The Muslim Independent

Voting & Elections: Q&A

The question on whether Muslims can participate in elections and vote in elections has often been a contentious issue, with two opposing opinions often presented.

This piece, in a Q&A format seeks to encapsulates answers to the common questions one may have which addresses the root of the issue at hand.

As Muslims living in Australia, we must question our fundamental roles and responsibilities in this country. We must question the source of our identity in this country, and we must certainly question the extent to which Islam and the Muslims can help shape the future of this country. To ensure this discussion proceeds in an enlightened and productive manner, the following points regarding elections are presented to you for consideration.

Why are elections held in Australia every three years? (4 years for state elections)

Australia is a democratic country. In a democracy, the sovereignty ultimately rests with the people. Since it is impractical for the entire population to partake in government, the people select representatives to legislate on their behalf. Elections allow the people to elect representatives who are most closely aligned to their interests, whilst also accounting the existing government by way of the ballot box.

What is the Islamic position on the impending elections?

It is important for Muslims to realise that all their actions must emanate from Islam. As Muslims, we acknowledge by way of reason that Allah (swt) created life and all its elements. As a product of this belief, we appreciate the favour that Allah (swt) bestowed upon humanity by providing eternal guidance through the complete systems of Islam. So before any action is undertaken in life, the Muslim must be thoroughly acquainted with its Islamic ruling prior to its performance.

“Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.” [TMQ 99:7-8]

In a democracy, it is the whims of humans that direct the lawful and unlawful. No credence is given to religion, tradition, custom or any other measurement. When elections are held in a democracy, its purpose is not only to elect representatives, but to elect representatives who will legislate on the peoples behalf.

Democracy in the West is underpinned by the secular basis of western civilisation. From the early 15th century CE, Western Europe underwent a revolutionary phase known as the period of enlightenment. In this period, a fierce struggle endured between the people and the clergy, the end result of which was the relegation of the church to the private sphere and the promotion of man’s whims to the public sphere. In this period, a clear line was drawn between religion and politics – a division that remains sacrosanct today.

Islam is a complete system of life. Its codes encompass everything from prayer and fasting to politics and economics. There is no distinction in Islam between the spiritual and the temporal. In Islam, Allah (swt) legislated for all aspects of life. As Muslims, we cannot claim to accept the guidance of Allah (swt) in our personal lives, but reject His (swt) guidance in the public life. Allah (swt) says,

“and We have sent down to you the Book explaining all things, a guide a Mercy and glad tidings to Muslims.”
[TMQ 16:89]

Moreover, sovereignty in Islam belongs to Allah (swt) alone. It is He (swt) that determines the halal and haram, not the whims and desires of man. We have in the Quran the complete orders of Allah (swt) and in the Messenger Muhammad (saw) the best example by which we implement these orders.

“But no by your Lord they can have no (real) Faith until they make you (O Mohamed) a judge in all disputes between them and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions but accept them with fullest conviction.”
[TMQ 4:65]

Through this understanding, we can appreciate the inherent contradiction between Islam, Democracy and Secularism. If we were to embrace the western secular creed, then we would be obliged to reject the guidance of Allah (swt) in the matters that encompass the public domain. Similarly, in a democracy, we would be obliged to place the whims of man above the guidance of Allah (swt). How can a Muslim accept any laws to be placed higher than the laws of Allah (swt)? Clearly, directly participating in the elections would be promoting a system that fundamentally contradicts Islam.

Isn’t Democracy like Shura in Islam?

Shura in Islam is the consultative mechanism by which Muslims decide through consensus (by majority or otherwise) upon a given matter. It is important to remember that Shura in Islam is limited to the area of Mubah (permissible matters). There is no Shura in Islam when it comes to the halal and haram, for it is Allah (swt) alone that determines the halal and haram.

It is true that elections are a part of Islam. The Khalifah of the Muslims is elected by the people and the members of Majlis Shura are also elected by the people. Of course, the Khalifah is elected to rule by the book of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saw), whilst the Majlis Shura is restricted to addressing matters of the Mubah (permissible).

A democracy is more than an election. Elections are merely one aspect of the democratic process. It is true that representatives in a democracy are chosen through elections, but unlike Islam, these representatives are elected to implement man made laws, not the laws of Allah (swt). We cannot separate the question of sovereignty with the question of representation. Moreover, just because two systems may be similar in one detail do not make both systems equal, especially when they both contradict each other in their fundamentals.

