O you who believe, respond to the call of Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which would give you life...
m a g a z i n e THUL-QEDAH
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THUL-HIJJAH
1434 .A.H. ∙∙∙ OCTOBER 2013 ∙∙∙
ISSUE:
201310
Hajj & Unity HAJJ, THE GREATEST SYMBOL OF POLITICAL UNITY - THE SAD REALITY OF THE HAJJ IN OUR TIME - WHAT CAN ISLAMIC PARTIES LEARN FROM THE CRISIS IN EGYPT? - THE COMPILATION OF THE QUR’AN - WHY IS THERE NO DISCUSSION OF THE STATE IN MANAGING CHARITY? - SEX - OUT OF CONTROL IN THE WEST POLITICAL CHAOS IN BANGLADESH – WHEN WILL HASINA AND KHALEDA GO?
///////////////////////////// 2 than the US debt. All of this points to one matter – Basher al-Assad is getting desperate as the rebels chip away at the seat of his regime in Damascus.
NEWS
BITES // UK GOVERNMENT EXPOSED As devastating information on the US continues to be released by Edward Snowden, the US National Security Agency whistleblower, the British authorities in the UK on August 20 2013 held David Miranda, the partner of the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald. Mr Greenwald has broken most of the stories about state surveillance based on the leaks from Edward Snowden. Miranda’s only crime was his links to the Guardian journalist. More shocking has been the revelations on the inner workings of the UK government. It has now been revealed that David Cameron ordered the Guardian to destroy all its NSA data, otherwise there would be repercussions. It was then revealed that the Home Secretary knew in advance of the planned detention of David Miranda and that the White House was given a "heads up." So an individual, who did not commit a crime, was targeted and held for 9 hours, with serious questions on who ordered the actual detention. This episode shows once again that state institutions can always be manipulated for political expediency.
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// HOSNI MUBARAK RELEASED Hosni Mubarak, one of the early victims of the Arab spring was released from prison on August 22 2013, in the latest turn of events in Egypt. The verdict came during a hearing on charges that the former president had accepted gifts from the state-run publisher al-Ahram. The value of the gifts has since been repaid. Mubarak’s release was the latest act in what has been a tumultuous year in Egyptian politics. The Muslim Brotherhood led government was effectively overthrown in a coup lead by General Sissi, on July 3 2013. Ever since then, the army has been reversing the changes that the Arab spring ushered in. Provincial leaders were replaced with army personnel, Mubarak era cronies were placed into judicial roles and the Muslim Brotherhood leadership including the former president Muhammad Morsi were all arrested. General Sissi has now completely reversed the progress made in the last two years and all that remained was the release of his former crony.
// US 'WILL NOT INTERVENE IN SYRIA AS REBELS DON'T SUPPORT INTERESTS', SAYS TOP GENERAL General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff made clear in a letter to Congress the US position on Syria: “Syria today is not about choosing between two sides but rather about choosing one among many sides. It is my belief that the side we choose must be ready to promote their interests and ours when the balance shifts in their favour. Today, they are not.” After over 2 years and the utter wanton destruction of the country, the US refuses any form of intervention as none of this is in its interest. Not surprisingly, all the talk of arming the rebels has led to little weaponry reaching the rebel fighters who continue to complain about US promises. As the rebels descend on Damascus, it will be interesting to see if the US position changes as the Ummah gets closer to placing al-Assad and his cronies into the dustbin of history. // SAUDI - US COLLUSION
// AL-ASSAD’S DESPERATION LEADS TO CHEMICAL ATTACK The world was stunned as it saw shocking images on August 21 2013 of a chemical attack in Syria. In the early hours, rocket attacks took place in Ghouta in the Eastern suburb of Damascus, leading to the deaths of over 1000 men, women and children. Whilst the Assad regime denied the use of chemical weapons, all the evidence from doctors and health specialists who handled the dead pointed to signs of toxins. The response from the West each time a massacre took place has been to conduct further investigations and to question the credibility of the claims being made. Obama’s so called red line on chemical attacks has been more flexible
Following Morsi’s removal, Saudi Arabia immediately pledged $12 billion in aid to Egypt’s new ruler, General Sisi, to shore up his rule and ensure the Muslim Brotherhood are completely removed from power. At the same time, the US Department of Defence announced that it will be building and selling 1,300 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia, worth some $641 million dollars. Saudi has for decades armed itself to the teeth. However the Muslims of Burma, Syria and Egypt shouldn’t expect Saudi to actually do anything with their weapons anytime soon. The Saudi regime may claim to be the guardian of the two holy mosques, but in reality they are guardians of US foreign policy. Protecting this privileged position of the royal family as guardians of US foreign policy, is priority number one, even if it means abandoning the Islamic Ummah.
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Hajj THE GREATEST SYMBOL OF POLITICAL UNITY ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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s we find ourselves entering the Hajj season, the discussions fall upon the story of Hajj and its origins. The familiarity of the story of Ibrahim, Hajar and Isma’il (AS) seems to be in contrast to the lack of general awareness of the Seerah of the Prophet (SAW) and the context and realities of the single Hajj he (SAW) lead. Only by studying deeply, the political context in which the Prophet (SAW) embarked upon the farewell pilgrimage, can one understand the significance of the farewell sermon (Khutbatul-Wada). In the 10th year of Hijra, the Prophet (SAW) announced his intention to make Hajj. With this news, people from all over Arabia started to gather for the opportunity to perform Hajj with the Prophet (SAW). Over a hundred thousand Arabs from every deep and distant valley of Arabia convened in the valley of Makkah. Only four years earlier, the Prophet (SAW) and his Sahaba (RA) were turned back from Hudaibiyah not being able to enter the sacred precincts of the Ancient House. However, that was, in the course of events, the great turning point upon which Allah (SWT) transformed the fortunes and fate of the nascent faith and the power of the new Islamic State. A brief look at some key events that took place
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after Hudaibiyah gives us a picture of the fierce military and diplomatic struggle that the Prophet (SAW) was conducting across Arabia and far beyond. Late in the sixth year Hijri, on his return from Hudaibiyah, he (SAW) decided to send messages to the kings beyond Arabia. That included messages to the Ceasar, Chosroes, Negus, and Muqawqis to name a few. In Dhul Qa’da of 7 Hijri, he (SAW) set off with 2,000 men to perform the ‘Umra which had been left off the previous year. In Jumada al-Ula of 8 Hijri, the battle of Mu’tah took place, marking the beginning of the conquests of the land of the Christians. Later that year, in the blessed month of Ramadan, with a force of 10,000 strong, Allah (SWT) completed the great opening and conquest of Makkah. No sooner than 19 days after the conquest, the Muslims where again on the march for the battle of Hunain with a force of 12,000 men. In Rajab of 9 Hijri, the Prophet (SAW) assembled his greatest fighting force of 30,000 men to invade the Roman province at the battle of Tabuk. This also would be known as the Year of Delegations (Aam al-Wufud) in which perhaps 70 or more delegations came to embrace Islam or enter under the authority of the Islamic State. The Prophet (SAW) was so busy meeting the delegations, that he (SAW) appointed Abu Bakr (RA) to lead the first Hajj in Islam. This very cursory look at some of the events that preceded the Farewell Hajj draws a picture of the pace and progress of the political and military struggle of the Prophet (SAW) to consolidate and complete the power and authority of the Islamic State over Arabia. It puts into context the Farewell Sermon (Khutbatul Wada). The correct way to view the Khutbatul-Wada is to see it as an address of Allah (SWT)’s last Messenger (SAW) and the commander of the
Islamic State and Ummah. The Ummah that has been tasked to complete the mission of the Prophet (SAW), by inviting all nations to enter the fold of Islam and unify the whole world under the dominion, peace and justice of Allah (SWT)’s Deen. “Indeed it is He, Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Deen of Truth, that He may cause it to dominate over all others” [TMQ Surah At-Tawba:33] With the above mentioned thoughts in mind we should look now at the details of the Farewell Khutba, its profound and far reaching message: “Oh People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today" “Oh People, just as you regard this month, this day, and this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your lord, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd' al-Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived...” “Oh People, it is true that you have certain
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rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness.” “Oh People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.” “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim that belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.” “Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.” “Oh People! No Prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore Oh People! And understand words that I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and the Hadith and if you follow these you will never go astray.” “All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words
better than those who listen to me directly. Oh Allah, be my witness, that I have conveyed your message to your people.” All these noble precepts mentioned in the Khutbatul Wada were not abstract notions or spiritual ideals for the Prophet (SAW) or the Qur’anic generation. He (SAW) established them in reality and put the seeds of a civilization that would embody, establish and convey those precepts for more than 12 centuries. Following are some of the words from Seyidina ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) in a khutba he gave on his last Hajj: “Nothing is dearer to Allah Almighty and of greater benefit to mankind than a ruler's kindness based on true knowledge and insight. Nothing is more hateful to Allah than a ruler's ignorance and stupidity. By Allah, I do not appoint governors and officials in your provinces so that they will beat you up or take away your money. I send them to you to instruct you in your faith and teach you the way the Prophet (SAW) has shown us. Whoever is treated differently should put their complaints to me. By Allah who holds my soul in His hand, I will ensure that justice is done to them. If I fail to do so, I become a partner in such injustice.
