Khilafah Magazine April 2012

O you who believe, respond to the call of Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which would give you life...

JUMADA I 1433 - JUMADA II 1433 ··· APRIL 2012 ··· ISSUE: 20

PRINCIPLES AND POLITICS CAN MIX - UNDERSTANDING ‘DAR AL-KUFR’ & ‘DAR AL-ISLAM’ - WOMEN OF HIZB UT-TAHRIR ORGANISE HISTORIC INTERNATIONALWOMEN’S CONFERENCE (TUNISIA) - THE ILLUSION OF ECONOMIC GROWTH -THE REALITY OF AN ISRAELI ATTACK ON IRAN - REPLACE SHEIKH HASINA'SBANKRUPT REGIME WITH THE ISLAMIC KHILAFAH STATE - DECIPHERING THE“TURKISH MODEL” OF GOVERNMENT

Will the Islamic PartiesDeliver on Their

Promises?

Will the Islamic PartiesDeliver on Their

Promises?

NEWSBITES

2 :: Khilafah Magazine :: April 2012 www.khilafah.eu

BOSNIA – 20 YEARS ONMedia outlets highlighted the 20-yearanniversary of the war in Bosnia breakingout this April. What wasn’t highlighted wasthe shameful embargo NATO forces imposedon the Bosnian Muslims (Serbs wereprovided weapons from Russia), theappalling siege of Sarajevo which westerngovernments allowed to continue 3 timeslonger than the siege of Stalingrad, orperhaps most troubling the capitulation ofthe UN “protection” forces which effectivelyleft the population of Srebrenica to beslaughtered at the hands of the Serbmarauders of Ratko Mladic (more than 8,000men and boys were executed in cold blood).The targeted rape of thousands of Muslimwomen and young girls, even toddlers haveleft an entire population traumatised. And allwithin a Europe that had said “never again”after Hitler.

Bosnia gave us the media term of “ethniccleansing” and it was predominantly theMuslims that were “cleansed”. The DaytonAccord perhaps epitomised all thathappened best. Western interventions werelate (after 100,000 died), were one sided(giving half the land to the aggressor Serbs),and succeeded in dividing the populationson nationalist grounds, creating furtherproblems which will rumble on for decades.

BRITAIN’S RIOTS IN 2011: CAUSED BY‘POOR PARENTING’?An independent government-appointedpanel, set up to study the causes of lastsummer's riots calls in the UK, has identifiedthe causes for last years riots as poorparenting, a failure of the justice system torehabilitate offenders, materialism andsuspicion of the police. In 2011, anotherreport by the Guardian Newspaper and theLondon School of Economics (LSE)interviewed 270 of the rioters and found acomplex mix of grievances includingdistrust and antipathy toward police as keydriving forces.

Sadly, most of these factors – which aresystemic - are unlikely to disappear in ahurry.

The economic situation in Britain andausterity measures to control the budgetdeficit are likely to cut the social programs

needed by those people who feel excludedin society; and unemployment amongstyoung people has reached historic levels.

Furthermore, the secular nature of society,excluding religion from life’s affairs is suchthat it gives no fixed standards of rights andwrongs that means almost two generationsof parents find it very hard to guide theirchildren with a stronger set of values thanthe materialistic and individualistic onespropagated in the media.

Finally, mistrust of the police – particularlyamongst minority ethnic communities – isendemic. The riots started when MarkDuggan, a black man, was shot and thepolice escaped fundamental scrutiny ontheir actions. In addition, this week theBritish media has been filled with storiesabout racism in the London’s police force.

Unsurprisingly, no one as yet seems to bebrave or honest enough to examine thecauses that seem endemic to capitalism,secularism and national identity.

MUSLIM SETS A NEW RECORD IN THEUK!A Muslim has set a landmark record in theUK. Sadly, it is not an achievement anyonewould welcome.

Babar Ahmad has spent over 7 years in amaximum-security prison without beingcharged, put on trial or even seeing theevidence against him. This is the longesttime in British history anyone has beenimprisoned without being put on trial.

The reason is that the United Statesgovernment asked for his extradition to theUSA.

The crime he is alleged to have committedis that he ran a website from the UK, thatsits on a server in the USA. The website, it issaid, was campaigning to support theChechen mujahedeen – a struggle that wasconsidered legitimate by the UK and USA –until their extreme labeling of jihadstruggles as ‘terrorism’.

Commenting on Ahmad’s BBC interview inApril 2012, former US prosecutor DavidRaskin told journalists that the USconstitution was ‘generous’ to thosedefending themselves against prosecution!Maybe if you’re a US soldier who murdersMuslims in Kandahar or Haditha. But trytelling that to Dr Aafia Siddiqui and otherswho have tasted the bitter reality of so-called US ‘justice’.

BRITAIN INVITES BUTCHER OFBAHRAIN TO JUBILEECELEBRATIONS, AFTER THEIRDEFENCE MINISTER VISITS THEMONSTER OF UZBEKISTANHamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s ruler, hasbeen invited to attend the British Queen’sDiamond Jubilee celebrations, renderingmeaningless the Foreign Office’sprotestations about the murderous actionsof Middle East tyrants.

Over the past year, the Bahrain regime hasnot only massacred protestorsdemonstrating against the regime, theylocked up doctors and nurses who treatedthe injured protestors.

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is, apparently, alsoset to attend a champagne dinner hosted byPrince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

None of this should surprise anyone – andcertainly, no one should trust any Britishgovernment statements opposing thebrutality of Assad, Gaddafi or anyone else.

In February 2012, British Defence SecretaryPhilip Hammond met with Uzbek President,Islam Karimov, one of the world’s mostruthless dictators and architect of theAndijan massacre of 2005, in Tashkent todiscuss closer military co-operation. He andthe LibDem Armed Forces Minister NickHarvey visited all five Central Asianrepublics. It is reported that Mr Hammondmade no public mention of widespreadhuman rights abuses during his trip, but ifhe had, such visits and invites would renderthese mere hollow words. n

Will theIslamicPartiesDeliver onTheirPromises? Election fever is in the air. There arePresidential elections scheduled for May2012 in Egypt; French Presidentialelections are scheduled for April & May2012; and London is in the midst of abitter electoral contest.

The elections in the mature democraciesof Britain and France give some flavourof how the systems work in thecapitalist system.

The two main candidates of KenLivingstone and Boris Johnson inLondon have accused each other ofbeing liars – and barely say a civil wordto each other. The victims of thiselection are truth and civility.

Nicholas Sarkosy is forced to be evenmore right-wing than his usual hawkishself, to out manoeuvre the fascist MarineLe-Pen. The victims of this election willbe minorities generally and Muslimsspecifically, who will be scape-goated byall politicians to play to the basestinstincts of the masses.

Sadly, Egypt appears to be enteringelection mode accepting the capitalistdemocratic system and nation statemodel that Britain and France have. Andthe politics may well get as unethical.

In a striking U-turn, the MuslimBrotherhood – who vowed not to standin presidential elections – have putforward not one, but two candidates.Moreover, one of these received apardon from the ruling militaryauthority [SCAF] to pave the way for hisstanding, leaving some people feelingthat they had colluded with SCAF inorder to secure a position for themselvesand, in so doing, undermined therevolution.

Our article by Sajjad Khan [Principlesand Politics Can Mix] highlights thesimilar inconsistencies of the EnnahdaParty in Tunisia, in their placing ofpower over their former principledposition that won them so much respectin the hearts of the people during theBen-Ali years. Similarly, Adnan Khan’scritique of the western-endorsed‘Turkish model’, that some seem so keento emulate, highlights the failings and

inconsistencies of this model.

But by contrast, Dr Nasreen Nawaz’scoverage of the International Women’sKhilafah Conference offers the people ofthe region a different vision, based onIslam. Similarly Mohamad Arif’spresentation of Islamic economicsolutions is a step forward to presentingthe ideas that are needed to introduce anew thinking into the Muslim world.

However, the real hope of real change isin the hearts, minds, chants and blood ofthe beautiful people of Syria. They havemaintained their pure Islamic call,despite massacres by the regime andinternational conspiracies. They aresacrificing, inshallah, like the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلصand his companions sacrificed beforeAllah brought them from the hardshipsand fear of insecurity to the security ofthe Islamic State in Medina.

Al Tabarani narrated that the Messengerof Allah ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص once said: “Do you knowwhat Allah says about al-Sham? AllahTa’ala says “Al-Sham you are safwati minbilaadi (the best of My lands) and I shallinhabit you with the chosen ones amongMy slaves.”

May Allah make those brave people Hischosen ones. May He protect them andreward them with His Victory.

Ameenn

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EditorialDR. ABDUL WAHID

In Tunisia, in Morocco, in Egypt, votersin their millions have clearly expressedtheir opposition to secular liberal

values and their strong desire for Islamicgovernment.

Yet the same parties that went to greatlengths to demonstrate their Islamiccredentials to the masses in the electioncampaign, are now going to great lengthsto demonstrate their moderation to theWest now.

Indeed in their rush to placate so calledinternational opinion, they haveabandoned all pretence to Islamic politics,Islam is now the word that dare not bementioned.

In doing so, they think they are beingpragmatic, smart and politically savvy. Yetall they have shown is their opportunism,their double standards and that when itcomes to sticking to principles, they areno better than their secular counterparts.When it comes to applying Islamicpolitics they cite constitutional barriersand the need to keep minorities onside.

When it comes to applying Islamiceconomics, they cite the need to avoidscaring international investors andtourists. When it comes to applying theIslamic foreign policy, they cite the needto show a moderate image and to appeasethe west.

Indeed such is their caution, weaknessand desire to please, they have nowbecome Islamic Politicians in Name Only(IPINO). The inferiority complex of theIPINO’s has no bounds, having been inopposition so long, they almost cannotbelieve the opportunity they now have.Yet they are now in danger of wasting thehuge mandate that they have been given. The IPINO’s have thus made at least sixstrategic mistakes in their politics thusfar:

1. Firstly the IPINO’s have lockedthemselves into a straitjacket byparticipating within flawed elections in aflawed system under a flawed framework.Elections are a critical part of any politicalsystem (including the Khilafah’s), theelections we saw in the Muslim world like

the ones we see in the West, are deeplyflawed. Power is distributed amongstdifferent politicians or institutions, not tohave checks and balances, but toencourage division and to stop strongleadership. Indeed elections are anecessary smokescreen to allow theillusion of societal participation to coverthe real reality that power is exercised byan unelected elite. Having multipleinstitutions such as lower or upperhouses or constitutional restrictionsensures nothing can get done which istoo radical.

2. Secondly the IPINO’s should realisethat they are not indispensable. Thepeople who elected them in their millionswant Islam, what they don’t want is adiluted Islam, or a diet Islam or some kindof Islam Zero. If the people wantedwestern secularism, they would havevoted for candidates from Liberal parties.If the IPINO’s don’t deliver what theypromised, they will face a serious revolt. Ifthey think this won’t happen, they shouldconsult Hosni Mubarak.

3. Thirdly their political calculations arerooted in myths. First they believe that anIslamic system can only be implementedgradually, why? Do liberal politicians evertalk about implementing their valuesgradually? No they don’t, everyone knowsthere’s a distinction between determininga policy and when it can be executed.Implementing an Islamic System can be aDay 1 decision even if it takes weeks,months or even years for all the benefitsto be fully seen. Secondly the idea thatIslamic solutions aren’t ready to solve Day1 problems such as poverty,unemployment or education are simplynot correct. Islam’s economic vision oncreating a strong industrial base, focussingon land reform and taxing wealth notincomes, are practical solutions thatwould benefit our economies today.

