Over 5000 dead in Syria since the uprising began

More than 5,000 people are now believed to have been killed in the Syrian government's crackdown on protests, the United Nations human rights chief has told the UN Security Council.

The UN's Navi Pillay said on Monday there were reports of increased attacks by opposition groups on President Bashar al-Assad's security forces but highlighted "alarming" events in the besieged protest city of Homs, according to diplomats in the closed meeting.

More than 14,000 people are estimated to have been detained and at least 300 children are among the dead, Pillay told the 15-member council. She estimated that at least 12,400 have fled into neighbouring countries since the anti-government protests erupted in March.

"It is my estimation that the total number of people killed since the protests began earlier this year is now likely to exceed 5,000. This situation is intolerable," Pillay said.

But Bashar Jaafari, Syria's UN ambassador, said the session was part of a "huge conspiracy concocted against Syria since the beginning" and said Pillay was neither objective nor fair.

"She is not genuine in all her approach, in the report she presented... She has trespassed her mandate, she allowed herself to be misused in misleading the public opinion by providing information based on allegations collected from 233 defectors," Jaafari said.

"How could defectors give positive testimonies on the Syrian government? Of course they will give negative testimonies against the Syrian government. They are defectors."

Responding to Jaafari's comment, Frej Fenniche, chief of Middle East section of the UN Human Rights Council, told Al Jazeera that the body was in contact with some people within both the Syrian government and its security forces.

"Who said to Mr. Jaafari that we are not in contact with people within the army now and with people at a high level within the government?... We have contacts with officials on the basis of confidentiality."

"If the government is saying we are lying we can say: 'OK let [us] go into the country and we will see.'"

The Syrian authorities have not granted human rights observers access into the country.

The Security Council held a private briefing on Syria with Western nations stepping up pressure for the body to condemn the violence. Russia and China vetoed a resolution on the Syria crisis in October.

'Immoral stance'

But Russia's foreign minister on Tuesday said that Western accusations that it was blocking UN action condemning the Syrian regime's crackdown on the opposition were "immoral" because the West was refusing to put pressure on armed opposition groups.

"There are those who refuse to put pressure on the armed, extremist part of the opposition and are at the same time accusing us of blocking the UN Security Council's work. I would call this position immoral," Sergei Lavrov said in televised comments.

Germany's foreign minister on Monday urged those countries blocking UN Security Council action on Syria to change their minds.

"I am really shocked about what I heard about the atrocities in Syria. We owe this to those who lost their lives," said Guido Westerwelle.

Gerard Araud, France's UN ambassador, said "history will judge the silence of some and the indifference of others" and that "the honour of the Security Council is at stake".

Pillay told the meeting that the Syrian protesters had remained largely peaceful.

"However, reports of armed attacks by opposition forces, including the so-called Free Syrian Army, against Syrian forces have increased," she said.

The death toll did not include Syrian security forces, she stressed. The Syrian government says more than 1,000 police and troops have been killed in the unrest.

Fresh clashes

Fresh clashes were reported on Tuesday between army deserters and regular troops in two Idlib villages as well as in Daraa province.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that army defectors on Tuesday in Idlib's Bab al-Hawa road killed seven members of Syria's security forces in retaliation for an attack that cost the lives of 11 civilians.

Syrians voted on Monday in municipal elections and many closed their businesses and kept children home from school in several parts of the country in a show of civil disobedience against the government.

The head of the elections committee, Khalaf al-Ezzawi, said voting had taken place "in a democratic spirit," and turnout had been "good".

But activists mocked the election on their Facebook page.

"The election farce organised by the authorities was a failure in the city of Deir Ezzor where we think the turnout was no more than one per cent. The roads were empty the whole day," an activist said of the vote in the eastern city.

General strike

Meanwhile, the Syrian National Council opposition bloc said the "dignity" general strike launched Sunday was widely observed in 12 provinces against "all expectations".

Opposition activists say the ongoing strike, if widely heeded, could place added economic pressure on the government at a time when it is already struggling with growing international sanctions and isolation.

The opposition wants the strike to remain in force until the government pulls the army out of cities and releases thousands of detainees.

Al Jazeera's Nisreen El-Shamayleh, reporting from near the Jordan-Syria border, said that troops loyal to Assad were taking revenge against boycotting business owners.

"We heard reports that troops burned down at least 178 stores and shops in Deraa to try and take revenge against civillians who have shut down their stores and shops and are basically observing this general strike," she said.

Residents in the capital, Damascus, said business continued as usual on Sunday and Monday with shops, schools and other businesses operating normally.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/12/2011121210732547262.html

Viewpoint:

1) The killing of protestors including children, reflects the level of brutality of the Syrian government and the lengths Assad's government will go to in order to clamp down on those calling for change. This is a pure utter act of desperation to stay in power.
2) The UN have been forward in exposing the crimes more recently. However, this is indicative of the fact that foreign intervention is being planned as in Libya.
3) The Muslims of Syria do not need foreign intervention. For now Muslims are continuing to speak out in mass demonstrations. InshaAllah Bashar Al-Assad's government will fall as the momentum is reaching an anticlimax. The aftermath is what the international community is speculating about since a pull between Britain and America's influence over Syria is at question.
4) Before foreign inteference happens, we as an ummah must be absolutely clear what we want; Islam. We must also be absolutely clear how this will occur; the Islamic system. We must also be clear what the Islamic system represents and how we can rapidly create a strong awakening for the Islamic system.

