat at-Tawhid wal-Jihad	1999–2004	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Al-Qaeda in Iraq/Al-Qaeda in the Land of Two Rivers	2004–2006	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Majlis ash-Shura lil Mujahideen	2006	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Islamic State of Iraq	2006–2013	Abu Omar al-Baghdadi
Islamic State or Iraq and the Levant	2013–2014	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Islamic State	Present	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

Sec­ondly, from an on-the-ground per­spec­tive, the exclam­a­tory dec­la­ra­tion of a Caliphate is more sym­bolic than it is, in any way, game-changing. It is sym­bolic in that the ide­o­logues of the IScon­sider the Caliphate to be an entity which rep­re­sents the entirety of the Ummah whereas the ‘Islamic State’ rep­re­sents those Mus­lims liv­ing within its juris­dic­tion, those being, Mus­lims between the Syr­ian city of Raqqa and Iraq’s Diyala province. Also, it is sym­bolic of the movement’s con­sol­i­da­tion of ‘power’ and its lever­age over al-Qaeda. The dec­la­ra­tion of a ‘Caliphate’ which his­tor­i­cally was a sym­bol of Mus­lim unity only caused more schisms and divi­sions between the IS and other groups, indi­vid­u­als and orga­ni­za­tions. The lead­ing Jihadi ide­o­logue and scholar, an old-time men­tor of Zar­qawi, Shaykh Abu Muham­mad al-Maqdisi derided the dec­la­ra­tion stat­ing: “We will remain sin­cerely upon this reli­gion, guarding/protecting it against all deviance’s and extrem­ism and oth­ers dis­torted peo­ple. Either you fix your­self (ISIS), repent and stop spilling Mus­lim blood and dis­tort this reli­gion, or we will be against you with tongues like swords.”[4]

Thirdly, if the pur­pose of declar­ing the for­mal estab­lish­ment of a Caliphate is to secure unity and global recog­ni­tion, the newly-formed state falls noth­ing short of a para­dox in that the reac­tion across the globe to the dec­la­ra­tion was uni­formly one of rejec­tion and proved to be divi­sive. To what extent the IS has con­sol­i­dated inter­nal and exter­nal secu­rity (a con­di­tion for the Caliphate) is put into ques­tion when the Caliph, of all peo­ple, is unable to roam the streets of his cap­i­tal city. Not to men­tion, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi unlike his pre­de­ces­sor Zar­qawi and oth­ers is a shad­owy fig­ure despite the ambigu­ous one-page biogra­phies pub­lished by the IS. Nine major rebel groups in Syria, last Mon­day, issued a state­ment reject­ing the new “Caliphate” as have Islamic fig­ures and move­ments around the world, both inside and out­side of Syria.[5]

Fourthly, much of the scep­ti­cism is based on the role ISIS has played in the  upris­ing in Syria. rather than standing-off against the al-Assad regime ISIS has been fight­ing against the rebel forces  and seiz­ing ter­ri­tory which had already been under rebel con­trol. ISIS adopted tac­tics such as blow­ing up civil­ians in mar­ket places, kid­nap­ping of inno­cents for ran­som, and exe­cu­tion of those from other Islamic groups who voiced crit­i­cism and polit­i­cal dis­sent. Its depic­tion of an exis­ten­tial war against all Shi’ah, in the past and present has led to con­dem­na­tion from all quar­ters. In a recent mes­sage by Bagh­dadi he said: —  “Al Qaeda wants to forge links with the Shi­ites. They think the Shi­ites are their broth­ers even though they make tak­fir on all the sahabah and they believe the Quran is cor­rupted. Yet al Qaeda wants to forge links with them. When Isis takes a town either you leave shism or die. Isis can­not take jizya from them. They are a newly invented reli­gion so no jizya can be taken from them.”[6]