4. By avoiding the tough decisions,IPINO’s end up implementing the samefailed capitalist solutions that have notjust bankrupted our countries butbrought the western world to the brink ofeconomic collapse. Indeed it ispatronising to the tens of millions of thecitizens that voted for Islamic solutionsthat they aren’t somehow ready to facethe consequences of the very solutionsthey voted for.


PRINCIPLESAND POLITICSCAN MIX

SAJJAD KHAN

5. The idea that implementing an Islamicsystem will scare minorities, scareinvestors and scare international opinionis true and false. False in the sense thatthe Islamic system has a fantastic trackrecord in dealing justly with those whodon’t share the Islamic faith. But true inthe sense that the current internationalsystem needs a jolt. When the currentworld is dominated by billions in poverty,where wars are fought over oil and wherethe powerful states exploit the weak, thensuch a system needs to be challenged. Theidea that by implementing Islamsomehow would be an act of naivetybecause one must be cognisant of theinternational situation is itself an act ofnaivety. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW)was not naive when he challenged theRomans and the Persians, but he fullyunderstood that international politics was

about projecting ideological power. If youas a nation don’t project your values,principles and policies than other nationswill. This is why the West not onlyimplements its values at home but spendstens of billions to spread its messageabroad.

6. Lastly the IPINO’s are walking into astrategic trap. By abandoning Islam athome, they effectively will implement aliberal secular agenda which willexclusively benefit a westernised elite. Inthe future their inability to present acoherent Islamic agenda will be used bytheir political opponents and westernelites as evidence of the failure of Islamicpolitics to solve problems in the Muslimworld. Indeed the main danger that theIPINO’s risk is not to themselves, but tothe cause they purport to care about.

Their reluctance to implement Islam in itsentirety risks giving the impression thatthe Islamic system can’t solve theproblems of the day

Indeed some IPINO’s are now even readyto turn a blind eye to blatantly Un-Islamicindustries, accept US hegemony and sitdown with Israel to validate peace

treaties. By doing so they have shown thatnaked opportunism is not confined tosecular parties.

How can these people after being put injails by the previous tyrants now seek toimplement the very same policies of thevery same tyrants. How can they say theyoppose US foreign policy, yet meeklyaccept US aid and hegemony. How canthey say they stand with the Muslims ofPalestine when they are not prepared toeven rescind the Camp David Agreement.

PRINCIPLES AND POLITICS CANMIX

What is required from sincere politiciansis a new politics, a new outlook and anew vision.

A vision that focuses on increasing

prosperity, jobs and helping the poor.One where people are the priority notwestern multinationals.

A vision that looks to bring land reform,tax reform and to ensure criticalresources are owned by the state tobenefit the many not the few.

A vision that has a leadership accountableto public opinion not to internationalopinion.

All this is possible if the political will ispresent. As the life of our ProphetMuhammad (saw) showed us, thechallenges will not be easy, achieving realpolitical change never is.

There is no easy path to progress, noshortcuts to real change and hardshipalways accompanies the task.

Our Ummah’s history has shown us timeafter time that what seemed impossiblebecame reality with the help of Allah(swt).

The Khilafah showed it could rise up tothe challenges in the past, we believe itcan rise up to the challenges today.

Those who pursue the right path, willbring in not just a new system, not just anew era, but a new politics which willinspire the whole world.

Over the last year, thousands of protesterstook to the streets, then tens ofthousands, then millions. And in the faceof tear gas, batons and bullets, theyrefused to go home. Hour after hour, dayafter day, week after week, until dictatorswho ruled for decades were forced frompower.

So let us be clear that though some of thetyrants have gone, their corrupt systemsremain. And while this remains the case,there will be no let up. So during thesedark days, the hope carries on, the dreamof a more just system still lives, theobligation endures and the work to re-establish the Khilafah will never stop.The people of Tunisia, Egypt and Libyasacrificed their sweat, their blood andsome made the ultimate sacrifice. Thesepeople deserve better, than to be letdown again by new politiciansimplementing the old politics.

“Indeed, We sent down the Torah, inwhich was guidance and light. Theprophets who submitted [to Allah]judged by it for the Jews, as did therabbis and scholars by that with whichthey were entrusted of the Scripture ofAllah, and they were witnesses thereto.So do not fear the people but fear Me,and do not exchange My verses for asmall price. And whoever does not judgeby what Allah has revealed - then it isthose who are the disbelievers”. [TMQ5:44]n


SAJJAD KHAN

Those who pursue the right path, will bring in not justa new system, not just a new era, but a new politicswhich will inspire the whole world.

It is unfortunate that the Islamicconcepts, definitions andterminologies which were well

known by Muslims and codified byIslamic scholarship for centuries have inmore recent times become vague,distorted or in some cases totally absent.One such issue is the subject of Dar al-Kufr (land of disbelief) and Dar al-Islam(land of Islam).

Understanding the distinction betweenthe two is vital when it comes toevaluating present regimes in theMuslim world and in the aftermath ofthe Arab spring is essential in order todetermine what changes to aconstitution and state are necessary tomake it more than just Islamic in name.

Sadly, some attempt to classify countriesas Islamic or not utilising criterion otherthan those established by the Shariahevidences. So Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’scondemnation of Israel and overt stanceagainst America lead some to argue thatIran has been Dar al-Islam, a legitimateIslamic state since the Iranian revolutionby Ayatollah Khomeni in 1979. Theypoint to the implementation of someIslamic laws to back this claim. The SaudiArabian regime together with many ofits clerics continue to postulate that it isan Islamic state and thus working toremove the corrupt regime is bughat oran Islamically illegitimate rebellion. KingAbdullah has even reported to havedeclared himself as Ameer al-Mu’mineen

(leader of the believers).

The election wins of EnNahda in Tunisiaand the Muslim Brotherhood in the formof the Freedom and Justice party inEgypt has also sparked the debate ofwhat makes a state Islamic. ElectoralParties in Egypt have argued over thesemantics of the proposed constitutionas to whether to include Islam as ‘themain source of law’ ignoring the Quranicobligation of making the Shariah the‘only’ source of law.

We are also seeing a trend of modernistthinkers attempting to argue away theIslamic paradigm altogether, interestinglytheir narrative fits into the westerncampaign against political Islam. An oftquoted bastion of this new hereticalpolemic, Tariq Ramadan states: “Theconcepts of Dar al-Islam, Dar al-harb, andDar al-‘ahd were not described in theQur’an or in the Sunna. In fact theyconstituted a human attempt, at amoment in history, to describe the worldand to provide the Muslim communitywith a geopolitical scheme that isappropriate to the reality of the time.This reality has completely changed”. [1]

Furthermore, we also find some amongstthe Islamic movements who claim to beworking for the re-establishment ofKhilafah not having a clear idea of thedefinition and scriptural proofs for anIslamic state. Dar al-Islam and Khilafahshould not just be slogans but rather aserious objective which we arepractically working to achieve. Wecannot pray Salah properly withoutknowing its pillars (arkan) andconditions (shuroot) so how can wework for an Islamic state without

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Understanding ‘Dar al-Kufr’

& ‘Dar al-Islam’

ABU ISMAEL AL-BEIRAWI

knowing the same?

Thus it is important for the definition,meaning and evidences for Dar al-Islamand its distinction from Dar al-Kufr to beclarified.

DEFINITION

In Arabic terms may have a linguistic(laghawi) usage and a technical(istilaahi) usage. Islamic scholarship hastraditionally focused discussion ontechnical definitions of terms. Thesecomprise terms that are discussed anddefined by the Shariah texts such assalat, zakat, hajj, siyam; terms that aredescriptive like mutawatir, ahad, sanad,qati, zanni and terms that arenecessitated through textual injunctionsin order to understand and apply Shariahrules for example aqeedah (belief), ijma(consensus) and Dar al-Islam.

The “dar” (pl. diyaar) in the Arabiclanguage has numerous meaning such asthe halting place, the house, abode,residence and the land.

It is true like most technically definedterms in the Islamic sciences the termsDar al-Islam and Dar al-Kufr do notappear in the source texts i.e. the Quranand Sunnah in their technical form. Thisdoesn’t mean that the whole subject isindecisive. To conclude that would belike saying the term aqeedah is not to befound in any verse of Quran or Hadith soit is indecisive, a matter which is

preposterous.

These terms were defined by thescholars in the early centuries of Islamfor a purpose, their core meanings aredecisively rooted in the texts and theirbranches at times disputed.

Scholars often differ over the details ofterminologies, this in no way negates thesubject matter as true. For example, thedefinition of the term, Quran, according

to the Hanafi linguist Jurjani in his bookon technical definitions is, “revelation tothe Messenger compiled in the Musaahifand transmitted through tawatur meanswithout doubt”. [2]

Others have different definitions such asImam Suyuti and Al-Aamidi. If thedefinitions are compared, it is apparentthere are a number of differences,including the inclusion or negation inthe definition of the following elements:“speech of God”, “in the Arabic language”and “worship when recited”.

If the logic of the modernists wasfollowed we would conclude that thereare massive differences in the definitionof Quran being the speech of God or inArabic - as these points are disputed

hence the Quran must be zanni(speculative). However, the jurists as wellas all Muslims did not dispute thesematters and agreed that they are decisive(qat’i) due to the incontestable evidence,difference in selection of the words fordefining the Quran is irrelevant.

The terms Dar al-Islam/Kufr have notbeen explicitly defined by the Shariatexts, however the Sharia texts

necessitate their recognition in order fortheir implementation. For example, thetexts relating to war and peace in Islamrecognise relations between states andattempt to regulate them.

Whether technical terms appear in textsor not is irrelevant, rather it is requiredthat the definitions of such terms shouldembody, reflect and concur with divinetexts.

According to Shariah terminology, Dar al-Islam is defined as the land which isgoverned by the laws of Islam andwhose security (Aman) is maintained bythe security of Islam, i.e. by the authorityand protection of Muslims inside andoutside the land, even if the majority ofits inhabitants are non-Muslims.

Dar al-Kufr is the land which is governedby the laws of Kufr, and whose securityis not maintained by the security (Aman)of Islam, i.e. by other than the authorityand security of Muslims, even if themajority of its inhabitants are Muslims.

So what matters in determining whetherthe land is Dar al-Islam or Dar al-Kufr isneither the land itself nor its inhabitants,rather it is the laws and the security.

EVIDENCES

The word ‘Dar’ has been used in thesayings of the Prophet (saw) and by hiscompanions to mean the domain, or the

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...Dar al-Islam is defined as the land which is governedby the laws of Islam and whose security (Aman) ismaintained by the security of ...


Islamic State when used in relation tothe Muslims, and the domain where theKuffar have the authority when used forthe disbelievers.

It is reported on the authority ofSulayman bin Buraydah, “Whenever theMessenger of Allah appointed anyone asleader of an army...He would say...Whenyou meet your enemies from thepolytheists, invite them to three coursesof action. If they respond to any one ofthese, accept it and restrain yourselffrom doing them harm. Invite them toIslam; if they respond, accept it anddesist from fighting. Then invite them tomigrate from their Dar to the Dar of theMuhajireen (emigrants) and informthem if they do so, they shall have all theprivileges and obligations of theMuhajireen. If they refuse, tell them theywill have the status of the BedouinMuslims and will be subjected to theCommands of Allah like otherMuslims...’” [3]

What does this Hadith indicate? It is thatif they did not move from their land tothe land of the Muhajireen they wouldnot enjoy the rights of the emigrantswho are living in the land of Islam. Sothis Hadith clearly shows the differencebetween those who move to the land ofthe Muhajireen and those who do not.Dar al-Muhajireen was the land of Islamat the time of the Prophet (saw), and allother lands outside were Dar al-Kufr.

