(Translated)
"Hizb
ut-Tahrir’s manifesto for the revolution of Al-Sham:
Towards the birth of a second rightly-guided Khilafah"
A
Statement delivered by Engineer Hisham Al-Baba, the Head of Media Office
of Hizb ut-Tahrir, Wilaya of Syria – at a press conference held at Hizb
ut-Tahrir’s offices in Tripoli – Lebanon on Thursday, 28 Ramadan 1433
[16/08/2012]
The revolutions of the so-called ‘Arab Spring’
broke out in order to change rulers and regimes. From the outset, their main
demand was clear and unambiguous. It was that which we heard in the chant: ‘The
people want to overthrow the regime’.
What happened in the revolutions of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen is that a
ruler was either ejected from his post or killed. Yet the ruling system
continued on the same design since colonial times: democratic, civil and
secular - similar to the ruling systems in the West. All that has changed are
some faces and some forms of nomination, appointment or election.
So the joy that came with those blessed revolutions
vanished when these revolutions derailed and accepted the Western prescription
of civil democracy given to them (or rather allowed for them) - until the
revolution of Al-Sham tipped the
scales and introduced different ideas into the lexicon of the ‘Arab Spring’.
It did not accept the insertion of poison into
the honey. It refused secularism, democracy and the slogan of the civil state.
It refused to be satisfied with a mere change of
face – asking, with astonishment: Isn’t Bashar secular?! Aren’t his
regime and the constitution of his government civil?! Haven’t we witnessed the
Western capitalist democratic system itself failing as a global system?! Why
should we rewrite failed experiments to return our country back to its
whirlpool, while the constitution decreed to us by the Lord of the worlds is in
our hands?!
The revolution of Al-Sham confirmed its Islamic identity when its people declared: It
is for the sake of Allah’ and
counted their suffering as sacrifice in anticipation of Allah’s (swt) reward;
when its women followed the example of Khansaa,
one after another; when the banners of al-Uqab
were raised; and when the calls demanding of Khilafah started to resound. Thus, this revolution was not typical.
The international powers observed the peculiarity
of this blessed Syrian Revolution. This angered America (the sponsor of Bashar and
his regime), who in turn joined the Syrian regime in its crimes: providing him
with deadlines, holding conferences, announcing initiatives, sending Arab and
international observer missions. They also instructed their open and hidden
agents to support the criminal Syrian regime, paying no heed to the waterfalls
of blood abundantly flowing in Syria.
The conspiracy of the international community against the people of Syria reached
to the extent of offering Bashar the chance of resignation in return for
securing a safe exit for him and his family, after all the crimes he committed.
This is the level at which they are now dealing with the Syrian revolution.
We in Hizb ut-Tahrir firmly believe that
this revolution is worth more than to fall into the swamps of secularism and
the heresy of civil state; nor should it exchange the better for the worse –
i.e. take
Western democracy and leave the Book of Allah
and the Sunnah of His Messenger. We
want it to proceed to establish the law (shar') of its Lord - a rightly-guided Khilafah on the model of prophethood -
so fulfilling two of the Bisharat
(good news) of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him and his
family, about the last days: One for all Muslims, which is his (saw) saying:
«ثمّ تكونُ خلافةٌ على منهاجِ النبوّة»،
«Then it would be Khilafah on the model of prophethood», and the other is for the people of Al-Sham in particular, which is his
(saw) saying:
«ألا إن عقرَ دارِ الإسلامِ بالشام».
«Be aware, the
centre abode of Islam is in Sham». In this revolution we see signs that encourage that.
We present this document included within it:
Hizb ut-Tahrir’s manifesto for the political system, for which it calls to be applied
after the removal of the regime in Syria; and a road map to reach this
goal. We are very keen that this revolution be safeguarded from being hijacked
by the colonial powers and from being usurped by opportunists who orbit in the
sphere of the West, carrying the West’s viewpoint for resolving the crisis.
The manifesto of Hizb ut-Tahrir for the ruling
system in Syria
is founded on the following tenets:
• The Islamic 'Aqeedah (doctrine) should be the basis of the State and the basis
of the Constitution. The Quran and Sunnah, together with what they referred
to - namely Ijmaa’ us-Sahaba (the
consensus of the companions) and the Qiyas
(divine analogy) should be the source of all of its articles. Thus, the Islamic
Shari'ah (divine law) would become
the system of life, the society and the State.
• The form of the ruling system in Islam is the
system of Khilafah, which is
fundamentally different from the forms of ruling systems in place today. So, it
is not royal, imperial, republican, dictatorial or federal.
• Its State is neither religious theocratic
civil and nor democratic. It is rather a human state, where sovereignty in it
is for Shar', where it applies the
provisions of Islam, while the Sultan
(authority) is for the Ummah
(nation).
• The security (aman) of Dar al-Islam, which we seek to establish is realized by
security provided by the Muslims only; which requires preventing any foreign
interference in our country, in compliance with the verse:
(ولن يجعلَ اللهُ للكافرينَ على المؤمنينَ
سبيلاً)
(Allah will not
allow the disbelievers to have a way 'authority' over the believers).
