Speech of the Ameer of Hizb ut Tahrir, Ata bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah (may Allah protect him), at the Opening of the Scholars' Conference in Indonesia (Video Link)
[Video source: https://htmedia.htcmo.info/HTAmeer/2009/Ameer_OlamaConf21072009.mp4]
Allah, the Exalted, says: إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ (The scholars among His servants are only those who fear Allah.)
And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) says: « العلماء ورثة الأنبياء » (The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets.) Reported by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi from the path of Abu Al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him).
Esteemed Scholars: Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh (Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.) Alhamdulillah, and may prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him.
I wanted to start with that noble Ayah (verse) and that honorable Hadith to explain the standing of the scholar, who is beneficial through his knowledge and sincere in his work. قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ (Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only those of understanding will remember.)
And now, O Esteemed Scholars,
You know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent with the magnificent Islam, not merely to be recited by tongues, but to be applied to the people on Earth. For Islam to exist, there must be a state (dawlah) that establishes its limits (Hudud), implements its rulings, wages Jihad for its sake as it should be waged, establishes justice, and spreads goodness throughout the world. This is clear and manifest in the Seerah (biography) of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): He called to Allah with clear sight in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and sought the nusrah (material support) of tribes and people of power more than ten times, until Allah granted him victory through the Ansar (supporters) of Madinah Al-Munawwarah. Thus came the Hijrah (migration) and the establishment of the State (Dawlah), followed by the Conquest and the spread of Islam through Da'wah (calling to Islam) and Jihad.
He was succeeded by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafa’ Rashidun), who followed his guidance (peace and blessings be upon him) and struggled in the way of Allah as He should be struggled for, until death came to them. The Islamic State, the Khilafah, continued through the eras of the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and the Ottomans, until the aggressive disbeliever (Kafir) colonizer, led by Britain at the time, managed, in cooperation with some Arab and Turkish traitors, to abolish the Khilafah. This happened on this very day 88 years ago, on the 28th of Rajab 1342 AH, corresponding to 3/3/1924 CE.
O Esteemed Scholars:
Throughout the era of their Khilafah, Muslims were strong by their Lord, and dignified by their Deen (religion). If they spoke, their word echoed throughout the world, and if they acted, they struck fear into the hearts of the disbelievers:
Their Khalifah (Caliph) would address the clouds, telling them to rain wherever they wished, for its produce belonged to the Muslims, as the banner of the Khilafah was wherever it rained. The ruler of Rome dared to threaten Muslim lands, sending a menacing letter to Harun, the Khalifah of the Muslims. The Khalifah did not consider it worthy of a reply on a separate sheet; instead, he replied on the back of the Roman’s own book, saying, "The answer is what you see, not what you hear." He then personally led the army, defeated that threatener, and made him taste the consequence of his arrogance. A woman who was wronged by a Roman commander cried out, "Wa Mu'tasimah!" (O Mu'tasim!), and the Khalifah responded with an army he led, defeating her enemy, seeking retribution against the one who wronged her, and restoring her dignity and security. The danger posed by a mischievous individual who cut off Muslim routes and harmed women and children grew grave, until Qutaybah, the Muslim commander, captured him. The rogue offered a large ransom for his release—so large that some of the Muslim commander’s aides suggested it would meet a need for the Muslims and requested his release in exchange for the ransom. The commander replied, "No, by Allah, no Muslim woman will ever be terrorized by him again..." The King of France was captured, and France found no one to appeal to for the rescue of its king except the Khalifah of the Muslims, Suleiman the Magnificent (may Allah have mercy on him).
This is how Muslims were throughout the era of their Khilafah: masters of the world, leaders of goodness, and pioneers in everything:
They were pioneers in industry; they manufactured the manjaniq (trebuchet), which was a heavy weapon at the time, and used it to demolish the walls of Ta'if during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when their state was still young, in the eighth year of the Hijrah. They manufactured the giant cannon during the time of Muhammad Al-Fatih (may Allah have mercy on him) and used it to demolish the walls of Constantinople...
They were pioneers in science. Their advancement in physics, chemistry, mathematics, and astronomy is testified to by enemies before friends. It suffices as a testament to the power of their science and craftsmanship that they gifted a clock of their manufacture to Charlemagne, the Emperor of the Franks, the King of kings in Europe at the time. When the clock chimed and its doors opened..., his entourage, who were the elite of the people, thought it was the work of jinn (genies) and filled with them!
They were pioneers in electing and giving Bay'ah (oath of allegiance) to the ruler. At a time when the world's rulers behaved like deities toward their subjects, whose opinions were not sought regarding their ruler—how could they be asked about their deities?!—Abdul Rahman ibn Awf was knocking on the doors of Madinah, asking men and women whom they chose for the Khilafah: Ali or Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them both)?
They were pioneers in giving every rightful person his due, whether man or woman. While women were owned, bought, and sold, worthless and weightless, or as they are today, merely objects of pleasure and advertising material, Islam honored her, making her free and dignified, with independent financial status and her own opinion... a knowledgeable, jurisprudent woman of consequence.
