Muslim States fail to use events for the interests of Islam
The recent bomb blasts in the Saudi city of Riyadh, and the Moroccan city of Casablanca have been pounced upon by America to further her interests and send warnings to the Islamic world of impending US action. Whilst details of the blasts and the circumstances leading up to it have been sparse, notwithstanding the fact that no individuals or groups have claimed responsibility, America has seized this opportunity to project herself and her causes.
Within hours of the bombs, US Secretary of State Colin Powell, accused Al Qaeda and organisations linked to it of being responsible. Powell also said: “Terrorism strikes anywhere, everyone. It is a threat to the entire civilised world”
President Bush was quick to state the US perspective in all of this with barely veiled threats of retribution and revenge. He said: “ they will learn the meaning of American justice”, and went on to say “Any time anybody attacks our homeland, or our fellow citizens, we will be on the hunt…”
Rather than analysing the reasons for why it is so hated in the Muslim world and beyond, America has twisted and distorted realities to conform to its own agenda. American officials have denounced the Saudi authorities as being complicit in the attacks and for failing to recognise the presence of anti-western groups in the Kingdom. They have put pressure on the Saudis to change their education curricula, and teach Islam in a manner agreeable to America. And special teams of FBI investigators, police and intelligence personnel have already been sent to interfere and spy upon Muslims on the pretext of ‘aiding’ the Saudi police with their enquiries.
This should come as no surprise, since it was clear that America used the events of 9/11 to further her interests and foreign policy objectives despite the lack of evidence regarding the perpetrators. They used the opportunity to replace the regime in Afghanistan and to place many new American military bases around the Muslim world, whilst massively increasing their own defence spending. They created a climate of fear throughout the Muslim world, and gave the green light to their agents to crack down on all sincere Muslims under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
What allows Western States to use events to further their goals and interests is that they have an ideology, albeit it a corrupted and incorrect belief. The Capitalist ideology is a comprehensive set of rules and principles that provides a course and direction for a nation. It allows them to view all events and issues from a special angle. For example, in foreign policy the Capitalist ideology views all other nations through colonialism; whether it is economic, political or military. Thus, America uses events in a way to colonise the world for her interests, corporations and people.
In contrast, the sad reality is that none of the Muslim countries refers to or implements the Islamic ideology in totality. The Islamic world is characterised by a mixture of random bits of secular legislation combined with a few Islamic laws in the area of ibadaat (worships). Due to the lack of a single and comprehensive reference point Muslim countries lurch aimlessly with no vision for their societies or people.
Not being ideological means they have no clear aims, and hence they consistently fail to use events in the world for the betterment of Islam and Muslims. For example, take the multitude of injustices that have occurred recently. Muslims in the West have been interrogated and detained with little or no evidence against them. They have been deported en masse or refused entry to nations based on racial profiling, and the western media has been allowed to vilify them and Islam. Even the war in Iraq was perpetrated with no evidence, and was opposed by the majority of the world opinion, both Muslim and non-Muslim. Yet no Muslim country has used these events to defend or further Muslim interest, by questioning these double standards, or challenging western concepts of freedom and liberty. Whilst America views the attack on one of its people as an attack on all of them, Muslim countries remain impotent even when its entire people are facing attack or the threat of it!
In fact the opposite has occurred, and western demands are all too easily met. Take Pakistan, which has allowed the arrogant West to dictate whether it should have or not have nuclear weapons. Pakistan’s response has been to call for foreign weapons inspectors to enter its soil to verify its nuclear arsenal. Not one of the ideological western countries would ever concede their sovereignty so easily.
If Muslim countries were to become ideological, and accept Islam as the basis for all of their affairs, then events would not go against the Muslims in the way they do today. Take for example an incident at the time of the Prophet (SAW), prior to the Battle of Badr. During the month of Rajab an expedition was sent led by Abdullah bin Jahsh (RA) with instructions to gather information on the Quraysh. Due to the capture of two of the Muslims the rest of the expedition decided to attack the caravan of Quraysh. This resulted in the Muslims taking the caravan as booty, and holding a number of prisoners. Fighting in the month of Rajab was at the time still sacred, and the Quraysh were quick to use this incident as a tool of propaganda, and created public opinion against the Muslims in Arabia and beyond. The reaction of the Prophet (SAW) and Muslims was not a reactionary or defensive one offering apologies or concessions to the Quraysh. Although, they were under intense pressure to respond to the Quraysh they patiently awaited the Islamic verdict on the issue before doing so.
Allah (SWT) duly revealed :
“They will ask you concerning fighting in the sacred month. Say, fighting therein is a grave offence, but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the sacred Masjid and drive out its people therefrom. Tumult and oppression are worse than killing. Nor will they cease to fight you until they turn you back from your deen if they can” [TMQ Surah Al Baqarah:217]
This verse cleared any blame from the Muslims and there was much rejoicing in Medina. Moreover, it turned the propaganda on its head by stating that the Quraysh’s actions of torturing, threatening and persecuting Muslims for their beliefs was the greater oppression! This gave great courage to the Muslims in the pursuit of Islam throughout Arabia.
Only the Islamic ideology, implemented through the Khilafah, is capable of using events for the interests of Muslims and the propagation of Islam. It is the only means by which Muslim can deal with western countries and their hegemony.
May 19, 2003 www.1924.org