Foreign intervention in Muslim countries is one
of the great sins that take the country and people away from ruling with Islam
and from living under its shade.
• The system in the Khilafah State is humane - that revives man as a
human being, regardless of race, religion or colour. It addresses its problems
- as a human being - with the best and most just provisions known on the face
of the earth; because they are from Al-Hakeem
(Most Wise), Al-Khabeer (Well
Acquainted).
• The bond that links the citizens of the State
is their citizenship. So, all of those who hold the citizenship of the Islamic
State (Muslims and non-Muslims) have the full right to enjoy guardianship. The
State is not allowed to exercise any discrimination between the citizens in
terms of governance, justice or affairs caring.
• The articles of the Constitution of the
Islamic State are divine provisions, which the State is obliged to apply; and
all citizens must obey them. The Muslims obey them as orders and prohibitions
from Allah, His Messenger, prayer and peace be upon him, and the ruler. Whilst
non-Muslims obey them as laws of the state that look after their own affairs
and preserve their lives and rights, the same like Muslims. This is in line
with the divine principle that states: "They have the same fairness
enjoyed by Muslims; and they are also accountable like Muslims."
• Non-Muslims are left to practice the
provisions of their own beliefs, worship, food-stuffs and clothing - beside
matters of marriage and divorce, according to their religions, within the
general law. They rejoice under the State and enjoy its fruits as citizens like
Muslims. Among the most prominent examples of this are the provisions of public
ownership and the distribution of the products of its enormous wealth to all
its citizens equally.
• There is no distinction in the Islamic State
in terms of looking after the affairs of the Muslims and non-Muslims; it also
deals equally with all races and peoples; so it does not distinguish between
the Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen, etc. It rather abides by the verse:
(إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ
أَتْقَاكُمْ).
(The best among you in the sight of Allah is the
most pious of you). The
State considers any call to racial, tribal or national bonds as tribal and jahili that splits the nation (Ummah) and the State; besides it is a
great evil. The hand of the West - who have pursued (and still pursue) an
agenda to split the Ummah, weaken it
and make her allegiance to it, rather than to Allah, His Messenger and the
believers - must be severed.
• Islam ensures, through its economic policies
the satisfaction of the basic needs of food, clothing and housing for each of
the State's citizens, and it enables him or her to satisfy luxuries (beyond the
basic needs) as much as he or she could. It also ensures for the whole Ummah security, education, medication
and the various basic needs of the community. Its injunctions explain the means
of
ownership, the means of investment and the
manner of expenditure. They show the types of properties: namely
individual/personal property; the state and the publicly owned property, such
as oil and minerals wealth, which would enable all members of the Ummah to enjoy them. They show rules
relating to land, such that not an inch of land is left uncultivated. They have
made gold and silver the basis of currency, so securing a stable exchange rate
for the currency that is reflected in stable commodity prices. They have set up
rules for currency Exchange that prevent the Islamic State from falling into
crises similar to that which have occurred in the capitalist financial system.
They have identified the terms of internal trade between individuals, which
does not need pursuance from the state; and the provisions of Foreign Trade,
which is made under the State's supervision. They allow the establishment of companies,
according to the divine rules, and prevented them from monopoly. They prohibit
usury, selling of debt, selling that which is not owned yet, and fraud.
Overall, this policy has taken into account the targeted model of society,
which would live peacefully and happily within an order of Halal and Haram. They
work for the distribution of wealth amongst the members of the State,
individually; and made the property as servant for man, rather than making man
a slave to it.
• The external relations of the State with other
states are established in accordance with the provisions of Islam, by carrying
the call to them and undertaking jihad
for the sake of Allah (fee sabeelillah).
The State is committed to the divine injunctions regarding upholding of conventions,
peace treaties, ceasefire armistices and diplomatic representation.
In regards to the road map through which we hope
to realize the Khilafah State after the overthrow of the regime:
It is based, in its general framework, on the
method of the Prophet peace be upon him in change; and it can be summarized as
follows:
• Muslims in Syria, in general, make known that
they want to overthrow the regime and return back to the rule of Allah by
establishing the Khilafah ... in
compliance with the example achieved by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, where he generated a public opinion for Islam in Madinah, a little before
the establishment of the first Islamic State. This aspect has now been achieved
in the Islamic Ummah a long time ago. And it has become, in the era of ‘the
Arab Spring’, clearer than ever, by the Grace of Allah, The Almighty -
especially amongst the people of Syria who started to declare day and night the
slogan of the Islamic State. The West no longer hides its apprehension and worry
that Islam is the heir to the era of the criminal seculars in Syria. However,
it remains duty upon the leaders of opinion and thought who hold Islamic
thought, to speed their strides for crystallizing and clarifying the Islamic
system amongst themselves and amongst public opinion, so that none are deceived
by movements who raise Islamic slogans but they embrace a secular project under
the name of the civil state.