Muslims were also pioneers in economic affairs and dignified living. People enjoyed public ownership, their affairs were looked after by state ownership, and their private ownership was protected and secured. Zakat (obligatory charity) was distributed to those entitled to it, to the extent that at certain times, Zakat could not find a poor person deserving of it. Today, there are people who live by scavenging waste, even in countries that consider themselves economically advanced...
This is part of the goodness we enjoyed during the eras of our Khilafah. So how did we become after our Khilafah disappeared? We have been scattered into fragments, and our single land has become over fifty shreds, each called a state or mini-state.
Our wealth has been plundered. We are the lands of energy ("petroleum and gas"), yet it is drawn away to the disbelieving colonizers to light their lands and power their factories, while the electricity in our lands is cut off multiple times, people live by candlelight, and our few and fragile factories are not supplied with energy as those in the West!
Kā al-ʿīsi fī al-baydāʾ yaqtuluhā aẓ-ẓamā ... wa-l-māʾu fawqa ẓuhūrihā maḥmūl (Like camels in the desert killed by thirst... while water is carried upon their backs.)
Our lands have been desecrated and become prey for every greedy opportunist. Our territory has been curtailed from its edges, indeed, from its very heart. There is Palestine, the land of Isra' and Mi'raj (Night Journey and Ascension), the land of the first Qiblah (direction of prayer) and the third of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, the blessed land, occupied by the Jews who spread corruption and mischief therein. There is Kashmir, occupied by Hindus, where they commit the shedding of innocent blood and perpetrate barbaric crimes. There is Cyprus, cut off from the motherland "Turkey," with Greek disbelievers having the upper hand in most of it. There is East Timor, cut off from the motherland "Indonesia." And there is the Caucasus, with its Chechnya and Ingushetia..., occupied by the Russians, where they shed blood... Furthermore, there is America occupying Iraq and Afghanistan and extending its aggression to Pakistan... and so on and so forth... Meanwhile, the rulers in Muslim lands merely watch and amuse themselves, as if what is happening is in the Waq Waq Islands, not in the lands of the Muslims. This is because they have abandoned Islam behind their backs, and reached power by the appointment of the colonizers. They are the instruments used for the humiliation, degradation, reduction, and aggression inflicted upon our lands...
As for sovereignty and leadership, Muslims have not only fallen from the position of world leadership, but they have become the tail end of nations, neither useful in war nor peace. Their issues are discussed outside their lands, by foreign hands. The humiliation and degradation have reached such a degree that the rulers in Muslim lands rely on Obama to pressure the Jews to halt settlements! Instead of removing the entity of the Jews through combat in the field.
This is how we were, and this is how we have become. Is there a way back to righteousness?
O Esteemed Scholars:
This situation will only be rectified by what rectified its beginning: the return of the Khilafah Rashidah (Rightly Guided Caliphate) upon the methodology of the Prophethood in the lands of the Muslims. This is the existential issue (Qadiyah Masiriyah) of the Muslims; through it, they will achieve dignity and success in both worlds, by the permission of Allah. Without it, they are humiliated and become like orphans at the table of the vile. The rectification of the Ummah's affairs lies in the return of this Khilafah Rashidah and the Bay'ah (oath of allegiance) to the Rightly Guided Khalifah, who gathers the Muslim nation, establishes justice, and spreads goodness. Then, the Muslim, whether man or woman, will live in abundance, in security and safety, in tranquility and peace, as a servant of Allah, strong by his Lord, dignified by his Deen, fearing no blame from any blamer in the path of Allah. At that time, Muslims will attain the goodness of the earth and the goodness of the heavens, for the earth will yield its treasures, and the heavens will send down its bounty: وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آَمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ (And if the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth.)
O Esteemed Scholars:
Furthermore, the establishment of the Khilafah is not only an existential issue because it is the source of the Muslims' dignity, strength, and immunity. It is, first and foremost, an obligation—a grave obligation. It is the life raft for a Muslim from a Jahiliyyah (Ignorant) death. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) says: « مَنْ خَلَعَ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا حُجَّةَ لَهُ وَمَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ فِي عُنُقِهِ بَيْعَةٌ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً » (Whoever withdraws his hand from obedience will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection with no proof for himself, and whoever dies without having a Bay'ah (oath of allegiance) on his neck dies a Jahiliyyah death.) Reported by Muslim from the path of Abdullah ibn Umar.
Whoever does not give Bay'ah to the Khalifah when he exists dies a Jahiliyyah death. And whoever does not work to establish a Khalifah to give Bay'ah to, if one does not exist, also dies a Jahiliyyah death. This is because the Hadith mentioned by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came in a general form in two places: "Whoever dies" (من مات), and the word "Bay'ah" (بيعة). The word "man" (من) is a form of generalization, encompassing every Muslim until the Day of Judgment, and "Bay'ah" is indefinite in a negative context, encompassing the Bay'ah of the Khalifah if he exists, and the Bay'ah of the Khalifah who one must work to establish if he does not exist. In all these cases, if a Muslim dies without a Bay'ah on his neck, he dies a Jahiliyyah death, indicating the gravity of the sin in this matter.