In other narrations the Prophet (saw)said: “Medina is the Dar of hijra(migration) and Sunnah.” [4]

“Peace be upon you Dar (land) of theMu’mineen (believers).” [5]

There are various other evidences thatthe scholars rely on in order to extractthe definition, such as the definitiveverses of the Quran that conclusivelyestablish that the only source of lawmust be the law of Allah, the Shariah:

"The Rule is for none but Allah: Hedeclares the truth and He is the best ofJudges." [TMQ 6:57]

“Have you seen those who claim thatthey believe in that which has beensent down to you, and that which hasbeen sent down before you, and theywish to go for judgement (in theirdisputes) to the Taghut (false judges)while they have been ordered to rejectthem?” [TMQ: 4: 60]

“Judge between them by that whichAllah has revealed and do not followtheir desires and beware of them lestthey seduce you from some part of thatwhich Allah has revealed to you.” [TMQ5:49]

We also find the usage of the ‘Dar’terminology amongst the Sahaba.

It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari on theauthority of Ibn Abbas that once whenAbdul Rahman bin ‘Awf was speakingwith Omar Bin Al-Khattab (ra) who wasthe Khaleefah at the time, he said,

“Do not be harsh on them (speakingabout some of the Hujaaj) until theyreturn to Madinah, which is Dar al-Hijrah,Dar al-Sunnah and Dar ul-Salaama.” [6]

It is recorded that Khalid Bin Waleed (ra)wrote a letter to the people of Hirah (aplace close to Bahrain) and he said, “Iwrite this to you: if any of you becomeold, poor or ill or his people have todonate to maintain his livelihood I willnever ask Jizya (tax) of him. He will alsoreceive a grant from the Bait ul-Maal(treasury of the Islamic state). He and hischildren will be entitled to this as longas he resides in Dar ul-Hijrah and Dar al-Islam. If they go out (from thisjurisdiction) then the Muslims are nolonger obliged to provide anything forthem.” [7]

DAR AL-ISLAM AND DAR AL-KUFRACCORDING TO THE ULEMA

The terms Dar al-Kufr and Dar al-Islamhave been derived from Quran andSunnah, with all classical jurists agreeingto their core meanings, namely Islammust be applied and the security of thatland cannot be in the hands of theKuffar, with only some ancillary aspects

being disputed.

A similar discussion ensued amongst thejurists regarding the question of whatconstitutes a Muslim (one who hassubmitted to Allah) and a Kafir(disbeliever). This necessitated acriterion to be extracted from the textsthat deal with this topic directly orindirectly. Detailed discussions exploringall aspects of this criterion and itsimplications resulted in a consensusamongst the jurists of core criteria ofwhat it means to be a Muslim and whatconstitutes apostasy that would makethem a disbeliever. Likewise, thequestion of what constitutes a land orsociety which has submitted to Allahwas discussed in detail and a corecriterion agreed upon along with whenthis transitions to a non-Islamic land.

The jurists considered texts that centredaround the concepts: authority andruling; security and safety; war andpeace; practice of Islam (outside thestate); migration and ownership of land.

The famous Hanafi jurist Imaam Al-Kasaani (died 587 AH) said, “There is nodisagreement among the ahnaaf(scholars of the Hanafi Madhab), that Daral-Kufr becomes Dar al-Islam, when therules of Islam becomes dominant. Ourbrothers only dispute on how Dar al-Islam transfers to become Dar al-Kufr.Our Imam (Abu Haneefah) said, ‘Dar al-Islam becomes Dar al-Kufr in three(situations); when the law and orderbecomes Kufr, when the state has aborder with a Kufr (state) without treatyor when there is no longer any securityfor the Muslim or the Dhimmi(citizens).’” [8]

Qadi Abu Ya’la (died 458 AH) said, “Anycountry where the law is Kufr (disbelief)instead of Islam is Dar al-Kufr.” [9]

Ibn Qayyim (died 751 AH) said, “TheJumhour (majority) of the ‘Ulema say,‘Dar al-Islam is where the Muslims goand reside and the Islamic rules aredominant. If people (the Muslims) residein one place and Islam becomesdominant, that is Dar al-Islam If however,


Islam does not become dominant it isnot (considered) Dar al-Islam even if it isin close proximity to the state. Taa’if wasso close to Makkah (at the time whenMakkah was Dar al-Islam) but it did notbecome part of Dar al-Islam until it wasconquered.’” [10]

Ibn Muflih (died 884 AH) said, “There areonly two, Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Kufr.Any Dar (domain) where Islamic law isdominant is Dar al-Islam, and any domainwhere Kufr law is dominant is Dar al-Kufr, there are only these two camps.” [11]

He makes this point as all othercategories such as Dar al-Harb (land ofwar), Dar al-Ahd (land of covenant), Daral-Aman (land of security), Dar al-Baghi

(rebellious land) etc are subsets of thetwo.

It is interesting to note that theparliamentary party of the MuslimBrotherhood in Egypt ignores thisconsensus as espoused by one of theirgreatest thinkers in the past, the martyrSayyid Qutb said, “The whole world inthe eyes of Islam is divided into two, thefirst is Dar al-Islam, and the second isDar al-Harb. Dar al-Islam is where theShari’ah of Islam alone is implemented,regardless of whether the inhabitants areall Muslims or Muslims mixed withDhimmi (Jews and Christians) or if all ofthe citizens are Dhimmi with only someMuslims in power. Dar al-Harb is anyland where the Kufr law is dominanteven if everybody in the land is Muslim.”[12]

As can be seen, there is no dispute onthe core understanding of what is meantby Dar al-Islam and the division of theworld into two fundamental spheres.Differences were discussed in relation topolitical realities outside of this domain,some extending this definition, andothers seeking to limit it.

We should also bear in mind that termscan be used in different contexts, this isnormal and common practice, forexample the term Sunnah has severaltechnical usages across the differentIslamic sciences, even multiple usageswithin a given science. It is used to referto Masdar al-Shariah (source of law),Seerah (biography), Hadith (narrations),Mandub (recommended), Nafl(supererogatory) etc. These multipleusages of a term were acceptedthroughout Islamic history andimportantly never contradicted Shariahrules.

Likewise, some jurists also contextuallyutilised the terms Dar al-Islam with a

different meaning therefore the attemptby some modernist collaborators to finda quote from a classical scholar thatmentions a different meaning to Dar alIslam is disingenuous. As an example theShafi'i jurist al-Rafi'i included in hisdefinition that Dar al-Islam once namedas such remains Dar al-Islam until theDay of Judgement. [13]

So here he used it as Dar al-Muslimeeni.e. that it is Muslim land. Theseconsiderations never conflicted withdivine texts and the rules thereof. Juristsdid not attempt to justify the rule ofnon-Islamic laws or creeds which themodernists do.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FISQOF A RULER AND OPEN KUFR

There is a clear difference between fisq(transgression/open sin) and ruling byKufr just as there is between a fasiq anda Kafir. The Messenger of Allah (saw) hasinformed us in numerous ahadith thatthe leaders within an Islamic stateincluding the Khalifah or the Wulah(governors) may make mistakes, sin andoppress citizens. This occurred in the

past when some of the Khulafah raisedtaxes unjustly, appointed their childrento rule after them, imprisoned scholarslike Imam Ahmad and Imam Malik foraccounting them etc. In multiple ahadiththe Prophet (saw) ordered us tocontinue to obey them in this situationunless they commit open Kufr.

Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority ofJunada b. abi Umayyah who said: Wewent to ‘Ubadah b. as-Samit when hewas sick and we said: May Allah (swt)guide you. Inform us of a Hadith fromthe Messenger of Allah (saw) so Allahmay benefit you from it. He said, “TheMessenger of Allah (saw) called upon usand we gave him the Bai’ah, and he said,of that which he had taken from us, thatwe should give him the pledge to listenand obey, in what we like and dislike, inour hardship and ease, and that weshould not dispute the authority of itspeople unless we saw Kufr buwah (opendisbelief) upon which we had a proof(burhan) from Allah.”

To simplify the topic its useful to firstlook at an individual and not a state – soif a Muslim commits zina (unlawfulfornication) he is a fasiq however if hebelieves zina is permissible then hebecomes a Kafir if done so withknowledge. Now let’s look at a state ifthe Khalifah or state officials under him



“There are only two, Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Kufr. Any Dar(domain) where Islamic law is dominant is Dar al-Islam, andany domain where Kufr law is dominant is Dar al-Kufr, thereare only these two camps.” [Ibn Muflih (died 884 AH)

committed zina then that is fisq, this isdifferent to if he legalised zina and madeit permissible under the law – it wouldthen clearly be a law of Kufr and not justa fisq. Every accepted scholar in historywould agree that if the ruler permittedzina that it would be Kufr buwah (opendisbelief). The matter which the scholarsdiffer on is whether by doing so theyautomatically become Kuffar or not,there is no disagreement that it wouldbe a Kufr law.

There are two main views in this area:first is the opinion of Ibn Jarir at-Tabari,Al-Shawkani, Ibn Taymiyyah and many ofthe literalist (Zahiri) scholars who statethat whoever rules by Kufr automaticallybecomes a Kafir. The second view is thatof the companion of the Prophet (saw),Ibn Abbas as well as others such as Ibnal-Qayyim and Ibn al-Jawzi who held thatit can be Kufr akbar (major Kufr –apostasy) or Kufr asghar (minor Kufr)depending upon the situation.

Ibn al-Qayyim said: "The correct view isthat ruling according to something otherthan that which Allah has revealedincludes both major and minor Kufr,depending on the position of the judge.If he believes that it is obligatory to ruleaccording to what Allah has revealed inthis case, but he turns away from thatout of disobedience, whilstacknowledging that he is deserving ofpunishment, then this is lesser Kufr. Butif he believes that it is not obligatory andthat the choice is his even though he iscertain that this is the ruling of Allah,then this is major Kufr." [14]

When we apply this to modern statesthat claim to be Dar al-Islam, Saudi Arabiaand Iran we can see multiple examplesof not just issues of sin but clear Kufrlaws. They contradict Qat’i (definitive)matters in Islam, accepting and ruling byKufr laws in many areas such as:

• Being members of the UnitedNations Organisation, every member ofwhich has to agree with internationallaw set by human beings above the lawsof Allah (swt). Instead of being ashamedof this the Kingdom of Saudi Arabiaproudly highlights this relationship onthe website of it’s Permanent Mission tothe UN. [15]

In fact it was among the first 50 nationsto sign the UN charter in 1945 in SanFrancisco.

• Both Iran and Saudi Arabia cannotargue that they only say they acceptinternational law as some form ofdeception as they are both modern non-expansionist nation states which meansthe abandonment of the definitiveobligation of Jihad (an obligationstipulated in multiple verses of theQuran).

• Both have legalised Riba (usury)based banking. The Arab Monetary Fund,based in Abu Dhabi, is a huge Ribainstitution that was established by anagreement on 4/7/76 in Morocco. Saudiis the biggest share holder in it; itreceives, as everyone else in the fund,riba on its shares. Iran and Saudi are alsopart of the riba based International

Monetary Fund.