• The believers from amongst the people of power
(the influential) amongst the officers of the regular army, the dissidents from
it and the armed groups, which include the purest of Muslims, have to work for
establishing the Islamic Khilafah. They have to work together to prevent the
West, its agents and its tools from the local secular politicians, from even
approaching authority and decision-making. They have to choose for positions of
authority those from the people who are fit for it, who hold the Islamic
political project, understand it precisely and in whom there is great hope in
their ability to apply it properly, away from allying themselves to opponents,
namely the secularists and their masters in the West.
This is what we have started to see, by the
Grace of Allah, in the field of people of power who have declared that they
want to rule by Islam. We thank Allah that this Ummah has become rich with people of governance, politics,
management, judiciary and economy. So preparing for this great duty all means
required for its achievement - in terms of an Islamic draft constitution, an
ability to apply Islam properly, in order to attain the highest levels of life
for the citizens of the Khilafah State - both Muslims and non-Muslims; and the
ability to lead the Muslims intellectually for spreading Islam in the world;
and political experience that enables them to engage in the international
struggle on an ideological basis rather than a colonial utilitarian basis, and
to make the Islamic State the leading state in the world.
We, in Hizb ut-Tahrir announce through this
conference that we work with the sincere people of this revolution, and we
provide all that we have of potential, capability and competence to achieve all
the elements of this plan, whose execution and success are feasible; and can
bring, most importantly, the true change and the great pleasure of Allah, the
Almighty.
The squares of revolution have overflowed with
the uqab flags and the banners of
Islam. The throats of the demonstrators raised the call of takbeer and chanted: "We want Syria an Islamic Khilafah" and "The
people want Khilafah again."
Our members exist in the depth of the revolution; and the Media Office of Hizb
ut-Tahrir, Wilaya of Syria, is one of the channels open for communication and
interaction with the revolution. The party, in general, and its branch in Syria, in particular,
has pursued the revolution since its inception, day-by-day, even
moment-by-moment. So, it issued successive statements and bulletins in parallel
with the events of the revolution, to strengthen the rebels, lift their
determination and spread awareness among them about the conspiracies plotted
against
them, reminding them always of the need to link their revolution with a sublime
objective, which the opportunists cannot reach.
And we put in the hands of the media people and
journalists a dossier, the majority of which has been so far compiled.
- Hizb
ut-Tahrir works to contact the various military forces to organize them in one
unified work that can destroy this regime from its roots and establish the
Islamic rule; hoping this will be soon.
- The Hizb has prepared itself for this great
task; it has been its main preoccupation for more than half-a-century, not only
in Syria,
but in different Muslim countries, indeed the whole world. It gained through
this period all the elements of successful leadership that enables it to reach
with the Ummah to achieve the duty
towards Allah in the establishment of His rule and spreading of His message.
Therefore, the efforts of its members came together in the whole world in
support and help of the rebels - from Indonesia to the Maghreb
through Al-Quds; and in Western capitals from Europe
to Australia
and America.
All of them have stood - and still stand - responding to the call of the duty
of support to and in defense of the rebels of Al-Sham, calling upon Muslim
armies parked in their barracks to move in the name of Allah and with the
blessing of Allah, for the help of the oppressed Muslims in Syria. The
people of revolution were delighted with the calls of our members in the
Al-Aqsa Masjid, where the heroic stances moved from Al-Quds to all parts of
Palestine, the captive, and swept over the Arab world, particularly in Lebanon,
and more specifically in the posts of troops (Ribat) and Jihad, Tripoli
of al-Sham, which
hosted
this conference. We do not also forget the stances of our members in Jordan, despite
the restrictions, the blockade and prevention. Their cries were not less than
the cries of their brothers in the various parts of the blessed land of Sham.
- It is worth mentioning in this paper that
"Hizb ut-Tahrir" was founded in response to the command of Allah, The
Almighty in the verse:
(وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ
إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ
وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ)
“And let arise from amongst you ‘ummatun’ a
group (at least one) - who invite to goodness; and enjoin the right and forbid
the evil; and indeed those are the successful” and for the resumption of Islamic way of life through the
re-establishment of the rightly guided Khilafah,
in pursuance of the divine principle "Whatever a duty cannot be
performed is itself a duty". This
party has prepared its members to become statesmen. It does not carry the
concept of a ruling party. Rather, once the Khilafah
is established through the legitimate method, and the Khaleefah was from it, he would not be the Khaleefah of the party, but the Khaleefah
of the Muslims, where he looks after their affairs with justice, in word and
deed. Then, once the post of Khaleefah became vacant after that, the Ummah would choose "a man
from amongst the candidates, who possesses the legitimate conditions",
where the Ummah would give him pledge
of allegiance to listen and obey, as a Khaleefah
of the Muslims, rather than of any party. Hizb ut-Tahrir, whether its candidate
or any other candidate of the Ummah
reached to the Khilafah post, would
continue to watch together with the Ummah
the progress of governance and the State, by advising, suggesting, criticizing
and accounting, in pursuance of the command of Allah, The Almighty in the above
mentioned verse.
And we ask Allah, the Almighty to grant these
efforts with near success, an immediate victory, and a great joy by the
establishment