The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) realized this; they occupied themselves with giving Bay'ah to the successor of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) before burying the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), even though burying the dead is an obligation. However, the Companions considered the obligation of appointing the Khalifah more important than the obligation of burying the dead. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away on the morning of Monday, and remained unburied throughout Tuesday night and Tuesday day, until the Muslims completed the Bay'ah of In'iqad (oath of establishment) to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Saqifah on the day of his passing, and the Bay'ah of Obedience in the Mosque on Tuesday. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was buried in the middle of the night of Wednesday. This means the burial of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was delayed until Abu Bakr was given the Bay'ah of establishment and obedience, due to the importance of establishing and giving Bay'ah to the Khalifah.
O Esteemed Scholars:
Without a State (Dawlah), Islam cannot be fully implemented, because its rulings cannot be applied without a Khalifah. Limits (Hudud) are not established, conquests (Futūḥāt) are not opened, and the integrity of Islam (Bayḍat al-Islām) is not preserved except by the Imam, meaning the Khalifah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke truly: «وَإِنَّمَا الْإِمَامُ جُنَّةٌ يُقَاتَلُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ وَيُتَّقَى بِهِ» (Indeed, the Imam is a shield, fought behind him, and protected by him.) Agreed upon. The importance of the State to Islam was manifest before the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). When the Commander of the Faithful, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), gathered them to establish a dating system, they discussed among themselves to find a great occasion from which to start the historical count. Options included the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), his commission as a Messenger, and the incident of the Hijrah. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Let us date from the Hijrah, for in it was the State of the Muslims and their dignity..." The Companions approved this, even though the birth and the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were great events. But the Companions chose the Hijrah and the establishment of the Islamic State to begin the Hijri calendar from it.
O Esteemed Scholars:
Hizb ut Tahrir realized that the Khilafah is the existential issue for Muslims (Qadiyah Masiriyah), and that its establishment is a grave obligation. Therefore, the party has worked, and continues to work, for the establishment of the Khilafah for half a century, enduring harm, arrests, imprisonment, and torture, which in some Islamic countries led to the martyrdom of a number of its youth. Nevertheless, it has remained steadfast on the truth, fearing no blame from any blamer in the path of Allah, believing in Allah and His Messenger, sincere and devoted by His permission, the Exalted. It has succeeded, by the permission of Allah, in making the Khilafah a public opinion among Muslims and a living demand for them, despite all the delusions and machinations of the disbelievers and their agents: وَقَدْ مَكَرُوا مَكْرَهُمْ وَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَكْرُهُمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ (And they had planned their plan, and with Allah is [the consequence of] their plan, although their plan was such as to move the mountains.)
Moreover, the Khilafah is becoming visible before the eyes of the party, and we hope that Allah, the Exalted, honors us to be among its soldiers and those who manage its affairs, so that we may achieve a great success.
O Esteemed Scholars:
We love goodness for ourselves and for you. Al-Bukhari reported from Anas that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ» (None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.)
We love that you share this immense virtue with us by working for the establishment of the Khilafah. Who is more deserving than the scholars to perform this great obligation? Indeed, the pious and pure scholar is the most entitled and fitting person for this matter. His position should be in the front ranks in all fields of goodness. Therefore, we do not only ask you to support, assist, and help us. Rather, we say to you, above and before and after that: Work with us and share in this goodness, for we are assured by Allah's victory and help, and the imminent dawn of the Khilafah anew. Indeed, the dignity of Islam and Muslims, by the permission of Allah, is not far from us. This will surely come to pass by Allah’s permission, fulfilling His promise to His righteous servants: وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُون (Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient.), And realizing the good news given by His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the return of the Khilafah after the current Mulk Jabriyyah (tyrannical rule): Ahmad reported from Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «تَكُونُ النُّبُوَّةُ فِيكُمْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةٌ عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا عَاضًّا فَيَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا جَبْرِيَّةً فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ ثُمَّ سَكَتَ» (Prophethood will remain among you as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then Allah will raise it up when He wills to raise it up. Then there will be a Khilafah upon the methodology of the Prophethood, and it will remain as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then Allah will raise it up when He wills to raise it up. Then there will be a biting kingship (Mulk 'Add), and it will remain as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then Allah will raise it up when He wills to raise it up. Then there will be tyrannical rule (Mulk Jabriyyah), and it will remain as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then Allah will raise it up when He wills to raise it up. Then there will be a Khilafah upon the methodology of the Prophethood.) Then he was silent.
In conclusion, I ask Allah, the Exalted, that this conference of yours be a prelude to the dawning of the Khilafah, so that the earth may shine with the dignity and power of the Muslims, the return of their Ummah (nation)—the best nation produced for mankind—and the return of their State, the foremost State in the world in goodness and blessings, in ruling and justice, in industry and science, in stability and security:
وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ (And on that Day the believers will rejoice * In the victory of Allah. He grants victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.)
Wa Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh (And Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.)