then it is certainly easy. Therefore, whoever is in a position of authority in any area of the Muslims affairs must fear Allah in the way he treats his people. To all these I say, do not beat people up to humiliate them. Do not deny them their rights, showing them little care, and do not place them in hardships making them feel lost. My people, when you have completed your Hajj rituals, let the people of different regions meet me together with their governors and officials so that I can look into their situations. I will consider their disputes and give my judgment, making sure that the weak are given their rights and justice is done to all.” From these speeches, we can clearly see that whilst performing Hajj and fulfilling all of its rites, venerating the House of Allah (SWT) hoping for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, the hajj is a time to think of the situation of the Ummah and a time to think whether we have fulfilled our mission as an Ummah in conveying the message to mankind. “And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj).” [TMQ Surah Al-Hajj 22:27] A UNIQUE TIME OF YEAR
It is much better for me to remove a governor every day than to leave a despot in his position for an hour longer. To replace governors is much easier than to change the people. If setting things right for a community requires replacing their governor,
Muslims from every near and far flung corner of the world, of every race and language, rich and poor, young and old, journey and converge to perform a unique event. Almost every Muslim in every part of the world knows someone who will
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THE STORY OF IBRAHIM, ISMA’IL & HAJJAR (AS) IS NOT JUST A STORY, IT NEEDS TO BE CONNECTED TO OUR LIVES AND THE SITUATION OF THE UMMAH TODAY. THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF THE STORY IS ABOUT MAKING ALLAH (SWT) AND THE DEEN OF ISLAM THE CENTRE AND PIVOT OF OUR LIVES AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS AN UMMAH. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// THE SAD REALITY OF THE HAJJ IN OUR TIME The Jama’ah The Hajj is an action of collective Ibadah and expression of the Jama’ah, but today it has been atomized and stripped to a purely individual dimension.
be amongst the hujjaj - in this way the whole Ummah is connected to this one event in this one place. This makes Hajj a natural time to discuss the vital issues of this Ummah, its need for unity, liberation and leadership - and the resumption of the message and da’wa to mankind. Allah (SWT) blessed this Ummah with the greatest symbol of unity to mankind. Anyone, Muslim or Non-Muslim who has watched the hujjaj perform the hajj and the salah at the Ka’ba in their millions, can’t help but be impressed and moved at the sense of complete unison, harmony, brotherhood and energy that radiates from such sights. The Hajj proves the power of Islam to transcend all the false barriers created to divide this Ummah. It gives proof to that fundamental concept we are indeed ‘One Ummah’.
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One Cause Hajj is a symbol of our Unity as an Ummah. Less than 100 years ago, pilgrims were united under one leader – the Ameer ul-Mumineen (the leader of the Believers) – the Khaleefah of the Muslims – and not divided by artificial nationalities, passports and flags.
Brotherhood Hujjaj feel very strongly the bonds and emotions of brotherhood and the uniting power of the Deen yet no avenue is allowed for the expression of these sentiments today.
Yet still today, millions of men and women young and old, of different colours, languages and means – still face the same Qibla in orderly lines, wearing the same ihram, all of which symbolises the way that only Islam can unite and bring order in the Muslim world.
Leadership of the Hajj The very first Hajj of Islam was not led by the Messenger of Allah (SAW), but was delegated to Abu Bakr (RA) since it was the year of delegations. The affairs of state, the foreign policy of Islam, the meeting of the foreign ambassadors and spreading Islam beyond the frontiers of Arabia was too important to be delayed or neglected even for the first Hajj in Islam. This fact of the Seerah of the Messenger of Allah (SWT) is totally neglected today.
Indeed, it was at the time of Hajj, Allah (SWT) told us that this Deen -combining beliefs, worships and values, as well as political, economic, social and judicial systems for society was the perfect way for humanity to live together in order and harmony, when He (SWT) said: “Today the Unbelievers have despaired of overcoming your Deen. So do not fear them, fear Me. This day, I have perfected your Deen for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your Deen” [TMQ Surah Maida 5:3]
The Lessons of Sacrifice, Sabr and Tawakkal The story of Ibrahim, Isma’il & Hajjar (AS) is not just a story, it needs to be connected to our lives and the situation of the Ummah today. The whole message of the story is about making Allah (SWT) and the Deen of Islam the centre and pivot of our lives as individuals and as an Ummah. If the millions who visit the Ancient House year upon year actually took that message and idea onboard when they returned home, the situation of the Ummah and indeed the world could be transformed very swiftly. Yet most of the Hujjaj have been trained to have only the thought of forgiveness as a goal and not much more.
Let us reflect on the situation of the Ummah this Hajj. Where is the Amir ul Mu’mineeen of the Hajj today? Where is the leader of the Ummah today who would give the annual Khutbah of the Hajj addressing the various problems we are facing as an Ummah? Surely it is time for us to change our whole perception of the Hajj to not only a time for individual forgiveness but a time to address the vital issues of the Ummah. Badrul Rashid
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Inflaming Shia-Sunni tensions - WHO BENEFITS? /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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he Sunni-Shia dispute has its origins in the earliest years of Muslim history. Although history points to episodes of animosity, particularly in the earlier periods, the issue became dormant for many centuries. Indeed, the topic may have remained of only academic interest if it were not for the proliferation of sectarian violence across the Middle East and South Asia in recent decades. Pakistan witnessed over 500 deaths due to sectarian violence in 2012, one of the deadliest in recent times. Since the invasion of Iraq, sectarian killings have significantly escalated, and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have both seen tensions in recent years. Significantly, in recent months, Syria appears to be caught-up in a spreading sectarian conflict, with the proclamation by Hassan Nasrallah that Hizbullah would enter the conflict on the side ofwith Bashar al Assad. Although the causes of these recent tensions are complex and multi-faceted, it is important to highlight from the outset that the age-old disagreements that define the distinction between Sunni and Shia cannot explain the current tensions we’re seeing across the Muslim world, nor can they explain their timing. In fact it is becoming increasingly clear that a narrative is being spun to specifically frame current tensions as a “Sunni-Shia” conflict.
WAS IT ALWAYS LIKE THIS? Disagreements originated from the question of succession of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) whether the first Khalif should have been Abu Bakr (RA) or Ali (RA) - but have since developed into broader disagreements about doctrine, jurisprudence and political organisation. Despite their differences, however, the history of the Islamic lands that are now at the heart of so much tension demonstrate that what we are seeing today – serious reciprocating violence between Sunni on Shia - is almost without precedent. After the initial upheaval involving conflict between the “partisans” of Ali (RA) and the Umayyad and early Abbasid Khalifs, the largest Shia denomination – the ithna ashari (Twelvers) – entered a period of whatas is typically described as political passivity, disengaging from the broader political situation of the Islamic world whilst waiting for the return of the last of the twelve Imams - the Mahdi. As a result, occurrences of conflict and dispute subsided as the Shia initiated their “intizar” (waiting). Even during periods of later conflict – most notably between the Ottoman Sultans and Saffawid Shahs - the Shia Ulema refrained from endorsing or supporting the Persian Shahs, insisting on their by-then formalised doctrine of political passivity, leaving their Shahs to pursue
their political agenda using Shiaism no more than symbolically. As the Muslim world came under the direct threat from foreign colonisation, a number of projects emerged in the Muslim world that attempted to forge closer ties between the two communities. Attempts included measures by the Ottoman Khalif, Sultan Abdul Hamid II and the fatwa by Shaykh Shaltut of the al-Azhar University in 1959 regarding the validity of the Shia Twelver jurisprudence. Egypt also saw the establishment of ‘Dar al-Taqrib’ in Cairo in 1948 by Mohammed Taqi Qummi to bring together Sunni and Shia scholars in Egypt. In a letter published in 1969, the Shia scholar Musa al Sadr indicated that Dar al Taqrib was only one example of a long line of attempts that had been underway to forge closer links between Sunni and Shia. The picture of the Muslim world is also more mixed than the often dichotomous portrayal of the conflict by the media. The as-Sham region is rife with examples of a long-standing mixed population, demonstrated through examples of inter-marriage. Lebanon for example has 362,000 families who have one Sunni and one Shia parent, in a country whose population is only 4 million. Since the onset of the invasion, Iraq has seen joint protests by Sunni and Shia, from joint
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SOME WESTERN POLICY CENTRES HAVE USED THE SHIA SUNNI DISPUTE AS A PROPAGANDA WEAPON TO DISCREDIT KEY ISLAMIC NOTIONS SUCH AS THE “UMMAH”, “UNITY” AND ISLAMIC RULE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Friday prayers, conferences and regular calls for co-operation. After the fall of Saddam, rallies saw demonstrators chanting “No Shia, No Sunni!” This is not to paint an artificially rosy picture, or to avoid difficult questions about differences. It is to highlight however, that the scale and nature of the conflict we see before us is recent - a fact not only evident to Muslims. FRAMING A “SUNNI-SHIA” CONFLICT It is clear that the historical dispute, even if dormant for a significant period of Islamic history, has been in part been exploited by foreign powers to promote instability in the Muslim world. Following the US invasion in Iraq, Western policymakers were eager to promote the idea that a Shia “crescent” - extending from Iran through Iraq to Lebanon - would become a key political consideration in the Middle East. The theory was subsequently discredited, for generalising mixed interest Shia groups into a single block. The Shia from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia cannot simply be put into a single block that thinks and behaves in the same way and which supposedly poses a challenge to a supposedly unified counter “Sunni” block (of which there is no such thing). Furthermore, attempts have been made to frame numerous other events in “Sunni-Shia” terms. Saddam Hussein was described as a “Sunni” ruler who persecuted the Shia. Saddam was a secular socialist Baathist, not known for his religious credentials and persecuted Sunnis just as severely as he did anyone else. Bahrain conveniently described recent uprisings as a “Shia” uprising against the Sunni minority rulers. The uprisings were not committed in the name of a sect but against political injustices and against the denial of rights.