Isn’t there a benefit in participating in the elections?

Indeed there are perceived benefits! The Muslims in this country are strong and determined. Whenever we are confronted with pressing priorities, time and time again we will plan, coordinate and execute any endeavour that ensures the betterment of our communities and wider society.

The elections are no exception. The Muslims have the ability to group for this purpose. We can work with a strong voice and an even stronger agenda. We can influence governments of all persuasion. We can effect legislation to a degree, and we can secure better funding and better resources. There are some benefits to be accrued through the election process.

However, benefit is not the criterion for action in Islam. It is the halal and haram stipulated by the Shariah. When we undertake actions as Muslims, we don’t ask whether there is a benefit or harm, we ask if it is halal or haram. When Allah (swt) asks the Muslims to pray, do we seek a benefit such as improved fitness to justify performing the prayer? If we could not see a benefit, or if we could see a harm, would we then abandon the prayer? Furthermore, are we not convinced that it is Allah (swt) that is in the best position to determine the harm and benefit?

Although there are various gains to be acquired by participating in the elections, the question we must first ask is whether it is permitted by Allah (swt)? We cannot allow our whims to override the decision of Allah (swt). Since the elections are an inherent part of the democratic and secular process, then how can we justify participating in a system that contradicts the very basis of Islam?

What about voting for Muslim candidates?

The reality of Capitalist politics is that every action is driven by benefit. This benefit can either agree with Islam or disagree with Islam. As every candidate in a democratic election is obliged to abide by the secular framework, then a Muslim candidate must be willing to place the rule of man above the rule of Allah (swt). It is one thing for a non-Muslim to implement kufr, but what can be said of a Muslim that does the same? Here, the emphasis in on participating in the legislative process and not whom you elect to do it.

It is argued of course that voting for a Muslim candidate will assist them in their cause. Notwithstanding the arguments surrounding benefit in Islam, we only have to consider the pitiful ineptitude of Muslim parliamentarians in the Islamic world to see the glaring fallacies of this logic. If a majority Muslim presence in the parliaments of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia failed to prevent the massacre of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, then how much influence will one or two candidates in Australia wield?

The reality is that even the non-Muslims have awoken to the fallacies of democracy. Whilst the overwhelming majority of Australians were opposed to the war on Iraq, the government rejected their calls and joined hands with the invaders of Iraq. If the very proponents of democracy have shunned their own system, then why do some Muslims continue to naively prescribe to this utopian view?

But does not Islam advocate the lesser of two evils?

It is rightly stated that there does exist a principle in Islam known as the lesser of two evils. But in order to use this argument, we must first accept that participating in a democratic and secular process is inherently haram, which of course, it is!

But we must also ask two questions: Firstly, what are the options open to the Muslims and are there only two? And secondly who defines the greater or lesser evil?

Is it correct to say that the only two options open to the Muslims are either to vote or not to vote? It could be argued that there are other options such as conveying the message of Islam or even emigrating from Australia.

Conveying the message of Islam when done in an organised manner can, due to the strength of the Deen, create a public opinion in Australia that is more conducive to Islam rather than antagonistic towards it. There is no reason why this work must be performed only within the mainstream political process. We all have the ability to access the influential people as well as the wider society through talks, meetings, publications, conferences, protests and more. The Muslims have established countless mosques, schools and community organisations without compromising their Deen. The end result of all this work would be the alleviation of some of the problems confronting the Muslims as well as the spreading of the noble values of Islam in a Capitalistic-benefit driven society.

Emigrating from Australia is another option available to the Muslims. Australia is certainly in the minority when it made voting compulsory. If the Muslim is sincere in avoiding a haram, and is convinced that the only manner in which to avoid sin of voting is to emigrate, then what is to prevent that Muslim from emigrating to the countless other countries where voting is not compulsory?

So not voting means that the Muslim is in fact preventing himself from committing a clear violation of Islam. Conveying the message of Islam in Australia and speaking out against corruption is something that is clearly recommended in Islam. And to emigrate is permissible and can even be an obligation when a person is forced in a particular land to commit a forbidden act or to be prevented from performing an obligation.

In this respect, participating in the elections is the only action that is evil in origin! Where is the justification then in resorting to the principle of the lesser of the two evils?