ALLAHUAKBAR! University students take the courage to speak out against Israeli ambassador

Ten US college students from Southern California have been convicted of unlawfully disrupting a speech by Israel's ambassador to the US last year and placed on probation.

Friday's verdict followed two full days of deliberations by a six-man, six-woman jury in a case that has touched off a furore over free-speech rights at the University of California at Irvine.

The students, who were ordered to perform 56 hours of community service, are to remain on probation for three years. But they could have that reduced to a year once they complete the community service.

Charges against an 11th defendant have been tentatively dismissed.

"We're going to continue fighting this. We're going to appeal this decision," supporter Marya Bangee, 25, said outside the court.
"These men to us represent our struggle for civil rights in this country and for them to be found guilty and sentenced for speaking their minds is devastating for us all."

The case stems from a protest organised by the Muslim Student Union at the university against a February 8, 2010, speech there by Michael Oren, the Israeli diplomat.


Pro-Palestine protest

Prosecutors say the students interrupted his appearance by shouting statements such as "Michael Oren, propagating murder is not an expression of free speech!" and "It's a shame this university has sponsored a mass murderer like yourself".

The US constitution guarantees Americans the right to freedom of speech.
But the Orange County district attorney's office, which is prosecuting the case, has said the students - rather than exercising their own free-speech rights - were interfering with the right of Oren to be heard.

The students were condemning Israel's war on Gaza

The total amount of time taken up by the students' disruptions was approximately only one minute, an attorney for the group said.

The charges drew an outcry from civil liberties advocates and Southern California's Muslim community, who say the students were unfairly singled out for prosecution even though similar protests are common at universities and do not result in prosecution.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Berkeley, California, Liz Jackson from Students for Justice in Palestine, said that this conviction was a "disgrace to the criminal justice system".
"This is a political witchhunt trial that reminds me of what I studied about McCarthyism in the 1950s," she said.

Arab and Muslim students are more vulnerable when they protests because of Islamophobic sentiments, but trials like this are actually encouraging more students to speak out against Israel, Jackson said.
"There is so much outrage on Facebook, over email - students feel outraged and emboldened now."
Spectators began crying in the packed courtroom in Santa Ana, California, when the verdicts were read by a court clerk, and about 50 people left the courtroom visibly upset.

Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the law school at UC Irvine, has also criticised the criminal charges as heavy-handed.

The Muslim Student Union was suspended by the university for an academic quarter and put on probation for two years.

Al Jazeera

The Plight of the Ummah- Ramadhan 2011

Massacre in Hama (Syria)

On the eve of Ramadhan, 31^st July, Syrian tanks stormed Hama killing over 140 people including women and children, for calling for an end to the corrupt Syrian government. On the first day of Ramadhan tanks continued to attack Hama. President Assad directed his security forces on these brutal attacks, claiming ‘it is a duty of the state which must defend security and protect the lives of civilians’. We can clearly see Assad is not protecting his people as he has claimed to, as 16,000 people have been killed in the uprisings and thousands have already been arrested. Is this the type of security that the Muslims need? Being attacked for commanding the good (mahruf) and forbidding the evil (munkar)? The absence of Islam in places such as Syria has allowed corrupt rulers like President Assad to massacre innocent Muslims in an attempt to quash the call for an Islamic system.

The Ummah does not have a shield (Khaleefah) to protect itself. Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind which the people fight and by which they protect themselves” (Muslim)

The Ummah needs a Khaleefah who will implement justice and take care of the affairs of the ummah. Khaleef ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul Aziz was once found by his wife weeping after his prayers; asked if anything had happened to cause him grief, he replied,

“O Fatimah, I have been made the ruler over the Muslims and the strangers and I was thinking of the poor that are starving, and the sick that are destitute, and the naked that are in distress, and the oppressed that are stricken, and the stranger that is in prison, and the vulnerable elder, and he that has a large family and small means, and those of them in the countries of the earth and the distant provinces, and I felt that my Lord would ask an account of them at my hands on the day of resurrection, and I feared that no defence would avail me and I wept”

The corrupt Muslim rulers do not take responsibility for their people and have no fear of accountability for their actions. We need to replace these rulers with a Khaleef who will take responsibility for the people and deal with the Ummah with care and concern, as he will fear the day when Allah SWT will account him for his actions. An Islamic system will ensure the accountability of the rulers by the means of the Court of Unjust Acts (Mahkamatul Madhalim). As one of the principles of the ruling system, sovereignty belongs to the Shariah, and the authority belongs to the ummah; therefore dictators cannot rule nor can the brutality of man-made laws exist since the Shariah forbids massacres and killing of women and children.