The hypocrisy of these regimes is plainfor everyone to see. Saudi’s overt alliancewith America and Iran’s warm relationswith the Kafir Alawite, Bashar al-Assad ofSyria who has the blood of thousands onhis hands are glaring examples of this.

Therefore it is clear that currently thewhole world is Dar al-Kufr as no countrymatches the criterion for an Islamicstate. Thus we see the laws of Allah (swt)abandoned as if they were worthnothing, the Sunnah of the Prophet(saw) betrayed and the example of theSahaba ignored by the rulers of ourcountries. It is as Imam Ahmad ibnHanbal said, "The Fitna (mischief andtribulations) occurs when there is noImam established over the affairs of thepeople".

Contrary to wishes of the enemies ofIslam and their modernist defenders it isparamount for us to work to re-establishDar al-Islam, the Islamic Khilafah state.Let us take heed in the warning of ourMessenger (saw).

Al-Tabarani narrated in Al-Kabeer wal-Bazaar, by the istinad (chains) of the menof Sahih, from 'Awf bin Maalik from theProphet (saw), who said: "My Ummahwill be divided into seventy-somethingdivisions, of them, the greatest Fitna(trial) upon my Ummah are a peoplewho measure matters with their opinion,so they make the forbidden permissibleand the permissible forbidden." [16]

n

REFERENCES

[1] Ramadan, T, "Western Muslims and the Future of Islam", OxfordUniversity Press, 2004, pg.69[2] Ali bin Mohammed al-Sharif Al-Jurjani, “Kitab al-Tarifat” (Book ofdefinitions), 1969, Maktaba Lubnaan, Arabic Edition, pg. 181[3] Sahih Muslim, Hadith no. 4294[4] Musnad Ahmad 1:372[5] Sahih Muslim 2:53[6] Sahih Bukhari, Hadith no. 3713[7] Abu Ubaid, Kitaab al-Amwaal, pg. 98 & Abu Yusuf, Kitaab al-Kharaaj, pgs. 155-156[8] Bada’ us-Sanaai’, Vol. 7 pg. 131[9] al-Mu’atamad fil Usul ad-Deen, pg. 276[10] Ibn Qayyim, Kitaab Ahkaam ahl al-Dhimmah, Vol. 1 pg. 366[11] Al-Adaab al-Shari’ah, Vol. 1 pg. 190[12] Sayyid Qutb, In the Shade of the Qur’an, Vol. 2 pg. 874[13] "Nihayat al-Muhtaj" Vol. 8 pg. 82[14] Madaarij as-Saaliheen, 1/336-337[15] http://www.saudimission.org[16] Also narrated by Al-Haithami in Majma' Al-Zawaa'id, Part 1/ theBook of Knowledge in the section of Al-Taqleed wal-Qiyas



As we touched down at TunisCarthage International Airport,Tunisia on the 6th March 2012, the

excitement amongst the UK delegation ofsisters attending the International Women’sKhilafah Conference hosted by the womenof Hizb ut-Tahrir was clearly palpable.Standing at the birthplace of the Arabuprisings, we could hardly believe that justover a year ago, an event such as this wouldbe unthinkable under the Western-backedsecular tyrant ruler Zine El-Abidine Ben Alior previous secular dictatorships whopersecuted, imprisoned, and torturedthousands of members of Hizb ut-Tahrirand other Muslims calling for Islamic rule.However, it was a clear reminder that whenthis Ummah stands up for truth and justiceand have Allah (swt) as their support,anything is possible.

On the 10th March 2012, this truly historicglobal conference was held, aimed atpresenting the Khilafah system basedpurely upon Islamic laws as a model ofgovernance that can truly secure thedignity and rights of women in the Muslimworld and stand as a beacon for theliberation of women from oppression andinjustice globally. This unprecedented,

ground-breaking event gathered hundredsof women from across the world includingleading female journalists, political activists,writers, politicians, university professors,lawyers, doctors, community leaders, andrepresentatives of organisations todemonstrate how the Khilafah offerspractical and sound solutions to themultitude of political, economic,educational, legal, and social problemsafflicting women across the region. It wasthe first time that so many Muslim womenfrom across the world had come togetherto express their devoted support forIslamic governance for the Muslim worldand unequivocal rejection of all man-madeforms of governance.

The conference was hosted in “Le Palace”, abeautiful five-star hotel. In itself, the choiceof such a breath-taking location was asignificant matter for it reflected theelevated, esteemed and unrivalled statusthat Islam affords women and itsprescription of respect and prestige bywhich they should be treated. It was apacked venue and an electric atmosphere,with delegates from Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan,Yemen, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,Indonesia, Lebanon, Somalia, UK, Canada,

Australia, France, Belgium, and the US inattendance. Journalists from across theglobe swarmed the venue with muchmedia coverage both before the event andfollowing it. The conference was live-streamed internationally and theprofessionalism by which the whole eventwas organised led to one delegatecommenting that the party that organisedthis conference represented “a governmentin waiting”.

Speakers included female members andsupporters of Hizb ut-Tahrir from Tunisia,Turkey, Libya, Egypt, Indonesia, Sudan,Yemen, Lebanon, and Europe – united intheir message that the time for man-madesystems is over; the time to establish theKhilafah is NOW! There was such history inthat room – a sister from Libya whosebrother was executed by Gaddafi in the80’s for his membership of Hizb ut-Tahrir, asister from Turkey whose grandfather hadbeen one of the earliest members of Hizbut-Tahrir in Turkey, a sister who had beenimprisoned under the Ben Ali regime forher membership of Hizb ut-Tahrir, womenwhose husbands had been incarcerated forcarrying the dawa for the Khilafah, womenfrom Yemen involved in their country’s

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Women of Hizb ut-Tahrir Organise Historic InternationalWomen’s Conference (Tunisia), “The Khilafah: A ShiningModel of Women’s Rights and Political Role”

DR. NAZREEN NAWAZ

uprisings to mention only a few. Women ofHizb ut-Tahrir from Palestine, Jordan, andSyria delivered video messages to theaudience having been prevented entry tothe country by the Tunisian embassies intheir states. The idea of innocent Muslimwomen wishing simply to join an Islamicconference on women’s rights being barredentry into the country, illustrates clearlythat the real revolution in Tunisia is yet tomaterialise - and will only do so throughthe Khilafah.

The conference highlighted how over thepast 8 decades since the destruction of theKhilafah, all models of governance basedupon laws from human beings, whethermonarchies, theocracies, tribal systems,secular democracies and dictatorships havefailed dismally to secure the dignity andrights that all women deserve. Speakers anddelegates unequivocally rejected the claimthat a better future for women could besecured through adopting the tried, testedand failed capitalist, secular, liberaldemocratic system, explaining how thissystem had been sold as the saviour ofwomen in the Muslim world and yet hadfailed to solve widespread poverty, illiteracy,poor public services, violence, sexualexploitation, and rape facing millions ofwomen within democratic, secular, liberalstates in the West and East. The linkbetween liberalization, secularization,gender equality and the progress of womenthat is often promoted by Westerngovernments and institutions is a lie forthere is nothing modern, progressive, orliberating about the devaluing of womenand destruction of the family unit causedby these detrimental values. Furthermore,Muslim women in Tunisia, Turkey, CentralAsia, France, Belgium, and Germany havetasted at first hand the authoritarian natureof secular rule that hounded them out ofschools, universities, and employmentsimply for wearing the Islamic dress. Thereare no lessons in women’s rights theMuslim world can ever learn from thesecular democratic system! Nor can such asystem ever herald a brighter future for thewomen of the Muslim world!

The second section of the conferenceexplained the unique Islamic laws andpolicies that ensure that women’s dignity ispreserved always, as well as protecting theharmony of the family unit and establishinghealthy cooperation between men andwomen within society. Presentations alsohighlighted the sound nature of the Islamic

political and economic systems based uponprinciples such as accountability andtransparency in governance, rule of law, anelected ruler, an independent media andjudiciary, the fair distribution of wealth, freeeducation and healthcare, and theobligation of the state to ensure that everycitizen has their basic needs met. It is thisthat will ensure that women’s political,economic, and educational rights enshrinedwithin law have real meaning in the lives ofordinary women rather than being emptyrhetoric in constitutions.

As speakers described how the Khilafahoffered a new political vision for theregion’s women and how it was throughthe implementation of Allah (swt)’s lawsand system alone that true liberation fromoppression and man-made slavery could beachieved, “Takbeers” erupted from acrossthe audience followed by loud chants insupport of the Khilafah that reverberatedacross the hall, including, “Al Ummahureedh, Khilafah Islamiyah”. Indeed, anEgyptian journalist who had attended tocover the conference in the media, putdown her pen and joined the takbeers. Thepassion, and overwhelming desire ofwomen of the Muslim world to live underIslamic rule was tangible, crushing the age-old lies peddled by Western governmentsand politicians that Muslim women viewIslam as their oppressor, that they rejectIslamic governance, and that they seekliberation through the secular liberaldemocratic system. Such unsubstantiatedclaims are no longer acceptable. Nor is itacceptable to use the template ofdictatorships such as Saudi Arabia and Iranas examples of the injustices meted outagainst women under Islamic governancewhen it is clear that such states pursue acharade of implementing Shariah while inreality rule according to the whims ofKings and despots. These lies deserve thesame fate as dictators – to be thrown intothe dustbin of history.

Viewing such a moving scene of hundredsof Muslim women from across the Muslimworld raising their voices with suchpassion for the Khilafah, it was so evidentthat these were women whose desire forIslamic rule had been suppressed for solong by their dictatorial regimes – a desirethough that had never been extinguishedfrom their hearts and now in light of thedeveloping political situations in the regionthey were adamant to express zealouslywith a vigour that was captivating. Standing

in that room at that time, there was anoverwhelming sense that the establishmentof the Khilafah and the Victory of Allah(swt) is so near Insha Allah.

The final talk of the day presented Hizb ut-Tahrir as a party that embodies the qualitiesrequired to deliver real change to theMuslim world. It discussed how theorganisation carries the detailed principles,policies and laws of how it will practicallyaddress problems affecting the region and aclear vision of how the Khilafah willfunction with respect to its ruling,economic, social, education, and judicialsystems as well as its foreign policy. This isall detailed comprehensively in itsextensive literature and embodied in a draftconstitution for the state that has beenpublished and is ready for implementationnow. The extensive global political activismof the women of Hizb ut-Tahrir was alsopresented. The conference ended with acall to Muslim women to join and supportthe work of the party in establishing theKhilafah, and fulfil with urgency thisimportant Islamic obligation – returning anoble system that will herald a new dawnof justice and dignity for the daughters ofthis Ummah.

For too long, many have spoken on behalfof the women of the Muslim world,sidelining the views of the masses, andignoring the ever growing call for Islamicgovernance amongst the region’s women.Now with this historical conference, thevoices and opinions of the women of theMuslim world is clear. They have spoken,and spoken with a united voice - it is man-made law and not Islam that has been thesource of their subjugation; it is in Islamthat they see their salvation fromoppression; and it is the Khilafah that theyembrace as their guardian and look forwardto with longing eyes and desire with alltheir hearts - for this is the only system thatwill bring real change in improving thelives of women. Allah (swt) commands:

“Whoever follows My Guidance shallneither go astray, nor fall into distressand misery. But whoever turns away fromMy Reminder (That is, neither believes inthe Qur’an nor acts on its orders) verily,for him is a life of hardship, and We shallraise him up blind on the Day ofResurrection.”[TMQ Ta-Ha: 123-124]n


DR. NAZREEN NAWAZ

INTRODUCTIONEconomic growth is regarded as thepanacea for all societal ills. According tocapitalism with economic growth comeshappiness. This is seen as all the morepertinent as western economies enter theirthird year of benign economic growth.However has economic growth deliveredhappiness? What is Islam’s view oneconomic growth and how does Islamseek to achieve a vibrant economy whilstseeking the pleasure of Allah (SWT)?

