Khilafah Magazine March 2003

Contents

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Khilafah magazine

Cover Issue3 Volume 16

Dhul Hijjah 1423 - Muharram 1424 - March 2003

Editorial

Muharram & the fall of Fir'awn

As Khilafah Magazine goes to print this month, the crusaders of the twenty-first century, the USA and Britain, are poised to rain down terror on the Muslims of Iraq. The Islamic Ummah has unfortunately become accustomed to the killing of innocent Muslims, the plundering of her wealth and the humiliation of her sons and daughters at the hands of the Western nations...

Events Gallery

The story of Musa (as) and his struggle against the tyrant Fir'awn is one of these stories in the Glorious Qur'an. It carries significance to the month of Muharram because this is a blessed month and it is also when Fir'awn was defeated.

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February 2003 - In an unprecedented fashion, the Muslim community held marches, rallies and pickets throughout Britain.

Altogether, thousands espoused a powerful message to rulers of the Muslim world; to eject US military bases from the Muslim world and cut off oil supplies to the US and Britain.

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1. Bank of England cuts Interest rates 2. Powell's Rogue Diplomacy in Asia 3.

Why Bush refuses to ease patent laws for Aids drug 4.

Indian government under pressure by Hindu fanatics 5. Sentence on Sheikh shows western jurisprudence bias against muslims

"The Caliph Abdul Mejid, his son Prince Omar Farukh Effendi, and the members of his immediate family were compelled to leave Constantinople during the night."

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Iraqi Update

'Kurds' and 'Turks' set to increase shedding of Muslim blood...

The UN a tool of exploitation by the Colonialists

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Image Consciousness

Exposition of Capitalism - The Corrupted Creed [Part 2]

Little did the children of the Muslim Ummah know the ugly face of Capitalism that the West had disguised behind a thin veil.

The true nature of the Capitalist Ideology can be seen from the philosophers who promoted, and formulated what we have today.

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The numerous faces of Michael Jackson over the last two and half decades have been the cause of controversy and much speculation for the public. All of this has been fuelled by a ruthless media, which over the years has produced the most fantastic of criticism...

Let us be in no doubt that the Capitalist world with the US and UK at its helm are colonialist countries; right from the very top colonialism runs through their veins and blinkers their relationship with all and sundry...

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Married life in Islam The existence of men and women in society, their attraction to one another and their desire to raise families gives rise to many issues and problems that need to be addressed. Islam has not left these problems unsolved as Islam is a complete way of life (Deen).

Morality - New war to justify terror

News from around the world

March 3rd 1924

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Re-establishing the Khilafah State is the Only Way to free ourselves from the oppression of the Western Colonial Powers

Allah (SWT) from the beginning of creation has ordained two paths for mankind. The path of Iman in Allah (SWT), His Messengers, His Revelations, Akhirah, The Day of Judgment, Jannah and Jahannam and the path of disbelief and Kufr...

March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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Editorial

Khilafah Magazine · www.1924.org · magazine@1924.org

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu,

"Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the Zalimun do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror." [TMQ Ibrahim: 42] As Khilafah Magazine goes to print this month, the crusaders of the twenty-first century, the USA and Britain, are poised to rain down terror on the Muslims of Iraq. The Islamic Ummah has unfortunately become accustomed to the killing of innocent Muslims, the plundering of her wealth and the humiliation of her sons and daughters at the hands of the Western nations.

The assault on Iraq will not be the first episode of aggression against Muslims and Islam at the behest of the Western nations. Only yesterday they attacked Afghanistan and installed a loyal and dedicated servant as its ruler. Similarly, they hit the Muslims of Libya and laid siege to it. They assisted in the theft of Palestine from the Muslims and the expulsion of its people. They occupied the Arabian Peninsula, plundered its wealth and manipulated the sincere masses, so that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States are now sinking under the burden of debt in spite of their huge material wealth.

The Muslims of Iraq are the latest target in the West's continuing crusade against Islam and its adherents. They are the most recent victims of Western aggression intended to weaken the resolve of the Muslims and detach them from their fellow Muslim brethren the world over.

On both the domestic and international front, Western governments are fearful of Muslim dissent towards the military action and diplomats have scurried from one Muslim capital to another to try and give assurances that this war is a war on Saddam Hussein, not Islam and the Muslims. It is the collective responsibility of all Muslims to ensure that Western Governments understand that the Muslims will not remain silent while terror is rained down on Baghdad and that they will stand up to their aggression against the Muslims of Iraq.

UN or the Houses of Parliament. We should be at the forefront of holding aloft the torch of Islam in order to extinguish the darkness of Capitalism with the light of Islam.

We are all aware that the West could not prosecute a war against the Muslims of Iraq if the rulers of the Muslim world did not allow them to land their troops in their countries or grant them facilities for passage via air or sea. Had they stood firmly in front of her they would have not left for her any dominance in any Muslim country and they would not have allowed her to monopolise any part of Muslim wealth.

We make du'a, with all sincerity, that Allah (swt) assists the Muslims of Iraq at this time of hardship, trial and oppression and that He (swt) follows the hardship with ease, tranquillity and security, whereby the Muslims of Iraq and indeed Muslims wherever they may be, live their lives under the shade of the Khilafah.

Undoubtedly, it is true that we witness few days of happiness in these dark times when the Kuffar have a free hand to spread corruption over the earth. Muslims, wherever they are, must raise their determination and their sense of honour and must not allow the disbelievers to cause them dismay, since the work for Khilafah is stronger than ever and the steps towards victory become closer and closer every day.

Our trust in Allah (swt) is great and our hope for His (swt) nearing victory is untouched by even a single blemish.

"Allah has promised to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land inheritors (of power) as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their Deen, the one which He has chosen for them. And that He will change their state after fear, in which they lived in, to one of peace and security; they will worship Me (alone) and not associate anything with Me. If any do reject faith, after this, they are the rebellious and wicked." [TMQ An-Nur: 55]

Dr Imran Waheed At this critical time, Islam obliges all of us to be at the forefront of safeguarding this noble Ummah from the plans and conspiracies of the Kuffar. We should be at the forefront of exposing the war on Iraq as a colonialist war to increase the West's hegemony in the Muslim world. We should be at the forefront of rejecting Western inspired solutions for Iraq, whether they emanate from the

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Khilafah Magazine March 2003

Khilafah magazine

Published by Khilafah Publications Suite 298, 56 Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4UB

Editor Dr Imran Waheed

News Editor Dr Samiul Muquit

Editorial Board Asif Khan Ahmad Jassat Jalaluddin Patel Abdul Hamid Jassat Sajjad Khan

Production and Publishing Mokbul Hussain Kosser Mohammed

Sisters Editorial Advisors Dr Nazreen Nawaz Ruksana Rahman Sameena Asghar Khilafah Magazine is a monthly magazine published in London with a wide distribution across the Muslim and non-Muslim world. The magazine is dedicated to articulating the case for Islam as an ideology that deals with all human problems, whether individual or societal. Islam must be understood ideologically and has a defined political and ruling system – the Khilafah System.We maintain that the 'Clash of Civilisations' is not only inevitable but imperative. As the Capitalist ideology dominates the world today, the only challenge to it must come from Islam.

We write to inform, inspire and create a movement for true intellectual revival.

No Copyrights Since Islam rejects copyrights and patents you are free to reproduce articles contained within this publication. It is our kind request that when doing so you cite the author and source of the article.

Translation of the Qur’an It should be perfectly clear that the Qur’an is only authentic in its original language, Arabic. Since perfect translation of the Qur’an is impossible, the term ‘Translation of the Meaning of the Qur’an (TMQ) has been used, as the result is only a crude meaning of the Arabic text.

Subscription details Subscription charges: £20 per annum including postage UK $35 per annum including postage USA To subscribe to Khilafah magazine please refer to: Internet Site: www.1924.org email: magazine@1924.org or write to:

Khilafah Magazine, Suite 298, 56 Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4UB

Reference Events Gallery

FEBRUARY 2003 - In an unprecedented fashion, the Muslim community held marches, rallies and pickets throughout Britain. Altogether, thousands espoused a powerful message to rulers of the Muslim world; to eject US military bases from the Muslim world and cut off oil supplies to the US and Britain.

WHITECHAPEL, LONDON - A large procession marched through Brick Lane many holding orange banners saying “End Western Hegemony of Muslim Lands”. Speeches were delivered in Altab Ali Park. Kamal Hussain described how Muslims should address this war according to Islamic Politics. Dr Ali Ahmed-Shuaib delivered a similar address in Bengali.

SAUDI

EMBASSY, LONDON Hundreds of Muslims picketed the Saudi embassy at 30 Charles St, London, W1. They called upon Saudi Arabia to eject US troops from the Kingdom and called upon the corrupt regime not to collude in the impending colonial war against Iraq. Speeches delivered

by Taji Mustafa & Dr. Imran Waheed. A letter of demands was delivered to the Saudi Ambassador Prince Turki Al-Faisal bin Abdelaziz following the picket(see http://www.1924.org/iraq_update/)

FOREST GATE, LONDON - Hundreds of Muslims, young and old, marched through the heart of the community on Green Street, Forest Gate London. They were carrying banners reading “Muslims reject western solutions for Muslim lands”. Two speeches were delivered at the rally; “US, UK & UN are colonialists”, by Hassan Mujtabah & “The treachery of the Muslim Rulers and our Responsibility”, by Ferdous Ahmed.

WALTHAMSTOW - A rally was held in Walthamstow Town Centre, where speakers Shahzad Khan, & Mazhar Pathan described the true motives for the war against Iraq. ”The war has already begun, because the first casualty of war is truth… To lie to your enemy is one thing but when the government lies to their own people, indeed that is a grievous and heinous act in itself.” said Mazhar Pathan.

March 2002 Khilafah Magazine

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News From Around The World

Bank of England cuts Interest Rates

The announcement by the Bank of England recently to lower interest rates to 3.75%, the lowest level since 1955, can be interpreted as a desperate measure to stem the slowdown in the economy and avert a deep recession.

Investor confidence is very low, due to poor performance of companies on the stock market, as well as the number of high profile scandals such as Enron and Worldcom.

Furthermore, the manufacturing industry is experiencing a severe recession with the CBI reporting 42,000 job losses already by April this year.

So, how would this rate cut affect the economy and will it be sufficient to address these problems? The UK economy has been experiencing a slowdown for many months.

However due to the continued high levels of consumer spending, the UK has not been as hard hit as other countries. However, lower than expected Christmas spending has begun to expose the illusion that has been papering over the cracks in recent years.

The Guardian released preChristmas figures that for every ÂŁ1 earned the average person was spending ÂŁ1.09. The last time that this amount of debt was being created was before the previous recession. Consumers are becoming increasingly conservative in their spending as job insecurity amidst a very big consumer debt problem begins to bite.

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The government hopes that by making it cheaper to borrow money (by this lowering of interest rates) will stimulate spending which will secure jobs and keep the economy ticking over.

This situation highlights the shaky foundations of capitalist economics.

In times of plenty, companies and governments overspend with the aim of increasing shareholder dividends and corporate interests. Banks and governments create money to fuel this growth and spending which seeps down to consumer spending.

But eventually, such illusionary economics cannot be sustained indefinitely; company valuations begin to fall to more accurate levels creating lower shareholder dividends in the stock market which lowers investor confidence.

Governments amass debts which are paid by the taxpayer and consumer spending falls to more realistic levels. This is the boom and bust cycle which we are experiencing, and the real losers are the common people who lose jobs, houses, assets and experience financial hardships as a result.

Jilani Gulam

Powell's Rogue Diplomacy in Asia

As the nuclear standoff continues between two rogue states, the US and North Korea, the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell visited Japan, China and South Korea in an apparent move to drum up support and to hold discussions with senior officials in the three capitals on "global, regional, and bilateral matters of interest, including Iraq and North Korea".

This standoff follows the discontinuation of American food

Khilafah Magazine March 2003

aid into poverty stricken N Korea last December, due to 'lack of congressional support' and the subsequent N Korean resumption of its nuclear weapons programme and abandonment of the nonproliferation treaty signed in 1994.

Why Bush refuses to ease Patent Laws for AIDS Drugs

It appears that N Korea is attempting to achieve two major objectives: firstly to get recognition by the US of N Korea as a member of the 'nuclear club' in an attempt to secure its autonomy. Secondly, it aims to secure the resumption of further foreign aid. Thus N Korea is demanding bilateral talks with the US on these issues.

Powell during his visit hinted that the US is a generous nation that adores assisting others when in need. He proudly stated, "If we can help them, we will, but we have to make sure that the kids and people in need are getting the food". However, reality provides evidence that America is a staunch capitalist nation that does not act on an altruistic basis. Indeed, if it did then the millions of children in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan, besides other parts of the world, would have been assisted and not be on the verge of ruthless bombings for its material interests.

American duplicity when dealing with others is very clear. The US pushes other nations to abandon their nuclear ambitions, so that America can maintain its hegemony, under the pretext of international security, yet America works tirelessly to increase its weapons of mass destruction. It was only in midFebruary that a British newspaper reported the increasing efforts by the Pentagon to invent certain nuclear WMDs that the whole world does not yet possess.

Oppression and unfairness runs through the veins of Capitalism. The whole of humanity is at stake as long as the US pursues its ideological reigns.

Wakil Ahmed

The US recently rejected a deal in Geneva which would pave way to loosen global patent rules thus allowing poor countries to import cheaper copies of expensive branded antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS. Drug patenting, the 20 year monopoly enjoyed by makers of new medicines, means a company sets extortionately high prices to gain maximal profits in the first two decades following the release of the drug. It is assured through a WTO agreement called Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

An exception to TRIPS was made in November 2001 called the Doha Declaration because of the AIDS pandemic now affecting 40 million people worldwide. The Declaration states that in such a health crisis developing countries plagued by AIDS like India and Brazil are allowed to produce cheaper generic versions of the patented drugs. The present obstacle is America not allowing these generic drugs produced by such countries to be sold to other poorer nations that are incapable of producing their own domestically.

So what accounts for the Bush administration's reluctance to ease drug laws that can reduce the deaths of millions? Drug giants Pfizer Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb made a profit $7,778M, $7,325M and $5,242M respectively, in the year 2001 alone. The political donations made to the US election

News

From Around The World cycle 2002 by the respective companies are: $1.67M, $1.14M and $1.57M.The total donation for that election cycle was $19.07M; across the industry, about 95% of donation goes to the ruling Republicans. Also an American tool called Special 301 (a list of governments the US may impose trade sanctions on) is used to bully countries to prevent generic drug copying and trading. An example is Thailand, which was threatened with trade sanctions and claims for compensation after the AIDS plagued country produced the antiretroviral Didanosine.

The role of any government is to look after the affairs of its people.

But the opposite is the case in the capitalist West where government works tirelessly to uphold the interests of the corporations. The US administration demonstrates the real meaning of the values it calls for, such as human rights and Democracy. That is, it has no care for human life or the will of the majority, in its desire to service the masters that brought it into power.

Of course this should be expected in a system that values economic benefit and interest above any other value.

Suhel Ahmed

Indian Government under pressure by Hindu Fanatics

Almost 8,000 Hindu fanatics gathered in Delhi for a three day meeting on the future of the disputed site at Ayodhya in Northern India.

VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), World Hindu Council leaders said this was the final meeting to devise an action plan for a massive movement to construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Hindu hardliners claim that the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was built after demolishing a temple, which marked the birthplace of the Hindu Idol Ram. This gave licence for them to vent their anger in 1992 by destroying the 16th Century mosque. The BJP says the dispute can be resolved either by the courts or through talks.