As for the question of who has right to decide which of the evils is greater or lesser, is it Allah (swt) that determines the evil or is it the human mind?

Further to this, it cannot be said that by doing evil we are able to bring about a greater good and thus prevent harm. From this point, one could then argue that the Madrid bombings was an evil that brought about the withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq, and occupation and killing of Muslims is a greater evil hence this was a justifiable action!

“Say: Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works” [TMQ 18:103-104]

What about the Shariah of the previous Prophets?

We should be aware of the apparent contradiction in this argument. In the previous point the use of the justification of the lesser of the two evils implicitly accepts that participating in elections is Haram. However, using the story of previous Prophets, such as Yusuf (as), as a justification implies that it is not haram. So either it is permitted by Islam or it is haram? It has to be one or the other!

The proponents who use this argument state that Prophet Yusuf (as) was allowed to enter a non-Islamic government and hence we can also enter such a government. They also state that Prophet Yusuf (as) ruled by non-Islamic laws in a non-Islamic government.

A detailed refutation of this argument is beyond the scope of this piece. However, one must question how can Prophet Yusuf (as) on the one hand call to the straight path away from shirk and yet be of those that implements Kufr? This can never be!

In fact the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his Sahaba faced countless similar situations as a Muslim minority living amongst the majority Kuffar who ruled by Kufr. Yet when the Prophet (saw) was asked to compromise and work within the system of the Quraysh by offering kingship, women, money and a share in their rule, his response was clear “…By Allah if they were to put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, on condition that I relinquish this matter, I would not relinquish it until Allah made it dominant or I perish therein”

Similarly Allah (swt) warned the Prophet (saw) by saying,

“So obey not to those who deny (the Truth). They wish that you should compromise with them, so they too would compromise with you” [TMQ 68:8-9]

But isn’t living in the country already participating in the system?

No! This would be analogous to the Prophet (saw) living in Mecca and trading with the Quraysh. We would never say that the Prophet (saw) was implicitly supporting the rule of Kufr by virtue of living and trading there, nor could it be said that he (saw) was implicitly supporting the policy of torture and killing of the Sahabah.

But some parties are traditionally more friendly to Islam and the Muslims

This is a serious point.

We must first understand that Islam is a complete way of life. It is ideological. Islam cannot coexist with Capitalism or Socialism, just as Capitalism cannot coexist with Socialism and vice versa (importantly noting we refer to ideologies, not people). As such, there will always be a struggle between competing ideologies. It is natural and it is to be expected.

Australia is a Capitalist nation. It embraces the Capitalist doctrine that has its roots in the secular creed. Every political party in this country – of every persuasion – adopts and works for the Capitalist ethos. It is the collective role of these parties to ensure the politics of this country function within the Capitalist framework. So every lobby group and every constituency that wishes to be heard by these parties must do so within this framework.

The Muslims in this country are of no exception. If we wish to form a valid constituency by which we exert our pressure on these political parties, then we must do so within the Capitalist framework. For a Muslim this means accepting the imposition of Capitalism, Secularism and Democracy over Islam. At the same time, it means that we must relegate Islam to our personal affairs and not the public domain. In this way, we must accept an authority higher than the authority of Allah (swt) and we must accept a set of laws other than the laws of Allah (swt). Those Muslims who argue for participation in elections should ask themselves the following question: at what cost is the perceived benefit gained?

So the argument over which political party is better for the Muslims is redundant considering all political parties are working to ensure Capitalism prevails over Islam. In any case, it would be naive to think that Islam could be derived through kufr, or that halal could be derived through haram.

But if I don’t vote, how can I counter the threat of voices hostile to Islam?

Firstly, which voice is not hostile to Islam!
It is true that the climate of Islamophobia may intensify in the short term but by no means could this be a justification for committing an act that violates the sanctities that Allah (swt) has laid down.

Secondly, on which basis is it claimed that voting in the elections is the only way to project the Muslim voice?

The only way to remove the anti-Islamic propaganda is to engage with the non-Muslims in the wider society to show and explain the sublime values of Islam thereby removing ignorance and fear of Islam. Unfortunately, we see this as a difficult task to undertake yet our faith is strengthened through struggle and sacrifice.

Thirdly, who said the only two options are to vote or not to vote?