Fifthly, admin­is­ter­ing a wide-range of public-services does not amount to the build­ing of a state, as this requires apt states­men who can develop and imple­ment short-term and long-term strate­gies. Sim­i­lar exam­ples of ‘admin­is­tra­tion’ (ver­sus state-building) include the Tal­iban exper­i­ment, the short-lived “Islamic State” in Soma­lia and the more recent “Emi­rate” of Mali. More so, this is not the first time al-Qaeda affil­i­ates have ruled over large swathes of land; their rule over Anbar province was marked by fail­ure, lead­ing even­tu­ally to the emer­gence of “Sahawi” Sunni coali­tions which drove the “Islamic State” out of power. The abil­ity to take over large parts of Iraq and Syria should not be mis­taken as being sym­bi­otic of the move­ments power and abil­ity to chal­lenge the regional bal­ance of power. The Islamic State is not engaged in an all-out war with Assad’s regime and Hizbul­lah or with the United States (as was the case for al-Qaeda) but instead it has pur­sued a pol­icy of expand­ing within ter­ri­tory which has been either lib­er­ated by other rebels groups or ter­ri­tory which has been fraught with unrest and fell out­side the scope of Maliki or Assad’s con­trol, such as Mosul. In other words, the con­di­tions from which the “Islamic State” are indica­tive of its inabil­ity to pro­vide an actual counter to the regions polit­i­cal pow­ers. In short, the “Islamic State” is the prod­uct of a secu­rity vac­uum cre­ated by the Syr­ian con­flict and Assad’s tac­ti­cal tol­er­a­tion of the move­ment. Exploit­ing chaos has proven to be the most effec­tive strat­egy for groups that can­not rely on a pop­u­lar support-base

From a strate­gic per­spec­tive, the shift from a quasi-Islamic State to a “Caliphate” will mean that the move­ment must change its strat­egy and focus more on institution-building and sta­bi­liza­tion. This will prove to be extremely dif­fi­cult in the absence of a popular-support base, both inside and out­side of the State, the absence of a coher­ent politico-economic vision that goes beyond the day-to-day admin­is­tra­tion of pub­lic affairs and the movement’s mil­i­tary vul­ner­a­bil­ity on all of its fronts. The new caliphate is yet to present a con­sti­tu­tion or poli­cies on the econ­omy, domes­tic secu­rity and for­eign pol­icy. What the new state has learned very quickly is that pro­claim­ing a caliphate through social media is one thing and actually constructing one are two very dif­fer­ent things.

- Ali Harfouch

---

 References:

[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/29/isis-declares-caliphate_n_5541634.html

[2] http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/138063/Isis-Terror-group-Muslims-Rebel-State

[3] http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/ResearchNote_20_Zelin.pdf

[4] http://justpaste.it/g203

[5] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/02/Syrian-Rebel-Groups-Release-Statement-Rejecting-ISIS-Caliphate-as-Clear-Breach-of-Islam

[6] http://authentictauheed3.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