The meeting comes a day after the Indian Supreme Court deferred until early March a long-awaited ruling on whether to lift an interim order forbidding any religious gathering at the site. Following the meetings, the Police blocked the procession organised by the VHP, about a kilometre from the parliament building. The VHP have sought to exercise immense pressure on the Indian government, with the use of petitions, demonstrations and marches to lift the ban on the construction of a temple in Ayodhya.

To the astute politician, the stance that the BJP have taken on this matter should not please the Muslim in any way. The BJP seek to secure their term in government and to curb tensions in India to benefit their government's objectives; not the Muslims. This dispute has witnessed a spell of brutal violence in Gujarat in 2002, with charred and mutilated bodies, that were overlooked by the current BJP government and the world at large. Surely, when the time is right, then the wishes of the Hindu populace will be met.

It is clear to see that the Muslim and his Deen is constantly under attack and will continue to be so without a sincere Imam who can unite the Muslims under one leader, one system and one Aqeedah. Only then will the societies be cleansed from Idolatry and shallow minded beliefs, as demonstrated by Muhammad (saw) following the liberation of Makkah and his destruction and abolition of idolatry in the Arabian Peninsula.

Ruksana Rahman

Sentence on Sheikh shows Western Jurisprudence bias against Muslims

Saudis cost us another few hundred millions

Sheikh Abdullah El-Faisal, a Jamaican born London Mosque Imam has been sentenced to 9 years imprisonment and issued with a deportation order for allegedly inciting racial hatred and soliciting murder. The trial of the Sheikh was notable for two things; firstly, the high profile nature of the case that attracted widespread media coverage. Secondly, for the severity of the sentence.

Shortly after 9/11, a British man was convicted for inciting racial hatred in the UK courts; he had placed pigs' heads outside a mosque and had called for the Americans to use Nuclear weapons upon Muslims. He was sentenced to two months in jail for his offences. Similarly, a man in Scotland was recently convicted of inciting racial hatred by distributing anti-Muslim and anti-Islam literature. His sentence was just four months. There are a host of other cases from France and America; Brigitte Bardot, the former actress, has been convicted for inciting racial hatred for the third time for urging Muslims to be removed from Europe and attacking the sacred Eid ul Adha festivities. Her punishment was a mere ÂŁ3000.

It is very clear that the lenient sentences passed upon the kuffar who attack Islam and Muslims is in clear contrast to the severe judgements issued upon Muslims.

The light sentences given to the nonMuslims is reflective of the wider climate of attack and abuse upon Islam as shown by the West's 'War on Terror' and impending onslaught on Iraq. It short, it is seen as acceptable to defame and abuse Islam and will surely encourage others to incite further hatred against Muslims. By contrast, the sentence upon Sheikh Faisal is intended to send a message to the Muslim community that Muslims will be treated differently and harshly and for them to keep a submissive and low profile.

An American judge has ordered the Saudi Arabian royal family to pay $216m to the estranged wife of a dead man related to them by marriage. The woman was married to Sheikh Mohammad al-Fassi, who is the brother in-law of Prince Turki, the brother of King Fahd.

Having lived a life of Jahiliyah for many years in the rich suburbs of Beverly Hills, Sheikh al-Fassi had fled to Saudi Arabia when he and his wife had separated in 1983. At the time his wife was awarded a settlement of $81.5m, a sum that was never paid. The new amount of over $200m takes into account the interest that would have accrued over the intervening years.

The lawyer acting for the Sheikh alFassi's estranged wife said he would attempt to collect the debt by claiming Saudi assets in the US. This case shows clearly two things.

Firstly, the rulers who have been appointed over us live to imitate the non-believers in their lifestyles, leaving no decadence untouched.

Secondly, the non-believers spare no opportunity and make every excuse to rob this Ummah's wealth, and since all the money is stored in western banks, it's as easy as taking candy from a baby.

Tanveer Ashraf

Zubair Hussaini March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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MARCH 3RD 1924 "The Caliph Abdul Mejid, his son Prince Omar Farukh Effendi, and the members of his immediate family were compelled to leave Constantinople during the night."

"The decision of the Grand National Assembly in Angora was communicated to his Majesty in the Throne Room of the Dolma Baghche Palace by the Vali of Constantinople, Dr. Adnan Bey, the representative at the Sublime Porte of the Turkish Foreign Office, and Saad-ed-Din Bey, the Chief of Police of Constantinople, together with the Chief of the Police department of Angora. The Caliph and his party were then escorted to Chatalia, when they entered a special train which left for the Greek frontier." [The Times, Wednesday March 5th, 1924] Mustafa Kamal Pasha was a young man with a vision and a burning ambition. He was a man who shaped his time, the history that has come since and the present day, unlike any other leader of his land before him. He is Attaturk, the father of Turkey. He has claimed that title and the history books have recorded him with that title. Attaturk is remembered by many, not just in Turkey, but also around the world as the founder and saviour of Turkey. Turkey is part of Mustafa Kamal's legacy.

And what is Turkey?

Turkey is a homeland for the Turkish people. It is a developing country whose economy has been devastated by successive inappropriate or inappropriately implemented IMF readjustments, and incompetent policy makers. It is a country whose allegiance to nationalism makes Turkey distinct, has undergone ethnic insurgencies and infighting as well as losing all support from the people who would have once given their lives for the ruler in Istanbul. It is a country whose army jealously defends the secularism founded by its father, to the extent that simple Islamic duties such as the wearing of the veil, is prevented. Its secularism is so vehemently protected that the oppression and torture of its own citizens is permitted in its defence. In the history of the land

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Khilafah Magazine March 2003

Turkey now occupies, was the centre of a state that ruled over much of Europe and had the power both to guard its interests and influence the development of others. Turkey is now a country that has resorted to begging for inclusion into the European club, while in humiliation, it is repeatedly shunned. Even now it struggles to retain its territories, fearing losses to Greece and their own Muslim brothers and sisters, the Kurdish people. Turkey is a country that is now asking the US empire for $32 billion, in exchange for which the imperialists will be permitted to slaughter the innocent Muslims of Iraq. Turkey is a nationalistic, secular state where the word raised above all others is the dollar; where even the lives of Iraqi children have a price.

That is the Turkey of the 21st century. That is the Turkey of which Mustafa Kamal is father. Yet, Turkey is one of many and with appropriate adjustments, similar descriptions could be made of Algeria, Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh or any other of the Muslim countries. As unpalatable as the reality of what Mustafa Kamal founded is, perhaps it is what he destroyed that is yet more shocking.

Khalifah Abdul Mejid was the last in a succession of Khulafah that could be traced, one by one, back to Abu Bakr As-Siddique (ra), the successor of the Prophet (saw). From the Khulafah Rashideen, through the Umayyad, the Abbassid to the Uthmani, Muslims all over the world were never lacking a Khalifah or without there being a frantic struggle to appoint. Through thirteen long centuries from the time of the Prophet (saw) until Attaturk, the struggle between Islam and Kufr raged. Undoubtedly, for most of that period, it was Islam that prevailed, the proof of which is the vast expanse of lands populated by Muslims that exist today.

Indeed, it was a period of expansion, scientific elevation, mathematical advancement, exquisite arts, economic development and trade throughout the Islamic world. This was accompanied by

peace, security, low crime and the absence of corruption. All this notwithstanding, it was a period of intellectual elevation where human beings reached the heights of civilised behaviour through their crystallised understanding of the purpose and objective of life. This intellectual elevation allowed this development to proceed in a manner complementary to the nature of human beings and the universe itself. Naturally, the people believed that Islam was unstoppable and was destined to take over the world.

However, the Kuffar were not without their successes. The Crusaders managed to conquer much of Ash-Sham including Jerusalem for about 100 years in the 12th Century and the Tartars conquered Baghdad and Damascus in 1258. Yet these military defeats were always reversed, since the Muslims and the Islamic State founded themselves solely on the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Messenger (saw). Hence their motivation and reaction were guided by the light of Islam. How could they ever despair or deviate when Allah (swt) said in his revelation to mankind;

"Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their way of life, the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace." [TMQ An-Nur: 55]

BAGHDAD

We live in a time when Jerusalem has once again fallen. Now, once again the forces of a barbarous uncivilised military power have its eyes on the riches of Baghdad and the land of Iraq. No-one knows, but Damascus or Riyadh may be next. The example of those that have gone before us, their success in the face of enormous adversity, directs us towards the solution for this Ummah and all of mankind. For those with their eyes open, this solution is as obvious as the sun in the sky on a clear day. Strength and revival lie only with the Master of all the Worlds, the Creator, Allah (swt).

Today, something is different. Although Muslims everywhere know with certainty that victory can only come from Allah (swt) they find themselves impotent and without a clear path forward from their current defeated state. Everyday, hundreds of millions of heads are prostrated in prayer, and hundreds of millions of hands are raised in dua asking Allah (swt) for victory and protection from the onslaughts that have reached every part of every land of the Ummah of Muhammad (saw); but the suffering and attacks do not subside.

What is the difference? How can we earn the pleasure of Allah (swt) and His Victory?

The declaration of the National Assembly in Turkey in 1924, that the Khalifah be expelled and the termination of the Islamic political system be effected, is a topic that some consider to be irrelevant in discussions on the current problems that Muslims face and their solutions. Such a view does not contain anything that resembles truth.

Now is not a time for superficial or reactionary thoughts. Nor is it a time for empty slogans or shallow actions. This Ummah is slowly suffocating. It is in desperate need of a deeply drawn breath. Allah says in His book;

if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let the believers put their trust." [TMQ Aale-Imraan: 160] It came in As-Sajdah;

"Verily from those who transgress We shall exact (due) retribution." [TMQ As-Sajdah: 22] These are the words of Allah (swt), our Creator. It is very clear that the purpose of the life of this world is to worship Him. He has promised those who work righteously that He (swt) will grant them succession in the earth, and if He does that,

none can overpower them. He has promised that upon those who transgress shall be a retribution that they deserve. He (swt) has made clear that those that He (swt) does not help, cannot be helped. Hence it is only the one who has abandoned Islam that would fail to search for every solution in life from the guidance that has been sent down to mankind from above the seven heavens and seek His (swt) pleasure.

We now live in a time when Islam only exists in those individuals who choose to practise it. The governments in the Islamic world do not see any problem with ruling according to their own opinions, and inflicting oppression and injustice upon the people. We see that the economic principles and systems of Islam have been abandoned in favour of the usurious capitalist system leading to unfair wealth distribution, poverty and exploitation. We see that Jihad has been abandoned altogether, permitting the enemies of Muslims to attack them anywhere they please without retribution, such as in Palestine, Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya, the Philippines, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon, Algeria and Afghanistan to name but a few. We see that the Islamic penal system has been abandoned, encouraging the rise of adultery, theft, murder, drugs and alcohol in the Muslim lands. Most dangerous of all is that the Islamic thoughts have been replaced with the thoughts of secularism, democracy and selfgratification amongst the Muslim youth, encouraging them to ignore Islam and to consider it as irrelevant as regards the way to lead life.

Therefore, we find people in the Islamic lands admiring the one that cheats and lies; seeing him as being clever. While at the same time the malign the one who sticks to the Shari'ah, saying he is narrow-minded or backward. Indeed, we find more than 55 weak, disunited and bickering states that choose not to defend even a single interest of this Ummah, even though Allah (swt) said;

"Verily, this nation of yours is one nation and I am your Lord, so do worship Me." [TMQ Al-Anbiya: 92]

"And warn, for warning profits believers. I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship me. I seek no livelihood from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Lo! Allah! He it is that gives livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might." [TMQ Az-Zariyat: 55-58] Allah (swt) says in Surah Aale-Imraan;

"If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and

Thus it becomes clear to us that the abolition of the rule of Islam on the earth is clearly the cause of the humiliation of the Muslim people and all of mankind. It is not fitting for the believers today to solely blame Mustafa Kamal and the National Assembly of Turkey for the absence of Islam in the running of life's affairs today. Indeed it is true that they took the final step in eradicating the Islamic ideology from the earth. However, it must be remembered that this followed treachery on the part of many people including the Arabs, and inaction on behalf of everyone else. It also followed a gradual erosion of the Islamic thoughts and ideas to the point where it was possible for

March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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"Then whoever transgresses against you, you transgress likewise against him. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is with the Muttaqoon (Pious)." [TMQ Al-Baqarah: 194]

"And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight against you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors." [TMQ AlBaqarah: 190] In fact, it is not even permitted to aid Muslims in committing oppression and injustice, so what of aiding the kuffar to do so? such a catastrophe to occur. Furthermore, the Islamic lands have been ruled over by numerous different rulers in the small states that were founded, most of whom have been in a position to correct this unacceptable state of affairs. However, none of them, without exception, did so.

All this has happened, even though the enemies of Islam have openly declared their enmity towards Islam on numerous occasions and work tirelessly to completely achieve their goals. Eugene Rostow, who from 1966-1969 was undersecretary of state for political affairs in President Johnson's administration stated; "America must stand in the ranks that are hostile to Islam and on the side of the Western world and Israel, because if she acts contrary to that then she has disowned her language, culture and institutions. The objective of the Western world in the Middle East is the destruction of the Islamic civilisation. The establishment of Israel is a part of that plan. This is nothing but a continuation of the crusades."

The US empire currently has its eyes on Iraq and it is clear that all of the Muslim countries in the region have either chosen to remain neutral, or have in fact provided the imperialists with military bases, port facilities, intelligence, oil and other economic or practical supports. The pretence in the Arab league summits of a unified stance is shameful. A declaration was agreed to that no Arab state would aid a US attack on Iraq. Yet Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are the home of an enormous build up of Western forces. This, in spite of the fact that Allah (swt) says;

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"but do not help one another in sin and transgression." [TMQ Al-Ma'idah: 2] Regrettably, these ayat do not affect the policy of the rulers of the Islamic lands today. Since March 3rd 1924, the Qur'an and Sunnah have had no bearing on the running of the internal or external affairs of the Islamic world. Since March 3rd 1924, the Islamic world has been plundered, divided and looted. Since March 3rd 1924, the wicked have been raised and the good have been lowered, and disgrace has covered the believers.

Since March 3rd 1924, Islam has disappeared from the living of life. Is it any wonder therefore, that the believers find themselves in this dismal state? We must learn from those that have gone before us. If we return to Islam for our solutions, Allah (swt) will be pleased with us and make us victorious. What will it bring if we are to turn away? It is time that we return to Islam completely and comprehensively. It is time for the next Khalifah. z

Hani Jamal Eldin

IRAQ UPDATE MORALITY - NEW WAR TO JUSTIFY TERROR This past week the two leading Archbishops of the United Kingdom, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the leader of the Catholic church and his Anglican counterpart, Dr Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury both unusually issued a joint statement questioning the morality of the proposed war in saying that war inevitably brings "a sense of failure", they went on to state that recent events "show doubts persist about the morality of war against Iraq" and called for United Nations weapons inspections to be given more time. They also urged the Iraqi Government to show its total compliance with UN resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. It's unusual for such statements to be given much prominence, as within a secular society the voice of the church should not be to the forefront re political affairs.

Perhaps one BBC commentator was correct in opining that this could "prove" that the war will not be a crusade against Muslims!

The statements came following controversial statements from British PM Tony Blair the previous week in which he opened a new front in the war to justify terror, by stating that to leave Saddam in position would be against humanity.

Speaking before 1.5 million took to the streets in protest against the war, Blair said: "Ridding the world of Saddam would be an act of humanity. It is leaving him there that is in truth inhumane".

This new line of argument appears as all previous attempts at swinging public opinion have failed.

The supposed links to Al-Qaeda (one couldn't think of a stauncher opponent of Saddam), the nuclear programme which isn't, and the lack of any evidence of weapons of mass destruction surfacing despite supposed damning evidence from the Americans and British. Even the plagiarisation of a university student's articles and

passing them as "intelligence" reports have left the government clutching at straws. American tactics are blunter; demonise Saddam and his regime and use scare tactics to bludgeon US public opinion behind the "defence of all that is free". Sickening yes, but not ineffective amongst a population that is by and large easily led.