A Call to implement Shariah (Egypt)

On Friday 29^th July 2011 people demonstrated in Tahrir Square Cairo in their millions, calling for the implementation of Shariah law in Egypt. Protesters arrived from different areas in buses. The crowd delivered its message through signs, flags and chants: "Egypt will return to Islamic Shariah law! Liberals and secularists are the enemies of Allah! The solution is Islam!"

It is now clear the ummah not only knows what it doesn’t want, it clearly knows what it wants, ‘return to Islamic Shariah law’.  

Poverty due to drought (Somalia)

As the drought continues, over 1,000 Somali refugees are arriving in refugee camps in Kenya every day. The famine is forcing many people to walk 15 to 20 days in dry, dusty weather to reach the camps. Many Muslims will struggle during Ramadhan, living in over cramped refugee camps due to severe lack of food and water shortage.

We witness our brother and sisters in Somalia dying of starvation, while the West usurps the wealth of the third world countries. This is only the product of Capitalism.  The implementation of an Islamic State (Khilafah) will ensure every individual has the right of shelter, food and clothing.

The Prophet (SAW) said; "The Son of Adam has no better right than that he would have a house wherein he may live, a piece of clothing whereby he may hide his nakedness and a piece of bread and some water." [Tirmidhi]

Therefore, the state will be responsible to meet the basic requirements for all citizens, regardless of where they reside. These are among the provisions the Islamic Khilafah system considers to be not only basic needs but human rights.

Nationalism leaves many homeless and disunited (Sudan)

On 9^th July 2011, in the name of freedom, South Sudan became an independent state from Sudan. This has led many Sudanese citizens to move to the new state leaving their previous homes behind, however, others struggle to find their place of residence as they are not welcome in either province. The national assembly has agreed on a draft law that removes Sudanese nationality from anyone the authorities consider South Sudanese, and all southerners living in the north will not have a right to northern nationality. Many are homeless, without money and nothing to eat, not knowing where to go and what to do. The Sudanese officials have already made it clear dual nationality will not be an option. It seems likely that South Sudanese will be able to acquire some sort of residency, but the current situation is very unclear.

Nationalism is haram in Islam. It promotes disunity and pride. Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said “He is not one us who calls for ‘Asabiyah, (nationalism/tribalism) or who fights for ‘Asabiyah or who dies for ‘Asabiyah.”
[Narrated Abu Dawood]

As Muslims we must eradicate our Ummah from this disease, and we must stay far away from this as the Messenger of Allah (SAW) referring to nationalism, racism, and patriotism said: "Leave it, it is rotten." [Muslim and Bukhari]. The divide and rule policy has tricked the ummah into disunity for decades now. We must now wake up to expose colonialist and imperialist policies.

US ‘War on Terror’ continues

On 10^th August 2011, a US drone attack has killed at least 21 in north-western Pakistan. North and South Waziristan are regularly targeted by drone missiles. The US says the region provides sanctuary to al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents who are involved in attacks on Nato forces in Afghanistan. Last month, drone strikes killed at least 30 people in less than 24 hours in the area.

On Wednesday 10^th August an air strike by NATO-led forces in Afghanistan has reportedly killed Taliban fighters, including Taliban leader Mullah Mohibullah who was associated with shooting at a US helicopter.

As an excuse to combat the ‘War on Terror’, the US persist exploiting Afghanistan and Pakistan with frequent attacks, providing no solutions, yet further destruction. The absence of Islam has clearly allowed such catastrophes to continue for endless years. Only the Khaleef who will be a shield for this Ummah will truly be able to put an end on the ‘War on Terror’ synonymous to the war on Islam.

Niqab ban in Europe

On 23^rd July 2011, Belgium implemented the niqab ban in all public places including government buildings, hospitals and in public. Muslim women who choose to wear a face veil will be fined 137.50 Euros or imprisonment for up to 7 days. Liberal MP Daniel Bacquelaine who proposed the bill commented, “Wearing the burqa is not compatible with an open, liberal, tolerant society.”

On 2^nd August 2011, an Italian parliamentary commission has approved a draft law that would ban women from wearing veils that cover their faces in public, if passed by parliament in September. Women who violate the ban would face fines of $140 to $400, while third parties who force women to cover their faces in public would be fined $42,000 and face up to 12 months in jail.

The Italian law was sponsored by Souad Sbai, a Moroccan-born member of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservative Freedom People party, who said she wanted to help Muslim women better integrate into Italian society. "Five years ago, no one wore the burqa [in Italy]. Today, there is always more. We have to help women get out of this segregation ... to get out of this submission.”

The hypocrisy of secularism is exposed further in Europe, as the banning of niqab is in reality the banning of a piece of cloth. These so called tolerant societies are resorting to desperate measures to force Muslims to leave their values, since Muslims at large are yet to be won over by the hypocrisy of western liberal values.