The Unity of the Islamic Ummah

The Unity of the Islamic Ummah: One of the falsehoods that the people of Baatil have propagated and promoted is the thought that the unity or unification of the Islamic Ummah is an impossibility. This is by aiming to create despair amongst the people in regards to achieving this truth. When the people despair in regards to the accomplishment of a matter, they will then never work for it and will accept other and less than it. As such our rulers persisted upon the paths deception and murder, they instigated disputes and hostility amongst the Muslims whilst feeding the thoughts of partition and division in the name of independence and self-determination. As a result the Ummah was torn apart into Arab, Turkish and Persian pieces amongst others... The loyalties and allegiances became many with many differing cultures and origins including Pharaonic and Phoenician amongst others. They pushed the misconceptions by way of lies and ignorance which they called thought and scrutiny. So the Shayaateen persisted to instigate and feed thoughts that the Muslims have many languages, ethnic and national origins and that they have different problems and issues. They then used arguments such as resolving the dispute, human rights, the right of self-determination and democracy amongst others to reinforce the thoughts of separation and division and to remove the thought of unity. What must be fully comprehended by every Muslim and what he must work and act upon its basis, is that the Islamic Ummah is one single Ummah regardless of how many and differing the ethnic origins or languages are. This Haqeeqah (truth) is a matter that is a Shar’iy obligation and if that truth is not realised today, with obstacles lying in its path, then it is Waajib (obligatory) to work to realise that and remove every obstacle that lies in its path. If some of the Muslims or many from amongst them have been deceived and taken on board thoughts that lead to mutual animosity, hatred and division then it is obligatory to carry the Da’wah to Allah, order the Ma’rouf and forbid the Munkar in order to remove these misconceptions and deceptions and to implant the correct Islamic thoughts within the people. Allah (swt) said: وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا And hold fast to the rope of Allah and do not divide (amongst yourselves) (Aali ‘Imraan 103). إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ Indeed the believers are but brothers (Al-Hujuraat 10) إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ Indeed the most Noble of you to Allah is the one who has the most Taqwaa from amongst you (Al-Hujuraat 13). وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاتَّقُونِ And verily this Ummah of yours is one Ummah and I am your Lord so have Taqwaa of me (Al-Mu’minoon 52). So where the Deen is one and the Millah is one whilst the Deen is an Aqeedah and a Sharee’ah that deals with all of the affairs of the individual and the society, this would inevitably and automatically make the Muslims into one single Ummah. Ahmad related in his Musnad that the Nabi (saw) said: الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَيَثْرِبَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ فَلَحِقَ بِهِمْ وَجَاهَدَ مَعَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أُمَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ دُونَ النَّاسِ The Muslims from Quraish and from Yathrib and those who follow them and join with them and perform Jihaad with them are one Ummah to the exclusion of mankind. And he (saw) said: مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ ، كَمَثَلِ الْجَسَدِ الْوَاحِدِ ، إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالْحُمَّى وَالسَّهَرِ The example of the believers in respect to the affection and mercy towards one another is like the example of one single body. If one part complains the rest of the body responds to it with fever and sleeplessness (Mutaffaq ‘Alaihi). He (saw): الْمُؤْمِنُونَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ ، إِنِ اشْتَكَى عَيْنُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ ، وَإِنِ اشْتَكَى رَأْسُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ The Muslims are like a single man. If his eye complains the whole of him complains and if his head complains the whole of him complains (Muslim). And he (saw) said: أيُّها الناسُ ، ألا إنَّ ربَّكم واحدٌ ، ألا وإنَّ أباكم واحدٌ ، ألا لا فضلَ لعربيٍّ على عجميٍّ ، ولا لعجميٍّ على عربيٍّ ، ولا أسودَ على أحمرَ ، ولا أحمرَ على أسودَ ، إلا بالتقوى ألا هل بلَّغتُ ؟ قالوا : بلَّغ رسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم ، قال : لِيبلِّغِ الشاهدُ الغائبَ O people, verily your Lord is one, verily your father is one (and the same), the Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does the non-Arab have superiority over an Arab, and the black has no superiority over the red nor does the red over the black, except by Taqwaa. Have I conveyed? They said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) has conveyed. He (saw) then said: Then let the one who is present convey it to the one who was absent (Al-Qurtubi in his Tafseer and said it was recorded by At-Tabari). And the Messenger (saw) also said: الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ ، لَا يَظْلِمُهُ ، وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ ، وَلَا يَحْقِرُهُ . التَّقْوَى هَهُنَا ، وَيُشِيرُ إلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ . بِحَسْبِ امْرِئٍ مِنْ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ ، كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ : دَمُهُ ، وَمَالُهُ ، وَعِرْضُهُ The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he does not transgress against him, he does not let him down, and he does not degrade him. Taqwaa is right here. (And he pointed towards his chest three times). It is enough (of a sin) for the Muslim to degrade his Muslim brother. Every Muslim in respect to his brother Muslim is Haraam, his blood, his wealth and his honour (Muslim, Ibn Maajah). And in respect to the tribal, patriotic and nationalistic allegiances and partisanships he (saw) said: دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّها مُنْتِنَة Leave it for