WHAT’S GDP?Economic growth is the rate of change in acountry’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)or the total value of the goods and servicesproduced from one year to the next. Agrowing economy with increasingproduction of goods and services is said tobe a healthy economy. This is because, forcapitalists, peoples wants are unlimited sowith ever increasing production morepeople are more able to access goods andservices to satisfy those wants andtherefore to be happy.

That’s the theory. In reality, in spite of longperiods of economic growth during thelast decade income inequality actually rosein the US and Europe. Not only did thedivide between the richest and the poorestin western society widen to new levels(something which is well documented) butthe living standards of the middle class -those on average incomes - fell. Between2000 and 2010 the US economy grew byover 16% in real terms yet the US CensusBureau reported average householdincomes fell by 7% after adjusting forinflation over the same 10 year period (1).The US economy is the largest in theworld, generating over $14 trillion worth

of goods and services per annum yet46 million US citizens live in poverty (15%of the country’s population) and 50 millionpeople live without adequate health care. Thus economic growth does not guaranteeincome equality let alone the eradicationof poverty. Why then a fixation witheconomic growth in the west?

THE POLITICAL ECONOMYEconomic growth statistics or GDP figuresserve more as political tools than robustmetrics evaluating the economic wellbeingof the nation. Politicians parade economicgrowth trends and forecasts to serve theirpolitical agenda while national statisticalagencies manipulate, adjust and revisehighly variable estimates to anunquantifiable one decimal place toconfound a statistically untrained publicand to placate their political masters. Also, economic growth provides a falsesense of wellbeing without necessarilyremoving poverty, providing livelihoods orincreasing productivity. Thus much of theeconomic growth in the west in the last 3decades has been illusionary with:

• Property booms in the 80s and 90s• The financial bull market in the 1990s• Consumer booms in the 80s, 90s and

2000s• Asset bubbles like the dot.com craze• Colossal debt expansion since 1990s

It is thus unsurprising that each of theseperiods of strong (but largely illusory)economic growth was followed by majoreconomic recessions in the early 1980sand 1990s and the latest in 2008 fromwhich the western world is still to recover.The chart of UK economic growthexemplifies this trend of quite volatile

periods of economic growth followed bysevere periods of contraction.

Thus while periods of economicexpansion do not guarantee livelihoods orthe removal of poverty, in times ofeconomic contraction businessbankruptcies rise and unemploymentincreases. Heightened economic insecuritymeans businesses do not invest or expandand consequently wealth and job creationcomes to a halt.

Capitalists may well argue that periods ofgrowth still outnumber periods of decline.In fact before the start of the currentdownturn in 2008 the UK is reported tohave experienced 16 years of growth inwhich GDP expanded by 50%. In contrastin the downturn of 2008-2009 GDP fell by7% over 6 quarters.

That growth was debt fuelled, however, theburden of which will be paid by manygenerations. Also many millions did notshare in the so-called boom years exceptfor having to pay higher prices for housing,goods and services. Now 2.7 millionpeople are unemployed in the UK and anadditional 1m at least are underemployedand working only part-time or casually, butwould like to work full time. Across thewestern world tens of millions areunemployed. Moreover, the heavy costs ofbailouts with trillions going in to thedefunct financial system and the legacy ofdebt this leaves for future generations alsoneeds to be considered when comparingthe economic costs and benefits of thecapitalist model of growth.

However, economic growth or recession isa false choice. Fundamentally the capitalist


The Illusion ofEconomicGrowth

MUHAMMAD ARIF

model of growth is inherently unstable aswith ‘growth’ followed by decline. It doesnot provide economic stability, endpoverty, or even remove economicinequality. This is the criterion on which toevaluate the capitalist growth modelagainst alternatives namely Islam.

ISLAM AND ECONOMIC GROWTHIslam recognises human needs and wants,and their requirement for satisfaction.

Needs such as food, clothing and shelterare very different from “wants” i.e.“luxuries”, because without the former aperson will not survive. Thus in contrast tothe capitalist’s fixation with economicgrowth to satisfy human collective wants[which is in fact impossible] Islam’seconomic policy actively works to ensurehouseholds do not go without food,clothing and shelter. This is according to ahadith reported in Tirmidhi: "The Son ofAdam has no better right than that hewould have a house wherein he may live, apiece of clothing whereby he may hide hisnakedness and a piece of bread and somewater." [Tirmidhi]

With respect to households want forluxuries this is left to individuals to satisfy.

The focus of Islam’s economic policy offulfilling human needs ensures that at leastpoverty is eliminated in society and avoidsa scenario in the capitalist growth modelwhere millions do not adequately have thebasics of food, clothing and shelter in spiteof the wealth in society.

This does not mean that the Islamic(Khilafah) state hands out food, clothingand shelter to all households or that allindustries that provide these basic needsare state owned.ISLAM’S ECONOMIC MODELThe economic model in Islam is integratedwith individual and household Islamicrights and responsibilities which are

implemented via the Islamic courts. Thusfor example wives and children have aright to, at least, food, clothing and shelterand it is the responsibility of thehusband/father to provide these. A failureto do so allows wives to seek redress inthe courts from the property of the father.

This chain of responsibility andaccountability stretches across Islamicsociety to parents, grandparents, sons andgrandsons. Only when individuals are notable to be supported by their widerhousehold does the state step in to secureindividual basic needs.

This ensures that all citizens of the Islamicstate have at least their basic needs cateredfor, after which they have the capacity andability to engage in acquiring their lawfulluxuries.

In Islam property is not theft as incommunism. At the same time property isnot the sole meaning of life as undercapitalism. Property is a means to an endwhich is seeking the pleasure of Allah(SWT). All economic benefits are allowedto be sought unless Shariah Law forbidsthem like gambling and interest. All citizens of the Islamic state have theright to engage in all lawful commercialactivity without interference from the statein setting prices and wages – which isexpressly forbidden. The state’s role is toensure property rights and guarantee therule of law based on Shariah Law.

Derived from The Shariah below are tenpoints that stimulate the economy creatinga vibrant business environment which is inaccordance with seeking the pleasure ofAllah (SWT):

1. Borrowing is allowed and interest freewhich does not increase the debt burden

2. Businesses invest based on equityfinance that encourages risk sharing andrewards profits

3. Taxation is designated and defined sothe government cannot increase and createnew taxes

4. There are no income taxes so work isincentivised and disposal income is higherboosting spending

5. There are no expenditure taxes which

lowers prices and increases affordability

6. Taxes are on wealth so the poor don’tpay

7. Money supply is based on the volumeof gold and silver which keeps a lid onprices and creates a stable economicenvironment for business investment

8. There is active redistribution of incomevia paying Zakat (wealth tax) so the poorand needy are lifted out of poverty

9. There is active circulation of moneythrough the prohibition of hoarding goldand silver, no interest and a wealth tax of2.5% which encourages equity finance

10.The state is prohibited from fixingprices of goods and services or wagesallowing prices and wages to fall as well asrise and thereby stimulating the economyeven when overall demand is low.

CONCLUSIONIn summary, the capitalist drive for growthcreates an inherently unstable economicenvironment. Severe busts follow debtfuelled booms. The debt burden rises,millions remain in poverty while wealthand income inequalities grow. The wealthyfew get richer and fewer after eachdownturn while the many poor get poorerand increase in number. In contrast, inIslam the imperative is to remove povertyand ensure the circulation of wealth whichenables all citizens to engage in all lawfulbusiness activity. There are no taxes onincome so work is incentivised andspending is boosted creating demand for avariety of lawful goods and servicesproviding jobs and livelihoods. Meanwhilethe gold and silver standard ensures pricestability encouraging business investmentand boosting jobs. The role of the state isclearly defined with prohibitions on priceand wage fixing which promotesentrepreneurship. n

Footnote

http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/21/news/economy/middle_class_incom

e/index.htm


MUHAMMAD ARIF

The clearly unavoidable media hypesurrounding a possible Israeli strikeat Iran’s nuclear facilities has

become a key defining point aroundregional relations in the Middle East. Forthe Muslims, this makes for very sadreading as we could well see thepossibility of yet another Muslim countryattacked by the US and her surrogates, intheir attempts to wipe out any semblanceof regional opposition. However, this doesbeg the question as to whether such anattack is an inevitability.

To answer, the words of BenyaminNetanyahu point to a subtle yes : “I am notgoing to talk to you about what Israel willdo or not do, I never talk about that”.

Whilst addressing the 2012 AIPACconference in March, Netanyahu wasclearly alluding to the possibility that astrike against Iran’s nuclear capability wasnow on the political horizon, withoutindulging the applauding pro-Israeliaudience in the details of military tacticsfamiliar to his war cabinet. However, forthe astute political observer who is able todistinguish between rhetoric and reality,fundamental questions arise as to howlikely such an attack would be, what anysuch attack will involve, and what are thepolitical consequences of a display of armscapability on the scale expected, which atthe present time are being unilaterallyconsidered.

DIPLOMATIC STANDOFFThe recent AIPAC 2012 conference,accompanied by Netanyahu’s trip toWashington, has simply compounded whathas been an increasing rise in tensionsbetween the United States, the EU and theIranian regime. IAEA reports aside, it isevident that Israel is now seeking thegreen light from the US to mount aunilateral strike against Iran. The fact ishowever that the US favours the sanctionsgame, and is in reality looking to getNetanyahu to commit to military actionwith US approval. To that effect Obama andLeon Panetta (US Secretary of Defence)were both forced to justify their positionsin front of AIPAC. Obama stated; “Iran’sleaders should understand that I do nothave a policy of containment…. I will nothesitate to use force when it is necessaryto defend the United States and itsinterests”. Panetta in similar vein citedexamples of US Warships passing throughthe straits of Hormuz, in an attempt toindulge the pro-Israeli crowd as to thedepth of the administration’s politicaldevotion to Israel.

Nonetheless, the Israelis want to actunilaterally as Netanyahu stated; “We havewaited for diplomacy to work, we havewaited for sanctions to work, none of uscan afford to wait much longer…. Israelmust always have the ability to defenditself by itself”. In making falsecomparisons as to how the currentstandoff with Iran is like the refusal of theUS government to bomb Auschwitz in1944, Netanyahu clearly highlighted thatthere is a disconnect between the US andIsrael in handling Iran. The EU’s latestacceptance of negotiations from the

www.khilafah.eu Khilafah Magazine :: April 2012 :: 15

The reality of anIsraeli attack on Iran

HONAIN SIDDIQUI

Iranians is Europe’s attempt to plug thediplomatic gap and essentially aims toassert EU leadership on the issue. The offerof the so called P5+1 talks come as theEuropean Oil Embargo in July is set todeprive the Iranians of 25% of governmentrevenue. Whilst the Iranian government hasmaintained it will merely find other exportmarkets, it remains to be seen as to howeffective the sanctions will prove to be inundermining the Iranian economy. In themeantime we are likely to see the proxywar continue, between assassinations,sanctions and cyber-attacks. However, itshould be noted, at this point a drift tounilateral military action, in the event ofthe P5+1 negotiations failing, seemsincreasingly likely.