Three Muslim Men killed in riots (England)

As the riots and lootings continued in England, three Muslim men, Haroon Jahan, 21, Shahzad Ali, 30, and Abdul Musavir, 31, were killed whilst protecting their property in Birmingham. Members of the Muslim community gathered together to offer prayer in congregation for those lost.

The behaviour of looters is indicative of the fact that broken Britain has left generations of people lacking social and moral values. Criminality is rampant and opportunities for looting in these days reflect the greed and irresponsibility money making capitalism brings. Under Capitalism the individuals are nurtured to live without a sense of responsibility to the community.

The Khilafah will be based on the Islamic Aqeedah, where the society will be fostered with Taqwa (God consciousness). The communities interest is taken care of to protect the society from degenerative values of individualism and freedom that results in a broken society. Islam promotes goodness as Allah SWT says in the Qur’an, “Help each other in al-Birr and at-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help each other in sin and transgression” [al-Maa’idah 5:2]

Conclusions

It is evident that since the absence of Islam, the plight of our Ummah has escalated and the implementation of secular liberal democracies has only lead to further turmoil. Islam tends to the needs of human beings and is capable of governing the affairs of the whole of mankind as Allah SWT said,

"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Al-Maida 5:3]

The Ummah desperately needs the implementation of Islamic values to eradicate the distress the world is facing, from the East to the West.

Muslims need to work together to improve the situation of our Ummah by a call for the Islamic system. Allah SWT sent His Qur’an as a guidance and furqan (criteria for right and wrong), and not just a book to be recited during the month of Ramadhan. We need to wake up and take responsibility to unite the Ummah under one leader, one land, one Islamic system Insha’Allah. The ummah has taken great steps with the Arab uprising, and since the wall of fear has broken we must make head way by advocating the khilafah system globally. A united message to uproot western liberal democracies and dictatorships and to replace it with an Islamic khilafah system will no doubt shake the thrones of the tyrants but also pave way for true change. We know what we don’t want but can we advocate what we want?

On the authority of `Abd Allah ibn `Umar, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said,

"The Faithful are to one another like [parts of] a building - each part strengthening the others" and "Every Muslim is a brother to a Muslim, neither wronging him nor allowing him to be wronged. And if anyone helps his brother in need, Allah will help him in his own need; and if anyone removes a calamity from [another] Muslim, Allah will remove from him some of the calamities of the Day of Resurrection; and if anyone shields [another] Muslim from disgrace, Allah will shield him from the disgrace on the Day of Resurrection." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. 

Afsana Hye, UK

National Ramadhan Quran Ijtima 20th August 2011

Let us take the Qur'an as a complete guidance this Ramadhan

The blessed month of Ramadan is upon us and the Muslim Ummah across the world has responded to the call to fast and gain the reward from Allah (swt). We in Hizb ut-Tahrir send our warmest congratulations to the Muslim Ummah on this great occasion. May Allah (swt) accept our fasts and prayers and all our good deeds and elevate us in taqwa so that we gain closeness to our Lord. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (saw) who conveyed this Deen to this Ummah.

The month of Ramadan truly demonstrates the oneness of this Ummah and the power of the ayaat of the Qur’an to motivate this Ummah in fulfilling the command of Allah (swt).

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (TMQ Surah Baqarah:183)

This year the Ummah has faced extraordinary trials and tribulations. Across the entire Middle East the Ummah has risen up against the tyrants and dictators who have oppressed her for decades. Thousands of people, including women and children, faced bullets, tanks and mortars in order to liberate themselves from the torture of the regimes that have ruled us for the last 90 years. This was the year that the Ummah threw off fear and silence and moved towards a much-needed liberation – and the struggle is continuing in this blessed month of Ramadhan.

Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan have continued to be subjected to the brutality of America’s war in the region. Drone attacks, bombing campaigns, killings and kidnappings have brought death and destruction to the Muslim Ummah on an unprecedented scale. At the same time the Muslims of Palestine continue to suffer under the occupation of the Zionists. In the last few weeks we have seen the extreme suffering of the Muslims in Somalia and the horn of Africa from famine and drought. We feel the pain and suffering of Muslims across the world as we are one Ummah with one Aqeeda and as the Messenger (saw) described this Ummah,we are ‘one body.’

As we fast and pray in this month of Ramadan, we should reflect on these events and think of why our Ummah is suffering across the world despite the fact that Allah (swt) guided this Ummah with the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Messenger (saw) and described this Ummah as the ‘khaira (best) Ummah.’

Allah (swt) clearly described the revelation of the Qur’an in the month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a Guidance [Huda] for the people and clear proofs of Guidance and Criterion [Furqaan] (TMQ Surah Baqarah:185)

The Qur’an has been revealed as a Huda and Furqaan for mankind.

We will hear the recitation of the glorious Qur’an every night in our masaajid this month and Muslims will recite the Qur’an as much as we can. The question is, are we taking this Qur’an as a Huda and Furqaan in our Ummah’s affairs?