verily it is rotten (putrid) (Muslim). Despite these clear texts the people of falsehood and misguidance however want to destroy our Ummah and so they come to advise us in the same way as Iblees came to Aadam (as) with advice. Allah (swt) informs us about them when He said: إِنْ تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِنْ تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it (Aali ‘Imraan 120). And in His speech (swt): قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْآَيَاتِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason (Aali ‘Imraan 118). And we feel and suffer what has happened to our situation in the shade of their hegemony and dominance and the tyranny of the agents that has been practised over us. We are massacred and displaced as individuals and collectives whilst the Muslim does not find the capability or means to extend help to his brother who is only a few kilometres from him or less. Whosoever wishes from amongst the depraved and base can subjugate us whether this is in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya, Indonesia or Uzbekistan amongst other places. Our regimes and news media broadcast to us the news of our slaughters and it is witnessed as if there is no relationship existing between the Muslims. This is whilst Allah (swt) has said: وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ And the male believers and female believers are all ‘Awliyaa (protectors, supporters) to one another (At-Taubah 71). And He (swt) said: وَإِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ And if they seek your help in respect to the Deen then you must come to their aid (Al-Anfaal 72). The Muslims in every part of the world must realise, fully comprehend and have belief in the Haqeeqah (truth) which is that the Muslims are one single Ummah to the exclusion of all others. They must grab hold firmly upon this definite Shar’iyah Haqeeqah and to build upon its basis whilst casting aside every other basis whatever this may be and whatever the costs or consequences are. The Muslims are one single Ummah. This is a definite and decisive truth and will remain so as long as the Muslims remain as Muslims. It is an inevitable matter and not merely a possible one as our unity as Muslims is a natural, obvious, practical and essential matter that could be accomplished quickly. This is on the condition that it proceeds upon the right path towards accomplishing that and that it does not proceed behind the deceptions of the disbelieving colonialist States, the deceptions of our rulers, their apparatuses, manufactured movements and mouth pieces, and even if they trick and deceive us by calls towards unity. As for the language, ethnicity, colour, origin, current problems and issues, then all of these to not specify, define or provide any thought, concept or position. They do not provide a thought about the existence of the creator, the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), the Day of Judgement, Jannah or the fire. None of them provide a legal ruling or judgement in respect to Hajj, Sawm, truthfulness or trustworthiness, or for Khamr or Khinzeer, or do they provide a position in respect to the Yahood or any other people nor do they provide any legislation. The problems and issues to not specify any position, stance or legislation themselves because they are not sources of legislation, solutions or treatments. Rather they are what are in need of the treatments and solutions. The source of solutions is the fundamental thought (Aqeedah), the legislative methodology and its texts i.e. the texts of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah alone. The Unity that exists amongst people is established upon a unity or unification of thoughts, systems and laws which the people believe in and upon the unity of the feelings that are latent within their emotions or apparent. The Islamic Ummah, in spite of all that has come to pass with her, the factors and motives in respect to her unity remain stronger and more powerful than those related to disunity and division. The motivation for the unity is represented in the Islamic Aqeedah which explains the universe, man and life and makes clear the relationship of these matters with what came before them and what comes after them, and it provides a system for regulating life, all of which is completely and perfectly present and fulfilled within Islaam. The Muslims believe in Islaam, the Nabi (saw) and his Message, the history of Islaam is a history for all of them, the Seerah of their Nabi (saw) is their model and example which they revise and are dedicated to, and the great men of Islaam like Abu Bakr, Umar, ‘Uthmaan and ‘Ali amongst many others (rah) are their great men whom they look up to. The Muslims practise the main rites of Islaam together and the Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah that unify them and join them together are too numerous to be listed. They all wait for Ramadhaan to come together and then they fast together, and their hearts all incline towards the Masjid Al-Haraam. They head towards it at a single time in the same days and even the same hour whilst coming in contact with people from all corners of the world, who are undertaking the very same rituals and acts, repeating the same words, making Tawaaf, Du’aa, sacrifices and then heading together on the journey to the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (saw) to pray there and to make Tasleem upon the Messenger in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, the land of the first Islamic State. They recall the beginning of his Da’wah, his determination, perseverance, patience and victory. They then return to their lands and those close to them and discuss their experiences and receive congratulations from them. In every part of the world the condition of the Muslims is as one when they raise the Adhaan, calling with ‘Allahu Akbar’ ‘Allahu Akbar’ according to the same manner and method. The Ummah as a whole yearns and longs for the unity of the Ummah, for the return of the honour and might of Islaam and the Muslims, and for the liberation of Masjid Al-Aqsaa, Palestine and the remainder of the Muslim lands. The above just