Just because you refuse to engage in the secular and democratic political process does not mean you choose to disengage from the political process altogether. On the contrary, Islam commands the Muslim to carry Islam and enjoin all the good and forbid all the evil. A Muslim could never isolate himself/herself from the wider society. It is that Islam is carried within the bounds of Islam, not kufr.

What is the objective of a Muslim in this country?

In answering this question, it is important that our reality be the subject of thinking rather than its source.

Allah has placed the Muslims as witnesses over mankind. It is then incumbent upon us that we spread the Deen of Allah wherever we may live, ensuring that our Islamic identity is preserved and our conduct be an example for the wider society. The example of our beloved Prophet (saw) should be our only consideration when delivering the call, challenging all that contradicts Islam and presenting the Islamic alternative. In a time when the enemies of Islam are working relentlessly against the Deen of Allah (swt), the Muslims wherever they may be must respond in a way that accords with the Shariah, never deviating from the path of haqq and justice.

A brief look at the reality around us reveals a society whose basis has resulted in epidemic crime levels and a wider social discontent. The Muslim community should aim at becoming the glitter amongst the worn particles, a ray of light that attracts those whom long for tranquillity, contentment and solutions. The Muslims have at their disposal a comprehensive system revealed by the Almighty Creator of the universe. Muslims must generate sincere debate, and present this system using different styles to various aspects of society, individual thinkers, and communities alike.

Most importantly, Muslims must realise that they are not a minority, rather part of a global Ummah whose strength is derived from the Islamic Creed (Aqeedah), and whose destiny is one that The Creator has so willed. A destiny that places His (swt) Deen beyond and above all other ways of life, and a destiny that never allows the rule of man (or any other) to be placed over His (swt) rule.

The advocacy to vote in non-Islamic systems where the justification is benefit for Muslims, is at best indicative of a defeated, secular mentality, and at worst a desire to cooperate in the plan to distance Muslims from the pure and unadulterated Islam. It is thus obliged that the Muslims in this country continue to avoid swimming in a sea of kufr and dive into the cool sparkling purifying waters of Islam, and it is only with this dive that we refuse the crumbs that are offered and we opt for the whole solution.

The Muslims are one global Ummah. The objective of the Muslims living in Australia is the same as every Muslim around the world. We must unite intellectually and work towards uniting politically under Islam. The fate of the Muslim community in this country is inextricably linked with the fate of the Muslims globally. The successes, pains, and tribulations of the Ummah will reach all its members in all corners of the world.

Our problem is none other than the absence of the application of Islam as a complete and comprehensive system. We all have a duty to support and actively work towards the re-establishment of the Islamic state in the Islamic lands, which will implement Allah’s (swt) Deen in totality, unite the Muslims, carry Islam to the world, and defend the lives and honour of every man, women, and child under the protection of the state.

Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, you are invited to raise your vision, break away from the shackles of the status quo, and realise the Ummah is indeed a giant awakening from slumber.

“O you who believe! Respond to Allah and His apostle when He calls you to that which will give you life” [TMQ 8:24]

Brief History of the Development of the Arabic Language

Source: LearnArabicOnline.com

Arabs have always prided themselves on their language and, in particular, their poetry.
Poetry was the primary medium of ancient times through which tribes were praised, enemies were lampooned, messages were sent, and much more. At the fairs of cUkāz, poets would read and listen to poetry as well as critique it as an inter-tribal custom.

But with the arrival of God’s Messenger (peace be upon him), the language took on a whole new importance.
It was a prerequisite to scholarship and knowledge of it became a matter of the utmost seriousness:

“Learn Arabic as you learn the [Islamic] obligations and practices.” [Ali b. Abi Tālib]

And erring in it was a matter of shame and even misguidance; the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said the following after hearing a man make a grammatical mistake:

“Guide your brother, for surely he has erred” [Prophet PBUH]

To illustrate the nature of grammatical mistakes: A man once said “O ye who is seen but cannot see” referring to God and trying to say “O ye who sees but cannot be seen.” So a blind man answered him, “Here you go; that’s me.”

As Islam unified the Hejaz – and later the known world – it became the dominant ideology and scholarship in it was the highest honour. Therefore, scholarship of the language flourished and proficiency in it was vital in order to avoid misquoting the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH), and secondary books of scholarship.
Many authorities went as far as to say that even something as simple as responding to God’s query (ألست بربكم) “Am I not your lord?” with (نعم) “Yes” as opposed to (بلى) “Indeed!” was an act of apostasy!