The sad truth is that we have not. For decades now, laws and rules that are not from Islam have governed our countries. Rulers who are the most corrupt of men in the Ummah have run our countries. They have ruled us by laws based upon other than the Qur’an and Sunnah i.e. the secular man made laws of capitalism. Our political systems have been dominated by dictators who have unilaterally made oppressive laws or so called democrats who have collectively made laws in parliament to suit their interests and benefits. In all cases we have seen a political system ravaged by corruption, nepotism, cronyism and slavery to western powers. Our economies have been enslaved to the capitalist states that have treated our counties simply as ‘markets’. The rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer. Poverty, inequality, lack of decent public services, mass unemployment and no industrialization is the legacy of decades of economic mismanagement based upon IMF and World Bank policies. This, despite the Muslim Ummah being blessed with dedicated human resources, vast agricultural lands and huge reserves of natural gas, oil, coal etc.

This situation has occurred after the Qur’an was removed from our public life and just left to guide us in our salat and fasting. Whilst the Qur’an is recited in our prayers and in the masaajid, our political, economic and social lives has been led by manmade laws and policies based upon secular capitalism. As an Ummah we have been aimlessly running from one western policy to another, to one institution to another, without fundamentally looking to the Islamic system to solve our problems, which is consistent with our beliefs, culture, history and heritage.

Allah (swt) said:

“Do you, then, believe in one part of the Book and reject the other?” (TMQ Surah Baqarah: 85)

“And We have revealed to you the Book explaining all matters” (TMQ Surah An-Nahl: 89)

“And rule them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their desires away from the Truth that has come to you” (TMQ Surah Maidah: 48)

These ayaat clearly illustrate that this Qur’an came to address all of our affairs. It has been the relegation of the Qur’an to only individual acts of worship (important though they are) and replacing the societal and political rules with kufr man made laws which has led this Ummah to this state of affairs. Have the decades of implementing man-made western laws and systems brought any goodness to our Ummah? It cannot be right that we worship Allah in our fasting and salah yet take Shaytan and his allies to lead us in the rest of our affairs!

As we fast this month, this Ummah is crying desperately for real change. This change will not come unless we take the Qur’an as our sole guidance and Furqaan. The Qur’an and Sunnah demand that the Muslim Ummah have a leadership (Khalifah or Ameer) that implements the Shariah and addresses all our problems from the Shariah perspective. It is only an Islamic leadership – the Khilafah – that can stand up to America’s aggression in our lands, end our dependency to the western banking systems and unify and lead our countries on a path to progress and prosperity. Without this Islamic political leadership we will continue to be ruled by western backed corrupt rulers who will keep this Ummah weak, divided and enslaved to other nations. Both dictators and ‘democrats’ alike have destroyed our countries. As all these have failed in our countries, we must reach out to the system revealed by Allah (swt).

Here in the West we need to be part of that change. We should build our communities on a strong understanding of Islam as a complete guidance for mankind. Every Muslim should know that Ramadan is the month that Allah revealed the Qur’an as a complete Guidance not just for fasting and salah but for all our issues. Every Muslim should know that Islam has its own unique political system that prevents politicians from making laws to suit their patrons in business; an economic system that can end poverty and inequality; a social system that elevates women from the status of sexual objects to mothers, wives and full members of society; and a global system that will end nationalism and racism and end the hegemony of colonial powers. Building our communities on these strong foundations means that we will not only ensure that we live by our Deen, but will join our brothers and sisters who are struggling in the Muslim countries to bring real change and carry the Message of Islam to the non-Muslims in the West.

Our fasting in the month of Ramadhan surely represents our determination to worship Allah (swt). This worship of Allah must mean we rush to work to implement His Deen and re-establish the leadership of Islam – the Khilafah.

May Allah (swt) accept our fasts and prayers in this month and May Allah (swt) give this Ummah the victory she desperately needs. Ameen.

Hizb ut-Tahrir
Britain

1st Ramadhan 1432 / 1st August 2011

www.hizb.org.uk

The story of Sheikh Al Izz Ibn Abdu-Salam- Accounting the rulers is a duty upon every Muslim

Self-Justification: the whispers of shaytan

A Muslim who grows up in Western society learns how to think and act in a way alien to Islam. Although often brought up in a Muslim household some Muslim youth are unfortunately swayed by the rotten fruits of Western society including drugs, alcohol and illicit relationships. They are tempted by these rotten fruits and end up in a downward spiral growing further away from Islam every day.

Initially the salah is performed now and again, then restricted to Friday and then only to ‘Eid. The degrees to which people go into committing haram differ and everyone knows someone who they perceive as worse than themselves and better than themselves. One of the worst intellectual diseases that people have is that of self justification, it is one of the key issues that allow people to drift away from Islam justifying this to themselves every step of the way. Even though Muslims feel guilty when committing haram actions like drinking alcohol, taking drugs or engaging in haram relationships with the opposite sex, eventually the guilt wears off and they begin to justify these actions to themselves as it becomes a regular habit.