touches the surface and this is the situation of the Muslims in every part of the world whilst those who have gone away from this and have been enchanted by Shaytaan, then they merely represent a handful of those who have turned away from the Deen, and so this abnormality of theirs away from the Ummah will only lead them to the fire. Yes, indeed Islaam is an intellectual Aqeedah, thoughts and Ahkaam which produces a truly united Ummah and melts any people or nation to be part of the Ummah and from its type and kind. So no one should be deceived by the lies and deceptions of the people of disbelief and falsehood or their false claims. Nor should they be deceived by the media of fabrication or fabricated history which seeks to raise high the status of the low and debased peoples whilst lowereing the status of the best people and the most noble. The reason for this fragmentation and these defeats is the existence of these systems, their apparatuses, institutions and the falsehoods they spread. The unity of the Ummah will take place upon the ruins of these despotic and tyrannical systems and regimes. The Muslims possess within them the potent great power to accomplish that. It is however concealed in our current day due to the oppression, lethalness and deception that is practiced against the Ummah. Take for example the feelings of the Muslims in every part of the world towards what is happening to the Muslims in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Kosovo and Palestine amongst other lands. I am talking about their ‘feelings’ and not their ‘actions’ and this is because they possess their feelings, sensations and their Imaan, however, they are lacking in respect to their strength and firm will power. This has been robbed from them and is held in the hands of the regimes of disbelief and the Shayaateen from man. For this reason we see Muslims in every part of the world yearning and possessing the burning desire to support and come to the aid of their brothers in every place where they are being subjected to oppression and harm. We have seen in every part of the Muslim world how the Muslims have been incited and stirred, wanting to come to the aid of their brothers in Al-Quds (Palestine) during the Intifada (uprising) of Masjid Al-Aqsaa but they have been like roaring Lions held inside of the cages of those traitorous agent rulers. They are the enemies of the Ummah who participate in the slaughter of the Muslims, their humiliation and the loss of their lands and sanctities. We saw how they participated with the Americans, the English and the leaders of disbelief against Iraq in respect to the war and the embargo whilst they ignore the massacring of Muslims in many other places at the same time. The examples of this are so many and all of them reaffirm the necessity and inevitability of the unity of the Islamic Ummah. Nothing is in the Ummah’s way towards achieving this apart from these deceitful sick diseased regimes who would turn into frenzied dogs if the Ummah was to realize and fully comprehend the true realities (Haqaa’iq) of Islaam and regained the will to sacrifice upon their path. One of the falsehoods that the people of Baatil have propagated and promoted is the thought that the unity or unification of the Islamic Ummah is an impossibility. This is by aiming to create despair amongst the people in regards to achieving this truth. When the people despair in regards to the accomplishment of a matter, they will then never work for it and will accept other and less than it. As such our rulers persisted upon the paths deception and murder, they instigated disputes and hostility amongst the Muslims whilst feeding the thoughts of partition and division in the name of independence and self-determination. As a result the Ummah was torn apart into Arab, Turkish and Persian pieces amongst others... The loyalties and allegiances became many with many differing cultures and origins including Pharaonic and Phoenician amongst others. They pushed the misconceptions by way of lies and ignorance which they called thought and scrutiny. So the Shayaateen persisted to instigate and feed thoughts that the Muslims have many languages, ethnic and national origins and that they have different problems and issues. They then used arguments such as resolving the dispute, human rights, the right of self-determination and democracy amongst others to reinforce the thoughts of separation and division and to remove the thought of unity. What must be fully comprehended by every Muslim and what he must work and act upon its basis, is that the Islamic Ummah is one single Ummah regardless of how many and differing the ethnic origins or languages are. This Haqeeqah (truth) is a matter that is a Shar’iy obligation and if that truth is not realised today, with obstacles lying in its path, then it is Waajib (obligatory) to work to realise that and remove every obstacle that lies in its path. If some of the Muslims or many from amongst them have been deceived and taken on board thoughts that lead to mutual animosity, hatred and division then it is obligatory to carry the Da’wah to Allah, order the Ma’rouf and forbid the Munkar in order to remove these misconceptions and deceptions and to implant the correct Islamic thoughts within the people. Allah (swt) said: وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا And hold fast to the rope of Allah and do not divide (amongst yourselves) (Aali ‘Imraan 103). إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ Indeed the believers are but brothers (Al-Hujuraat 10) إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ Indeed the most Noble of you to Allah is the one who has the most Taqwaa from amongst you (Al-Hujuraat 13). وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاتَّقُونِ And verily this Ummah of yours is one Ummah and I am your Lord so have Taqwaa of me (Al-Mu’minoon 52). So where the Deen is one and the Millah is one whilst the Deen is an Aqeedah and a Sharee’ah that deals with all of the affairs of the individual and the society, this would inevitably and automatically make the Muslims into one single Ummah. Ahmad related in his Musnad that the Nabi (saw) said: الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ وَيَثْرِبَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ فَلَحِقَ بِهِمْ وَجَاهَدَ مَعَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أُمَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ دُونَ النَّاسِ The Muslims from Quraish and from Yathrib and those who follow them and join with them and perform Jihaad with them are one Ummah to the exclusion of mankind. And he (saw) said: مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ ، كَمَثَلِ الْجَسَدِ الْوَاحِدِ ، إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالْحُمَّى وَالسَّهَرِ The example of the believers in respect to the affection and mercy towards one another is like the example of one single body. If one part complains the rest of the body responds to it with fever and sleeplessness (Mutaffaq ‘Alaihi). He (saw): الْمُؤْمِنُونَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ ، إِنِ اشْتَكَى عَيْنُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ ، وَإِنِ اشْتَكَى رَأْسُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ The Muslims are like a single man. If his eye complains the whole of him complains and if his head complains the whole of him complains (Muslim). And he (saw) said: أيُّها الناسُ ، ألا إنَّ ربَّكم واحدٌ ، ألا وإنَّ أباكم واحدٌ ، ألا لا فضلَ لعربيٍّ على عجميٍّ ، ولا لعجميٍّ على عربيٍّ ، ولا أسودَ على أحمرَ ، ولا أحمرَ على أسودَ ، إلا بالتقوى ألا هل بلَّغتُ ؟ قالوا : بلَّغ رسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم ، قال : لِيبلِّغِ الشاهدُ الغائبَ O people, verily your Lord is one, verily your father is one (and the same), the Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does the non-Arab have superiority over an Arab, and the black has no superiority over the red nor does the red over the black, except by Taqwaa. Have I conveyed? They said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) has conveyed. He (saw) then said: Then let the one who is present convey it to the one who was absent (Al-Qurtubi in his Tafseer and said it was recorded by At-Tabari). And the Messenger (saw) also said: الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ ، لَا يَظْلِمُهُ ، وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ ، وَلَا يَحْقِرُهُ . التَّقْوَى هَهُنَا ، وَيُشِيرُ إلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ . بِحَسْبِ امْرِئٍ مِنْ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ ، كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ : دَمُهُ ، وَمَالُهُ ، وَعِرْضُهُ The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he does not transgress against him, he does not let him down, and he does not degrade him. Taqwaa is right here. (And he pointed towards his chest three times). It is enough (of a sin) for the Muslim to degrade his Muslim brother. Every Muslim in respect to his brother Muslim is Haraam, his blood, his wealth and his honour (Muslim, Ibn Maajah). And in respect to the tribal, patriotic and nationalistic allegiances and partisanships he (saw) said: دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّها مُنْتِنَة Leave it for verily it is rotten (putrid) (Muslim). Despite these clear texts the people of falsehood and misguidance however want to destroy our Ummah and so they come to advise us in the same way as Iblees came to Aadam (as) with advice. Allah (swt) informs us about them when He said: إِنْ تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِنْ تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it (Aali ‘Imraan 120). And in His speech (swt): قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْآَيَاتِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason (Aali ‘Imraan 118). And we feel and suffer what has happened to our situation in the shade of their hegemony and dominance and the tyranny of the agents that has been practised over us. We are massacred and displaced as individuals and collectives whilst the Muslim does not find the capability or means to extend help to his brother who is only a few kilometres from him or less. Whosoever wishes from amongst the depraved and base can subjugate us whether this is in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya, Indonesia or Uzbekistan amongst other places. Our regimes and news media broadcast to us the news of our slaughters and it is witnessed as if there is no relationship existing between the Muslims. This is whilst Allah (swt) has said: وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ And the male believers and female believers are all ‘Awliyaa (protectors, supporters) to one another (At-Taubah 71). And He (swt) said: وَإِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ And if they seek your help in respect to the Deen then you must come to their aid (Al-Anfaal 72). The Muslims in every part of the world must realise, fully comprehend and have belief in the Haqeeqah (truth) which is that the Muslims are one single Ummah to the exclusion of all others. They must grab hold firmly upon this definite Shar’iyah Haqeeqah and to build upon its basis whilst casting aside every other basis whatever this may be and whatever the costs or consequences are. The Muslims are one single Ummah. This is a definite and decisive truth and will remain so as long as the Muslims remain as Muslims. It is an inevitable matter and not merely a possible one as our unity as Muslims is a natural, obvious, practical and essential matter that could be accomplished quickly. This is on the condition that it proceeds upon the right path towards accomplishing that and that it does not proceed behind the deceptions of the disbelieving colonialist States, the deceptions of our rulers, their apparatuses, manufactured movements and mouth pieces, and even if they trick and deceive us by calls towards unity. As for the language, ethnicity, colour, origin, current problems and issues, then all of these to not specify, define or provide any thought, concept or position. They do not provide a thought about the existence of the creator, the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), the Day of Judgement, Jannah or the fire. None of them provide a legal ruling or judgement in respect to Hajj, Sawm, truthfulness or trustworthiness, or for Khamr or