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Similarly, Iran and now Hizbullah’s co-operation with Bashar al Assad in Syria is perceived as an act of Shia brotherhood. This support for Bashar’s offensive is a grave error and humiliation for Hizbullah, evaporating any support they may have previously enjoyed from their offensives against Israel. But the ithna ashari Shia – of which Hizbullah and the Iranian leadership is comprised - have long viewed the Nusayri’s – the community from which Bashar and his father originated – as heretics owing to their peculiar beliefs that violate the fundamentals of Islamic doctrine. This support cannot be interpreted as an act of brotherhood, even though Iran has ambiguously referred to “cultural” and “religious” ties between the two countries in the past. Indeed, a number of Shia ulema have attacked Hizbullah and Iran’s decision to support Bashar, just as “Sunnis” did with the late Sunni Shaykh al-Bouti who likewise supported Bashar al-Asad. Rather, such support appears to be driven by political considerations, owing to the potential for regional instability if Bashar were to fall and the prospect of a leadership hostile to Iran that may arise in its place. Iran is acting to protect its interests both directly and through its Lebanese outfit. It is therefore an error to fall into the trap of simply accepting that all such conflicts being played before us are simplistically Sunni-Shia in nature. Muslims must prevent this new sectarian narrative from becoming a new status quo, a new prism through which conflicts in the Muslim world are interpreted, one that conveniently pushes attention away from the political interests of the actors involved in these conflicts. THE SUNNI-SHIA CONFLICT AS A PROPAGANDA WEAPON Some Western policy centres have used the Shia Sunni dispute as a propaganda weapon to discredit key Islamic notions such as the “ummah”, “unity” and Islamic rule. According to Graham Fuller of the RAND Corporation, “To
speak of the Shia of the Arab world is to raise a sensitive issue that most Muslims would rather not discuss”. According to Francke “The Shi’a… present a sensitive problem that assails to the core of Muslim unity and undermines the traditional histiography of the Muslim state…”. The Library Journal suggests, “…the attempt to create a universal Islamist state is doomed to failure because of the conflicts between Sunni and Shi’a forms…” The basic aims of such claims is to undermine confidence in any “Islamic” solution by suggesting Islam will simply inflame the situation and therefore prepare the ground for hoisting Western solutions on the Muslim world. Indeed such policy centres are often eager to suggest secularism should be adopted by the Muslim world, claiming the West battled religious sectarianism for centuries and eventually settled on a solution that removed religion from political life altogether, hoping this would eliminate religious strife that afflicted Europe for so long. But secularism has an unproven track-record in resolving sectarian conflicts. This is partly down to the fact that secularism assumes public and private life can be neatly delineated when it simply cannot. Religion can be removed from the constitution and the statute books, but religious identity is not easily separated from public life. Personal beliefs influence decisions in all parts of life including political choices, and secularism does not prevent the possibility of religious groups participating in politics according to their religious interests, making it no less susceptible to competing religious agendas. This is particularly relevant in regions of diverse religious association and where religious identity still plays a role in everyday life. Secularism in India has done very little to end communal violence in key states. Israel also claims to be a secular democracy – very few would suggest it has the least bit of credibility in resolving religious tensions in the region. Even within
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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Europe, violence in Northern Ireland demonstrates that even a mature secular democracy has difficulty in dealing with sectarian conflicts. Secular states are just as susceptible to inter and intra religious conflict. Of direct relevance to the Sunni-Shia issue, secularism is without precedent in both Shia and Sunni thinking - both demands Islam directs all aspects of life including temporal life. Reluctance by some Shia to engage in political matters in the absence of the Imams does not translate to a lesser desire for Islamic rule. Their willingness to live without Islamic rule was not because it was not necessary, but because its rightful leader was absent. There have however been significant changes in Shia political thought, challenging the passiveness to politics in the era of colonisation, that have led to the emergence of the “Wilayat al Faqih” model, permitting scholars to assume ruling positions, because according to one Shia marja "…the separation of religion from politics and the demand that Islamic scholars should not intervene in social and political affairs have been formulated and propagated by the imperialists; it is only the irreligious who repeat them". WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Secularism therefore not only has an unproven track record, it has no relevance to the Sunni-Shia question. To understand where we go from here, we must understand a little of the past. Prior to the emergence of secular nationalistic states across the Arab world, Islamic rule dominated the region, and Muslim and non-Muslim communities lived under its governance for centuries. It is ironic that only since its fall, we’ve seen serious sectarian and religious tensions flareup despite being under “secular” states from Palestine to Iraq and beyond. Islamic rule treats its subjects as citizens who
are guaranteed certain rights – it does not divide them into sectarian or other groupings nor treats them according to such distinctions. The law applies to all citizens, and whilst non-Muslims are exempt from laws that don’t apply to them, citizens are dealt with according to the rights Islam has afforded to them. Furthermore, citizens have the right – and in some cases the duty – to hold any state official to account, to representation and to hold any position within the state provided they meet the necessary prerequisites. Moving to the Islamic citizenship-based model and away from sectarian distinctions will re-address the strengthening sectarian identity that is taking root in some quarters of the Muslim world. Furthermore, the state is prevented from seeking-out the private views of its citizens or prying into what they do in the sanctity of their own homes, based on Islamic rules that prevent spying and stipulate the state’s jurisdiction is restricted to temporal matters only. Islamic rule recognises differing views will exist amongst its Muslim population, providing they remain within the boundaries of the unanimously declared articles of belief. The Islamic State will not maintain exclusivity to a particular point of view or persecute those who don’t adhere to state sanctioned opinions. This does not imply there is no debate – far from it. Robust Islamic debate will continue, to facilitate the elevation of Muslim thinking.
Islamic principles in the process. But Islamic Law is distinct from Muslim practice, and provides a clear basis for a non-divisive system and through which such historical errors are identified and addressed. To conclude, the danger before us is of yet another conflict being provoked to add to the numerous already plaguing the Muslim world. Conflicts are being reframed to support a new sectarian narrative, one that is becoming dangerously acceptable. Not only will this reverse the long stability enjoyed by the Muslim world under Islamic rule and pour flames on an already desperate situation, it willis also being used to pave the way to introduce secularism in the Muslim world. Aware Muslims must take heed and not fall into yet another trap being prepared by powers that wish only a weak and divided Muslim world. Akmal Asghar
It is the departure from these basic areas historically that have aggravated internal tensions in the Muslim world, not just between Sunni and Shia, but with other denominations. Earlier episodes of persecution, a political process that locked out dissenters or hereditary rule that made it difficult to account rulers, escalated this and other disputes unnecessarily and violated basic
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What can Islamic parties learn from the crisis in Egypt? THE OUSTING OF MOHAMMAD MORSI OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD BY THE EGYPTIAN MILITARY AND THE SUBSEQUENT MASSACRE OF INNOCENT MUSLIMS HAS STARKLY DEMONSTRATED WHO IS IN CHARGE OF EGYPT. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
However, the same parties in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, that went to great lengths to demonstrate their Islamic credentials to the masses in the election campaign, have also gone to great lengths to demonstrate their moderation to the West.
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he ousting of Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood by the Egyptian military and the subsequent massacre of innocent Muslims has starkly demonstrated who is in charge of Egypt. Only over a year ago, Islamic activists were rejoicing as the Muslim Brotherhood was elected into power. Now they are demonstrating in their thousands distraught as to what is happening in Egypt. What can the Islamic parties learn from the events in Egypt? What is the correct strategy that needs to be employed to bring the real Islamic change that millions are craving for in the Middle East? In Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, voters in their millions have clearly expressed their opposition to secular liberal values and their strong desire for Islamic government.