We must realise that self-justifying an action will not make it halal and doesn’t remove the inevitable reality of standing in front of Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgement, with nothing except our deeds. It is the Western concept of individualism (me, myself and I) that breeds the mentality of pure greed and selfishness where people even steal and backstab their own families to achieve their sick version of enjoyment.

TYPES OF SELF-JUSTIFICATION

There are different types of excuses or self–justifications which individuals carry. People normally carry a combination of them. Some of the most common types of self-justifications that people hold are the following:

• “At least I’m better than others”
• “I will change in the future”
• “I’m not ready for it yet, it’s too difficult to change”
• “As long as I’m pure inside, Allah will forgive me”

“AT LEAST I’M BETTER THAN OTHERS”

The individual who holds this idea looks at the extreme actions of people which they consider as ‘bad” such as stealing from Muslims, rape or eating pork and compare their own actions to them. They feel reassured that they are better than those who undertake those actions. When they commit haram or neglect the Islamic duties (fara’id) they think to themselves that at least they are not like others, at least they perform some actions of Islam. If they have haram relations with the opposite sex they say, “at least I have the intention of marriage”. If they don’t wear the headscarf (khimar) they justify it to themselves saying “at least I dress modestly”.

By using this logic you could say, ‘at least a homosexual isn’t a rapist’ and ‘at least an alcoholic doesn’t eat pork’. The problem with this argument is, who defines what type of behaviour is bad and what is good? Allah (swt) is the one who defines the good actions from the bad actions. Allah (swt) views the halal actions as good and all the haram actions as evil. So in the sight of Allah (swt)  missing salah, being rebellious to your parents, eating pork, rape, socialising with nonrelated members of the opposite sex, homosexuality, taking intoxicating drugs, drinking alcohol and adultery are all haram and from the munkaraat (evil) actions that lead to the hellfire.

“I WILL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE”

This notion is commonly held by many youth. They believe that they will change in the future when they become older; they will settle down, get married, have children, go to Hajj and begin practising Islam. This excuse allows them to justify all the haram actions to themselves. If it was as simple as that, everyone can act as they please with the hope of changing someday in the future. How many of us know of young people who have died? How many of us know of cases where boyfriend and girlfriend have died in car accidents? Muslims and non-Muslims alike can agree that the most definite thing in life is death. If this is the case, how can we act as if we are going to live forever?

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra), “If you awoke in the morning, do not speak to yourself of the evening, and if you reach the evening, do not speak to yourself of the morning. Take from your life for your death, and from your health for your illness, as you do not know what your name will be tomorrow.” [Bukhari]

Allah (swt) said, “Say: The death from which you flee will truly overtake you: then will you be sent back to the Knower of all things secret and open: and He will tell you (the truth of) the things that you did!” [TMQ Al-Jumu’a: 8]

Besides the inevitable reality of death, do we believe that Allah (swt) will accept our good deeds in the future whilst we committed haram during our youth? Do we think that performing salah and avoiding the evil temptations in our old age when it is easier to do so will grant us Jannah?

“Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: ‘O my Lord! Send me back (to life), in order that I may do good in that which I have left behind!’ - No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is a Partition until the Day they are raised up. Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no more kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another! Then those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their own selves; in Hell will they abide.” [TMQ Al- Mu’minun: 99-103]

“I’M NOT READY FOR IT YET, IT’S TOO DIFFICULT TO CHANGE”

The true meaning behind this excuse is that people don’t want to leave the haram they’re committing. They have got so used to their lifestyle that they can’t perceive it any other way. The thought of waking up for fajr salah, having to continuously study Islam or not ‘chilling’ with the opposite sex is too much for them. There are obvious contradictions in their behaviour; many of them will spend a lot of time on things they enjoy whether its ‘looking good’, shopping or working out at the gym. In reality these people are lazy when it comes to Islam, they may spend so much effort in fitting in with the crowd and keeping up with the latest trend yet they are not willing to spend effort in staying away from the fire of hell and attempting to gain Jannah and the pleasure of Allah (swt). We need to realise that in order to become Islamic personalities we have to live our life according to the objective that Allah (swt) has set for us. Why is it that many work hard when it comes to their exams, yet pay little attention to the true exam of life? Allah (swt) didn’t create us for play.

Life is not all about ease and acting like spoilt teenagers who have everything done for them. All of us have the capacity to become Islamic personalities. Islam wasn’t revealed for angels, it was revealed for human beings. Allah (swt) says, “Allah does not place a burden upon a person except that which he is capable of.” [TMQ al-Baqarah: 282]

How can one then argue that following Islam is too difficult? Whoever believes this should look at the example of converts to Islam who completely transform their behaviour and may even face hardship from their families. If they can change why can’t we? If we look to the example of many of the Sahabah (ra) they used to be the worst of people and then became the best. Take the example of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra). He was a man that wanted to kill the Messenger of Allah and who had even buried his two daughters alive. When he embraced Islam he became the best of people.