Khinzeer, or do they provide a position in respect to the Yahood or any other people nor do they provide any legislation. The problems and issues to not specify any position, stance or legislation themselves because they are not sources of legislation, solutions or treatments. Rather they are what are in need of the treatments and solutions. The source of solutions is the fundamental thought (Aqeedah), the legislative methodology and its texts i.e. the texts of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah alone. The Unity that exists amongst people is established upon a unity or unification of thoughts, systems and laws which the people believe in and upon the unity of the feelings that are latent within their emotions or apparent. The Islamic Ummah, in spite of all that has come to pass with her, the factors and motives in respect to her unity remain stronger and more powerful than those related to disunity and division. The motivation for the unity is represented in the Islamic Aqeedah which explains the universe, man and life and makes clear the relationship of these matters with what came before them and what comes after them, and it provides a system for regulating life, all of which is completely and perfectly present and fulfilled within Islaam. The Muslims believe in Islaam, the Nabi (saw) and his Message, the history of Islaam is a history for all of them, the Seerah of their Nabi (saw) is their model and example which they revise and are dedicated to, and the great men of Islaam like Abu Bakr, Umar, ‘Uthmaan and ‘Ali amongst many others (rah) are their great men whom they look up to. The Muslims practise the main rites of Islaam together and the Ahkaam Ash-Shar’iyah that unify them and join them together are too numerous to be listed. They all wait for Ramadhaan to come together and then they fast together, and their hearts all incline towards the Masjid Al-Haraam. They head towards it at a single time in the same days and even the same hour whilst coming in contact with people from all corners of the world, who are undertaking the very same rituals and acts, repeating the same words, making Tawaaf, Du’aa, sacrifices and then heading together on the journey to the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (saw) to pray there and to make Tasleem upon the Messenger in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, the land of the first Islamic State. They recall the beginning of his Da’wah, his determination, perseverance, patience and victory. They then return to their lands and those close to them and discuss their experiences and receive congratulations from them. In every part of the world the condition of the Muslims is as one when they raise the Adhaan, calling with ‘Allahu Akbar’ ‘Allahu Akbar’ according to the same manner and method. The Ummah as a whole yearns and longs for the unity of the Ummah, for the return of the honour and might of Islaam and the Muslims, and for the liberation of Masjid Al-Aqsaa, Palestine and the remainder of the Muslim lands. The above just touches the surface and this is the situation of the Muslims in every part of the world whilst those who have gone away from this and have been enchanted by Shaytaan, then they merely represent a handful of those who have turned away from the Deen, and so this abnormality of theirs away from the Ummah will only lead them to the fire. Yes, indeed Islaam is an intellectual Aqeedah, thoughts and Ahkaam which produces a truly united Ummah and melts any people or nation to be part of the Ummah and from its type and kind. So no one should be deceived by the lies and deceptions of the people of disbelief and falsehood or their false claims. Nor should they be deceived by the media of fabrication or fabricated history which seeks to raise high the status of the low and debased peoples whilst lowereing the status of the best people and the most noble. The reason for this fragmentation and these defeats is the existence of these systems, their apparatuses, institutions and the falsehoods they spread. The unity of the Ummah will take place upon the ruins of these despotic and tyrannical systems and regimes. The Muslims possess within them the potent great power to accomplish that. It is however concealed in our current day due to the oppression, lethalness and deception that is practiced against the Ummah. Take for example the feelings of the Muslims in every part of the world towards what is happening to the Muslims in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Kosovo and Palestine amongst other lands. I am talking about their ‘feelings’ and not their ‘actions’ and this is because they possess their feelings, sensations and their Imaan, however, they are lacking in respect to their strength and firm will power. This has been robbed from them and is held in the hands of the regimes of disbelief and the Shayaateen from man. For this reason we see Muslims in every part of the world yearning and possessing the burning desire to support and come to the aid of their brothers in every place where they are being subjected to oppression and harm. We have seen in every part of the Muslim world how the Muslims have been incited and stirred, wanting to come to the aid of their brothers in Al-Quds (Palestine) during the Intifada (uprising) of Masjid Al-Aqsaa but they have been like roaring Lions held inside of the cages of those traitorous agent rulers. They are the enemies of the Ummah who participate in the slaughter of the Muslims, their humiliation and the loss of their lands and sanctities. We saw how they participated with the Americans, the English and the leaders of disbelief against Iraq in respect to the war and the embargo whilst they ignore the massacring of Muslims in many other places at the same time. The examples of this are so many and all of them reaffirm the necessity and inevitability of the unity of the Islamic Ummah. Nothing is in the Ummah’s way towards achieving this apart from these deceitful sick diseased regimes who would turn into frenzied dogs if the Ummah was to realize and fully comprehend the true realities (Haqaa’iq) of Islaam and regained the will to sacrifice upon their path. Source: Islamic Revival