Indeed, in their rush to placate so called international opinion, they have abandoned all pretence to Islamic politics. They mention they want a ‘civil democratic state’ so that no once accuses them of trying to bring Islam into politics. They think they are being smart and politically savvy. Yet all they have showed is their opportunism, their double standards and that when it comes to sticking to principles, they are no better than their secular counterparts. When it comes to applying Islamic politics, they cite constitutional barriers and the need to keep minorities onside. When it comes to applying Islamic economics, they cite the need to avoid scaring international investors and tourists. When it comes to applying Islamic foreign policy, they cite the need to show a moderate image and appease the West. Indeed such is their caution, weakness and desire to please, they have now become Islamic politicians in name only. Having been in opposition so long, they almost cannot believe the opportunity they now have. The Islamic parties have thus made at least six
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strategic mistakes in their politics thus far: 1. Firstly, these parties have locked themselves into a straitjacket by participating within flawed elections in a flawed system under a flawed framework. Elections are a critical part of any political system (including in the Khilafah system). The elections we saw in the Muslim world like the ones we see in the West, are deeply flawed. Power is distributed amongst different politicians or institutions, not to have checks and balances, but to encourage division and to stop strong leadership. Indeed elections are a necessary smokescreen to allow the illusion of societal participation to cover the real reality that power is exercised by an unelected elite. Having multiple institutions such as lower or upper houses or constitutional restrictions ensures nothing can be done which is too radical. 2. Secondly, these parties should realise that they are not indispensable. The people who elected them in their millions want Islam, what they don’t want is a diluted Islam, or a diet Islam or some kind of Islam Zero. If the people wanted western secularism, they would have voted for candidates from Liberal parties. If these parties don’t deliver what they promised, they will face a serious revolt. If they think this won’t happen, they should consult Hosni Mubarak and Mohammad Morsi. 3. Thirdly, their political calculations are rooted in myths. Firstly, they believe that an
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INDEED, SOME ISLAMIC PARTIES ARE NOW EVEN READY TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO BLATANTLY UN-ISLAMIC INDUSTRIES, ACCEPT US HEGEMONY AND SIT DOWN WITH ISRAEL TO VALIDATE PEACE TREATIES. BY DOING SO THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT NAKED OPPORTUNISM IS NOT CONFINED TO SECULAR PARTIES. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Islamic system can only be implemented gradually. Why? Do liberal politicians ever talk about implementing their values gradually? No they don’t, everyone knows there’s a distinction between determining a policy and when it can be executed. Implementing an Islamic System can be a Day 1 decision even if it takes weeks, months or even years for all the benefits to be fully seen. Secondly the idea that Islamic solutions aren’t ready to solve Day 1 problems such as poverty, unemployment or education are simply not correct. Islam’s economic vision on creating a strong industrial base, focussing on land reform and taxing wealth not incomes, are practical solutions that would benefit our economies today. 4. By avoiding the tough decisions, these parties end up implementing the same failed capitalist solutions that have not just bankrupted our countries but brought the Western world to the brink of economic collapse. Indeed it is patronising to the tens of millions of the citizens that voted for Islamic solutions that they aren’t somehow ready to face the consequences of the very solutions they voted for. 5. The idea that implementing an Islamic system will scare minorities, scare investors and scare international opinion is true and false. False in the sense that the Islamic system has a fantastic track record in dealing justly with those who don’t share the Islamic faith. But true in the sense that the current international system needs a jolt. When the current world is dominated by billions in poverty, where wars are fought over oil and where the powerful states exploit the weak, then such a system needs to be challenged. The idea that by implementing Islam somehow would be an act of naivety because one must be cognisant of the international situation is itself an act of naivety. The Prophet (SAW) was not naive when he challenged the Romans and the Persians, but he fully understood that international politics was about projecting ideological power. If you as a nation don’t project your values, principles and policies than other nations will. This is why the West not only implements its values at home but
spends tens of billions to spread its message abroad. 6. Lastly, these parties are walking into a strategic trap. By abandoning Islam at home, they effectively will implement a liberal secular agenda which will exclusively benefit a Westernised elite. In the future, their inability to present a coherent Islamic agenda will be used by their political opponents and Western elites as evidence of failure of Islamic politics to solve problems in the Muslim world. Indeed the main danger that these parties risk is not to themselves, but to the cause they purport to care about. Their reluctance to implement Islam in its entirety risks giving the impression that the Islamic system cannot solve the problems of the day. This is exactly the narrative that has been coming out since Morsi’s ouster. Indeed, some Islamic parties are now even ready to turn a blind eye to blatantly un-Islamic industries, accept US hegemony and sit down with Israel to validate peace treaties. By doing so they have shown that naked opportunism is not confined to secular parties. How can these people after being put in jail by the previous tyrants now seek to implement the very same policies of the very same tyrants? How can they say they oppose US foreign policy, yet meekly accept US aid and hegemony? How can they say they stand with the Muslims of Palestine when they are not prepared to even rescind the CAMP DAVID AGREEMENT? What is required from Islamic leaders and parties is a new politics, a new outlook and a new vision in the aftermath of these revolutions. A vision that focuses on increasing prosperity, jobs and helping the poor. One where people are the priority not Western multinationals. A vision that looks to bring land reform, tax reform and to ensure critical resources are owned by the state to benefit the many not the few. A vision that has a leadership accountable to public opinion not to international opinion
All this is possible if the political will is present. As the life of our Prophet (SAW) showed us, the challenges will not be easy, achieving real political change never is. There is no easy path to progress, no shortcuts to real change and hardship always accompanies the task. Our Ummah’s history has showed us time after time that what seemed impossible became reality with the help of Allah (SWT). The Khilafah system showed it could rise up to the challenges in the past; we believe it can rise up to the challenges today. Those who pursue the right path will bring in not just a new system, not just a new era, but a new politics which will inspire the whole world.
Sajjad Khan
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The Compilation of the Qur’an THE QUR’AN WAS REVEALED TO THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAW) AND HE USED TO INSTRUCT PEOPLE TO MEMORISE IT AND WRITE IT DOWN ON PIECES OF LEATHER, PAPER, SCAPULA, PALM RISP, BONES, LEAF STALKS OF DATE PALM ETC. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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he Qur’an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and he used to instruct people to memorise it and write it down on pieces of leather, paper, scapula, palm risp, bones, leaf stalks of date palm etc. When the ayat were revealed he used to give the order that they be placed in their proper place in the Surah. It has been narrated by Uthman (RA) that he said, “The ayat used to be revealed to the Prophet (SAW) and so he used to say: “Put these ayat in the Surah which mentions such and such thing.” (Ibn Majah & Abu Dawud) The arrangement of the verses of every Surah in the form as it is in now in the present script (Mushaf) was determined by revelation (Tawqeefan) from the Prophet (SAW) transmitted to him (SAW) by Jibreel from Allah (SWT). As for the arrangement of some of the Surahs, they were put together according to the Ijtihad of Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). Imam Ahmad and the Sunan compilers have reported a hadith by Ibn 'Abbas which has been declared sound by Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim. Ibn Abbas (RA) asked Uthman (RA) as to why he put Surah Al-Bara’ah (At-Tawba) after Surah AlAnfal when it is from the Mathani (Surahs with less than 100 Ayahs) and Al-Bara'ah is from the Mi'un (consisting of about 100 Ayahs). Ibn Abbas said, “You have put them together and you did not write between the line 'Bism’illah arrahman ar-rahim and you have placed them among the seven long (Tiwal) Surahs” So Uthman said, “Often a Surah would be revealed to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) that would have a number of verses. When something was revealed to him - he used to call someone from
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among those who used to write for him and say: ‘Place these ayah in the Surah, in which this and this is mentioned.’ Surah Al-Anfal was one of the first to be revealed in Madinah and Al-Bara'ah was at the end of the Qur’an. Their narrative used to resemble each other so I thought Anfal was part of Bara’ah.” The Messenger of Allah (SAW) died and he did not clarify to us if AlAnfal was part of Al-Bara'ah. Thus, it has been narrated by Sa'eed b. Jubayr from Ibn 'Abbas who said that: “The Prophet (SAW) did not know the ending of a Surah until 'Bism’illah ar-rahman a-rahim' was revealed.” In another narration: “When Bism’illah ar-rahman ar-rahim was revealed they knew that the Surah had come to an end.” This indicates that the verse order in every Surah was determined by revelation (Tawqifiyyan). And since the Prophet (SAW) did not elucidate the issue of al-Bara'ah, Uthman (RA) added it to al-Anfal according to his own Ijtihad. The author of al-Iqna' reported that the Bism’illah for al-Bara'ah is present in the Mushaf (collection) of Ibn Mas'ud. It has been reported that the Sahabah used to keep copies whose arrangement of Surahs was different though there were no differences in the verse arrangement. So the Mushaf of Ibn Mas'ud was compiled in a manner different to the Mushaf of Uthman in terms of the arrangement of the Surahs. It began with Al-Fatiha, then Al-Baqarah, Al-Nisa and Aal-Imran. Contrary to the Uthmani Mushaf whose arrangement is al-Fatiha, alBaqarah, Aal-Imran and then Al-Nisa. None of them were compiled according to the order of revelation. It is said that the Mushaf of 'Ali was
according to the order of revelation, it began with Iqra', then Al-Muddaththir, Nun wal qalam, Al-Muzzammil, Tabbat, Al-Takweer, Sabbih, it went on in this manner to the end of the Makkan Surahs and then to the Madinan Surahs. All of this indicates that the Surah arrangement was according to the Ijtihad of the Sahabah. That is why maintaining the arrangement of Surahs in recitation in not obligatory whether in reciting the Qur’an (Tilaawah), in the prayer (Salah), in a lesson or in teaching, as evidenced by the fact that the Prophet (saw) read Surah al-Nisa before Aal-Imran in his night prayer. It has been narrated by Aisha (RA) on the authority of Fatimah (RA) that: “The Prophet (SAW) confided in me that: ‘Jibreel used to read the Qur’an to me every year.’” (Bukhari) It has also been narrated by Abu Hurayra that he said: “Jibreel used to present the Qur’an to the Prophet once a year, but he presented it twice to him in the year he died.” (Bukhari) There are also other Ahadith which explicitly mention the arrangement of verses: “Place these verses in such and such Surah after such and such ayah.” All of this definitely indicates that the arrangement of verses in their chapters and the form of the Surahs in terms of the number of verses and their places, all of that is determined (Tawqifi) by Allah (SWT).