What of this new "Moral" argument. The pursuit of what is inherently or morally right is a noble gesture, but the evidence as usual does not stack up. No one would question the appalling track record of murder and oppression of Saddam, and doubtless the Muslim Ummah will rejoice with his removal. A removal which must be by Muslims and to replace him with an Islamic system. Yet Blair's argument gets very thin when we recall that it was the British that installed him and have supported him throughout most of his brutal term.

How ironic too that the torture chambers that Blair, Straw, et al are now graphically describing are fully stocked with the electric stun guns, racks, and other assorted weapons of torture for which the British lead the world in manufacture.

The imperative to remove an oppressor who routinely kills his and neighbouring peoples also seems out of place when we consider that both the US and UK supported first Khomeini and then Saddam in the appalling 10 year gulf war. The Ummah has not forgotten that the blood of Muslims on both sides of that most wasteful of conflicts, was spilt by Western weapons that were eagerly supplied to both sides, achieving objectives of weakening major Muslim powers and selling arms at the same time. No surprise that Blair can reel out the names and types of nerve and other biological weapons at Saddam's disposal, again the British started this supply, and at a time when they knew fully well what type of monster they were feeding.

Perhaps the most difficult of dilemmas for the moralists amongst us is to reconcile the latest Blair argument that the peoples of Iraq have suffered for 12 years under severe sanctions, and that to remove Saddam would lift this appalling burden. Who better to know the effect of sanctions than the governments (British and US) that have consistently supported them, against increasing international pressure? How bizarre, to try and weigh the innocent loss of life via UN sanctions against the innocent loss of life from Western bombing and what will be the ugliest of wars in a country where the majority are defenceless children. Another alternative argument merely says you save a lot of life by removing sanctions and not going to war! Even government officials are now admitting (or highlighting) that the sanctions have not hurt Saddam, which merely confirms the fact that they have been directed solely at the Iraqi Muslim population.

A recent US Presidential address to his troops, shows the true face of this special brand of US/UK "morality". In Mayport Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, Bush told hundreds of naval personnel on the eve of war that rules of war would not apply to terrorists. "On 9-11, the terrorists brought the war to us - now, we are taking it to them." He called terrorists "coldblooded thugs" and "outlaws". We saw similar rhetoric before many thousands of Afghans lost their lives in the last war. That this was directed to US servicemen on the way to the Gulf can only mean that the Iraqis are the latest in a long distinguished list to be labelled as terrorists.

Earlier, the US public was told that Saddam is using his own citizens as human shields. Pentagon reports claimed that the Iraqi army was hiding within the Iraqi citizenry. The Pentagon has also shown satellite images of what it claimed were missile launchers "parked" outside mosques.

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Images and reports which are remarkably similar to those that weapons inspectors have been discrediting for many weeks.

Last month, Iraq "experts" Frank Gaffney and Richard Perle said that the chemical and biological weapons in Iraq's possession were hidden in private homes of Iraqi citizens, in hospitals, universities and mosques.

All these locations have effectively been made fair game, and because the terrorist regime in Washington has warned that Saddam is hiding them there, the atrocities about to be committed will be Saddam's fault. Lest we forget, the US would "never wilfully commit a war crime" in their pursuit of freedom, defence of the homeland, etc. and if you doubt my statement, remember that US soldiers are exempted from the International Crimes Court which holds military personnel accountable for war crimes. And who exempted them from that? You guessed it, the US.

Jamal Harwood

'KURDS' AND 'TURKS' SET TO INCREASE SHEDDING OF MUSLIM BLOOD

Hoshyar Zebari said: "We will oppose any Turkish military intervention. This is our decision."

"Nobody should [think] we are bluffing on this issue. This is a very serious matter. Any intervention, under whatever pretext, will lead to clashes."

These warnings were issued as Turkey finalises agreements with the US in which they will trade assistance in the destruction of Iraq in return for financial gains. The Turks have insisted that they be allowed to protect their interests in northern Iraq. Two of these interests include the prevention of an independent Kurdish State, and prevention of Kurdish forces moving into the oil rich cities of Kirkuk and Mosul.

The Kurds have been used and sacrificed by a host of powers over the last century, and they continue to be used to facilitate western objectives. There is every sign that the Americans will accede to Turkish demands in return for the ability to launch war on Iraq from two fronts. As a result it may be in American interests to preoccupy the Turks and the Kurds in a war in northern Iraq, rather than allow the Kurds any part in the post Saddam Iraq.

The Americans indeed have revealed recently that they are considering direct administration of Iraq, having for years toyed with the idea of allowing Iraqi opposition groups to form a government.

One may ask, why is it that Muslims are preoccupied with infighting in a region that the western powers are planning to invade? How can it be that they don't put aside their differences and stand as a block against western forces?

As the majority of the Muslim world anxiously thinks of ways to prevent catastrophe in Iraq, things look set to go from bad to worse. This week indications of a wider conflict surfaced, when Iraqi Kurds warned there would be clashes if Turkish government troops crossed over the Iraqi border.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and its rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), who have controlled northern Iraq since 1991 have both issued warnings. KDP spokesman 12

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The reality is that whilst Muslims continue to identify with nationalism and patriotism instead of the Islamic belief, then they will continue to vie for their own interests and influence, and have little or no basis to unite. The Kurds may accept that the Turks are their Muslim brothers, and vice versa, but this idea does not go any further. This is because Islam is not the reference point in their minds. If it were, then they would realise that as Muslims they have little differences, and are forbidden from harming each other. Taken further, they would understand that Islam obliges them and all Muslims to unite under one political force.

Hence there would be no political differences between the Turks, Kurds and Iraqis, since all are Muslims, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds.

Islam would force them to present a united opposition to any attack from the western powers.

We remind the Turks and the Kurds of the dispute between Mu'awiyah and Khalifah of the Muslims, Ali (RA). During the dispute, the Byzantine King decided to take the opportunity to threaten the Muslims lands, and drew his forces nearer to the border of the Muslims. When Mu'awiyah heard

this he wrote to the Byzantine King saying: "By Allah, if you do not stop and return to your lands, I and my nephew (Ali) will make peace and come against you and oust you from all your lands. We will make the land which was wide narrow for you." Hearing this, the Byzantine King became afraid and withdrew immediately.

Some differences between Muslims will always remain, but it is for Muslims to resolve these disputes between themselves. They should also resolve their differences by the Qur'an and Sunnah, because they are Muslims, and Allah (SWT) has obliged this upon them, and the true justice is only from Him (SWT). The differences between the Muslims and the non-Muslims are vast in comparison, and the non-Muslims should never be allowed to have any say in the affairs of Muslims. Allah (SWT) says:

"And Allah will never allow the unbelievers to have any way of authority over the believers."

[TMQ An-Nisa: 141]

Tanveer Ashraf

RESOLUTIONS INTERESTS

SERVE

COLONIAL

Politicians seem to be clear that the UN is a gambling den, where winning is all about playing the right cards, and siding with the right people at the right time. However, the ordinary people of the world have a very different view. Most people see the UN as a beacon of humanity, working tirelessly to serve the peoples needs, and acting as a barrier against injustice and the designs of the greedy and powerful. In many opinion polls, it has been shown that public opinion around the world, and even within the US, would significantly rise in support of a war in Iraq in the event of a second UN resolution. This fact is built on the misconception that the UN is a power above the individual powers of the world, and that it is

motivated by concerns for human beings, rather than the interests of politicians. If one were to examine the situation carefully, it should become patently clear that the UN, its resolutions, and international law are a cover for the interests of the powerful nations.

After twelve years of sanctions in Iraq, during which time many of its weapons were destroyed, the US decided that Iraq poses an imminent threat.

The threat was heightened by the US capitalising on the bombings in New York, though there was no linkage with Iraq. It was always said that international terrorist groups had the ability to "acquire" weapons from rogue states like Iraq. Yet the technical grounds for action against Iraq were always based on the fact that it was in material breach of existing UN resolutions. These material breaches have been known for twelve years, and the US and other Western powers never felt the need to act upon these whilst it was in their interests to contain Iraq. Indeed Dick Cheney and Madeleine Albright are both on record as reporting in the past that "sanctions are working well". However, when the US deemed that "regime change" served US interests better than sanctions, then suddenly the material breaches could no longer be ignored.

The enforcing of resolutions in Iraq in the light of these material breaches are not without their own contradictions. There are many countries which are in material breach of UN resolutions. Notably, Israel is in material breach of dozens of UN resolutions. Yet, there is no talk of enforcing these resolutions, indeed any form of criticism of Israel is quickly vetoed by the US. Israel also possesses all manner of weapons of mass destruction (WMD); chemical, biological and nuclear. It has even used heavy weapons against its civilian Palestinian population. The world is used to seeing tanks shelling heavily congested refugee camps, and lately F-16 military jets have even fired missiles into apartment blocks causing widespread death and destruction. All of this is not enough to even pressure Israel, let alone force it to comply with resolutions, because the support of Israel is one of the most important US interests.

Another contradiction is demonstrated by the fact that the Bush administration has listed three countries in its axis of evil; Iraq, North Korea and Iran. Recently North Korea openly flouted UN resolutions by expelling UN officials monitoring its nuclear facilities, and announcing that it would be restarting its nuclear programme. The IAEA chief Mohamed El Baradei reported that North Korea has been in "chronic non-compliance since 1993". Here is a rogue nation that is clearly and openly flouting its UN obligations. Not only has it done so, but also it has openly threatened the US if there is any action taken against it including

economic and political sanctions. A senior official in Pyongyang said that North Korea was capable of attacking "all military personnel and all military commands of the United States in the world" as a self-defence measure. One would imagine that the US would be even more alarmed with the report from CIA director George Tenet when he said that North Korea probably already possessed a nuclear missile "capable of striking the West Coast of the United States". All this leaves North Korea, considered a rogue state by the US, in violation of UN resolutions and acting in a belligerent manner; a far more serious threat to the US than Iraq currently is. Yet, the US deputy ambassador to the UN Richard Williamson said last week "the Bush administration wanted to go down the diplomatic route for now". There were also reports that the US was not even considering sanctions for the meanwhile. Clearly this shows that the reason for attacking Iraq is other than a perceived imminent threat. It also clearly demonstrates how there is complete contradiction in the enforcement of UN resolutions and international law, and how these are subservient to the interests of the major powers.

The US has clearly stated that it will act against Iraq, with or without UN authority. This is a contradictory stance to take for a nation that claims that it's going to war to uphold UN resolutions, and prevent the flouting of "International Law". This clearly shows that the US has only its own interests in mind when acting through the auspices of the UN and international law. However, when these prove to be obstacles to its interests, it is prepared to disband them.

However, the US has not ruled out going through the UN, since it is reasonably confident that it can "buy" and "pressure" many of the countries in the Security Council to support its position. Apart from the five permanent members and Germany, the remaining five and Angola, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Syria and Spain all have major economic or military ties to the US. It has been reported that recently the US has opened its chequebook to many of the Arab countries, writing out billions of dollars of aid if it can count on their support for a war in Iraq. It was reported that White House officials have met with senior Iranian leaders with promises of aid if Iran abstains from involvement in the forthcoming conflict. Egypt has reportedly demanded an increase in its annual $1.3 billion grant, and Turkey is demanding a reported $14 billion settlement. Jordan has recently ratified a free trade agreement with the US and agreed a delivery of a dozen F-16 fighter planes.

do nothing, and the situation is in the hands of Iraq. The US has also been buying support from many smaller European countries by supporting their aspirations to join alliances such as NATO and also by pledging additional aid for their economies and their defence strategies. Hence it was again no surprise that Britain presented a letter of support for the US from a number of smaller European countries. The US has even tried to pressure the larger European countries that have voiced objections to war in Iraq by threatening aid and military co-operation. In this light, the support that other countries would give for another UN resolution would not be as a result of a legal, ethical or moral case for war in Iraq, but rather on the basis of the perceived interest they stand to gain.

Hence it should be blatantly clear from this episode that the UN as an organisation has no power, authority or will of its own, but rather acts as a convenient tool for the plans of the major world powers. In the current scenario it is clear that the US has decided to invade Iraq for its own interests, and it will gain any amount of UN resolution in its favour simply because it has the economic and military power to demand it.

Many people in the world who have a genuine distrust of US and Western ambitions in Iraq, have placed their trust in the UN as a voice of reason. It should be understood that their trust is misplaced, and they should instead voice their opposition to war regardless of whether the UN authorises it.

Though we have proved that the UN is nothing more than a tool of the powerful countries, it would make no difference even if the UN were truly impartial. For if one were to conclude that the killing of innocent Iraqi people is unjust, then this reality does not change regardless of the number of countries lining up to begin their slaughter, or number of UN resolutions that authorise it. One should also remember that the sanctions on the people of Iraq are as brutal and unjust as any planned war upon them. These sanctions have led to great suffering of an entire generation of people, and the resultant loss of life (in the millions) has been greater than the result of any war. These sanctions have been approved and upheld by the UN, but that does not in any way make them more just or humane. z

Taken from www.1924.org

Hence it was no surprise that heads of Arab countries and the Arab League met to discuss the Iraqi situation, with the conclusion that they could March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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THE UN A TOOL OF EXPLOITATION BY THE COLONIALISTS et us be in no doubt that the Capitalist world with the US and UK at its helm are colonialist countries; right from the very top colonialism runs through their veins and blinkers their relationship with all and sundry. Hence it came as not shock to the aware Muslim politicians when Tony Blair's foreign policy adviser Robert Cooper said, 'The challenge to the postmodern world is to get used to the idea of double standards...when dealing with more old-fashioned kinds of states outside the postmodern continent of Europe (Muslim world nodoubt included), we need to revert to the rougher methods of an earlier era - force, preemptive attack, deception, whatever is necessary to deal with those who still live in the nineteenth century world of every state for itself...when we are operating in the jungle, we must also use the laws of the jungle…What is needed then is a new kind of imperialism...'[Robert Cooper, 'The New Liberal Imperialism', 2002].

L

Indeed this view is hardly a recent development, even when Britain had lost most of her colonies, she still fanatically refused to denounce colonialism and, with dreams of a future resurrection of her colonialist empire, voted against a general assembly UN resolution 2326 (16/2/1967) which called for colonialism to be denounced as a 'Crime against humanity'.

The Capitalist world has been legitimising her brutality by using the United Nations, therefore the astute Muslim politician should appreciate the reality of the United Nations and the subsequent Islamic verdict.

The United Nations is a colonialist tool, created by them, used by them and eventually will be discarded by them once it has outlived its use-by date. In this article we shall focus on the United Nations which is the contemporary bastion of the concept of international law. We shall elaborate with meticulous precision the mechanics of how the UN is a colonialist tool and present some pertinent case studies.

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STRUCTURE OF UNITED NATIONS There exists a spectrum of views on the colonialist nature of the UN, on one extreme the sycophants suggesting that the UN is a non-biased internationally represented institution boasting a membership of 191 members, whereas on the other extreme there is the view of the conspiracy theorists who suggest that the entire corpus of the UN comprises of spies and agents all subservient to the whims of the colonialist US. The UN is structured in a way, deliberately by it's founders, such that it used as a tool which legitimises neo-colonialism.

By examining the various organs of the UN (http://www.un.org/aboutun/chart.html) the two bodies charged with adopting resolutions (ie laws/edicts) are the 'General Assembly' and the socalled 'Security Council'.