ISIS has no authority to establish Caliphate, Hizb ut-Tahrir Selasa, 08 Julai 2014 14:13

Pakistan (PR): After the announcement of Khilafah by ISIS in Iraq, Muslims around the world are in dilemma whether Khilafah state actually has been established or this announcement is just rhetoric. Muslims must know that any group which has to announce the Khilafah in a place is obligated to follow the Methodology of the Prophet (saw) in it, and from it is that this group should have the obvious visible authority on the place, where it can maintain security internally and externally, and that this place should have what constitutes a state where the Khilafah is announced….This is what the Prophet (saw) performed when he established the Islamic State in Madina Al-Munawarra: the authority was with the Prophet (saw) and the internal and external security was with Muslims and they had what constitutes a state in the surrounding area. The group that has announced the Caliphate has neither authority, in either Syria or Iraq, nor does it has the capability to maintain peace and security internally or externally, they have given allegiance to a Khalifah who cannot even publicly declare himself, rather his situation has remained secretive, similar to the situation that was before the state was announced and this is contradictory to what the Prophet (saw) did. The Prophet (saw) was permitted to hide in the Thawr Cave before the state was formed, but after the state was formed, he took care of the affairs of the people, led the armies, judged in disputes and sent messengers to others and accepted them from others publicly, thus his situation before and after the state was different. This is why the announcement of the group about the state is mere rhetoric and has no weight in it. The Khilafah is a state of magnificence, and the Shariah has stipulated the methodology to establish it and the manner in how the rules would be extracted for ruling, politics, economics and international relations….and it will not be a mere announcement in name only, which is broadcast on the websites or print and televised media, rather it will be an event that will shake the whole world, and its roots will be strong and established on the ground, its authority will maintain peace and security internally and externally on that land and it will implement Islam within it and will carry Islam to the world through Dawa and Jihad. It is very unfortunate that this announcement will create negative consequences with regard to the idea of Khilafah among the simple minded people. An announcement without any real substance will erode the significance of Khilafah in the hearts of simple people and it will remain no more than a beautiful word, uttered with pride but devoid of any substance. At this time as the establishment of the Khilafah comes closer than ever before and the Muslims are waiting for it eagerly, and they are seeing Hizb ut-Tahrir progressing in the path of the Prophet (saw) in how he established the state in Madina al Munawarra... this announcement was made, for the purpose of giving a picture of the Khilafah as if it were a police state in the minds of the simple minded people… So every Muslim group must work for the establishment of Khilafah in order to fulfill the command of its establishment by following the method of Prophet (s.a.w). And it can only be 1 / 2 ISIS has no authority to establish Caliphate, Hizb ut-Tahrir Selasa, 08 Julai 2014 14:13 established by following the methodology of Prophet (s.a.w).

 Source: kashmirwatch.com 2 /