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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// COMPILATION OF THE QUR’AN It has been proven by decisive and definite evidence that when the Prophet (SAW) died the whole Qur’an had been written and all of it was preserved in the hearts of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). As a verse or verses would be revealed he (SAW) used to order that they be written down before him at once. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Do not write down anything from me, whosoever writes anything I have said other than the Qur’an let him erase it.” (Muslim) What the scribes used to write of the revelation was collected on sheets (Suhuf). He (SAW) left written everything that was between the two covers of the Mushaf which had been written down in front of him. Abd al-'Aziz b Rufayya' narrated: “Shaddad bin Ma'qil and I entered upon Ibn 'Abbas. Shaddad bin Ma'qil asked him, “Did the Prophet leave anything (besides the Qur’an)?” He replied: “He did not leave anything except what is between the two bindings (of the Qur’an).” Then we visited Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyya and asked him (the same question). He replied, “The Prophet did not leave except what is between the bindings (of the Qur’an).” An Ijma' (consensus) has taken place on the fact that all of the verses of the Qur’an in their respective Surahs had been written down directly in front of the Messenger (SAW) when the revelation was revealed to him, and that they were written on sheets (Suhuf). Allah (SWT) has preserved the Qur’an with an explicit text: “Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Zikr (the Qur’an) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” (TMQ Al-Hajj: 9) Due to the preservation of the Qur’an in its
written form and in the memory of the Sahabah after the death of the Messenger, the Sahabah initially did not feel the need to compile the Qur’an in one book. This was the case until many of the Huffaz (memorisers of the Qur’an) had been killed in the Riddah (apostasy) wars. Due to this, Umar (RA) feared for the loss of certain sheets and death of the Qurra' (those who had committed the whole of the Qur’an to memory), thereby causing some verses to be lost. So he thought about bringing the written sheets together (in one compilation). He presented his idea to Abu Bakr (RA) who eventually accepted this and ordered for the compilation of the Qur’an. It has been narrated by 'Ubayd b. al-Sibaq that Zayd b al-Thabit Al-Ansari said: “Abu Bakr sent for me after the (heavy) casualties among the warriors (of the battle) of Yamama (where a great number of Qurra' were killed). Umar was present with Abu Bakr who said, “Umar has come to me and said, ‘The people have suffered heavy casualties on the day of (the battle of) Yamama, and I am afraid that there will be more casualties among the Qurra' at other battle-fields, whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost, unless you collect it. And I am of the opinion that you should collect the Qur’an.’” Abu Bakr (RA) added, “I said to Umar, 'How can I do something which Allah's Apostle has not done?' Umar said (to me), 'By Allah, it is (really) a good thing.' So Umar kept on pressing, trying to persuade me to accept his proposal, till Allah opened my bosom for it and I had the same opinion as Umar.” Zayd b al-Thabit added: “Umar was sitting with him (Abu Bakr) and was not speaking to me. “You are a wise young man and we do not suspect you (of telling lies or of forgetfulness) and you used to write the revelation (Wahy) for Allah's Apostle. Therefore, look for the Qur’an and collect it (in one manuscript).” “By Allah, if he (Abu Bakr) had ordered me to shift one of the mountains (from its place) it would not have been harder for me
than what he had ordered me concerning the collection of the Qur’an. I said to both of them, ‘How dare you do a thing which the Prophet has not done?' Abu Bakr said, 'By Allah, it is (really) a good thing. So I kept on arguing with him about it till Allah opened my bosom for that which He had opened the bosoms of Abu Bakr and Umar. So I started locating Quranic material and collecting it from parchments, scapula, leaf-stalks of date palms and from the memories of men (who knew it by heart). I found with Khuzaima two Verses of Surah Al-Tawbah which I had not found with anybody else (in terms of the written form), (and they were): “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty.” (TMQ At-Tawbah:128) until the end of Bara’ah.” The manuscript of the Quran which was collected, remained with Abu Bakr (RA) until Allah (SWT) took him, and then with Umar (RA) during his lifetime, and finally it remained with Hafsa (RA), Umar's daughter. Zayd's (RA) compilation of the Qur’an did not consist of what he wrote down from the Huffaz. Rather his compilation brought together what he had written himself in front of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). He did not place one sheet with another sheet in order to compile them unless two witnesses testified for that sheet that it was written in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). Furthermore, he did not accept a sheet unless it met two conditions. Firstly, that it was present in written form with one of the Sahabah. Secondly, that it has been memorised by one of the Sahabah. When the written and memorised forms concurred with the sheet that was intended to be compiled, he took it, otherwise he did not accept it. That is why he refrained from taking the end of Surah al-Bara'ah until he found it in written form with Abu Khuzayma even though Zayd could himself recall and remember it.
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form and they had memorised them. These sheets remained preserved in the possession of Abu Bakr (RA) during his life and then with Umar (RA) during his lifetime and them with Hafsa (RA) the daughter of Umar, the mother of the believers in accordance with Umar's bequest. From this it becomes clear that Abu Bakr's compilation of the Qur’an constituted only the bringing together of sheets that had been written in the presence of Allah's Messenger (SAW) and it was not an actual compilation of the Qur’an.
It has been narrated via Yahya b 'Abd alRahman b. Hatib that he said: “Umar stood up and said; whosoever has received anything of the Qur’an from the Messenger of Allah (SAW), let him bring it forth. They used to write that on sheets, tablets and palm risp.” Ibn Hatib said: “He (Zayd) did not accept anything from anyone until two witnesses had given testimony. This shows that Zayd was not satisfied by merely finding something in a written form until the one who received it testified that he had heard it from the Messenger of Allah (SAW), despite the fact that Zayd already had it memorised. He did this due to his extreme caution.” Thus, the process of compilation was nothing other than the bringing together of sheets that had already been written in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) into one book between two covers. The Qur’an used to be written down on sheets but they were separately kept. So Abu Bakr (RA) assembled them in one place. That is why Abu Bakr's order to compile the Qur’an was not an order to write it down in one Mushaf, rather it was an order to bring the sheets that had been written in the Messenger's presence together in one place. This was an order to make certain that they are in the same original form by supporting them with the testimonies of two witnesses that they had been written in front of the Messenger of Allah (SAW), also that they were in the possession of the Sahabah in written
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As for the compilation of Uthman (RA), in the third or second year of his Khilafah, in 25 AH, Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman (RA) approached Uthman in Madinah at the time when the people of alSham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Armenia and Azerbijan. Hudhayfa was afraid of the people of al-Sham and Iraq differing in the recitation of the Qur’an. He saw that the people of al-Sham reading according to the recitation of Ubay b. Ka'b (RA), and they were coming with readings the people of Iraq had not heard. Also he saw the people of Iraq reading according to the recitation of Abdullah b. Mas'ud (RA) and so they had certain readings that the people of al-Sham had not heard. Thus, they began to charge each other with Kufr (disbelief). They both disagreed about a verse in Surah al-Baqarah. One read: “And perform properly the hajj and 'Umra for Allah.” (TMQ Al-Baqarah: 196) The other read: “And perform properly the hajj and 'Umra to the House (of Allah)” So Hudhayfah became angry and his eyes went red with rage. It has been narrated about Hudhayfah that he said: “The people of Kufah adhere to the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud and the people of Basra adhere to the recitation of Abu Musa. By Allah! If I go to the Leader of the Believers I will order him to make it a single recitation.” It has been reported by Ibn Shihab that Anas b. Malik (RA) narrated: Hudhaifa bin al-Yaman came to Uthman (RA) at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Armenia and Azerbijan. He said to Uthman, “O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Quran) as Jews and the Christians did before.” So Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, “Send us the manuscripts of the Qur’an so that we may compile the Qur’anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you.” Uthman (RA) then ordered Zayd bin Thabit,
'Abd Allah b. al-Zubair, Said b. al-'As and 'Abd alRahman b. Harith b. Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, “In case you disagree with Zayd b. al-Thabit on any point in the Qur’an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur’an was revealed in their tongue.” Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. The number of copies made was seven. The seven Mushafs were sent to Makkah, alSham, Yemen, Bahrayn, Basra, Kufa, and one copy was kept in Madina. Therefore, Uthman's action constituted in only the copying and transcription of the same thing transcribed from the Messenger of Allah (SAW) as it was. He did not do anything other than make seven copies from the preserved copy in the possession of Hafsa, mother of the believers and unite the people on this single script and forbade any other script or dictation other than it. The matter became settled on this copy as a script and dictation. It is the same script and dictation in which the sheets were written in the presence of Allah's Messenger (SAW) when the revelation was sent down, and it is the same copy which Abu Bakr (RA) had compiled. Nothing remained except the Mushaf of Uthman (RA) in its script. The difference between the compilation of Abu Bakr(RA) and that of Uthman (RA) is that the compilation of Abu Bakr took place due to the fear that something would be lost from the Qur’an if any of its memorisers died out. As even though it was written on sheets it had not been collected in one place in a single book, thus it was compiled. The compilation of Uthman took place because differences increased regarding aspects of the Qur’an when they read it due to the expansion of the language. The Mushaf that we now have before us is the same Mushaf revealed to the Messenger of Allah (SAW).