As for the General Assembly the UN describes its remit as follows, "The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations. It is composed of representatives of all member states, each of which has one vote. Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority. Decisions on other questions are reached by a simple majority. These decisions may be adopted without a vote, or with a vote, which may be recorded, non-recorded or by roll-call." Then comes the sting in the tail, the text continues, "While the decisions of the Assembly have no legally binding force for Governments, they carry the weight of world opinion on major international issues, as well as the moral authority of the world community." [source: http://www.un.org/ga/57/about.htm]. This poses a great problem for advocates of the UN route as a practical method for solving problems. The views of 176 out of 191 members of the United Nations who are part of the General assembly carry absolutely "no legal binding force for governments".

As for the functions of the General Assembly, the aforementioned source mentions 9 bullet points, extracting the all-important initial verbs, the text

reads as follows: "- to consider and make recommendations, - to discuss, - to discuss, - to initiate studies and make recommendations, - to make recommendations, -to receive and consider reports". A more realistic (compound)noun for the 'General Assembly' would be 'Talk-Shop' since not a single function denotes any form of firm action! The most authoritative task of the 'General Assembly' is to approve the UN budget and elect the nonpermanent members of the 'Security Council'! Hence we can see how the views of 176 out of 191 (92%) of UN members are automatically irrelevant since all they can do is discuss and debate and even the conclusions of their perpetual discussions have "no legal binding force for governments". A good example of this was how the UK treated UN General Assembly resolution 1810 adopted on 17/12/1962 setting up the 'UN committee on Decolonisation' which consisted of 24 primarily third world countries. Britain withdrew from the committee on 11/01/1971 stating, "In the case of resolution 1810, the UK did not accept the right of the United Nations to interfere in the administration of territories [ie colonies] for which the UK was responsible". Britain hence refused to co-operate with this UN resolution and blocked all attempts of the committee to visit British colonies in Seychelles and St. Helena. The justification for the effective snub? "...the UK did not accept the right of the United Nations to interfere in the administration of territories [ie colonies] for which the UK was responsible". A good example of what the Colonialist UN means by the phrase "the decisions of the Assembly [92% of members] have no legally binding force for Governments"!

As for the second body charged with the responsibility of adopting resolutions, it is the 'Security Council'. "The Council has 15 members-five permanent members and 10 elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms". Unlike the 'General Assembly', the Security Council is where real power is vested since its resolutions are binding on all member states. Furthermore amongst the powers of the security council are, " - to take military action against an aggressor" and "- to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or

stop aggression� [http://www.un.org/Docs/scinfo.htm].

Thus, as with the current case with Iraq, the Security Council can authorise military action. Clearly, therefore, power lies within this Security Council so what is the nature of this Body? 15 members, 5 of whom are 'Permanent Members'. The five Permanent Members hold an exclusive veto allowing them veto absolutely any resolution even if every other member votes for it! Who are the permanent five?

US, UK, France, Russia, and China.

Hence it is manifestly apparent from the inherent structure of this institution that it legitimises whole scale abuse by the 5 exclusive-club 'Permanent Members'. Given this, what is to stop the US from invading another sovereign country and then using its veto to block any resolution forwarded containing denouncement for her belligerence? Hyperconvoluted fiction? No. Reality. In 1989 The US

this plan to limit the ability of the colonialists and were prepared to veto any resolution calling for ratification of the UN charter. On this occasion, it was the USSR (Russia) who led the charge for the exclusive five with British secret documents from 1972 stating, "This effective...Soviet Veto has suited us very well. While the last thing [we want] is any general review which would call into question our own and the French status as permanent members, we have been able to appear less flatly negative..."

With breathtaking impertinence in a letter to the Secretary General on 30/6/1972 the British stated "Our real reason for opposing the charter review is a fear that it may threaten our position as permanent members of the security council" [source: Public Records Office (PRO): FCO 58/677]. The Muslims are correct when they state that the UN was created and maintained by the Kuffar to subjugate the Ummah and the third world. With an open heart we request the sincere in the Ummah to take heed of these glaring realities and desist from aiding the colonialist by calling for UN resolutions.

CASE STUDY: UN IN PALESTINE The UN being the colonialists' tool as highlighted has caused millions of Muslims to die and presides over the massacres of the innocent. It was the UN who created Israel with UN General Assembly Resolution 181 (Partition Plan) 29/11/1947.

vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning her own belligerence! How convenient, indeed the US has exclusively vetoed no fewer than 20 resolutions since 1983. Robin Theurkauf, Visiting Fellow at Yale University and wife of one of the September 11 victims, was correct when she stated that, 'We in the US like international law, specifically we like other nations to obey. However it is the height of hypocrisy to demand that others live up to their obligations while we aggressively reject the notion that we should submit to a legitimate international system of laws as part of a community of nations' [Milan Rai, 'War Plan Iraq' p.205]. And the UN is what legitimises this shameful neocolonialism.

Furthermore it is the UN who sat by as a spectator when men and women, young and old, weak and strong were being massacred by their creation Israel. Indeed the UN has failed to act and is inherently biased and favours the United States' interests. Amongst incidents that the UN has refused to pass as resolutions are those that: Condemn Israeli action in southern Lebanon.

S/16732 Deplore 'repressive measures' by Israel against Arab population. S/19459.

Condemn Israeli practices against civilians in southern Lebanon. S/17000.

Calls upon Israel to respect Muslim holy places.

S/17769/Rev. 1

ATTEMPTS TO RATIFY CHARTER THWARTED BY COLONIALISTS The exclusive five, at its helm the US and UK, actively work to sabotage any attempts to ratify the UN charter which would threaten their colonialist ambitions.

In 1972, the Secretary General (incidentally, approved by the 'Security Council') requested all members of the UN to submit ideas for updating the charter. Suggestions forwarded included increasing the permanent members of the Security Council (who wield the all-important veto), potential candidates being India and Japan, and limiting the scope of the veto. The British worked to sabotage

Draft strongly deplored repeated Israeli attacks against Lebanese territory and other measures and practices against the civilian population; [S/19434] Strongly deplored Israeli policies and practices in the occupied territories, and strongly deplored also Israel's continued disregard of relevant Security Council decisions.

Call for UN Observers Force in West Bank, Gaza [27/3/2001] Condemned acts of terror, demanded an end to violence and the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to bring in observers. [15/12/2001] Not only did the UN create Israel but it refuses to

condemn its barbaric activities. It cannot even agree to send non-military observers to merely observe the situation! Compare this scenario to Iraq, and how they swiftly the UN mobilised to attack.

CASE STUDY: UN IN BOSNIA Let us reacquaint ourselves with the events in Bosnia during the 90s.

The UN placed an arms embargo over Bosnia leaving the aggressor Serbs (backed by Serbia) with tanks, heavy artillery, mortars and ammunition and the Muslims with mere machineguns thus denying them the basic right to defend themselves.

During the natural subsequent massacres and gangrapes of Muslims, the UN set up "safe havens" in an attempt to appease world opinion demanding the lifting of sanctions to allow the Muslims to defend themselves. In one such UN "safe haven" the UN French general famously reassured "You are now under the protection of the UN forces", the few guns the Muslims did have, were taken away from the Muslims by the UN. The result: Serbs came and bombed, shelled, overran the enclave, "peace keepers" did nothing, mass gang rape ensued, at least 8,000 Muslims massacred and mutilated.

Serb "captors at one point complained that they were not getting a good choice of the Muslim women from Srebrenica" [David Rohde] Worse still, the UN not only created circumstances which facilitated the gang-rape of Muslim women but actually directly facilitated the Serbs, a summary of the UN "peace keepers"' actions is presented in outlines: A secret deal was made between General Janvier [head of UN forces] and General Mladic [Serb] in Zvornik on June 4, 1995, prior to the massacre; The intrigue and collaboration among Akashi [UN], Mladic, and Milosevic as the massacre was occurring; The handing over by the Dutch Battalion [UN] of unarmed Muslims to Mladic as Dutch commanders drank champagne with General Mladic; "General Van der Wind's [UN] debriefing specifies that on the second day of the handover of the Muslims, 13 July , 'Dutchbat transferred 30,000 litres of fuel to the BSA [Bosnian Serb Army] in accordance with Mladic's demands'" "Professor Mark Almond wrote: 'At the same time, the Dutch ministry of defence was busy shredding evidence of its dealings with the Serb general to get its men away, vital video evidence went 'missing' -thought Serb television showed enough pictures of Dutch officers drinking champagne with Mladic to make one despair at their subsequent promotion in the Nato hierarchy'." [http://www.haverford.edu/relg/sells/srebrenica/sreb March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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renica.html (B.Jagger's report)] With such overwhelming evidence proving the United Nation's accessory to murder and gang-rape, the Secretary General Kofi Annan, in a cheap PR stunt, was forced to 'apologise' for the behaviour of the UN stating that the UN ''gave the Security Council the impression that the situation was under control. ... The day before Srebrenica fell, we reported that the Serbs were not attacking, when they were. We reported that the Bosnians had fired on Unprofor blocking positions, when it was the Serbs.

We failed to mention urgent requests for airpower.''

So the colonialists disarm the Muslims guaranteeing protection their security, sip champagne with the Gang-rapists and murderers, hand over Muslim women and children for execution, supply fuel to the Serbs to drive the trucks which shipped the Muslims to their mass-graves, write letters advising against the use of air strikes against the Serbs and then offer apologies later on as if it were a moments rash decision!

THE UMMAH MUST DESIST CALLING FOR UN RESOLUTIONS

FROM

With such a shocking expose of the reality of this tool, it is bamboozling to still hear some fringe elements calling for its application! 'Maslaha' (Benefit) they cry, where there is nothing even remotely resembling benefit. From its charter to its structure to its policies it smacks of colonialism, hegemony, domination and humiliation. Furthermore the concept of acting on the basis of benefit is from the Sunnah of Nicolo Machiavelli who expounded in his treatise on statecraft, 'The Prince' that expediency should be the basis of actions: "In the actions of all men…we must look to the end. Let a prince, therefore win victories and uphold his state; his methods will always be considered worthy", hence the dictum, 'the ends justifies the means'.

The 'Ulema of the past were very strong in rebuking the ignorant who called for benefit in place of the revealed sources. One of the great Islamic Jurists of the past, Imam Shatibi (ra), stated in his treatise, "AlMuwaffaqat fee Al-Usul al-akham" on page 25 that, "The objective behind the Shari'ah is to liberate the individuals from his desires in order to be a true slave of Allah and that is the legitimate maslaha (benefit)…Violating the Shari'ah under the pretext of following the basic objectives/values (maqaasid) of the Shari'ah is like the one who cares about the spirit without the body, and since the body without the spirit is useless, therefore the spirit without the body is useless too".

Even the few scholars who did except that maslaha is a legitimate source of law were fervent in shackling the principle lest it be used as a carteblanche to justify absolutely anything (as is happening today). They laid down conditions, 1) It must not contradict anything in the Qur'an, Sunnah, Ijmaa as Sahaba or Qiyas and 2) The benefit must be Haqiqi (real). Therefore from its basis Maslaha is invalid, even those scholars in the past who did accept maslaha, would reject the UN because definitely it is not in the interest of the Muslims (!) and it definitely contradicts established texts. (For further evidences refer to Khilafah Magazine Jan 2003, article "The astute Comprehension of International law")

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These coward rulers have no intention of marching out and defending the honour of the Muslims, they have afforded the colonialists every last service, they only mobilise their armies to spread sedition amongst the Ummah, imprisoning them and intimidating them:

OUR CONDUCT VIS-À-VIS THE UN The United Nations is a weak institution which would easily collapse in the face of an intellectual exposé by a determined state. The British themselves fully appreciate this when they acknowledged that, "The UN is such a fragile organisation that any contentious dispute over its structure might weaken it further".(PRO: FCO 58/677) We Muslims should have the courage to declare the Truth and not be intimidated or acquiesce at the scoff of the sycophants. Indeed anything else would be cowardice and a severe negligence of our duty since Allah (swt) states:

"Then We have put you (O Muhammad SAW) on a plain way of (Our) commandment (Shari'ah). So follow you that, and follow not the desires of those who know not" [TMQ Al-Jathiya:18] It should not come as a surprise to us when we see some, even amongst the Muslims, rushing to the colonialists urging Muslims to support them since the Qur'an has warned mankind of the occurrence of such wretched people who appear deaf to reality and Guidance (al-Hudaa):

"Say: 'I warn you only by the revelation. But the deaf will not hear the call, (even) when they are warned" [TMQ Al-Anbiya:45]

"And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them), 'Sit you among those who sit (at home). Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them…"

[TMQ at-Taubah:46-47] Let us not be those who listen to them, and let us not be the idle spectators who silently witness the massacre of our Brothers in Iraq. We Muslims in the UK, can take a lead in exposing the fallacy of the UN, and showing how it is a tool for the colonialists.

In conclusion, the fact that the UN is a colonialist tool is well-known, but we have elucidated the detailed mechanics of the process by which it enforces hegemony, humiliation and oppression.

From its structuring to its charter to its policies, all are geared to furthering the cause of colonialism. Let us, therefore, discharge our Islamic duty and renounce the UN, expose it, and rally the Ummah together to create an alternative - the Shari'ah law the Khilafah! z

Sabure Malik CONDUCT OF THOSE ABLE TO DESTROY THE COLONIALIST UN

Furthermore Rafi' bin Khadij nartated that, "The Messenger of Allah forbade us from something which was beneficial (naafi') for us but Obedience to Allah and his Messenger is more beneficial (anfa')" [Sahih al-Muslim].

from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain amongst others - such is their slavish compliance! Writing in the NY times (19/2/2003), Stephen Myers notes that, "Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Saud al-Faisal, said in remarks published today that he saw no need for an emergency summit meeting, expressing concern that the divisions among Arab states might not be surmountable. Officials in Lebanon, which currently holds the league's rotating chairmanship, were also reported to oppose the summit meeting."

As for those who have the ability to destroy this "fragile organisation" and return the Glory to AlIslam, they are the commanders of the Muslim armies ie the rulers. We read that they cannot even agree to convene a summit, yet alone expel US bases

EXPOSITION OF CAPITALISM - THE CORRUPTED CREED [PART 2] Little did the children of the Muslim Ummah know the ugly face of Capitalism that the West had disguised behind a thin veil. The true nature of the Capitalist Ideology can be seen from the philosophers who promoted, and formulated what we have today.

apitalism is the ideology and system that emerged from the secular doctrine that the Europeans adopted after the fall of the Church from the political arena. One of the fundamental concepts that emerge from secularism is the need to preserve for each human being the freedom of religion, freedom of opinion, freedom of ownership, and personal freedom.

From the principle of freedom of ownership stems the capitalist economic system. Democracy, or the concept of "people sovereignty", is the political system that stems from the secular creed, but the political system is far less prominent than the economic system among the secular nations.

Although democracy delegates the power to legislate to the people in theory, those who hold the economic wealth are the ones who have the real power. The capitalist system in the West subjugates the government, and the policy-making of the West is almost purely driven by economic factors. From the capitalist economic thought stems the concept of benefit and interest, and the need to maximize the benefits and interests of the individual and the society. Such a concept provides the driving force of the West's political system as well as its foreign policy. Thus, the capitalists, those who hold the most capital and wealth, are the real rulers of the society. In addition, democracy is not limited to the secular creed; the communists also claim to be democratic and claim that the government belongs to the people. As a result, it is more accurate to call the system which emanates from the West as

C

Capitalism, with secularism comprising its foundation.