The Early Development of the Language

However systematic codification of Arabic didn’t begin for quite some time. The Caliph Ali (r.a., d. 661) is popularly cited as the common ancestor to the study. It was then his student Abu Aswad Ad-Duwali who began to delve into grammar and Mucāz b. Musallam Al-Harrā, a student of Abu Aswad, who began to delve into morphology. Mucāz then trained the caliph Abdul Malik b. Marwān (d. 705). And Abu Aswad also had many disciples to his name.

A few decades down the road, these disciples yielded Khalīl b. Ahmad (d. ca. 776) whose works in prosody and grammar are famous. He is a huge figure in the study of the language. One of his students was the father of classical Arabic, the Persian, Sibawayh (d. ca. 796) whose book, know only as Al-Kitāb, is the most well-known of them all. A four volume treatment of the language, it is the primary basis for all future works on the language and is a framework for the methodology in the study. Sibawayh’s book constitutes the Big Bang of scholarship on the Arabic language.

Following Sibawayh were other important figures such as Al-Kasā’i. It is after this initial codification that grammarians slowly began to divide into the two camps of Basra and Kufa. By the end of the Arab golden age at around the 10th century, these groups became well established and were actually rivals. There was so much animosity between them, in fact, that one would give a ruling only to oppose the other. But despite these fierce conflicts, the Basran camp came out dominant by the 10th century. By this time, most of the language had been systematically codified and methodologies were now in place thanks to seeds sewn by Sibawayh and the dint of pious men and women who followed him. Further medieval work on grammar was expansion on these Basran frameworks.
Further Medieval Development and Important Figures

One of the students of Sibawayh was the famous Al-Akhfash Al-Awsat (d. ca. 830), a grammarian of Basran inclination like Sibawayh himself. Among the students of Al-Kasā’i was the famous Al-Farrā (d. 822) who was of Kufan inclination.

Following these were many grammarians, including Mubarrad (d. 898). He authored the famous Al-Muqtadab. Al-Zajjāj, roughly contemporary to Mubarrad, was followed by Abu Ali Al-Fārsi (d. 987), As-Sarrāj (d. 929), Al-Zajjāzi (d. 950), and Abdul Qāhir Al-Jurjāni.

Further down the chain – after the the Basran frameworks had been set – is Zamakhshari (12th century) who authored the profusely cited Al-Mufassal, Ibn Al-Hājib (13th century) who authored the much commented on Al-Kāfiya, and Ibn Mālik (13th century) who authored the infamous Al-Khulāsa, more popularly known as Alfiyya. And contemporary to these figures was Ibn Hishām who authored many famous books including the often cited Qatr An-Nada and Mughni Al-Labīb. By the 13th century great scholars had come and gone, leaving masterpieces of grammatical theory in their wake.
It is an unfortunate reality and indication of the stupor of the Muslim world, that a large portion cannot comprehend the Qur’an & classical works of the great Scholars of the past.
By learning this chosen language of Allah (swt), once again can the Ummah rise to its heights and delve into the beauty of the religion and vast volumes of knowledge.

أبو المعالي عبد القاهر القصاب الريرعطاني. “رسالة في مدح النحو.” سبيل الهدى على شرح قطر الندى وبل الصدى (الطبعة الأولى). جمال الدين أبو محمد عبد الله بن يوسف الأنصاري المعروف بابن هشام. دمشق: مكتبة دار الفجر، ٢٠٠١. ١٠-٢٣.

Sellheim, R. “al- Khalīl b. Ahmad b. camr b. tamīm al-farāhīdī al-azdī al-yahmadī al-basrī abū cabd al-rahmān”. Encyclopaedia of Islam. Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill.

Carter, M.G. “Sībwayhi”. Encyclopaedia of Islam. Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill.

Brockelmann, C. “Al-Akhfash”. Encyclopaedia of Islam. Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill.

Sellheim, R. “al-Mubarrad , Abu ‘l-cAbbās Muhammad b. Yazīd b. cAbd al-Akbar al-Thumālī al-Azdī.” Encyclopaedia of Islam. Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill.

Pellat, Ch.; Longrigg, S.H. “al-Basra.” Encyclopaedia of Islam. Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill.