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Why is there no discussion of the State in managing charity? /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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uring the blessed month of Ramadhan most of us will have been struck by the charitable organisations collecting for one good cause or another. We saw the daily fund raising on TV channels for orphans, water projects, and education projects all over the Muslim world. Giving for the sake of Allah (SWT) and for the love of the Ummah There can be no doubt that Muslims give to these charities for many praiseworthy reasons. Some hear the reminders in the form of ayat and ahadith and respond to the call of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW). Other see images of suffering Muslims across the world and feel the pain, as one part of a body feels the pain when a different part is injured. Muslims give more than others During Ramadhan, The Times newspaper revealed the results of an ICM poll show that Muslims give more to charity than other religious groups. According to their research, Muslims give on average almost £371 each per year, as opposed to Jewish donors who gave an average of £270 per person, Christians between £178-£202 each and atheists just £116 per person. Could there be any reason for concern? Some of those who donated asked the question ‘How much of this charity will go to those in need?’ Every large organisation has overheads, but this can feel unsatisfying to the donors, particularly those giving zakat, who expect reassurance their donations would be wholly
spent on those categories mentioned by Allah (SWT) in the Quran: Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveller - an obligation [imposed] by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise. [Surah Tawbah 9:60] Justifiable concerns Questions regarding percentages that reach the needy are valid. It may be that this year they were raised due to some reports in the Western media about Western charities, questioning the scale of overheads and salaries. It was reported that the chief executive of Save the Children earns more (£163,000 last year) than the Prime Minister (£143,500) and that at least 38 charity bosses are now earning more than £100,000 a year. Charities and capitalism Like everything else in capitalist countries, charities have become a big business. Historically, the strongest proponents of capitalism oppose the state raising taxes to help the poor and disadvantaged - believing that leaving individuals with more of their own money would give a moral conscience to donate more to charity. With a growing ‘What’s in it for me’ mentality, fewer people will work to raise and distribute money as a good deed. They expect a financial reward for their efforts, and so part of what is collected goes on pay, pensions, national
insurance etc. According to the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance’s Standards for Charity Accountability, a charity should generally spend no more than 35 percent of its total expenditures on overheads, leaving at least 65 percent for services. To an average Muslim donor giving for the Ummah such a statistic looks horrific! Up to 35% being spent on overheads being held up as a good standard is a very low expectation. Who is best placed to distribute charity? Firstly, many ayaat and hadith oblige Zakat upon the individual and the support for those who are your dependents, legally according to the Shari’ah. But secondly, Islam mandates that the head of State - the Khalīfah - collects Zakat and other revenues in order to be used by the state as the Shari’ah demands. Allah (SWT) says: Take, [O,
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THE SINGLE GREATEST CONCERN ABOUT CHARITY TODAY IS THAT THERE IS NO RULER WHO ACTS AS A SHEPHERD TO HIS PEOPLE, TO DO AS ALLAH (SWT) ORDERED - TO TAKE THE ZAKAT AND TO GIVE IT. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
al-Mumineen, this is the Zakat of my wealth.” So ‘Umar said to him: “You go and distribute it yourself.” It has also been narrated from ibn Abbas that he said: “There is no problem if you put it in its place and don’t give anything of it to anyone whom you support.”
Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah’s blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. [Surah Tawbah: 103] So the Prophet (SAW), in his capacity as head of state, was ordered to take peoples’ wealth and not simply expect them to give the money voluntarily. Ibn Sireen narrated: “Sadaqah used to be paid to the Prophet or whoever he had ordered, to Abu Bakr or whoever he ordered, to ‘Umar and whoever he ordered, to Uthman and whoever he ordered. When ‘Umar was killed they differed, some of them would pay it to them while others would themselves divide their Sadaqah. Among those who paid to them was ibn ‘Umar.” Suhayl b. Abi Salih narrated from his father who said: “I asked Sa’ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abu Huraira, Abu Said al-Khudry and ibn ‘Umar: ‘This ruler is doing what you can see (of evil). Should I pay my Zakat to them?’ He said: They all said; ‘Pay it to them.’” Ibn ‘Umar said: “Give it to whoever Allah put in charge of your affairs. Whoever is good, it is for his own self and whoever is evil, it is against himself.” There are narrations from the Sahabah and Tabi’in that allowed a person to distribute Zakat personally and to put it in its place in case of hard money i.e. currency - but after having taken permission from the Khalīfah. It was narrated that Kaysan came to ‘Umar with 200 Dirhams as Sadaqah, saying to him: “O Amir
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It should be stressed this was in relation to hard currency. But livestock, crops and fruits had to be paid to the Khalīfah or whoever he appointed. Abu Bakr (RA) fought those who denied the Zakat when they refused to pay it to the governors and collectors saying: “By Allah, if they deny me one baby goat (‘Unaq) that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah I will fight them for it” - clearly indicating that this was rule and not merely left to the whims of people, nor to the relationship between themselves and Allah (SWT).
Why aren’t they talking about the role of the State? Surely the giving of millions of pounds in charity CANNOT BE THE REAL SOLUTION! Islam gave a rule and an encouragement for people to give. Side by side it gave a rule to facilitate (and if necessary enforce) the collection of Zakat by a Khalīfah. Today there is no central body to oversee the collection or the distribution of Zakat and other charities. There is no one to plan as where it is needed most. Most of all, there is no government that takes ownership of SOLVING the problems. Rather, we live in a world where sincere Muslims give their wealth to stick plasters on gaping wounds. Today 1 in 7 in the world is hungry and 1 in 4 lives in absolute poverty. Who is there to circulate wealth and food effectively to end poverty? Millions have been displaced from their homes whether Muslims in Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine or the Rohingya Muslims of Burma. Who is there to end the conflict and bring stability - or to give
permanent homes to refugees? The UN calculated that the whole world’s population basic requirements for food, drinking water, education and healthcare could be covered by a levy of 4% of the accumulated wealth of the largest 225 fortunes. We are not talking about impossible amounts needed to solve these crises. Rather we are talking about a wholesale lack of an Islamic leadership. It was narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Beware. Every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to his flock. The Amir is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs)… Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be questioned with regard to his trust.” [Sahih Muslim. Number 4496] The single greatest concern about charity today is that there is no ruler who acts as a shepherd to his people, to do as Allah (SWT) ordered - to take the Zakat and to give it. The giving of thousands of pounds reflects the Muslims love of their brothers and sisters abroad and their fear of Allah (SWT) who has commanded us to give our wealth to the poor and needy. What unfortunately is not being discussed in the Muslim community with the same passion and vigour is the role of the State which Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW) has obliged us to establish that will address the problems with the Muslim and take the Zakat and sadaqh and distribute it appropriately. Surely this discussion needs to take place side by side with our giving of sadaqah. Dr Abdul Wahid
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Sex - out of control in the West THE FACT THAT IN THE UK, ALMOST A QUARTER OF YOUNG ADULTS HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ABUSE IN CHILDHOOD (NSPCC, 2013) DEMONSTRATES THAT THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN, TEENAGE GIRLS, AND YOUNG WOMEN IS A WIDESPREAD AND RAMPANT.
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ver the last few months we have been subjected to appalling news of sex crimes. As soon as we think this is the worst crime a human could perpetrate, we hear something even worse. Stuart Hazell was recently convicted of the appalling crime of sexually assaulting and then killing his partner’s 12 year old granddaughter Tia Sharp. Other stories regarding the sexual abuse of children, young girls and women have also dominated the media. The history of mass abuse in children’s homes in North Wales, allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct by teachers in English sSpecialist music schools, and the admission of guilt in the abuse of girls by the sports presenter Stuart Hall has followed the huge continuing scandal involving the infamous TV personality Jimmy Saville who has now been accused of abusing hundreds of girls and women during his time at the BBC. On the other side of the Atlantic, in Cleveland, America Ariel Castro was convicted of keeping three women in captivity for ten years, raping and even fathering a child with one of them. The fact that in the UK, almost a quarter of young adults have experienced sexual abuse in childhood (NSPCC, 2013) demonstrates that the sexual
abuse of children, teenage girls, and young women is a widespread and rampant. These events taking place in the so called civilised West should raise some serious questions of what is happening in the West. Behind the glitz and glamour of high tech western society lies something very ugly and horrible. How can the abuse of women and children be so rampant within these societies? What is driving this type of behaviour? As society has been normalised to pornography, we are now seeing a growing rise of men and women involved in child pornography. There has been a lot of discussion recently about the easy availability of paedophilia on the internet. In the cases cited above it was found both men were viewing child pornography on a regular basis and Ariel Castro described how he was ‘addicted to porn’ and how he had a ‘sex problem’ as the cause of his crimes. The reality is that sex is something that is constantly promoted in western society. Open relationships, promiscuity, sexualisation of men and women in advertisement, films, TV,
music, magazines, books, pornography, and the beauty industry has become the norm in the UK and other secular liberal states. Even children have been sexualised – their clothes, the music they listen to, the TV shows they watch, and even the computer games and toys they play with have become increasingly sexually provocative. The internet porn business has become huge. From 2001 to 2007, the Internet porn industry went from a $1-billion-a-year industry to $3-billion-a-year in the US alone. Life’s only ultimate aim seems to be the seeking of sexual pleasure. Children as young as 11 and 12 are now having sex. They are talking about how pornography could be taught in schools as part of children’s sex education! When the sexual instinct is constantly urged and triggered, and the mindset of satisfying desires dominates over the mindset of doing what is right, it is inevitable that many men and women will seek to fulfil their sexual desires in any manner they see fit and through whatever means that is available to them if they feel that they can get away with it, even if
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THE CAPITALIST SOCIETY DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS MAY BE HAVING ON SOCIETY, THE FAMILY AND PEOPLE’S LIVES. INDIVIDUAL PLEASURE IS THE GOAL REGARDLESS OF WHAT EFFECT THIS HAS ON THE REST OF SOCIETY. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
lot about the harmful effects of the sexualisation of children, the UK government has not banned the sexualisation of children’s clothes or entertainment, choosing to secure profit over the welfare of children. Also,nd despite 1 in 5 women being victims of a sexual offence in the UK, there has been no ban on the exploitation, objectification, and sexualisation of women in advertisement and the media. Capitalism places financial gain over protecting the dignity of women. Indeed, it is the degrading of women and girls for profit that creates an environment that is ripe for the exploitation of children, girls and women in trafficking, prostitution and grooming rings. WHAT CREATES THIS TYPE OF SOCIETY?