The Failure of Capitalism When President Bush Senior announced in his State of the Union Address of 1991 that he wishes to establish a new world order with America at its helm, the world was captivated by the idea. After all, Communism had failed, and Capitalism had won, or so it seemed to the world, and what appeared to be the stunning victory of the West in the Persian Gulf reiterated for many that Capitalism was a fact of life that bestrode the world like a giant. From day one, Muslims under the Western - sponsored educational curricula, were brainwashed to believe that it was that giant called Capitalism which lifted Europe from the oppression, stagnation, and darkness of Christian rule into the glory of the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, and that this same giant would lift the Muslim world from the "tyranny and oppression" of Islamic rule into the light of progress.

Little did the children of the Muslim Ummah know the ugly face of Capitalism that the West had disguised behind a thin veil. The true nature of the capitalist ideology can be seen from the philosophers who promoted, and formulated what we have today.

The English philosopher Herbert Spencer

formulated a concept he called the "survival of the fittest" (a phrase that Darwin eventually borrowed to use in his explanations of Evolution). Spencer believed that it was the duty of the economically strong to drive the economically weak into extinction. That drive was in fact the secret of Capitalism's strength; it eliminated the weak.

Spencer created the eugenics movement to stop the unfit from reproducing because he believed that the most humane way was to do what the economy would do in a more brutal way if left to itself. In Spencer's view, all remedial social welfare measures simply prolonged and expanded human agony by increasing the population who would eventually die of starvation.

Such thinking shows that Capitalism is an ideology based on exploitation, competition and ruthlessness. Such bases featured strongly amongst other founders of western capitalistic thought such as Niccolo Machiavelli (14691527CE) and his philosophy of "might is right".

Scratching the surface of the apparent glamour of Western civilisation reveals nothing but a sick giant struggling internally from exploding crime rates, uncontrollable social deviation, moral degradation, economic exploitation, and political hypocrisy, all covered up by the facade called Capitalism. Those nations who carry the banner of Capitalism themselves have a legacy of brutal exploitation and colonisation that has created a March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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situation where the Third World is drowning under economic slavery to the West. Such a miserable track record emphasises one fact; Capitalism has failed.

Because Capitalism made everything into private property, it left human beings to fight for the resources of the world in a fashion similar to the animals who compete in the jungle. According to the capitalist doctrine, anybody can acquire ownership of anything, be it luxury items or natural resources. The concept of free enterprise, or freedom of the individual to acquire ownership of anything in any manner, emerged from this thinking, and the capitalists hailed this concept, among many others, as the secret formula behind the success of their economic system. What the capitalist doctrine overlooks is that, in any society, human beings have different capabilities and resources, and those who possess more and acquire greater strength may prevent others from accessing these resources.

Throughout the history of the capitalist nations, a few elite who held the wealth of the nations were the only ones who enjoyed that wealth while the rest of the nation remained either close to or below the poverty line. In America, the implementation of Capitalism resulted in a situation where a few untouchables, such as the Carnegies and the Rockefellers, held the resources of the nation.

While those few individuals enjoyed a life of exuberance, the working class majority lived near or below the poverty line. This gross inequality in wealth has remained, between the nations as well as within the people themselves and today the vast majority struggle with the little crumbs of the cake that the major corporations, banks and businesses leave for them to compete over.

Today, it is a well known fact that Capitalism is at the root of the major discrepancies in wealth distribution, among the nations as well as within them. Although America has less than 4% of the total population of the world, it consumes over 35% of the world's resources. The capitalist economic system has created a situation in which a few nations control the wealth and financial markets of the world and exploit the rest of the nations for their resources. Because the vital resources are at the hands of a few, then those few elite influence the governments and policies to function according to their interests at the expense of others. Within America, the wealthiest 10% own over 90% of the nation's wealth while the majority of the people live near or below poverty.

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Such a vast discrepancy in wealth distribution does not exist in Islam because the Islamic system categorises property into private property, public property which includes natural and vital resources and state property. Through this unique categorisation, Islam ensures that the people will have access to the natural and vital resources of the world while maintaining a state powerful enough to supervise the distribution of wealth in the society. At the same time, Islam allows the individuals to pursue their luxurious needs while safeguarding against economic exploitation and corrupt practices by prohibiting monopolies, hoarding of wealth and usury.

nations millions of people unable to feed themselves and simultaneously a few people feeding their pets million-dollar meals. The axiom in Capitalism is, "If you can afford it, good for you; if you can't afford it, tough luck because it is Survival of the Fittest". Islam deals with this issue through its unique categorisation of the human requirements into basic needs, luxury items, and prohibited items. Under the Islamic system, the state would ensure that everyone's basic needs are fulfilled to maintain and preserve the dignity of the human being, and those with additional wealth would be free to acquire luxury items within the Islamic rules.

Also, the capitalists defined the human being as having unlimited needs, and that the resources of the society will never be enough to satisfy the needs of every individual. The concept of scarcity emerged from this thought and because of this concept poverty, famine and social deprivation are integral components of Capitalism. Even though the resources are abundant, the capitalists would create scarcity in order to maintain their economic system which is based on price fixing. The capitalists know that if everyone was free to produce to his maximum and utilise his skills, and the resources of the world were freely accessible, then the abundance of resources would be so tremendous that prices would virtually drop to zero, and access to the resources and services would be well within everyone's reach.

Also, Islam recognises that some things, while they may provide a certain benefit are actually deemed as providing incorrect satisfactions. Islam prohibits adultery, the exploitation of women as sexual objects, pornography, alcohol as well as other intoxicants and gambling. Because Capitalism is based on benefit and interest, then such a mechanism does not exist in a capitalist society. For example there is no limit to how much the woman's body can be used if the exploitation of women will generate profit or provide a "service". The economic solution of Capitalism is to ensure the maximum fulfilment of everyone's material benefits by any means possible, without any regard to whether they are incorrect or correct.

As one commentator said in response to the Gulf War, "War brings business, and business is good", which means that, according to capitalist thought, whatever brings benefit is considered correct regardless of the moral, ethical, or social consequences. This profit-driven thinking has led to exploding crime rates, the never-ending spiral of economic and social problems and the everincreasing deterioration of the social and moral fabric that characterises the capitalist nations.

Just to keep the prices high, the capitalists would maintain scarcity of jobs and resources, even if half the population would die of starvation. It is well known that the food produced by the Great Plains of America alone is enough to feed the entire world three times, but to maintain the prices for the sake of the corporations and the wealthy, the surplus food is burned. Adding to the list, surplus milk is dumped into the ocean, the oil companies restrict the distribution of oil and gas in order to keep the prices high, and the drug and biotech companies further restrict access to health care by blocking production and distribution of needed medication. In Islam, the satisfaction of the needs of every individual is the basic economic problem. Thus, the Islamic economic system is built upon the full utilisation of the human being's capabilities and does not put any restrictions on the production of wealth or the output of human beings in the name of "price fixing". As a result, the Islamic system inherently creates wealth and abundance in the society in order to ensure that individual's needs is satisfied, whereas in Capitalism poverty and scarcity are created in order to keep prices high so that the interests of the wealthy are met.

Furthermore, the capitalists failed to classify the needs of the human being and made the mistake of considering all the needs as the same. According to Capitalism, the need for medicine or food would be the same as the need for an extra yacht or jewellery. As a result, one finds in capitalist

Under Capitalism, the correctness or incorrectness of anything is subjected to the human mind, which is incapable of determining what is correct or incorrect. Since human beings suffer from contradiction, disparity and the influence of the environment, then the standard itself would be subject to contradiction and continuous change.

During the early 20th century, homosexuality was considered an abominable manifestation of the devil and today it is not only accepted as normal, but the entire culture of homosexuality is being enforced in the school curriculum. In Islam, the standard is set by Allah (swt) and does not change.

The rights and obligations of every individual as well as the state are fixed by the Ahkam Shari'ah.

The sources of Islamic laws, the Qur'an and the Sunnah, are very specific and well-defined, and not subject to the whims and desires of a few elite as in the capitalist System. Also, the methods for interpreting the Islamic texts as well as deriving rules in Islam through ijtihad and tafseer are very specific and well-defined processes with fixed rules. By clearly defining the source of rules as well as the methodology for deriving rules and

interpreting the sources, Islam guarantees the rights and obligations of every individual. In Capitalism, the source of rules depends upon the interests of the human beings who control the decision making, and such a standard is haphazard and subject to change. Because Capitalism did not establish any fixed source of rules or any clear methodology of deriving rules, but left these processes up to the whims and desires of the elite, then nothing is guaranteed in Capitalism and, instead the rights and privileges of the people are tossed in the air between the conflicting interests of major interest groups.

In the international sphere, the West, under the capitalist ideology has proclaimed itself as the leader of the world and has assumed upon itself the responsibility of taking care of the affairs of humanity. At the same time, the capitalist West has produced behind its slogans a legacy of ceaseless conflicts, bloodshed, exploitation and occupation under the banner of acquiring raw materials, securing jobs and wealth for their citizens or maintaining national status. Because Capitalism revolves around benefit, then the relationship of capitalist nations to other nations are based on imperialism where conquered nations serve as colonies to be exploited for the benefit of the conqueror. When the European capitalist nations conquered new lands, their motives were purely imperialistic. At times they would send missionaries to paint a facade that they were going "in the name of God", in the same manner that the Western nations today, driven by the same imperialistic motives intervene under the guise of "humanitarianism" or "human rights". They exploited the inhabitants, subjugated them to the level of slaves, and robbed their wealth in order to fuel their own economies. Under the dominance of the European nations, such countries were treated as satellite entities whose wealth and resources would return to the capital to satisfy the interests of a few elite. In order to keep such nations at a level of subservience, the Europeans would use political manoeuvring to create fires or install puppets who would maintain their loyalty to them and safeguard their interests, in much the same manner as the capitalist nations do today.

Today, the same scenario exists in which the Western nations maintain an iron fist over the wealth and the resources of the world through institutions like the IMF, the World Bank and the United Nations (UN). What commonly occurs is

that multinational corporations and other major institutions which represent the capitalist nations target a nation if it possesses a benefit or interest.

In order to legitimise its intervention, the capitalist nation would initiate a crisis or ignite turmoil through political manoeuvring. After bringing the country into ruin, the "reconstruction" phase would follow in which the victimised nation has no other choice but to seek the help of the capitalist nation, and the media is quick to justify to the eyes of the naive masses that a country like the United States is intervening in the world in the name of "democracy" and "freedom". In reality such nations seek nothing more than raping the world of its resources and leaving the country with barely enough to feed its own people. As a result, the colony would ask for loans from the capitalist nations or from financial institutions under their control, and the loans would be barely sufficient to maintain production of their resources.

Eventually, interest accumulates and the situation of the country becomes one of ever-increasing dependence upon the capitalist nation.

The current Iraq crisis is an apt example, but there are many other examples of this and they can be seen throughout the world today.

When Islam was implemented, the foreign policy of the Islamic State was motivated by only one purpose; to carry the Islamic ideology to the world. The Islamic State never fought for the sake of nationalism or tribalism or for pride or glory.

Never did the Islamic State conquer a people or a nation in order to exploit it or reap its resources.

Those nations that were conquered by the Islamic State were annexed to the body of the State and became part of the State, and the people who were conquered were not looked at as colonised people but as citizens of the State. The Islamic laws were applied universally upon all people without any discrimination given to any group or nation. In fact, even the capital city of the Islamic State moved four times. From Medina, it moved to alKufa, then to Damascus and later to Baghdad, all of which were lands that the Islamic State conquered. The conquered people thus took the banner of Islam and carried the Islamic message to the rest of the world. After the fall of Baghdad, the capital moved to Istanbul which was totally populated by non-Arabs. Nobody could imagine that the British would move their capital to Zimbabwe or New Delhi, nor could anyone imagine the capital of the United States moving to Seoul or Taipei all of which are colonies of America. This is because as a capitalist nation, America looks to other nations as colonies for the purpose of exploitation and not as lands to be annexed as additional states. The people living in the colonised lands have no access to the wealth or the system of the capitalist nations, and whenever they flee to the capital city or country in order to enjoy the wealth and prosperity, the immigration policy kicks them back into the sewer where they can live a life as colonised people. When the

Islamic state conquered new lands, it would apply the Islamic System upon them and the wealth of all the Muslim lands would be distributed throughout the entire state and not concentrated in the capital. Under the Islamic system the conquered lands flourished to the extent that during the time of the Khalifah Harun al-Rashid, the capital of the Islamic State was experiencing a shortage while the conquered provinces were prospering.

From this perspective, Capitalism has failed to bring unity or prosperity to humanity on the basis of benefit. By its very nature benefit and interest create division, conflict and disunity, exploitation of people and their lands. The capitalist economic system creates inequalities in wealth in which a few nations exploit other nations and dictate the policies of the world in order to secure their own benefit. Furthermore, within each nation a few elite control the policies of that nation and exploit the masses in order to maintain the status quo and secure their own interests. The foreign policy of the capitalist nations is established purely upon imperialistic motives, and the sole purpose of capitalist nations in forming a relationship with another nation is not for any ideological aim but to exploit other nations and people in order to secure their own worldly interests. Based on such a policy, the world suffers from conflicts sponsored by a few nations who fuel them in order to secure jobs and consolidate their grip on the world.

Because the capitalist nations revolve around benefit they consider the maximization of the interests of the people and the fulfilment of their desires as the driving force of any action and such a policy has led to the decaying societies that the capitalist nations are ailing from. Alcohol, rape, crime, domestic violence and other social ills are tearing the capitalist nations apart. Yet since drug counselling, rape counselling, and other businesses that thrive on these social problems collectively constitute a multibillion dollar industry, then the capitalist notion of benefit and interest maintains that such problems will remain to keep the industry of "crime prevention" alive.

The woman has been reduced from an object of honour and dignity to an exhibit to be displayed on the strip bars, night clubs, cinema screens and magazines of the world in the name of profit or satisfying the sexual needs of the consumer (what the economists refer to as "maximizing the benefits of society"). In the name of benefit, the capitalists maintain the degraded status of women and indoctrinate this culture into the entire population. All of these facts illustrate that Capitalism has failed, and nothing else can be expected from a system whose creed and fundamental doctrine, secularism, is incorrect and invalid. z Asif Khan

March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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MUHARRAM & THE FALL OF FIR'AWN llah (swt) said in Surah Al-Qasas;

A

addition to this Allah (swt) related many stories of the previous Prophets during the struggle and sacrifice in Makkah that the Prophet (saw) and the Sahabah (ra) went through. These Surahs were a great lesson for the Prophet (saw) and the Sahabah (ra). It motivated their souls; they carried the call of Islam, conveyed the da'wah and they learned to endure the struggle and sacrifice and worked with tawakkul (trust) and sabr (patience) for the victory as Allah (swt) had granted it to the previous Prophets.

The story of Musa (as) and his struggle against the tyrant Fir'awn is one of these stories in the Glorious Qur'an. It carries significance to the month of Muharram because this is a blessed month and it is also when Fir'awn was defeated.

THE EXCELLENCE OF MUHARRAM

"Ta Seen Meem. These are Verses of the Book that makes (things) clear. We rehearse to you some of the story of Musa and Fir'awn (Pharaoh) in Truth for people who believe. Truly Fir'awn exalted himself in the land and broke up its people into sections depressing a small group among them; their sons he slew but he kept alive their females, for he was indeed a maker of mischief. And We wished to be gracious to those who were being depressed in the land to make them leaders and make them inheritors.

To establish a firm place for them in the land and We let Fir'awn and Haman and their hosts receive from them that which they feared." [TMQ Al-Qasas: 1-6] These words of Allah (swt) are remembered as the blessed month of Muharram has approached us once again. Allah (swt) has blessed the Muslims with experiencing these months so that we may remember the former generations who called to the worship and submission to Allah (swt) and how they succeeded in their struggles against the batil (falsehood).