MILITARY DIMENSION OF ISRAELIATTACKWhilst a recent poll conducted by TheUniversity of Maryland, showed that thirty-four percent of Israelis oppose a strike nomatter what and 42 percent would back astrike only if it had at least the support ofthe United States, it seems Netanyahu isdetermined to unilaterally act. In the eventof an Israeli strike against Iran, it is worthconsidering the possibilities pertaining tosuch a strike. Such an attack is not withoutprecedence. In June 1981, Israeli jetsbombed the Osirak reactor near Baghdad.Furthermore, in September 2007, Israeliplanes hit a facility in Syria that Israel andthe US believed was a nuclear reactorunder construction. However, a potentialstrike against Iran would be dissimilar to

the attacks in Iraq and Syria. The fact is that the Iranian NuclearFacilities are multiple and (in the case ofthe facilities in Nantanz and Fordo)underground or buried. These alone aremore than just the single targets in Syriaand Iraq, which were both easier to target.Furthermore, the attacks on Syria and Iraqcame without prior warning, and thelogistical nature of such an operation wasnot as complex. Despite the Israeli Air-force having purchased 125 advanced F-15Iand F-16I warplanes, equipped with Israeliavionics and additional fuel tanks, whichare tactical aircraft designed precisely forsuch a mission, the desired targets areapproximately 900-1300 miles from Israel.

What becomes increasingly clear from theabove, is that for Israel to attack themultiple targets it wishes to in Iran, it willrequire either the action or inaction of thesurrounding states. In particular, theLondon times published an article in 2011detailing how Saudi Arabia would allow itsairspace to be used for such an attack,whilst this claim has since been refuted bySaudi diplomats, such a violation of theShariah rules is not alien to the Saudi or forthat matter the Jordanian or Turkishregimes way of political thinking.

Furthermore, Israel crossed Turkishairspace to attack the suspected SyrianNuclear facility in 2007. Saudi Arabia andJordan in the past have justified theirstances over Iran with sectarian overtonesand have painted a picture of a ‘ShiaCrescent’ developing in the Middle East, itwould not surprise many to see them turna blind eye to the suffering of the Ummahin Iran, as they have done in Syria.

The Israeli operation is highly likely totarget uranium enrichment sites at the

cities of Natanz, near Tehran and Fordo,near Qom. However, reality is that facilitiesat Natanz are underground and the plant atFordo is buried deeply into the side of amountain. Other possible targets would bethe heavy-water production plant andheavy-water reactor under construction atArak and the uranium conversion plant atIsfahan. With the enrichment facilitiesbeing definite targets and being buried,this would entail the use of bunker busterbombs by the Israelis, which have potentialfor enormous collateral damage and loss ofMuslim life, especially given the fact thatthey would be fighting in heavily guardedairspace and there is a chance of radiationleakage given the nature of the targets.

Iran’s capabilities while not on par with,present a problem to the Israelis, any air toair combat with Iran’s Russian-suppliedMiG-29 and small number of US F-14Tomcat fighters, add difficulties withfuelling and potential targeting.Furthermore, surface to air missilecapability is not something that the Israelishave time to destroy, as the mission is aspecific seek and destroy type. Thus Israeliswill be relying on the electronic elementof radar blinding and false picturegeneration.

The main weapon in Israel's arsenal is theUS-supplied GBU-28laser-guided weaponwith penetrating capabilities (penetrationof up to 6m of concrete detonation of thewarhead) , these would be carried byIsraeli F-15I aircraft which would only beable to carry one per aircraft, meaning thiswould be an enormous aerial operationgiven the multiple targets.

The fact is that, even with the mostaccurate of intelligence sharing betweenthe US and Israel, the Israeli attack may


HONAIN SIDDIQUI

...for Israel to attack the multiple targets it wishes to in Iran, itwill require either the action or inaction of the surroundingstates.

well resort to destroying entrance tunnelsand the power cabling structure as all ofthese structures have high energyrequirements. This being accomplished willmerely cause a delay to Iran’s nuclearambitions and by no means cripple ordestroy it. Politically the Israelis run a hugerisk by not doing enough damage to Iran’sfacilities and thus the shift in politicalmomentum will go to Tehran, thisespecially in the context of Americanpressure on the Israeli government toavoid unilateral military action.

The Israeli military capability to deal acrippling blow to Iran’s Nuclear capabilitywill be drastically reduced without accessto the US war machine, which has fargreater firepower at its command. Theeffectiveness of such a strike has beenquestioned by both American and Israeliofficials, US Joint Chiefs of staff, GeneralMartin Dempsey claimed such a strike,"would be destabilising and would notachieve their long-term objectives".

Furthermore Meir Dagan (former head ofthe Israeli spy agency, Mossad) claimedthat the attack would lead to a regionalwar and that the Israeli government shouldfocus on trying to change the regime inTehran, by backing groups opposed to thestatus quo of Iranian governance andpolitical persuasion. What seems to bepreponderant is that an Israeli strike willproject Israeli military strength, which hasstill not recovered since 2006, and at bestslow the Iranian nuclear drive.

POTENTIAL IRANIAN RESPONSEIf any such attack did take place theIranians would have multiple options opento them in terms of responseconsiderations. Since Iran has not directlyattacked Israel and the fact the UNSecurity Council would never pass aresolution allowing an Israeli pre-emptivestrike, Israel would be in clear violation ofinternational law. However, as many areaware international law has never reallyapplied in the case of the US or her allies,in a sense making it a redundant figmentof imagination serving only the superpower states. This is especially true in thecase of Israel, and as such the Iranianswould be unlikely to respond purelydiplomatically to such an attack, althoughthey would have some diplomatic impetusbehind them if they wished to do so. Theclosing of the Straits of Hormuz, whilst not

sustainable given the disparity between USand Iranian naval strength, would drive upglobal prices of oil in the short term, butwould not be considered by many asretaliation, especially not by those insideIran.

The use of the Iranian ballistic missiles,whilst not out of the realm of possibility, isdifficult to envisage as only a very smallnumber of Iranian missiles could actuallyreach Israel. The Sajjil-2 could reach Israelbut is not yet operational and Iran only hassix known launchers for Ghadr-1. Theenlisting of Hezbollah on the IsraeliNorthern Border is a more probablescenario as Hezbollah’s SCUD-D missilescan target the whole of Israel, and theshorter range Fajr and Zelzal missiles canalso target key stations inside Israel.Pursuance of this course of action, wouldopen a more regional dimension to thisconflict, in that Israel would almostcertainly pursue targets into Lebanon ifany significant threat or damage wastargeted at Israel by Hezbollah. It isarguable that for this reason, Hamas hasstated it has no intention to involve itselfin any such conflict.

REGIONAL DIVIDE Whilst Hezbollah would add a militarisedregional dimension to this conflict, therewould certainly be a divide across theentire Middle East on the issue. Iran’s onlyreliable ally Syria, is not in a position tosupport any militarised moves againstIsrael in light of Assad’s deployment of theSyrian Army against the Muslims in Syria.Furthermore, Iraq whilst certainlypossessing some pro-Iranian leanings in itsown government, is again in no position toaid the Iranians. Turkey’s ‘zero conflict’policy will prevent any intervention and asis known the GCC, Jordan, Saudi Arabia areeither pro EU or US. Leaving only Egypt,which is unlikely to assist Iran militarily.This being said we can assume that theremay well be the employment of gesturepolitics in the form of diplomaticcondemnation of Israel by some regionalactors.

A view from the Kitab and SunnahPredictably even before any such attackeven takes place on Iran, there are thosethat would have us distance ourselves fromour brothers and sisters in Iran, on thebasis of an age old sectarian dividebetween Sunni and Shia. Whilst true that

there are differences between Sunnis andShias, some of which are particularlyemotive and fiercely debated, it should beremembered that the bond of brotherhoodbetween one Muslim to another issomething that Allah (swt) mandates in theQuran: “And the believers, men andwomen, are protecting friends one ofanother; they enjoin the right and forbidthe wrong.” [Quran TMQ 9:71]

Furthermore, Our beloved Messenger(SAW) said: “A Muslim is the brother ofanother Muslim. He does not oppress him,nor does he leave him at the mercy ofothers”. [Sahih Muslim].

As the Prophet’s (saw) hadith teaches us itis not for any Muslim to apathetically leaveour brothers and sisters in Iran at themercy of Western backed Israeli aggression.

Rather it is our duty to stand with ourUmmah when they being oppressed, andmake the realisation that the absence ofthe Islamic ruling system in the form ofthe Khilafah, breeds the chaos of foreignaggression, sectarianism and the sale ofMuslim flesh and blood. n


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Sheikh Hasina’s government and theBangladesh Army have claimed that theyhave foiled a coup attempt to topple her

democratically elected government (19th Jan2012).

It is not possible to comment on whetherthis is true or not as Brig. Gen. Masud Razzak,the Army Spokesman, in his press conference,which is the first of its kind, clearly spokelike an Awami League party man, who wasunable to clarify whether it was a coupattempt, a coup plan or just them beingsensitive to the fact that there are some menwho are not towing their party line. But onething is certain, that Sheikh Hasina’s AwamiLeague government is pursuing a dangerousplan to subjugate the Bangladesh Army to USand Indian interests; and that this reportedcoup attempt will be used as a trump card torealise the goal, just as the US has used the9/11 incident to carry out its war on Islamaround the Muslim world.Sheikh Hasina’s government claims to havebeen democratically elected. Yet ever since

her government assumed power, it has neverfailed to demonstrate its subservientrelationship to India and the US, and have notleft a single stone unturned to pursuepolicies and agreements that are against theinterests of state, the people of Bangladeshand against Islam; whether those policies andagreements are to do with the economy,culture, energy, judiciary, or security.

Since, the politics of Bangladesh are alreadypolluted, and both ruling party and theopposition party are complicit, the people donot have any avenues or means to voice theiropinion or demonstrate their resentmentswithout risking being killed, abducted,detained without trial, or facing fabricatedfalse accusations and labelling. This, coupled with the dire economiccondition and law & order situation adds tothe misery of the people, who are beingkicked by Sheikh Hasina’s government andthen banned from screaming. The people generally feel helpless as Hasina’sgovernment rules with an iron fist. The

Bangladesh Army is not detached from thepeople, they have fathers, mothers, brothers,sisters, uncles, aunts etc. amongst thecivilians. When their families get hurt they arehurt. When the nation bleeds, they bleedalong with it.

The Bangladesh Army is the only institutionin the country, which is still highly regarded,and is considered to have some remnant offeeling and commitment left for the securityof the nation and the people. It is also aninstitution, which has a strong feeling forIslam, as it draws its motivation for trainingand fighting from the ayaat of the Qur’an andthe Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). It isan institution, which takes the likes of Ali(RA), Umar (RA) and Khalid Bin Walid (RA) asits role model.

Sheikh Hasina’s government, after takingcontrol over the national politics, sees thearmy as the biggest obstacle to her, not justfor returning to power for the next term, buteven in order to continue with this term inthe government. She knows that if the armyis kept intact then she will not be able tocontinue with her oppressive rule andpursue her anti-state goals to turn Bangladeshinto a slave nation to India and the US.

Therefore, the government turns to theBangladesh Army to remove any remnant ofpro-Islamic and pro-state sentiments, replaceit with subservient culture and agents ofRAW and the CIA, so that it is not only silentover anti-state practices but that it can beactively used as a tool by the US and India topursue their regional geopolitical objectives.It should be remembered that this would notbe the first time for Sheikh Hasina’sgovernment to turn its evil eye to the Army.The BDR carnage stands as a living exampleof what she is capable of.