that means abusing children, or vulnerable young girls and women. The capitalist society does not care about the impact this may be having on society, the family and people’s lives. Individual pleasure is the goal regardless of what effects this has on the rest of society. As long as profit can be made from this, it is a business worth pursuing. Consequently, businesses are permitted to encourage the sexualisation of society in order to increase sales, regardless of the detrimental impact on individuals and society. For example, although David Cameron has talked a
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Fundamentally, it is to do with the basic beliefs of Western society. They have adopted the belief of ‘freedom’ to do whatever one wants and now they are experiencing the fruits of this freedom within their societies. The solutions they propose of blocking internet sites, banning violent pornography, stiffer sentences etc are just tinkering at the ends. They are not willing to question the fundamental issue that is leading to all these problems which is the belief of individual freedom and a system that permits the commercialisation of sex. To questiondo this would be to unravel their entire way of life. WHAT IS THE MUSLIM’S DUTY WITNESSING SUCH DEPRAVITY? It cannot be that we, as Muslims, live in these societies and ignore what is happening around us. As Muslims, we have a responsibility to question such practices and create a discussion
of how Islam came as a Mercy for humankind. This sexual culture is not confined here but is exported to the Muslim world so we see the growing rise of music, movies and pornography in our countries as well. This is a global phenomenon and it requires the Muslim Ummah to stand up to this human depravity that is destroying humanity. Never in the history of humanity has sex been so commercialised on such a global scale with such devastating consequences. Allah (SWT) created the human being with sexual desire. This is part of human nature. What we see in the West is the uncontrolled and abnormal fulfilment of this desire. Allah (SWT) elevated the human being from the level of the animal. Only the human being has the ability to control his sexual instinct and not let it control him. Capitalist western societies have made man slave to his sexual instinct thus the constant preoccupation with sex. Islam came to control this instinct in a way that is fitting for man as a human being. Thus Islam educated the human being about how sex should be viewed and how his/her sexual desires should be fulfilled such that there is harmony and comfort within society. Surely this is the difference between human beings and animals! The excessive and uncontrolled drive to have more and more sex is what is breaking these Western societies apart. Teenage pregnancies, abortions, sexually transmitted diseases, family breakdown, child abuse, adultery, divorce, anxiety, depression etc are all products of uncontrolled sexuality in society. This cannot be something that is considered desirable and cannot be considered something that can be sold to the world as a mark of civilisation and
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// progress. The Islamic Perspective Islam takes this question very seriously and has put detailed thoughts on how humanity should view sex and how sexual desires should be fulfilled in society so as to curb the ill effects that we see in the world today. These values of Islam are poorly understood by Muslims today who often feel that Islam is the problem rather than looking at the glaring problems of western society. How can it be with all this abuse of women and children in the West, they are able to get away with describing that Islam oppresses women? In animals, the sexual desire has no other meaning than intercourse and procreation. In human beings the sexual relationship is part of something much more sublime – an environment for bringing up children in the context of a family. Just satisfying carnal desires is not the sole meaning of the relationship between man and woman. Islam attaches a sense of duty and responsibility towards children and towards society. Protecting and preserving the family unit is thus a vital purpose of Islam. Any attempt to devalue the family or weaken the family by seeking uncontrolled sexual desires is shunned as destroying the family is the beginning to the destruction of the whole society. Allah (SWT) says: “Allah wants to make all this clear to you and to guide you in the (righteous) ways of life of those who have preceded you and to turn to you in His Mercy. Allah is all Knowing, Wise. And Allah wants to turn to you in His Mercy, while those who follow their lusts want you to go very far astray. Allah wants to lighten your burdens for man has been created weak” (Sura Nisa: 26-28) Islam takes out of society the agitation of the sexual instinct in every possible way so that life does not become the seeking of sexual pleasure. Thus any entertainment where women are depicted for sex are all prohibited within the Islamic society. Islam wants to change men’s perception of women. When men are constantly exposed to sexual images of women, naturally they will see all women as sexual objects and given the opportunity they will abuse women. In the Islamic society, men are not given the opportunity to exploit the woman’s sexuality in any manner. On the other hand, the institution of marriage with all its responsibilities is what is promoted as the legitimate avenue to seek satisfaction of one’s sexual desires. Women are not made to feel inferior as wives and mothers.
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Rather their role as wives and mothers is highly respected and honoured within society. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behaviour, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives".[AtTirmidhi]
the subsequent impact on society both socially and economically are easy for all to see. Promiscuity, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases, back street abortions, depression not to mention rape, sexual abuse and defamation of women’s chastity are the fruits of a society obsessed with unlimited sexual pleasure giving no thought of the impact on wider society.
The rights of the wife are clearly specified as are the rights of the husband. One cannot oppress the other.
Humanity today is desperately in need of a guide to elevate her from this social abyss. Allah (SWT) 1400 years ago revealed this Guide freeing humanity from exploitation. Muslim’s today must not feel weak and shy to discuss the role of men and women in Islam. The reality is that we have a Deen that truly liberated women from the sexual fantasies and exploitation of men and created a society where women were valued by their intellect and personalities and not outward appearance. The West is in no position to attack the social system in Islam as their social systems are crumbling with growing sexual perversions. Surely it is time the Muslim Ummah showcased Islam as the only alternative to humanity and lead the people in the West from the darkness they are in into the Light of Islam.
Fornication and adultery are condemned such that men clearly understand that these are haram and punishable in this life and the next. Furthermore, rules regarding guarding one’s chastity, lowering the gaze, covering of the awrah, the dress code, the prohibition of free mixing, all work together to ensure that women’s sexuality cannot be exploited. These ahkam coupled with tough laws against fornication and adultery ensures a society where the institution of marriage is protected and valued by husband and wife. This ensures a safe and productive environment for children. Several verses of the Qur’an build these concepts within society: And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between both of you affection and Mercy". [TMQ Ar- Rum: 21] ..who are mindful of their chastity (not seeking to satisfy their desires) except with their wives (TMQ Al-Mu’minoon)
It is He who sends down upon His Servant [Muhammad] verses of clear evidence that He may bring you out from darkness into the light. And indeed, Allah is to you Kind and Merciful (TMQ Hadid 57:9)
Dr Nazreen Nawaz “Tell the believing men to lower from their gaze and to protect their private parts. That is better for them, Allah knows the details of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower from their gaze and protect their private parts". [TMQ An- Nur: 30] These and many other verses of the Qur’an and ahadith of the Prophet (SAW) that ensure a very particular society where the sexual desire is organised and controlled in such a manner to bring the best out of humanity. These ayats and hadith build certain values within society where women are respected and never thought of as sexual objects. Today, millions of children in the West grow in single parent families. Many do not know who there father or mother is. Many live through painful divorces and broken families. The impact of these traumas on children and
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Political Chaos in Bangladesh – When will Hasina and Khaleda go? THE 10TH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ARE OFFICIALLY SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 2014 – BUT NO ONE IS SURE WHETHER IT WILL BE HELD AT ALL. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// military personnel, were executed in January 2010. The 5th and 7th amendments to the constitution were declared illegal by the Supreme Court in February 2010 and August 2010 respectively. These two amendments gave legitimacy to two previous military rulers, General Ziaur Rahman and General HM Ershad’s, among other things. Many believe that the Supreme Court has paved the way for preventing a military takeover in future. • The government started the trial of Islamic political leaders who sided with the Pakistan army in the 1971 war. Jamaat’s policy was to maintain a unified Pakistan in 1971. While the on-going trial, started in 2009, has a moral justification in providing justice for the alleged atrocities committed by Jamaat in 1971, it has allowed the Awami League to politically weaken the Jamaat at the next election.
The 10th parliamentary elections are officially scheduled for January 2014 – but no one is sure whether it will be held at all. If it is held, whether the opposition BNP led 18-party alliance will participate in it is another big question. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants the election to be held under her leadership while Khaleda Zia, the opposition leader, has declared that she will not participate in the election whilst Hasina is in the chair. Representatives of foreign powers have openly stated that the national election has to be ‘inclusive’, which means, elections will not be ‘acceptable’ if the main opposition does not
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participate. The Awami League has created the current political crisis over the last four and half years of its rule. After winning the 9th national parliamentary elections in December 2008, the ruling party has broadly designed its aggressive politics against the military, Jamaat-Islami and the BNP. • Hasina took many steps to ensure the military remains out of politics for good. First of all, the five murderers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Hasina’s father), all former
• Finally, under the pretext of a Supreme Court judgment which declared the 13th amendment, unconstitutional (May 2011), the Awami League cancelled the caretaker government provision in the constitution by passing the 15th amendment in the national parliament in June 2011. The modified constitution makes provision for an interim government during elections headed by the incumbent Prime Minister i.e. Sheikh Hasina in this case. BNP does not believe that elections will be fair under Hasina. Historically no election was regarded free and fair under any incumbent government and no incumbent government has ever won in a national election under a caretaker government.