For Muslims the reference point for undertaking all actions and deriving laws is from the Qur'an and Sunnah of the final Messenger Muhammad (saw). In 20

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The month of Muharram marks the beginning of the year 1424 Hijri, meaning 1424 years after Hijra (AH). Muharram was declared the first month of Hijri calendar by 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) at the suggestion of 'Uthman bin 'Affan (ra) in the year 16 AH. The merits and significance of the month of Muharram are unparalleled. Ibn 'Abbaas (ra) narrated, "The Prophet (saw) arrived in Madinah and found the Jews observing fast on the day of 'Ashura.

He said to them: 'What is this?' They said: 'A great day. Allah saved Musa and the tribes of Israel from their enemies on this day and therefore, Musa fasted on this day.' The Prophet (saw) said: 'We have more of a right to Musa than you.' So he fasted on that day and also ordered the people to fast on that day." [AlBukhari, Muslim, An-Nasai and Ibn Majah]

"I asked the Prophet (saw): 'Which prayer is the best after the obligatory prayers?' He said: 'Prayer during the middle of the night.' I asked: 'Which fast is the best after the fast of Ramadhan?' He said, 'The month of Allah that you call Muharram.'"

[Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawud] Indeed the fasting of 'Ashura is of great excellence because Abu Qatada (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said,

"Fasting on the day of 'Arafah is an expiation for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it. Fasting on the day of 'Ashurah is an expiation for the year preceding it." [Sahih Muslim] THE STORY OF MUSA (AS)

Today the Muslims witness tyranny and oppression over the Islamic lands by the successor of Fir'awn, the U.S. and her servants, the rulers in the Muslim world. Musa (as) came to face similar tyranny and oppression by the Fir'awn of that time. It is on the day of 'Ashurah that Allah (swt) gave the victory to Musa (as).

Allah (swt) raised Musa (as) to liberate the people from this tyranny and oppression. Allah (swt) mentioned in Surah al-Qasas how he protected Musa (as) from his campaign of killing the male children.

The Qur'an relates to us when Musa (as) was born, Allah (swt) inspired his mother to cast him into the river.

Abu Hurairah (ra) reported:

"And We inspired the mother of Musa, (saying): "Suckle him (Musa), but when you fear for him, then

cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve.

Verily! We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers." [TMQ AlQasas: 7]

Musa (as) and Harun (as) went to Fir'awn and discussed with him to convince him of the truth that Allah (swt) sent. But Fir'awn was arrogant and proud of his power and wealth.

The mother of Musa (as) obeyed the command of Allah (swt) with no resistance. Imagine casting your child into the river, this is the meaning of having Tawakkal (trust) in Allah (swt).

And when Musa (as) came into the hands of Fir'awn, upon seeing Musa (as) Fir'awn's wife felt joy and convinced Fir'awn not to slay him. Allah (swt) reunited Musa (as) with his mother when he would not take the milk from others, so Fir'awn's wife employed Musa's (as) mother as a maid to look after him and raise him. And a few ayat later Allah (swt) said,

"So did We restore him to his mother, that she might be delighted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allah is true. But most of them know not." [TMQ Al-Qasas: 13]

"But non Believed in Musa except the offspring of his people, because of the fear of Fir'awn and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them; and verily, Fir'awn was an arrogant tyrant on the earth indeed he was one of the Musrifeen (transgressors) " [TMQ Yunus: 83] In reality Fir'awn's power and wealth was but an illusion. His power could not extend to match the power of Allah (swt) and the power of the promised victory the believers carried in their hearts and minds. Just as today when the successor of Fir'awn the USA seems to be all powerful and invincible.

The USA cannot match the power of Allah (swt) nor the power of the promised victory which the Muslims carry in their hearts and minds.

Allah (swt) said in Surah Yusuf,

This is a reminder that Allah (swt) will always fulfil his promise. Allah (swt) has promised the Ummah that victory will be ours,

"Allah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth…"

[TMQ An-Nur: 55] The role of the Ummah is to work with full sincerity and effort and to have complete Tawakkul (trust) in Allah (swt) and at the same time by following the method of the Prophet (saw) to revive the Muslim Ummah. Allah (swt) said about Musa (as),

"We relate unto you (O Muhammad) the best of stories through Our revelations unto you, of this Qur'an. And before this (i.e. the revelation), you were among those who knew nothing about it (the Qur'an)." [TMQ Yusuf: 3] Hence the story of Musa (as) is of the best stories and Muslims must look positively at these stories in the Qur'an and learn from them that the Ummah will one day defeat the modern day Fir'awn. This will happen by accomplishing what is fard on us today by following the method of the Prophet (saw).

"And he and his hosts were arrogant in the land, without right, and they thought they would never return to us." [TMQ Al-Qasas: 39] The U.S. claims that Saddam will use 'weapons of mass destruction' (WMD) against the West, Israel and other neighbouring countries whom Bush calls 'friends'. Yet it is this very colonialist nation who is behind the impending war on Iraq that is the chief supplier of these weapons, and it is the only nation that has ever used nuclear weapons in the entire history of human existence.

This arrogant superpower lies as it wishes hoping for people to accept what she says without question. For example, Colin Powell a few weeks ago 'confidently' described a compound in north-eastern Iraq - run by the group Ansar al-Islam - as a 'terrorist chemicals and poisons factory.' However the Observer newspaper described it as nothing more than a, "… dilapidated collection of concrete outbuildings at the foot of a grassy sloping hill. Behind the barbed wire, and a courtyard strewn with broken rocket parts, are a few empty concrete houses. There is a bakery.

There is no sign of chemical weapons anywhere only the smell of paraffin and vegetable ghee used for cooking."

It was 58 years ago that a fleet of American B-29 bombers dropped 1,665 tons of napalm-filled bombs on Tokyo, leaving almost nothing standing over 16 square miles. In one horrific night, the firebombing of Tokyo killed an estimated 100,000 people.

The U.S. has bombed Afghanistan as she pleased, she has squeezed Iraq of basic necessities such as foodstuff and medicine. She aids her henchmen (the rulers in the Islamic lands) in oppressing those Muslims who she considers as a threat to her forced domination in the Islamic lands.

Allah (swt) tells us about what Fir'awn said when Musa (as) came to him inviting him to worship only Allah (swt),

USA'S ARROGANCE AND FALL

"And when he attained full strength, and was perfect (in manhood), We bestowed on him Hukman (Prophethood, right judgement of the affairs) and knowledge…" [TMQ Al-Qasas: 14] FIR'AWN'S ARROGANCE AND FALL

When Musa (as) grew up he stood against Fir'awn and challenged his corruption and tyranny, he led the Children of Israel (Bani Israel) against Fir'awn and made them disbelieve in him and his tyranny. Allah (swt) said to Musa (as) and Harun (as),

"Go, both of you, to Fir'awn, verily, he has transgressed (all bounds), and speak to him firmly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allah" [TMQ Ta-Ha: 43-44]

"I want to be the bully on the block…" "…there is no future in trying to challenge the armed forces of the United States…" [Bush doctrine]. These were the testifying words of Colin Powell, the current US Secretary of State, before the House Armed Services Committee documented in the history of the Bush doctrine.

Today the U.S. is the modern day Fir'awn, roaming around the earth with arrogance and pride as if they are the Gods of the Earth. Like Fir'awn the USA is arrogant, oppresses the weak, whether they be the peoples or nations of the world, it breaks the very rules and legislation that it laid down such as UN resolutions and International Law. The Qur'an describes the nature of Fir'awn's arrogance and the similarities are clear;

"O chiefs! I know not that you have an Ilah other than me, so kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of clay), and set up for me a Sarhan (a lofty tower, or palace) in order that I may look at (or look for) the Ilah of Musa, and verily I think that he (Musa) is one of the liars." [TMQ Al-Qasas: 38] The U.S. supplies nations with weapons to kill the Muslims. Israel is one of the biggest buyers of U.S. arms, and much of the trade is financed with the $US2 billion a year it gets from Washington in military aid. Israel's arsenal includes dozens of US helicopters (AH 64As, AH 1Fs, AH 1Gs); hundreds of tanks (M-60s) and armoured personnel carriers; and the biggest fleet of American fighter aircraft outside the US (F-15s, F-16s, F-4s and A-4s).

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In all arrogance Fir'awn considered himself to be a god. Today the Americans carry the same arrogance, as was made so clear in an article in Time magazine titled, 'America Rules: Thank God.' An extract from the article says: "American dominance brings the world something more, the American creed, we are a uniquely ideological nation, we do not define ourselves by race or blood, but by adherence to a proposition, a proposition so humane and attractive, that it has independently of American power, one near universal adherence, from Prague's velvet revolution to Tiananmen square, whose declaration of independence whose statue of liberty, do demonstrate us for freedom turned to for inspiration.

Individual rights, government by consent, protection from arbitrary power, the free exchange of goods and ideas, we did not invent these ideas, we inherited them, we codified them and now we propagate them." [Time Magazine, 4 August 1997] However, despite the power and dominance the US carries today, it is a weak and crumbling nation. It is nothing other than an illusion at face value. The US is the most indebted nation in the world, has soaring crime rates, it has record family break-ups, it has recently admitted its fuel reserves have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970s Arab oil embargo and most of the world hates her. Without the betrayal of the rulers in the Muslim countries the US armies would not have been able to step one foot in the Islamic lands from where she now bombs neighbouring countries.

David McArthur writes, "The US has been living off the savings of the rest of the world for years, now absorbing some three-quarters of the world's debt finance. The US government, corporations and people are now the most indebted in the world.

Altogether, the US has borrowed nearly $40 trillion, and needs $2 billion a day in debt finance to support its huge trade deficit." [rense.com] Any number of surveys do not need to prove the following point, however, in Germany a poll by the Forsa institute, published in the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper found that 57 percent agreed with the statement; "The United States is a nation of warmongers."

If the rulers in the Islamic lands had not allowed the US to establish her military, air and naval bases in the Muslim world, could the US ever have been able strike a war on the Muslims of Iraq or Afghanistan?

Never. As we will see insh'allah these traitors will be removed from their positions as the Muslim Ummah increases in her awareness of their treachery and betrayal. Once they are removed every colonialist base will be ejected from the Islamic lands. Where will the US strike her wars from then? Hence the idea of an unshakable and unbeatable America needs to be re-examined to understand with conviction the fall of this arrogant power.

HAVING TAWAKKUL (TRUST) IN ALLAH (SWT).

"Say, nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Maula (Lord, Helper and Protector). And in Allah (swt) let the believers put their trust." [TMQ At-Tauba: 51] THE PROMISE OF ALLAH (SWT)

Verily the Muslim Ummah is up against the Fir'awn of today and his assistants. We must learn from the seerah of our Messenger (saw) and stories of the previous Prophets such as Musa (as) and how he struggled against the tyrant Fir'awn and today we must do the same.

Allah (swt) said,

Having tawakkul in Allah (swt) means to work and fulfil the fard actions to the highest level and at the same time have tawakkul that Allah (swt) will very soon grant the Ummah the success. Our beloved Prophet (saw), Musa (as) and the other Prophets put their trust in Allah (swt) and this is the same trust we as Muslims must carry.

Verily the promise of Allah (swt) is the best of promises and it brings delight to the hearts and souls of the believers that Allah (swt) is behind the Muslims every step of the way with the struggle against the Fir'awn of today. Whenever a struggle between the Haqq (truth) and the Batil (falsehood) has taken place, Allah (swt) has made the Haqq triumphant at the hands of the believers. Whether the believers have been weak, disheartened or strong in number, the Haqq always remains.

As the Qur'an tells us,

"And Musa said, "O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims". They said, "In Allah we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Dhalimun (oppressors)." [TMQ Yunus: 84-85] Allah (swt) ordered Muhammad (saw),

"So put your trust in Allah, surely, you (O Muhammad) are on manifest truth". [TMQ AnNaml: 79] Our stance regarding the current status quo should not be one of defeatism and should not be one of despair and should not be one of just having patience. Rather we should understand Allah (swt) has promised the Muslim Ummah His victory, and the defeat of today's Fir'awn is not far insh'allah and we must work now to bring this defeat very soon.

Our role today is to work on the method of the Prophethood to re-establish the Islamic Khilafah state.

This victory will only be materialised once the Muslim Ummah has united under the banner of one Khalifah under one Khilafah State and as one unified force against the Fir'awn and his assistants. We should have the same attitude that the Prophet (saw), the Sahabah (ra) and the previous Prophets had. As Allah (swt) orders that the believers put their trust in Him alone,

"O Mankind! Verily, the Promise of Allah is true" [TMQ Al-Faatir: 5]

"(It is) a Promise of Allah, and Allah fails not in His Promise, but most of men know not." [TMQ Ar-Rum: 6] Therefore, Allah (swt) will insh'allah give the Ummah the nusrah (victory) when we have expended all our efforts in working to revive the Ummah and re-establish the Islamic Khilafah state.

The US, her assistants and the enemies of the Ummah around the world will insh'allah be another piece of history just as the former generations that Allah (swt) has informed us about.

"Did you (O Muhammad) not see how your Lord dealt with 'Ad (people) of Iram Who were very tall like lofty pillars? The like of which were not created in the land? And (with) Thamud (people), who cut (hewed) out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)?

And Fir'awn who had pegs (who used to torture men by binding them to pegs)? Who did transgress beyond bounds in the lands (in the disobedience to Allah). And multiplied iniquity therein. So your Lord poured on them different kinds of sever torment.

Verily your Lord is ever watchful" [TMQ A-Fajr: 614] z Asad Ali

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MARRIED LIFE IN ISLAM The existence of men and women in society, their attraction to one another and their desire to raise families gives rise to many issues and problems that need to be addressed. Islam has not left these problems unsolved as Islam is a complete way of life (Deen).

amily life plays a very important role in the life of the Muslim community as a whole.

The family unit comes into being when a man and woman decide to get married. Islam recognises man and his instinct and provides answers to the questions that arise as a result of his instincts. How should the furthering of the human race take place? How should the innate attraction between men and women and the need for companionship, love and affection be satisfied? In Islam, marriage is the primary relationship by which many of these issues are addressed.

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marrying Muslims from the Islamic lands. She said; "It just happens that the Bangladeshi and the Pakistani community are Muslims and they happen to be the people who persist in the practice of bringing in husbands and wives from the subcontinent. The Sikhs and Hindus are doing extremely well both academically and economically and I think that it is due to the fact they don't pursue this practice. It would be better if they selected the partners for their children from the sort of home-grown variety of Muslim Asians - that's what I would prefer to see." (BBC Online, 13/06/02)

Attack on marriage within the Muslim community

Some may see this as a well- intentioned observation, however closer scrutiny reveals many hidden dangers in her statement. She tries pushing the idea of "home grown" ie British Muslims being different from Muslims from the Islamic lands. This is part of an attempt to divide the Muslims in Britain from the global Islamic ummah. Islam says that all Muslims are part of one ummah without differentiation. So Muslims can marry other Muslims regardless of race, or nationality. If Muslims want to marry Muslims brought up in Britain, fine. If they want to marry

After the September 11th attacks in America, Muslims have borne the brunt of a military attack on Afghanistan as well as an impending attack on Iraq. There has also been an intensification of the intellectual attack on the values, concepts and the sharee'ah rules of Islam. Islamic marriage is one of the institutions that have been attacked intellectually. Ann Cryer, a British Labour MP, attacked the practice of Muslims in Britain

Muslims from back home, that is also fine.

Marrying people from the Islamic lands is one way Muslims here can maintain a link with those lands. Why has this politician focused on the Muslim community? When a non-Muslim from London marries a non-Muslim from Asia, Ann Cryer and others see it as an interesting cultural exchange, not a source of economic and academic backwardness. David Blunkett, the British Home Secretary also recently called on immigrants "‌ to learn to speak English and adopt 'British norms,'" including the norms regarding marriage.