Sheikh Hasina's government was put inpower after a 2 year foreign controlledcaretaker government. The foreign forces,

Replace Sheikh Hasina'sbankrupt regime with theIslamic Khilafah State

MUJIBUL ISLAM


namely US and India, who engineered theelection to bring her to power was on thebasis of a guarantee that Sheikh Hasina wouldserve their interests and not be an obstacle toimplementing their regional plan. This wasconfirmed by Wikileaks reports and also,Sheikh Hasina herself, when in parliamentshe categorically stated that the reasons whyher Awami League party was unable to getinto power during the last term was simplybecause they were not ready to compromisewith the foreign forces. So, it can beunderstood that in this term she was readyfor compromise.

Furthermore, The Assam Tribune reported on11th September 2011: “The Government ofIndia has decided to extend as much help as

possible to Bangladesh to strengthen thehands of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami LeagueGovernment in the interest of having afriendly neighbour as the presentGovernment in the neighbouring countryalready extended help to India in dealingwith insurgency”.

“Highly placed official sources in New Delhitold The Assam Tribune that though thefundamentalist groups are still active inBangladesh, they are not allowed a free run aswas the case in the past. The effort on thepart of India is to extend help to Bangladeshso that the present regime stays in power,sources added.”

Less than two months into this term ofgovernment, Sheikh Hasina’s regime bloodiedtheir hand by colluding with India on 25th ofFebruary 2009 to carry out the cold-bloodedmurder of over 59 senior army officials alongwith their family members, including the DGof BDR, who is at the rank of Major General.This is marked in the history as the “Pilkhana

BDR Massacre”. It was her first declaration ofwar against the army and the people ofBangladesh, to say that anyone who standsbefore her would not be tolerated. Thewhole structure and line of command of BDRwas destroyed as a result of the massacre,leaving them leaderless, without a structure,and vulnerable to security threats from India.The BDR (Bangladesh Rifles), who protectthe border against India’s continuous killing,smuggling and anti-state activities are virtuallydestroyed, and have been replaced with anew force, with the title of BangladeshBorder Guard.

Now, the Indian BSF (Border Security Force)does not have any obstacle on the border tocarrying out killings. The world has witnessedthe photo of a 15 year old girl, Faluni whowas shot 4 times and who remained dead,hanging for hours on the barbwire. Also, therecent video, which has been viewed manytimes on YouTube, where a Bangladesh cattletrader by the name of Habibur Rahman wastaken by the BSF, as he refused to give themhis possession of TK1000 (10 GBP) and amobile phone. He was stripped naked andwas kicked and beaten for over 5 hours by alarge group of BSF thugs in the open. Theirony was the response to this incident fromAshraful Islam, the LGRD (Local Governmentand Rural Development) Minister of Sheikh

Hasina’s government, who is also the GeneralSecretary of the Awami League. He statedcategorically that border killing, smuggling,and the other activities that go on arenothing new - it happens now as it happenedin the past - and the Awami LeagueGovernment has far bigger things to worryabout than these incidents on the borderwith India. Effectively saying, the lives of itscitizens are not a big issue for the AwamiLeague government.

Since 2009, over 207 reported killings havebeen carried out in the border. This has beenreported in many daily journals andnewspapers such as “Daily Amar Desh” inBangladesh and the English “The Guardian”.Brad Adams stated in The Guardian that“India’s Border Security Force (BSF), hascarried out a shoot-to-kill policy – even onunarmed local villagers”. He goes on furtherto say “Over the past 10 years Indian securityforces have killed almost 1,000 people,mostly Bangladeshis, running the border areainto a south Asian killing field. No one has

been prosecuted for any of these killings, inspite of evidence in many cases that makes itclear the killings were in cold blood againstunarmed and defenceless local residents”.

A single killing along the US-Mexican bordermakes headlines. However, the killing of alarge numbers of villagers by Indian forceshas been almost entirely ignored. Not just bythe media at large, but also, by thegovernment of Bangladesh.In September 2011 Sheikh Hasina’s AwamiLeague Government introduced a newcensorship law to censor contents of privateradio and TV programmes. It effectively bansany criticism of the government and itsinstitutions. Therefore, even the media areforced to tow the government’s line and arebanned from reporting oppressive practicesof the government.

The Awami League government’s otheranti-state, anti-people and anti-Islamicactivities include:

Remaining silent over the creation ofTipaimukh Dam, which will turn manyrivers in Bangladesh, which are vital to thisagricultural society, into dry land.

Giving open access to the US Navy to theBay of Bengal’s waters and to theBangladesh navy to carryout join exercisesin the name of “operation tiger shark”. Thisnot only creates security risks, but also,enables the US Navy to recruit agentswithin the Bangladesh navy and takesupremacy over them.

Giving transit rights to India, whereby,even during the test case, they leftBangladesh trucks, buses, and cars strandedfor hours to enable Indian goods to passthrough without receiving any significanttolls or tariffs.

Agreeing to build a heavy machineryport at Ashuganj, which will give Indiaaccess through the roads and waterways ofBangladesh to Chittagong port, but will

MUJIBUL ISLAM

Therefore, it should be vividly clear that the so-called“democratically elected government” of Sheikh Hasinais nothing but a “democratically elected dictatorship”,


wipe out many businesses, large and smallas well as rendering many hundreds ofthousands unemployed.

Completely turning a blind eye to theever-increasing price hikes of essentials,which has not just gone against theirelection promises, but at times have proventhat it is the factions of scrupulous AwamiLeague who are benefiting from this miseryof the common people.

Banning Islamic dress codes fromeducational institutions.

Pursuing – as a terrorising policy -anyone who has a beard or wears jilbab orcarries any Islamic books. The AwamiLeagues student faction, the Jubo Leagueand Chatro League have openly torn downthe jilbab of Muslim girls in Eden College,Dhaka.

Pursuing a policy similar to that ofKemal Ataturk of Turkey, whereby any Armyofficials, who have a beard, who pray, orhave any Islamic practices, such asavoiding drinking alcohol, are reported andrecorded.

Creating a deteriorating law and ordersituation where a father and son are bothkilled, just for 10 lakh Taka (10,000 GBP);people (including members of the army)are abducted, kidnapped, detained withouttrial; arrested through false allegations anddenied access to justice and brutallytortured in secret torture cells.

Cancelling over 600 cases against manyAwami League party members, includingMinisters and MPs, in a single cabinetsitting; giving them free reign to continuewith their terrorising and corrupt activities

Secretly paving the way to allow Indiato exploit national natural resources suchas gas and coal, by building transmissionlines in the name of power trade.

Carrying out a campaign of continuous‘Terror’ carried out by both the Awami

League lawmakers and its student wingmembers. Awami League MP Sheikh AfilUddin, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon,Awami League MP of Dhaka-15constituency Elias Uddin Mollah; AwamiLeague activists Musa Mahmud, Asad andKemal etc. are some of the few amongstmany who have openly carried out killing,torture and even the beating of a PoliceOfficer in-charge. All are allowed to movefreely.

Continuous corruption of the Ministersincluding that of the Roads and Highwayminister who has been highlighted even bythe World Bank.

Makes constitutional amendments towipe out any Islamic values from thesociety and gives full immunity to SheikhHasina and her family; making them abovethe law.

Therefore, it should be vividly clear that theso-called “democratically elected government”of Sheikh Hasina is nothing but a“democratically elected dictatorship”, whichis towing the same path as that blazed byMubarak of Egypt, Gaddafi of Libya, Ben Ali ofTunisia and Bashar Al Assad of Syria. SheikhHasina’s government should not be allowedto play with the lives of the 150 millioninnocent people of Bangladesh. Hergovernment should not be allowed to destroysuch an honourable institution as that ofBangladesh Army, and subjugate them to theUS and India. Her government should not beallowed to enable the foreign forces to stealthe resources of the country and deprive thepeople of its benefits. In all sense ofdefinition Sheikh Hasina’s governmentqualifies as the enemy of the state, peopleand Islam, therefore it should be removedimmediately.

The accusations against Hizb ut-Tahrir comebecause this party has stood against theactions of Sheikh Hasina’s government –exposing their crimes, their betrayal of thecountry & Islam, and their collusion withIndia and the US. Hizb ut-Tahrir has worked in Bangladesh formany years, never resorting to violence as itcontradicts the Islamic method for change,and remaining on a steadfast politicalprogramme; winning, amongst others,doctors, teachers, lawyers, universityprofessors, businessmen, and politicians -who are well respected in society and knownfor their honesty and integrity.

They have become the biggest challenge andobstacle for the corrupt incompetent parties

that include the BNP and its alliance, AL andits alliance, who have shared power in thecountry for decades. Hizb-ut-Tahrir consists of honest people, whofear none but Allah, and who have realsolutions to the problems of Bangladesh; whoare willing to sacrifice their lives andproperty in this cause to bring real change toBangladesh. They demonstrate real vision,commitment and sincerity unlike the currentsecular politicians who are willing to sellthemselves for pennies.

Unable to face the party intellectually, theAwami League has adopted the politics offascism – with the blessing of America andIndia – in a campaign to attack Hizb ut-Tahrir– fabricating allegations, denying people basicrights and using thugs to intimidate andabuse any opponents.

These actions of the Awami League showtheir desperation and bankruptcy. Hizb ut-Tahrir has a draft constitutionaddressing all the political and economicproblems facing the country and calls uponthe educated and influential people withinsociety in Bangladesh to reject the decadesold politics of corruption and incompetenceand support its work.

The lessons from the Middle East are thatdecades of silence simply allow theoppression, brutality, corruption and declineto worsen. The sincere people at every levelof society must do, all they can to work toremove this regime and support Hizb ut-Tahrir’s efforts to establish the Khilafah Statein Bangladesh.

We are reminded and motivated by theHadith of our beloved Prophet (SAW) "The best Jihad is the word of truth to anunjust ruler" and the command of our LordAllah (SWT): "And let there arise fromamongst you a group, inviting to all that isgood (ie Islam), enjoying the good (ma'ruf)and forbidding the evil (munkar); andthose are the ones whom are successful”[TMQ Al-Imran 104]n

MUJIBUL ISLAM

The Arab spring has brought to anend the post WW1 dictatorialarchitecture that long dominated

the Arab landscape. The regimes oftyranny and dictatorship were establishedin the Middle East long before the likes ofMubarak and Ben Ali came to power. Formost of the last hundred years the Westhas carefully engineered a political statusquo established upon their own interests.With the failing of old colonial policies ofdirect intervention the likes of the BritishEmpire shifted their attention to usingproxy rulers and making contacts withelites in the region.

The uprisings across the Muslim worldhave led to old notions of political apathyand lack of political ambition beingproven baseless. The questions are no

longer about the Muslim world wantingchange but what kind of change it isseeking. Questions like: What does theregion want to live by? Does the regionwant Western Democracy and otherWestern values? As well as the role of theWest.

The Arab Spring has seen many marchesunder the banner of Islam and many inthe West are preparing themselves for theprospect of the Middle East achievingdecisive power.

In amongst the search for answers theTurkish model of governance has gainedmuch publicity and notoriety. This modelof governance has been praised by manya Western politician and secularist whobelieve the fusion of some Islamic rules

with secularism is something the Westcan work with, and would like to seeacross the Muslim lands.