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ANOTHER MAJOR FEATURE OF HASINA’S RULE HAS BEEN THE EXTREMELY BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF MILITARY AND POLITICAL OPPONENTS. AFTER TAKING THE REIGNS OF POWER, SHE ORCHESTRATED THE MASSACRE OF ARMY OFFICERS IN DHAKA’S PILKHANA ON FEBRUARY 25TH -26TH, 2009. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Hasina’s Rule 2009-13: Oppression, Corruption and Subservience to Imperialists From the outset, Hasina has been totally subservient to the US and India. Regarding India, the first major foreign policy shift occurred when she started handing over North-east Indian rebels who were fighting for independence from India. During her visit to India in January 2010, Hasina signed several pacts, agreements and memoranda of understandings (MOU’s). She did her best to give as much as possible to India as has been demanded from Bangladesh in the last four decades. Hasina also opened the floodgates of military to military exchange with the US, which included trainings, visits, joint exercises etc. Bangladesh also signed the US-Bangladesh partnership dialogue in May 2012. Just like during the 1996-2001 rule of the Awami League, billions of takas were looted from the stock market in the 2010 scam. Subsequently, big financial scandals of government owned banks involving Awami League advisors, ministers, and other leaders started to appear in the media. Power and energy sector corruption involving quick rental power plants, corruption in the telecommunications sector, and corruption in the roads and highways departments, including the famous Padma Bridge were widely discussed. At the grass root level, extortions and looting tenders by the student and youth fronts of the ruling party have become everyday phenomenon in Bangladesh. Another major feature of Hasina’s rule has been the extremely brutal suppression of
military and political opponents. After taking the reigns of power, she orchestrated the massacre of army officers in Dhaka’s Pilkhana on February 25th -26th, 2009. Since Hizb ut Tahrir vehemently protested her role during that massacre, she banned the party on October 22, 2009. Law enforcers loyal to Hasina started to arrest and torture the sincere dawah carriers. Jamaat claims that more than 100 of their men were killed and thousands injured and arrested by Hasina’s men. Lastly, when the ulema protested against atheists of Gonojagoron Moncho (a political platform sponsored by the government), Hasina ordered a crackdown on an ulema rally organized by the Hefazat-e-Islam on the night on 6th May, 2013, killing hundreds and injuring thousands. Consequences, Constitution, and Crisis As a consequence of all these brutal policies, the country today is sharply divided. At one point, the Gonojagoron Moncho demanded banning of religion based politics. On the other hand, the millions that came out in the Hefazat rallies, showed how strongly people feel about Islam in Bangladesh. The BNP and its 18-party alliance recently won landslide victories in all city corporation elections held this year. With these developments, Hasina knows that she cannot win the next parliamentary election under normal circumstances. Hasina took the necessary steps two years ago to change the constitution so that she cannot be removed from power. She abolished the concept of a caretaker government system which looks after governance during elections. The amended constitution gives options of an
interim government with or without Hasina as its head during elections. It also gives the option of not holding any election or allowing Hasina to rule for an indefinite period! The Awami League has announced that the election will be held under an interim government headed by Hasina. On the other hand, BNP has declared that it will not participate in any such election and has threatened to use all means to stop it. Whilst caustic remarks continue to be exchanged by these two leaders, political analysts are openly talking about a possible military take over! What Lies Ahead? Politicians, former bureaucrats, senior citizens and analysts are discussing possible solutions to this crisis and offering formulas for compromise almost daily. Hasina has already announced that the current parliament will be dissolved on October 25th. Accordingly, elections must be held by January 24, 2014 under the current constitution. If no settlement is reached by October 25th, the crisis is expected to reach a new height. US ambassador to Bangladesh, Dan W Mozena, the US viceroy in Bangladesh, along with other foreign diplomats have already started discussing with the political parties about possible ways out of the current crisis. . A cursory glance on some major news headlines regarding the foreign ambassadors, including Dan W Mozena, shows their level of interference: August 12, 2013: Mozena meets Khaleda. The US hopes the two major parties will hold a dialogue. Khaleda Zia shared her vision with the US Ambassador on how she intends to
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WHILE THE CORRUPTION OF THE AWAMI LEAGUE AND BNP ARE WELL KNOWN, IT IS THE FAILURE OF THE ISLAMIC PARTIES TO HAVE ANY IMPACT IN THE COUNTRY’S POLITICS THAT HAVE BEEN A REAL LET DOWN FOR THE PEOPLE OF BANGLADESH. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// lead Bangladesh if voted into power. August 16, 2013: Mozena has a three and half hour meeting with Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of Sheikh Hasina. The PM’s defence adviser Tarek Ahmed Siddiqui was also present. Earlier on August 8, Putul had a four hour meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran at his residence. August 19, 2013: Mozena along with Pacific commander of US army General Brooks meets Chief of Army Staff General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan at his army headquarters. August 21, 2013: The Chinese ambassador to Dhaka says that face to face talks between the two leaders could resolve the current political crisis. August 23, 2013: Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General phones Hasina and Khaleda and asks them to settle the current dispute through discussion. August 24, 2013: Mozena welcomes the UN initiative for dialogue and says there is no alternative to dialogue. These meetings and events clearly highlight the extent of foreign interference in Bangladeshi politics and demonstrate in reality who is running the country. All these moves are designed to ensure US regional sovereignty and for India to become an effective regional counterweight to China. Hasina’s vision is to ensure Bangladesh serve’s this role fully! It is very clear that the Sheikh Hasina’s government came to power promising to fulfil US and Indian interests in the region. She knows that in order to continue for another term, she needs to keep these outside powers happy. She also knows that in order to secure her victory in the next election she needs to silence any form of opposition. People can clearly remember the political crisis
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and resultingant violence in October 2006 which ended in a military backed caretaker government in January 2007. All that happened in the name of continuation of democracy! In Bangladesh, democracy means the ‘peaceful transfer of power’, from one set of criminals to another every five years. While the corrupt politicians have been busy squabbling, the demands of the people have been marginalized. No one discusses basic rights of citizens, such as food, clothing, shelter, or security of life, honour, property and belief. No national level policy discussions or debates are held for development, be it agriculture, industry, energy, education, poverty, employment, health etc. Millions of people have left the country as there are little or no employment opportunities. This is what democracy has given to the people of Bangladesh. Strategic failure of Islamic parties While the corruption of the Awami League and BNP are well known, it is the failure of the Islamic parties to have any impact in the country’s politics that have been a real let down for the people of Bangladesh. Over the last two decades, the Islamic parties have played second fiddle to the Awami League and BNP. In 1996, the JI forged an electoral alliance with the Awami League helping the Awami League sweep to power. In 2001, Jamaat with other Islamic parties formed an alliance with the BNP bringing the BNP into power. In 2001 Jamaat won 17 seats out of 300. By 2008 its popularity had significantly plummeted winning only 2 seats in the 2008 elections, in which the Awami League again returned to power. The Jamaat and Islamic parties have been in alliance with the BNP since 2001. The Islamic parties have lost considerable credibility by aligning themselves again and
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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// again with these secular corrupt parties. The recent moves by the Awami League in arresting and trying Jamaat leaders is all part of their policy of weakening the BNP alliance in the forthcoming elections. The project of the Islamic parties gaining some benefit for Islam by playing the electoral game has clearly failed. After participating in three elections, these Islamic parties have been able to do nothing to present the case for Islam in Bangladesh. Islamic politics has been tarnished by the filth of secular politics. Islamic politics has had no voice in Bangladesh. After two decades of so called dysfunctional ‘democracy’, the people of Bangladesh are crying for an alternative. People have seen the Awami League and BNP govern the country twice over – all they have given is more crime, more corruption and more subservience to India and the US. The Islamic parties now are at a critical juncture. They can continue to associate themselves with these corrupt parties or they
can make a clean break and present themselves as a separate entity in Bangladeshi politics. Islam is the only way to bring sincere politicians to power who will rule with laws from Allah (SWT) that will ensure that nobody is above the law. The Islamic system will end corruption and establish an economic and social system that will end the exploitation of the people and bring progress and prosperity to the country. People want to hear the Islamic political agenda articulated clearly by the Islamic parties. The coming months offer a unique opportunity for the Islamic parties to separate themselves from the baggage of the Awami league and BNP, and present Islam as an alternative to the failed ‘democratic ‘ politics in Bangladesh.
than sap the energy of the people and achieve nothing. It is time for the Islamic parties in Bangladesh to showcase how Islam can solve the multitude of problems facing the country, and build an effective public opinion to replace against the existing oppressive Awami-BNP system to be replaced bywith an Islamic governance in Bangladesh. Allah (SWT) says; Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment. And Allah is not unaware of what you do. [Surah Baqarah: 85] M Ahmed
The Awami League has pursued a fanatical secularization and Indianisation of the country in the last few years. People can clearly see the brutality of this secular regime. This presents the right moment for Islamic parties to articulate the Islamic alternative. The Islamic parties must dissociate themselves from the BNP and the so called secular democratic election process which does nothing more
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“And proclaim to the people the Hajj; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.” Surah; Haj, 27-28
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