Also, recent discussion in the media about forced marriages has only focussed on Muslim marriages, often portraying all Muslim marriages as ones in which all women are oppressed.

Having portrayed Muslims marriages as problematic and leading to the abuse of women, the same western politicians, journalists and commentators have also offered us their solutions in order for us to leave the Islamic values for western values. These are some of the manifestations of the intellectual attack on marriage amongst Muslims.

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How the West regulates relations between men and women What are the norms the capitalist West invites us to adopt? Looking at Britain or any other western society, you do not have to go far to see the state of relations between men and women. The relationship is generally reduced to one where the focus is on sex and enjoyment. The evaluation of partners comes down to how 'sexy' he\she is. The demand for sexual gratification is a constant and absorbing pursuit. Coupled with this is their belief that variety is indeed the spice of life, so whilst with one girlfriend or wife, they are always on the look out for other partners with whom they hope to have better sex and enjoyment. So people have countless affairs, and multiple sexual partners. Indeed, tabloid newspapers provide a daily diet of the latest man\woman found cheating on a partner, whether these are politicians, celebrities or common people. Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, John Major and Edwina Currie are classic examples of this from both sides of the Atlantic. For many westerners, adultery is not a matter to be ashamed off.

Capitalism promotes the idea that people should be free to enter into any type of relationships provided sex and enjoyment is attained. So casual affairs, one night stands, cohabiting, same sex relationships as well as marriage between men and women are all acceptable forms of relationships. Inevitably people look for enjoyment without responsibilities. Many men will desert the woman if she gets pregnant, because after they have had their fun, the burden of rearing children is not on their agenda.

As a consequence, thousands of children in the UK grow up only knowing one of their parents.

Many women are left emotionally hurt after being dumped for a woman who wears a shorter skirt.

Many men are emotionally hurt when dumped for a man who is better looking. This makes mutual distrust the norm between men and women, leading to the breakdown in social relations in western capitalist societies that we are all witnessing.

When westerners attack the concept of marriage in Islam, we should remind them of the chaos and corruption that has been created by western ideals of freedom and sexual liberation. We must reject these capitalist ideals as they contradict the sharee'ah rules that came to regulate man's relationships.

Islam is a deen that solves problems between men and women The fact is that men and women have a natural attraction for each other; this is the nature that Allah (swt) created them with. In this issue, like 24

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all other matters, Islam came to regulate this relationship and provide rules for all of the issues that stem from it.

In Islam, marriage is the stipulated relationship within which the human need for procreation is satisfied. We therefore need to clarify the exact reality of marriage in Islam and the Islamic solutions to the many problems that can occur in marital life. This ensures we protect ourselves from the freedom-inspired solutions of the capitalist way of life. It also enables us to reject the un-Islamic customs and traditions related to marriage within the Muslim community which themselves lead to many family problems.

What to look for when seeking a marriage partner With respect to marriage, finding a partner is the first issue we face. For some Muslim brothers, the most important criterion when looking for a wife is that she must be as beautiful as a supermodel.

This is the effect of the shallow western popular culture which places great emphasis on looks and beauty. In the West (and in many Muslim countries) women in adverts are beautiful, movie stars are beautiful, and women who are not so beautiful are always being pushed to find ways to be beautiful. For some Muslim sisters, the most important criterion is the partner's wealth and status. So she may reject a teacher or restaurant worker (who has taqwa) because he earns less than ÂŁ25,000 and is not a lawyer or a doctor. This is because society places great emphasis on wealth and status. For some parents, the most important criterion for a partner for their son or daughter is that he comes from the same tribe or country. So some Pakistanis would refuse a Bengali, some Bengalis would refuse a Pakistani, some Arabs would refuse Africans, some Africans would refuse Arabs and some Mirpuris would refuse Jhelumis. The ideas of nationalism and tribalism rear their ugly heads at these times even though Islam made them haram. Parents who refuse prospective partners on this un-Islamic basis cause immense corruption and frustration in the lives of this noble ummah. More often each year we see young Muslim men and women who are attracted to each other running away from home, or having haram relationships. Facing this form of oppression caused them to stop trusting their parents and respecting their feelings, so they even lost their respect for the Islamic rules about these issues. Such parents should remember the warning of our Prophet (saw). Abu Hatim alMuzni (ra) narrated;

"When someone proposes for your daughter and his character and morals are agreeable to you, then give to him in marriage. If you do not there will be tribulation and immense corruption in the earth."

Islam made clear what we should look for in a partner. Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) said;

"A woman is married for four things; her wealth, lineage, beauty and Islamic character (deen). So gain success with the one who possesses a good character (deen)." So the most important thing to look for in a partner is their Islamic character, though that is not the only thing one can look for. After all, which man will care for his wife properly except the one who has taqwa? Which woman will raise pious Muslim children except the one who has taqwa? We are allowed to seek beautiful women or men from good family backgrounds who are wealthy, but the most important factor is their deen. What a bonus it is if one finds a partner with good deen, wealth, lineage and beauty?

Married life in Islam Once a partner has been found and married life begins, the husband and wife are faced with a whole new set of issues. What is each partner's role and what rights does each one have over the other? To answer these questions, we need to look to the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and how he resolved the issues that arose between him and his wives.

Within a Muslim marriage, both partners should seek to create love, affection and mercy as this leads to tranquillity for both partners.

Allah (swt) said

"It is He Who has created you from a single person, and He has created from him his wife, in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her." [TMQ Al- Araf: 189]

"And among his signs is this, that he created for

you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and he has put between both of you affection and mercy." [TMQ Ar- Rum: 21].

Rights of husbands and wives What are the rights due to the wife from the husband? What are the rights due to the husband from the wife? Islam resolves this by stipulating the rights of either partner.

"And they (women) have rights (over their husbands) similar (to those of their husbands) over them, in reasonable terms." [TMQ AlBaqarah: 228] This means women have marital rights over men and men have rights over women. That is why Ibn 'Abbas said; "Indeed I spruce myself up for my wife and she adorns herself for me, and I love that I should redeem all the rights I have over my wife, so that she should redeem all the rights she has over me."

Women have the financial right to maintenance from their husbands, but they also have the right of good companionship and intimacy as Allah (swt) has ordered;

"And live with them honourably". [TMQ AnNisa: 19] On the other hand men have the right to be obeyed by their wives. Bukhari reported that the Prophet said;

"It is not allowed for a woman to fast without the permission of her husband whilst he is present, nor admit someone to his house without his permission and whatever she spends of his wealth (on charitable purposes) without his permission, half the reward will go to him."

The man also has the right that she does not mix with those of whom he does not approve.

Part of the woman's right to intimacy is that her husband should not frown at her without reason, he must be cheerful when speaking to her and not rude or harsh, nor should he show attraction to other women.

would play with them, be mild-mannered toward them and have fun with them to the extent that he used to race with 'A'isha (ra), the mother of the believers, and with that win her love. She said; "Allah's Messenger (saw) raced me and I beat him, that was before I gained weight. Later I raced him when I had put on some weight, so he beat me and said; "This was (in return) for that (time when you had beaten me)." The Prophet (saw) after praying 'Isha would spend a short part of the evening chatting with his wives before sleeping, thereby creating a friendly atmosphere.

So a husband should be a friend to his wife, and kind when he requests something from her, to the extent that if he desires her he should choose the best situation and condition suitable for her. Ibn Majah reported that the Prophet (saw) said;

"The best amongst you are the ones who are best to their wives."

Unfortunately, nowadays some men have adopted some non-Islamic traditions with regards to the treatment of their wives. They believe that the fact that they paid a dowry and that they earn money to maintain their wife gives them the right to treat them harshly and rudely. They criticize their wife over any little mistake instead of overlooking it. This leads to a married life devoid of intimacy and affection, which contradicts what we learnt from our Prophet (saw), who had a close relationship with his wives.

Husbands and wives must find time and ways to build and grow a close relationship. They must find time to share their day's experiences. For example, on returning from work the husband should enquire about her day. How did she cope with looking after the children that day? How did she deal with the cleaning, cooking and all other tasks? What do they both need to do in order to develop the Islamic understanding of their children? How can he help with any of her tasks?

Wives should also ensure that they take an interest in the issues the husband is facing at work or elsewhere, as she may be able to console or help him. The sharing of each other's joys, anxieties and problems leads to a cementing of the bonds of love between husbands and wives.

He should also compliment her often and dress smartly to impress her. She should also keep herself attractive for him so their love for each other is rekindled again and again. They should also make efforts to strengthen each other's Iman by praying tahajjud together, as well as sharing Islamic articles and books that broaden their understanding of the Islamic culture.

Leadership has been granted to the husband

It has been narrated from the Prophet (saw) that he had a close relationship with his wives, he

Who should have the final say? Who is the leader

in this relationship? Since things may happen in married life that may disturb the order, Allah has granted the leadership of the home to the husband over the wife, ie he has been made a guardian over her. He (swt) said;

"Men are the protectors and guardians over women." [TMQ An- Nisa: 34] Guardianship of the husband over the wife and his leadership of the house does not mean being domineering or being its ruler such that no issue is opposed. Rather the leadership of the husband over the house is the looking after its affairs and administering it and there is no domination or commanding in it. Therefore, the woman has the right to answer back to her husband and debate with him and criticise what he says because they are companions and not a commander and commanded, or a ruler and a ruled. On the contrary they are two companions, one of whom possesses leadership in terms of running the house and looking after its affairs. In his house, the Messenger of Allah (saw) was likewise a companion to his wives, not a domineering ruler over them, in spite of his being the leader of the Islamic state and in spite of being a Prophet.

'Umar ibn al-Khattab said in a Hadith reported by him; "By Allah, during the days of Ignorance we ignored women until Allah the Exalted revealed about them what He has revealed and gave them a share." He said; "It so happened that I was thinking about some matter when my wife said; 'I wish that you had done so and so'. I said to her; "It does not concern you, and you should not interfere in what I intend to do." She said to me; 'How strange is it that you, son of Khattab, do not like anyone to answer you back, whereas your daughter answers back Allah's Messenger (saw) until he spends the day in vexation'. Umar said; "I took hold of my cloak, then came out of my house until I visited Hafsa and said to her; O daughter, (I heard) that you answer back to Allah's Messenger (saw) until he spends the day in vexation." Hafsa said; 'By Allah, we do answer him back'. From this it becomes clear that the meaning of the man's guardianship over the woman is that the command should rest with him, but it should be a command borne out of companionship and not domination and control.

Thus she can answer back to him and discuss with him.

The fact that Islam grants guardianship to the man over the woman is one of the issues over which Muslims are often attacked. Westerners champion the idea of total equality between men and women in every sense. Some Muslims have been affected by this capitalist idea, so some so-called modernists argue that obedience to the husband is an old-fashioned idea that is not suitable for 2003.

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“Having portrayed Muslims marriages as problematic and leading to the abuse of women, the same western politicians, journalists and commentators have also offered us their solutions in order for us to leave the Islamic values for western values�.

be pleased with them); He (saw) imposed on his daughter Fatimah the duty of working in the house and imposed on 'Ali whatever was outside the house in terms of work. Allah's Messenger (saw) used to order his wives to serve him. He said;

"O 'A'isha, bring us some water. O 'A'isha bring us food to eat. O 'A'isha bring me the razor and sharpen it against a stone."

So we find that they either seek complete sexual freedom with no regard to marriage, or end up in marriages where the partners constantly quarrel over who has the final say in resolving issues.

Roles of husbands and wives What tasks is a husband primarily responsible for? What tasks is a wife primarily responsible for? This is another issue that can be a bone of contention between husband and wife, especially in the west. The Western definition of the roles men and women should have is forever changing.

So in the 40s and 50s, the woman was expected to be a housewife and rear children, while the man would have a career at work. In the 80s and 90s we then had the advent of the career woman who has the right to a full-time career, just like the man. This has lead to many arguments over the responsibility for rearing children. Some babies are left with nannies two weeks after being born, hardly knowing the warmth of a mother, because she has to return to work to further her career. In Islam, the roles of the husband and wife are not defined, by men, or by women. The rules related to this aspect of life come from Allah. Islam resolved this issue by stipulating that any work that needs to be carried out inside the house the woman must undertake, whatever the type of work. Any work that needs to be carried out outside the house the man must undertake. This is due to what has been narrated from the Prophet (saw) in the story of 'Ali and Fatimah (may Allah

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It has been reported that Fatimah came to the Prophet (saw) complaining to him about her difficulty in working a hand-mill, and she asked if she could get a servant to save her from that. All of this indicates that serving the husband in the house and looking after the house is one of the obligations of the wife that she must undertake.

However, the performance of such work is subject to her ability. If there is a lot of work to be done which would put her in hardship, then it is incumbent on the husband to provide her a servant or any other form of help (e.g. a washing machine) that will enable the work to get done, and she has the right to demand this. However, if the work is not overwhelming and she is capable of doing it, then the husband is not obliged to provide a servant. In this case, she is required to undertake the work by herself as evidenced by what the Messenger of Allah (saw) imposed on his daughter Fatimah in tending to the house.

Both partners should fulfil their responsibilities to each other, but this does not mean that the wife cannot work outside the home, or that the husband should not help with housework.

Relation with in-laws How should a married couple relate to their inlaws? This is one of the issues that sometimes cause problems in our community. Some mothers-in-law have the idea that the daughter-inlaw is like a slave who must serve the mother-inlaw as she sees fit. This is due to un-Islamic customs. Some wives react to this by demanding to have nothing to do with their mother-in-law. So although the newly married couple cannot afford their own accommodation, the wife may insist that she cannot live with her in-laws who may have ample space for them. Some married couples move far away from both of their families, effectively breaking the relationship with them. This type of individualism stems from

Capitalism, which leads families to live far apart and only call each other on Christmas day. All of these standpoints are far from Islam. The responsibility of looking after the parents rests primarily with their children, not their children's wives. However, Islam encourages co-operation within the extended family and rewards the helping of other Muslims. So though the daughter in-law is not a slave to the mother-in-law, she should help out the duties if she lives with her inlaws, the couple must do their best to keep good relations with both sets of in-laws. The in-laws should also avoid interfering in every detail of their children's marriage as this often exacerbates any problems rather than ending them.

The attack on the Islamic view of marriage is part of the attempt to get Muslims to leave the Islamic values and sharee'ah rules, adopting the western concepts about personal relationships in their place. The capitalist ideals of freedom and sexual liberation have resulted in nothing but misery for millions throughout the world. Muslims must understand the Islamic solutions to the issues that arise in marriages, so we have the Islamic marriage and the tranquillity it brings, whilst avoiding the misery caused by Western ideals or non-Islamic traditions. z Taji Mustafa

IMAGE CONSCIOUSNESS he numerous faces of Michael Jackson over the last two and half decades have been the cause of controversy and much speculation for the public. All of this has been fuelled by a ruthless media, which over the years has produced the most fantastic of criticisms, ultimately earning Mr. Jackson the infamous title of 'Wacko Jacko'.

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But while criticising individuals for their strangeness, how often do people stop to think about the underlying motives that compel such people, to take such extreme measures in changing their image. In fact, do we ever wonder if the same driving forces influence even ourselves - to a lesser or greater extent - causing us to alter how we look, think and behave in ways that we do not even realise?

While it is fair to say that individuals are responsible for their own actions, we should not underestimate the powerful impact of the prevailing thoughts and emotions in society. They set out clearly defined and often unrealistic aspirations of self image and the ideal pursuits of a material life. Through vehicles like the media, the world of advertisement, and the atmosphere in society generally, we are bombarded daily with images of the ideal lifestyle, which defines for us how we should look, think, and behave. The result of this is the complete subjugation of the minds of individuals into acceptance of such iconic roles without any questions.