‘Umar (ra) was neither a prophet nor angel; he was a person like us. This type of complete transformation of personalities is not restricted to the companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw). There are many examples from Muslims in our own communities in the West who used to be notorious criminals, drug dealers and alcoholics and who became active Islamic personalities working for the return of Islam when they received the Islamic da’wah (call).

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “People are like mines of silver and gold; the best of them in the days of Ignorance (jahilliyah) are the best of them in Islam when they attain knowledge.” [Muslim] This hadith means that no matter how far away from Islam we are, we all have the potential to change and become the best of people.

“AS LONG AS I’M PURE FROM INSIDE, ALLAH WILL FORGIVE ME”

The fact that someone has this delusion proves that they are not pure from inside because they carry this corrupt notion, which contradicts Islam. Being ‘pure inside’ not only means believing in Islam, it also means practising it. What is the point of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) if Allah (swt) is going to enter everyone into Jannah without accounting them for their deeds?

Believing in this idea allows people to gamble their life away. It will be too late to change on the Day of Judgement, when everyone will be worried about themselves to the extent that even the Prophets of Allah like Adam (as), Musa (as) and ‘Isa (as) will be worried about themselves. When the earth will narrate the actions that we performed on it and our own body will speak to Allah (swt) about what we did whilst alive. Every single action small or large will be accounted on that day.

“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it.” [TMQ Al- Zalzalah: 7]

The forgiveness of Allah (swt) is not achieved with false prayers, whilst continuing to disobey His commands. Allah (swt) says, “Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds, until death faces one of them, and he says: ‘Now I repent’ nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them have we prepared a painful torment” [TMQ Al- Nisa: 18]

SELF-JUSTIFICATIONS: WHISPERS OF SHAYTAN

Even though many don’t realise it, using self-justifications to follow our own desires instead of following the commands of Allah (swt) is directly following the footsteps of Shaytan. As Allah (swt) said, “Did I not enjoin on you O you children of Adam that you should not worship Shaytan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed?” [TMQ Ya-Seen: 60]

“O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of the Shaytan (devil).” [TMQ Al-Nur: 21] How can we be believers in Islam if we abandon its rules and follow the Shaytan instead?

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “No one of has real Iman (belief) until his desires conform to what I came with.”

We must avoid the whispers of Shaytan. So every time we feel lazy in praying the salah, we should know that this is from the Shaytan. Every time we are about to answer back in a rebellious way to our parents, we should know this is from the Shaytan. Every time we get the temptation of committing haram with the opposite sex, we should know that this is from Shaytan. Every time we are about to neglect our duty to Allah SWT or perform an action that will anger Him SWT, we should know that this is from the Shaytan.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Shaytan reaches everywhere in the human body as blood reaches in it.”

“Shaytan only seeks to breed animosity and spite among you by means of intoxicants and gambling and to keep you from the remembrance of Allah and from salah (prayer); will you not then desist?” [TMQ Al-Ma’idah: 91]

We should seek refuge from these whispers of Shaytan as Allah (swt) taught us in the Qur’an, “Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of Mankind. The King of mankind. The God of mankind. From the evil of the sneaking whisperer. Who whispers in the breasts of mankind. From amongst the Jinn and the men.” [TMQ Al-Nas: 1-6]

Many of the youth would not undertake some of their haram actions in front of their parents due to embarrassment or fear, then how can they perform these actions whilst Allah (swt) sees everything they do? We should fear Allah (swt) and be embarrassed in front of Him (swt). It was reported in sahih (authenticated) narrations that when Jibraeel (as) asked the Messenger (saw) about ihsan (perfection), he (saw) said, “To worship Allah as if you see him, and if you do not see him, then he surely sees you.”

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

Self-justifications allow people to continue living their lives like animals, even though they know deep down that the path they are following is incorrect. Even after all the late night parties, relationships, drugs, music and alcohol many feel an inevitable uneasiness or discontent. This feeling doesn’t easily go away; some learn to live with it while it eats away at their conscience while others decide to use their mind and start thinking about Islam; the only thinking that provides tranquillity and the true answers about life. 

Oppression of Muslim women in Russia

The domestic security agency of Russia (FSB) arrested a Muslim woman, Sidikova Oomidjan Ganevna (b. 1976) on the morning of 19 May 2011 in Moscow . They did not allow her to inform anyone of her whereabouts, and her three children – a daughter, Meerkhan (12), and two sons, Nusratullah (10) and Salahuddin (8) – were placed in an orphanage.

Earlier, on the 7 December 2010, the husband of Sidikova, Farookh Fadl Dinovic (b. 1972), was arrested upon allegations of membership with a political party, Hizb ut-Tahrir . His wife was then arrested in order to put pressure on him to confess to the allegations, which were not true. The court sentenced Sidikova to two months in prison.

We see today that Russian leaders are trying to portray Russia as a civilised nation that respects human rights, yet in reality this is how they act to achieve their objectives: by separating a mother and her children in order to force a man to confess to crimes he did not commit.

On 23 May, in the city of Ufa and its surroundings, security agencies carried out raids on homes without warrants and arrested some Muslim women from their homes.