Interestingly within the Muslim world theonly model Turkey is known for is theCaliphate which turned the Ottomans – aband of fighters – into the world’ssuperpower. However Western discourseis mixed, with praise and concern of anapparent Islamic revival termed theTurkish model. US officials, includingSecretary of State Hillary Clinton, viewTurkey as a ‘model’ and an ‘example’ forthe states in the Middle East and NorthAfrica. President Obama has made similarstatements, in an Italian newspaper hesaid “The fact that it [Turkey] is ademocracy and a country that is mostlyIslamic makes it a critically importantmodel for other Muslim countries of theregion”. The New York Times recentlysaid: “More than any other figure, the newbreed’s standard-bearer is Turkish PrimeMinister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pledgingthat conservative Islam is compatiblewith individual liberties, Erdogan holdsthe rise of his culturally conservative buteconomically liberal political party as abeacon for a new Middle East.”

This article will analyse “The TurkishModel” and assess its Islamic credentialsand whether it represents a model for thewider Muslim world.

THE JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENTPARTY (AKP)

The rise of the Turkish model ofgovernance has been parallel to the riseof the AKP and its leader Recep TayyipErdoğan. The AKP led by Erdogan came topower in 2002, after the Ecevitgovernment lost credibility in its handlingof the Turkish economic crisis in 2001which led to a deep recession. Thisresulted in early elections and throughthe use of Islamic slogans the AKP partywon a massive majority.

Prior to the establishment of the AKPboth Erdogan and Abdullah Gul weremembers of the Refah party. When theRefah – True Path coalition wasoverthrown in 1997 they both left theRefah party and formed their own partythe Justice and Development Party in

Deciphering the “TurkishModel” of Government


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2001. Erdogan is from a similar line ofthinking as Turgat Özal, Prime Minister ofTurkey between 1983-1989. Özal hadsome clear Islamic sentiments andfollowed the Naqshbandi order in theearly 1990’s.

Erdoğan was the Mayor of Istanbul from1994. He was banned from office andsentenced to a prison term for recitingthe text “The mosques are our barracks,the domes our helmets, the minarets ourbayonets and the faithful our soldiers….”from a poem during a public address inthe province of Siirt on 12 December1997. After six months in prison, Erdoğanestablished the Justice and DevelopmentParty (AK Party) on August 14 2001.

On assuming power Erdogan lednumerous government instituted reforms.The most important included:

Cementing ties with the US through theShared Vision Document signed betweenthe Turkish and American government.Abdulla Gul and Condoleezza Riceconfirmed: “The strategic visiondocument confirms Turkish-US consensusto translate our shared vision intocommon efforts through effectivecooperation and structured dialogue.”Cooperation included: Supportinginternational efforts towards a permanentsettlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict,including international efforts to resolvethe Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basisof a two-state solution. Supportingdiplomatic efforts on Iran’s nuclearprogram, including the P5+1 initiativecontributing to stability, democracy andprosperity in the Black Sea region, theCaucasus, Central Asia and Afghanistan.Enhancing energy security throughdiversification of routes and sources,including from the Caspian basin.Reforms also included expanding thegovernment’s penetration of the NationalSecurity Council. In the name ofdemocratisation the ruling justice anddevelopment party (AKP) introducedreforms to weaken the armies hold onthe country. One of Erdoğan’s earliestactions was to curtail the jurisdiction ofthe National Security Council to interferein government. Erdoğan altered thecomposition of this council to includecivilian members. The National Security

Council comprises the Chief of Staff,select members of the Council ofMinisters and the President of theRepublic – who is also the Commander-in-chief. Like other National SecurityCouncils it develops national securitypolicy.

The economy and foreign policy havebeen the most salient features of the AKP.

Since Erdogan rose to power he alignedhimself with the business elite and hasturned Turkey into an export driveneconomy. Erdoğan travelled to China,Brazil, India, Russia and the Africancontinent with plane loads ofbusinessmen and women in order topromote Turkish business interests.Turkey has a foreign policy premised on‘zero’ problems with neighbors which isa big departure for a country that hadlong endured conflict on its restiveborders – with Syria, Georgia, Armenia,Iran, and Iraq and which had run a mostlystatist, closed economy until the 1980s.

Turkey began liberalising its economyand aggressively pushing trade withCentral Asia and the Middle East underErdoğan.

Europe remains the biggest market forTurkish products, accounting for 50% ofthe country’s exports. Most go toGermany, France, and Eastern Europe,where the Turks are among the leadingproducers of cars, televisions and homeappliances. Erdoğan’s export-focusedapproach has included billions of dollarsof business for construction companiesbuilding universities, malls and hotels forthe governments of the Middle East.Turkey is the world’s largest cementexporter and its construction sector issecond only to that of China.

The AKP’s most visible policies have beenon the foreign policy front. Many havetermed Turkish manoeuvring in itsneighbourhood as Neo-Ottomanism. In

the Middle East Turkey continues in itsattempts to bring the various partiestogether with Israel on for a two statesolution. Turkey played a central role inensuring the US constructed architecturecame together in Iraq through a policy ofmaintaining contact with all groups inIraq. Many of the Shi’ah and Sunnifactions traveled to Turkey in order toform the Iraqi government. The Semi-autonomous Northern Iraq has seen over$5 billion in investment from Turkey.Turkish companies are the top investorsin hotels, real estate, industry and energyin northern Iraq. As one analyst put it:“Turkey has long facilitated the politicalstability in Iraq and hereafter Ankarawould play a more critical role in Iraq’spolitical process because Ankara’s role inIraqi politics balances the impact of Iranon Iraq”.

Turkey has also been attempting toextend its role in the Caucuses where ithas long competed with Russia.

Turkey under Erdogan has maintainedclose economic and military ties withIsrael. Turkey was the first Muslimcountry to recognize Israel in March1949. Cooperation includes Turkey being

Israel’s largest trade partner in the regionand it’s second-biggest in the world,behind only the US. In the first threemonths of 2011, Turkey exportedproducts worth $579.3 million to Israeland imported goods worth $397.3million. While Turkey purchases high-techdefence industry equipment from Israel,amongst the goods they export aremilitary uniforms and footwear for theIsraeli army. Whilst military ties havesoured of late the underlying relationshipremains.

ISLAM

The West has been impressed by the AKPwho they view as Islamic/conservativewho run a secular nation. The Turkisharmy being staunch secularists accuse


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Islam has played virtually no role in Turkey’s foreign policy.The most obvious example of this is Erdogan’s continuation ofTurkish relations with Israel which is something Islamexpressly prohibits.

Khilafah Magazine :: April 2012 :: 23

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www.khilafah.eu

Erdogan of having a secret Islamic agendawhich will be brought to the forefrontwhen the AKP has completed its grip onall aspects of ruling.

In analysing the claim that the AKPrepresents an Islamic model ofgovernance an examination of its keypolices highlights that Islam has playedno role in any of the AKP’s policies otherthen the rhetoric fed to the masses. Theeconomy and foreign policy have beenthe main symbols of the AKP, and bothare driven by factors other than Islam.

Turkey’s economic growth, developmentand trade have had nothing to do withIslam but short term pragmatic polices toshore up the AKP’s support. Whilst thereis no doubt that under the AKP theTurkish economy has developed andthere is more wealth today in Turkey thenthere was a decade ago, it has all beenbuilt on the same non-sustainable Interestbased debt driven growth that is slowlychoking the Western world today.Erdogan and the AKP have not usedforeign trade to propagate Islam, neitherhas it used its relations with the likes ofChina, Russia, Brazil or India to propagateIslam. In order to shore up support forthe AKP Erdogan developed economicpolices to bring money into Turkey whilstenriching the business elite.

Islam has played virtually no role inTurkey’s foreign policy. The most obviousexample of this is Erdogan’s continuationof Turkish relations with Israel which issomething Islam expressly prohibits.

Whilst AKP officials continue to cite thesurrounding neighbours as Muslimbrothers and its own region as formerOttoman territories this is where the roleof Islam comes to an end. Since comingto power the AKP has grown very closeto the US, the relations with the US havenot been with the aim of weakening theUS policies against the Muslim world orcomplicating them. In fact the AKP hasworked to implement US global policesand played the role of willing agent.Turkey has played a central role inindirect negotiations in 2011 betweenthe Palestinian factions and Israel to bringa settlement to the issues which requiresthe abandoning of large swathes of land

to the Israelis.

The AKP has not used Islam in any way inits foreign policy. Rather then rallying theMuslim rulers against Israel or evenseeking to end the occupation of Al Qudsitself – which Turkey is capable of –Erdogan has pursued a narrow set ofpragmatic polices and littered them witha few Islamic slogans.

The US continues to pursue a colonialagenda in the Muslim world but this hasnot stopped the AKP growing close tothe US. The AKP has in Iraq and Palestinestrengthened the hand of the US byconstructing polices that aid them. Turkeyhas also sided with Obama and NATOagainst Syria and held a meeting forSyrian opposition groups in Anatolia.

Much of the rhetoric of Islam has notcome from the AKP but from thoseopposed to them and from the West.Erdogan in his recent trip to Egyptexpressed hope for “a secular state inEgypt”, he went further and outlined that“The Turkish state is in its core a state offreedoms and secularism.”

Erdogan’s domestic agenda has also beenmainly to weaken the hand of the armyin Turkish politics rather then creating asociety based on Islam. Domestic reformshave centred on changing thecomposition and elections of judges andarmy personnel. Similarly the proposalsfor changes to the Turkish constitutionare not for the Islamic sources to becomesources of legislation but to empower therole of the president, which Erdogan hashis eyes on. Domestically, rather thanunifying with the Kurds who are mainlyMuslims, Erdogan has carried out acombination of normalisation exerciseswhilst carrying out military actionsimultaneously. The killing of Muslims issomething Islam expressly prohibits.

THE WEST’S FASCINATION WITHTHE TURKISH MODEL

The Turkish model of governance is inreality one driven by nationalism and ispragmatic in nature with some Islamicslogans. As the AKP has been successfulwith the economy this has given it anaura of strength, however the economy

has linked Turkey to the global economyand thus it is inevitable Turkey will gointo recession as the global economydeclines.

The praise for the Turkish model ismostly from Western capitals and this isbecause it is something the West canwork with. Turkey under Erdogan hasmanufactured a sense of importance byallowing itself to become yet another toolof Western foreign policy. This pragmaticand non-Islamic position is what getsmuch praise in Western capitals.

The adoption of secularism allows one tochoose which parts of Islam toimplement. Erdogan has made someattempts in removing the hijab ban inTurkey, but for example has done nothingwith regards to the legalisation ofadultery or the removal of interest inbanking.

All of these factors are what the West canwork with and for these reasons the Westcannot stop singing the praises ofErdogan. This pragmatic model in realitydilutes Islam by making it fit withpragmatic, nationalist and interest drivenpolices. All of this shows that Islam playsa very small factor for the AKP,supposedly meeting Turkish interests iswhat has driven the AKP and this largelyincludes fulfilling US interests.

CONCLUSIONS

Turkey does not represent a new modelof governance; it is in reality as secularand national interest driven as the nationsof the West. As the Arab spring continuesto take shape, what the region needs isnot another Capitalist state with a fewIslamic rules that cover its fundamentallysecular nature. Secular states have anumber of issues that are common to allof them, such as misdistribution ofwealth, political corruption and socialbreakdown. Turkey’s rulers are sadlycontinuing down this well-worn anddiscredited path, and may Allah (swt)protect us all from such contemptiblebehaviour.n

Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, Suite 301, 28 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3SSTel: 07074 192 400 - www.hizb.org.uk - [email protected]

hizb.org.uk

Khilafah Magazine April 2012

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