What is the result of this submission? Not just popstars and actors, but even ordinary people like you and I become susceptible to blindly following current trends, stereotypes and traditions, in a tortuous journey to fulfilling the all-encompassing need to be accepted as a member of this 'ideal' society.

In fact, the blindness is such that before you know it you are drawn in, finding yourself waking up every morning scrutinising yourself in front of the mirror thinking, "I'm so fat, I wish my nose was thin, oh no!

Is that a wrinkle?" Or on your way to work you glance enviously at your neighbours plush four bedroom detached house, and his beautiful sports car that will take him to his six-figure-salary job in the city.

But of course, not everyone can fit into these 'ideal lives' - in fact probably only those who represent them can - the screen idols, the top city executives, the fashion models. So with such unrealistic aspirations and expectations, is it any wonder that the journey for ordinary people inevitably leads to so much insecurity, personal heartache and misery along the way - all in the cause of acceptance by society and

fear of displeasing peers.

With respect to ourselves - Muslims living in a nonIslamic, Capitalistic society, the issue of 'image' can be a deadly disease in our hearts, which slowly infects our love for our deen and may ultimately lead us on to the wrong path. Because for the sake of meeting the goals and aspirations of kufr society, we are beginning to see everywhere Muslims who are willing to compromise their religion in order to achieve them. Inevitably we see such victims making choices in their day to day lives, just in order to 'fit in'. Like for a man who would, even reluctantly, attend the company Christmas party so as not jeopardize future career prospects such as receiving that promotion he has been working so hard for (the pay-rise being the cause of his new car). Or for a woman who refuses to start wearing the khimar (headscarf), because she is afraid she would be open to discrimination or lose her job. This is not to say that Muslims should be averse to promotion, want to be discriminated against or have their employment terminated. However in the same way we would insist on halal food to satisfy our hunger, we must also insist on halal ways to further our careers through honesty, sincerity and integrity.

The reality that many fail to comprehend is that whether we get a new job, or we receive a promotion is not subject to our wearing the khimar or refusing to "go down to the pub". In fact measuring success or failure, according to results rather than effort is a major source of anxiety in western societies. Should the father whose child was hurt in a car accident consider himself a failure despite the fact that he spent a tremendous amount of effort in bringing up the child? Should the drunkard layabout who won the National Lottery jackpot consider himself a success despite the fact that he made no effort to feed his family? The rational and progressive thinker will naturally come to the understanding that success or failure is not determined by results but by efforts. We will be judged according to our effort. As for the result it is determined by qada', divine fate as decreed

by Allah (swt). It is Allah (swt) who sustains, controls and organises all affairs of the life of this world, and none other. Even if the boss acts as if he thought he was a god, he is dependent for his every breath and movement upon Allah (swt), the Lord of all the worlds.

The truth is that your rizq (life's provision) will come to you as it is ordained for you, through means which you may anticipate or not. Allah (swt) states in the Qur'an that how much we gain, eat, drink or how long we live, whether male or female - is all determined

from when we were in the wombs of our mother's.

"Nor shall a soul die except by Allah's leave, the term being fixed by writing." [TMQ Ale-Imran: 145] It is this understanding that gives the Muslim the strength to rise above the stereotypes and false aspirations that society and its role models may define, and try to force us to comply with. Because a Muslim hopes nor fears from anything in the dunya (worldly life), he frees himself from having to be subjugated by what it seems to demand of us particularly when it contradicts the Shari'ah (law) of Allah (swt).

Similarly the rivalry in worldly goods - which arises in people absorbed with the materialistic values that Capitalism inculcates them with, results in many being engaged in actions which they feel further their worldly goals. Such as buying one or numerous properties using interest based mortgages, or trading in alcohol, or even lying and cheating for financial gain, despite knowing that all of these things are haram (prohibited by the Shari'ah). But, does engaging in these practices and perhaps even achieving their materialistic goals give them peace of mind? No, because while they may believe that they control their own destiny, the ladder for the pursuit of worldly aspiration goes on and on, with nothing but financial worries, debt and insecurity along the way only an ever increasing greed. In fact, this is the nature of the dunya - it is not designed for a lasting satisfaction - that goal is exclusively reserved for the akhirah (the next life) and the jannah (paradise).

"Every soul will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the Fire and is made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion" [TMQ AleImran: 185]

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However our 'net value' is not the only way that the kufr society enslaves us. Whether it is a cat-walk, a movie or a magazine, so called 'beautiful people' with all their glitz and glamour are also portrayed to us as icons, worthy enough to emulate. Women and men too, are being pushed into the quest for achieving body-perfection, with there seemingly being no limits in the pursuit of this goal. In order to achieve the 'right look' ordinary people become obsessed with plastic surgery, collagen injections, breast enlargement, all-night gyms, starvation diets - the list goes on and on. But the sad reality is that what becomes of this pursuit is seldom happiness; more common than this is anorexia nervosa, depression, and low self esteem.

The above-mentioned cosmetic interventions, albeit common, may only be the extremes, but on the other end of the scale are things which while more accessible to ordinary people, can lead to just as much misery. These include the notion that the right 'make-up', or the need to shape the eyebrows are now regarded as the key to a girl's success.

These kinds of pressures have mounted to the extent that some women cannot even think of entering society without a liberal application of the latest Max Factor (a cosmetic company) products, or sporting thin and demonically arched eyebrows the plucking of which has in some cases led to the total inadvertent extinction of the eyebrows, only to be salvaged by being drawn in. Truly to imitate the western women's vision of beauty is demoralising not to mention appearing like a clown, in some instances. How this contrasts with the example of a chaste Muslim sister - whose modesty prevents her putting her charms on such saleable public display.

The Prophet (saw) said,

'Allah has cursed those women who modify their eyebrows or ask others to do it for them.' [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In today's society and in Muslim countries abroad, Muslim women have been driven to becoming victims of western fashion leading them to abandon the khimar and jilbab (outer garment) and to wear make up in public, as well as to strive to conform to the western idea that thin bodies are vogue. And what for? To satisfy their vanity, their need to be accepted and to succeed according to the criteria of a kufr society.

"They should not show their zeenah (charms) in public beyond what may (decently) be apparent thereof: hence let them draw their head-coverings (khumur) over their necks and bosoms (juyub)" [TMQ An-Nur: 31] What people should also be wary of is that adopting the secular concept of what defines beauty and success can be a breeding-ground for prejudices, racism and nationalism. Ingrained amongst the

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mindset of Muslims today are chauvinisms such as fair skin over dark, white skin over black skin, slim over stout, tall over short, rich over poor, able bodied over disabled and so on.

When Allah (swt) created the many attributes that distinguish the different races, it was for the sole testimony to his existence and not to be the basis of creating prejudices and hatred in the hearts of people the like of which we see today. To find faults in oneself and others is to criticise the creator of mankind - Allah (swt). So long as these favouritisms are allowed to be enforced then all prejudices, racist thoughts and nationalistic feelings will continue to be nurtured in the hearts of the people which will only aid, amongst other things, to keep the Ummah as divided as we see it is today.

"And among his wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours for in this, behold there are messages indeed for all who are possessed of innate knowledge" [TMQ Ar-Rum: 22] Another ramification of the image concept in contemporary secular society is that being identified as a Muslim has become an issue of shame for some people. What makes some Muslims shy away from praying their salat in their schools, work place, or whilst outside on the streets. Who do they fear? Their teachers, friends, colleagues or employers? So great is their need to be accepted, that they are even willing to miss their obligatory salat (prayer), through their fear of the opinions of the ignorant society around them. This is despite what is said in the hadith of the Prophet (saw) as narrated authentically in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal which states "The covenant between myself and yourself is the salah whoever abandons prayer commits an action of disbelief".

Also when the Muslim hears, of the torturing, rape, and the spilling of Muslim blood at the hands of the kuffar (disbelievers), they turn to those same people who commit the acts of aggression - such as the British or US government, or the United Nations, for help. In many cases the fear is such that the Muslim populace remains silent, while the West oppresses and the tyrant rulers of the Muslim lands terrorize the Ummah. This is in fear that speaking out against the West and the tyrant rulers of the Muslim world would mean they are surely labelled as a terrorist or fanatic. How ironic it is that in a time when the world is on the brink of witnessing another massacre of Muslims in Iraq, disbelieving colonialist nations such as France, Germany and Russia can oppose the war for their own selfish motives, while the Muslims are intimidated into silence for the sake of maintaining their own 'image'.

"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do." [TMQ An-Nisa: 135] So clearly it begs to be asked, why do we compromise our deen, allowing ourselves to be pulled away from the straight path? The truth is that fear has gripped the hearts of the Muslims, enslaving us before the kuffar. Our concepts about life, which form the basis of our actions, have been tainted by ideas, values and notions of non-Islam.

Our emotions, instead of being shaped and guided by the feeling for our creator, have been twisted by secularism with all its consequences, which pervade the atmosphere in the society around us.

Until we return and submit to the way of life that has been decreed by Allah (swt), the Muslim will never be at peace. For it is Allah (swt), who knows our weaknesses and strengths, what is good and bad for us, and all of the attributes he chose for us when he created us. Surely just as he has created us and given us life, he gave a guidance and a way for us to follow, and we will we return to him. So if we want success in this dunya and akhirah it is not people or society's view of us that should be feared - this will only lead to pursuing the kufr aspirations in life. What should be our role model for success in this life and the akhirah, and what we should aspire to is the example that Allah (swt) created, in the form of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw).

For how he lived is the only reference and measure for our lives, and following the Shari'ah which he conveyed, without fear of what the people think is the only way of success. z Nazia Jalali

RE-ESTABLISHING THE KHILAFAH STATE IS THE ONLY WAY TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE OPPRESSION OF THE WESTERN COLONIAL POWERS llah (SWT) from the beginning of creation has ordained two paths for mankind. The path of Iman in Allah (SWT), His Messengers, His Revelations, Akhirah, The Day of Judgment, Jannah and Jahannam and the path of disbelief and Kufr.

Today the conflict between these two paths i.e. between Iman and Kufr has reached global proportions - it is a conflict between the Muslim Ummah and the forces of disbelief and kufr represented by America and the West. The current aggression of America against the Muslims of Iraq is another chapter in the campaign of the Western powers to brutally murder the Muslims, occupy the Muslim lands, devour our resources and spread their kufr, capitalist way of life into our lands.

international public opinion it has become all too obvious that the real motive is to ensure America's dominance in the Gulf and to divide and capture the huge oil reserves of Iraq. To this date America is the only country that has used nuclear weapons to kill millions of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and chemical weapons in Vietnam. America and the international community have blatantly ignored the flouting of 100's of UN resolutions by Israel and the killing of thousands of innocent Muslims there.

Furthermore, the US calls for diplomacy with North Korea, which has openly stated its nuclear ambitions! These unashamed contradictions have exposed the true role of the UN Security Council as an organization that is no more than a club for the permanent member countries to divide the resources and spoils of the Muslim lands.

In this latest crisis, America and Britain have been using the issue of Weapons of Mass destruction and Saddam's violation of UN resolutions as the pretext to wage this heinous war. While these allegations are branded about to create

After the destruction of the Soviet Union, America and the Western powers have embarked on a relentless campaign to spread the Capitalist ideology as a system of life throughout the world.

This capitalist way of life is based upon the

A

separation of Deen from life's affairs. Man is sovereign and his fundamental purpose in life is to seek benefit and enjoyment. This philosophy is what drives the capitalist countries, the head of which is America. The current so called 'War on Terror' is used by America, Britain, Israel, India and others as an excuse to further their colonial foreign policy interests. They have only one objective to pursue in foreign affairs i.e. the fulfillment of their greed, the desire to control the resources of the Muslim lands and to prevent the Muslims from liberating themselves by adopting Islam as an ideology for society and state. Today Islam is the only ideological threat to the Capitalist countries.

America and her allies are waging a global propaganda campaign to prevent the Muslims from adopting Islam as the only correct ideology from Allah (SWT). This was clear when Bush said in his speech on the 16/9/2001 "the American people have begun to understand this crusade".

Every Muslim who wants to live according to the Ahkam Shariah of Allah (SWT), is labeled a March 2003 Khilafah Magazine

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men from the path of Allah" [TMQ Al-Anfal: 36] The ideas of secularism, capitalism and democracy have been recycled in Bangladesh for the last thirty years. Have we produced a decent and livable society? Uncontrolled crime, corruption, extreme inequality and dependency on other nations are the direct result of our acceptance of these kufr values and concepts.

Islam and Capitalism/secularism can never coexist. Our love for Allah (SWT) and His 'fundamentalist' and a 'terrorist' while they present themselves as peacemakers. The reality is that they are the real terrorists who fanatically use their whole state machinery of missiles, tanks and armies to butcher hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians from Iraq to Palestine to Kashmir for the sake of their selfish interests.

"And when it is said to them "Make not mischief on the earth", they say: "We are only peacemakers" Verily they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not" [TMQ AlBakarah: 11-12] They preach secularism and democracy so that Allah (SWT) is kept within the masjids, munajats and Ramadhan, while their man made ideas, values, laws and systems ie capitalism controls our political, economic and social systems. Like all the other Muslim lands Bangladesh is also subjected to this campaign. Allah (SWT) warned us of this campaign:

Messenger (saw) makes it haram to keep silent while man made kufr ideas and solutions exist in society. Islam obliges us to accept the Sovereignty of Allah (SWT) in all of life's affairs from the individual to social, economic and political affairs. Allah (SWT) tells us and warns us:

"Whatever the Messenger gives you take it. And whatever he (saw) forbids you abstain from it" [TMQ Al-Hashr: 7]

emotions and activities that are widespread in our society? We cannot remain indifferent to this struggle, which is connected with our very iman.

Ignoring our responsibility means aiding and helping the destruction of our society. The time has come for us to be on the side of the Messenger of Allah (saw), his great Sahabas (ra) and those sincere Muslims who have struggled against kufr throughout the ages. It is only they who will be successful in this life and the Hereafter.

With more than a sixth of the world's population, massive land mass and huge resources, we the Muslim Ummah remain as helpless orphans when our lands and peoples are attacked. This is because our countries are enslaved to the dictates of the Western thoughts, systems and policies.

The kafir countries conspire to control our lands not only militarily but also politically, economically and even intellectually. If we truly feel the pain of the Muslims in Iraq and anger towards America and her allies it means to work to uproot their influence from our lands. Our duty in Bangladesh is to actively work following the method of Rasool Allah (saw) to liberate ourselves from the influence of the kufr capitalist countries by an intellectual and ideological struggle. This means to challenge the Western kufr thoughts and systems and establish Islam as a comprehensive ideology, which provides solutions for the current problems in society.

Today there is only one vital issue for the Muslims. That is the work to build the Muslim society on the foundation of the Islamic Aqeeda and reestablish the Islamic Khilafah State that will give the true leadership to the Muslim Ummah protecting her blood, honour and resources. Allah (SWT) promises the believers who struggle in His path of His support and victory.

"The disbelievers spend their wealth to hinder

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Published by Khilafah Publications

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Khilafah Magazine March 2003

"Then is it only a part of the Book that you believe in, and do you deny a part? What is the reward of those among you who do so, except disgrace in this life? And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty."

[TMQ Al-Bakarah: 85] O Muslims, O people of influence, Today the time has come for us to take a decision - to totally accept Islam in our lives and society and realize the reality of this struggle between Islam and kufr. How can we claim to love Allah (SWT) and His Messenger and be true followers of Rasool Allah (saw) if we ignore the kufr ideas,

"O you who believe! If you support the cause of Allah (His Deen), He will help you and make your feet firm" [TMQ Muhammad: 7] z

Members of Hizb ut-Tahrir Bangladesh Dhul Hijjah 1423 February 2003