The house of Manapova Yula Kazikhanov (b. 1984) was raided by officers of the National Security agency on 23 May 2011. Her house is apartment no. 617, 11 Moshanikova St. in the city of Ufa . They led her to 55a Kalinina St. and there threatened her with a screwdriver and awl and verbally abused her. They threatened her with the arrest of her sons as a form of pressure. They repeated all this throughout the day, whilst her baby and her infant of 5 years were left alone in the house.

The house of Elmira Minnibiva Yonnerova (b. 1985) was searched while she was eight months pregnant. She lives in Ufa on Kriliva St . The search was carried out in a way contravening the law: the address written in the legal papers was wrong and the two female witnesses used during the investigation were from the agency itself. The agents of the agency recorded everything on video in order to record the face of the sister properly. The name of employee recording was Vitslav and he focused the camera upon her. During all this, her husband, Tahir Vanisovic, and her one-year old son, Aleem, were in the apartment witnessing the actions of the agents, part of which was the trampling with their dirty feet on books that contained Quran’ic verses.

By this sort of conduct the agencies seeks to degrade the feelings of the believers.

The result of their practices appeared on the sister in the form of symptoms of pressure, increase in heart rate, and pain in the lower abdomen. The ambulance was summoned and, after examination, the doctor concluded that her condition was precarious and she may lose her child. He gave her a sedative and took her to natal hospital no. 6, located in Shaviva st, and after examination to the hospital, they refused her entry on grounds that it is full.

Caquerova Ramilva Leila, born in 1982, and having 4 small children – Zainab (6 years), Salah al-Din (4 years), Ali (2 years) and Jannat (1 year) – was put under pressure, her and her family, by the security agencies. Two cars arrived at her house at 7am on May 23, 2011 and many men exited. Among them were some women, and later it became apparent that they were witnesses over the inspection process. At this time the sister was leaving her house to go to meet her husband Albert Shakirov Zkjevic, who was sentenced to imprisonment in accordance with Article 282-1 since September 22 2010, and thus this family had already lost its breadwinner and patron. They stopped her and inspected her from all sides, and without any reason they forcibly pulled her mobile phone from her. Then they started to act according to old custom, showed her a warrant, and forced her to open the gate to enter the house. During the search for prohibited literary material they searched everything and moved everything out of its place, even the freezer in the refrigerator was not spared, despite the fact that all the books in the house were issued in this country. Still not satisfied with what they found, they began threatening to tear the panels of the walls which were made of wood. They began shouting, scaring the young children and waking them up from their sleep.

After interrogating the sister they took her to the section located in Kalenna St. , 55A, room no. 218. Then they started to talk and, in sum, they had prepared written note in which the sister’s confesses to being a fundamentalist and they wanted to force her to sign it. She ask to call a lawyer, and mentioned to them Article 51 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation , but this did not affect them. Rather, the response was a threat to imprison her and to take her children and place them in an orphanage. They began calling the management in order to find the address of the nearest orphanage, and they began waving a knife and awl at her face.

O Muslims: till when will these illegal and extra-legal practices against our wives, mothers, sisters and children continue? Till when will we remain silent and act as if nothing has happened to us? How will we answer Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgment when He asks us as to what we did to help our sisters and their children? Allah (swt) says

[وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْر]

“And if they seek your help in the deen, than it is upon you to help them”; and at this point in time our brother, his wife and their children ask of our help. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he does not oppress him, nor betray him. He who assists his brother, Allah assists him, and he who relieves a Muslim of a calamity, Allah will relieve him of a calamity on the Day of Resurrection. He who conceals a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection” (Bukhari and Muslim), and he (saw) said, “Allah continues to assist his slave, so long as he assists his brother” and he said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he does not oppress him, nor degrade him.” (Muslim)

Thus everyone who is able to protect or assist but does not do so will be considered as having left his brother without helping him. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “A Muslim does not abandon another Muslim in a place where he desires his help except that Allah will abandon him in a place where he desires the help of Allah.”

It is necessary that this incident impact us, and that each one of us partakes in freeing this Muslim family, in particular the sister and her children. We know, and we have been reminded again, that without the Imam these calamities will continue and be repeated. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “The Imam is a shield, behind whom the people fight and by whom they are protected.” The ruler of the Muslims protects the honour of the Muslim women, as was done in the past by the Prophet with Bani Qaynuqa’ and as Khalifah Mu’tasim did by sending an army in response to the call of a Muslim woman.

Dear Muslims: you are able to assist our brothers and sisters, first by making du’a for them that they be swiftly released. Second, we must spread the news of this incident to all the Muslims. Everyone must know about it. We must inform the Muslims and draw their attention to the like of these incidents. We must draw the attention of all segments of society and the media to this incident and to the extra-legal practices of the Government. We must demand that the prominent Muslims and Muslim activists partake in solving this problem.

O Muslims: help the deen of Allah, and He will help you.

Hizb ut-Tahrir Russia

25 May 2011 CE

www.hizb.org.uk