Djaït, Hichem. “al-Kūfa.” Encyclopaedia of Islam. Second Edition. Edited by: P. Bearman , Th. Bianquis , C.E. Bosworth , E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill.

Commentary on Charlie Hebdo and the Physical Law of Compression

By Ismail Alwahwah

Scientists and specialists in all fields cry with joy when they reach a scientific finding or a natural law, given the great benefit that humankind will accrue from its applications, and due to the amount of effort, energy, money and time exhausted by the researchers.

There is a widely recognized natural law which states that compression on any material (inducing change in the positions of its atoms and molecules) leads to deformation and in extreme cases explosion. Scientists and specialists found that this natural law can also be applied to humans and societal conditions.

Sociologists and psychologists studied this law deeply and took advantage of it in in treatment, addressing those individuals who, due to the pressure to which they are subjected, commit suicide, face depression, hopelessness or harm others. Likewise it was beneficial in the treatment of the deformities that families suffer from, which result in family breakdown and many domestic issues, or for the treatment of deformation in the communities as a whole and what results from it such as chaos and bloodshed.

Because the specialists in the West acknowledge this natural law of pressure generating an explosion, and that it – the pressure – is responsible for triggering the explosion, the cure has always focused on eliminating pressure or reducing it. As a result, it is assumed necessary in all cases to ensure that the pressure does not exceed the red lines, which will then ultimately lead to irreversible problems.

What baffles the mind is that when it comes to Muslims, be they individuals, groups or communities, we find that most of the specialists (in particular the politicians) in the West believe that practically this law concerning compression and explosiveness, never applies. This, as if to suggest that another law has been discovered in its place, namely that any deformation that affects Muslims is due to a defect in their understanding, mindset and religion. When it comes to Muslims, one is not allowed, under any circumstances, to point the finger at the compression and the application of pressure irrespective of its magnitude. Accordingly, seeking to alleviate the pressure or stopping it would not be part of the solution.

Rather, the focus is on treating the nature of the Muslims and how to ensure they remain immune to the compression even if put under pressure by all the demons of mankind and the jinn!
For Muslims, the pressure to force them to submit to the laws of anyone but Allah should not lead to any explosion!

For Muslims, the pressure exerted by the dictatorial corrupt regimes should not lead to any explosion!

For the Muslims, the occupation of their countries and the killing of their sons and daughters should not lead to any explosion.

For the Muslims, the occupation of Al-Aqsa and Palestine, and the forced expelling of its people should not lead to any explosion!

For the Muslims, the exploitation of their resources and the pressure this leaves with them dying out of hunger and poverty should not lead to any explosion!

For the Muslims, the daily humiliation they are subjected to, and the insults to their book and prophet, irrespective of magnitude, should not lead to any explosion!

Woe, time and again, to all those who point the finger at any pressure when it gets a blast from the Muslims, regardless of size…… For the accusation is ready; You justify the explosion, you justify terrorism !!!

The sad reality is that the ordinary Muslims are paying the price of both the compression and the explosion that follows it, but lightening blasts neither listen to, nor consult anyone.

This is how our situation will remain as long we remain orphans at the tables of villains.

[Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves] Quran 13:11

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir
By Ismail Alwahwah
Arabic Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia

Qadr of Allah

By Musa Cerantonio

Last year I visited Italy in order to interact with and support the Muslim community there. I spent a few months visiting different cities in order to make links with various groups, imams and individuals. The trip had its ups and downs and I had many instances where I had to be patient for Allah’s sake, but as well I had some great times and also some unexpected experiences. I cannot refer these unexpected experiences as mere coincidences, nor can I go to the extreme of calling them miracles as this is something beyond our knowledge, however they were great events that caused me to be thankful to Allah and to place my trust in Him alone and to understand that whatever Allah has written for you shall surely come to pass.

One of the events which occurred was while I was travelling from Torino (Turin) to Milan. I had planned my journey around Italy hoping to meet a number of Imams in order to know them personally and to build a relationship in order to work together on some projects. I had met with all of those who I had wished to meet except for one Imam who was from the South of Italy. I knew that at that point I would not have time to make it to his city as I had been delayed in some of my trips and therefore would not get a chance to meet him, especially as I was in the North of Italy and a train journey to his city would take at least 15-20 hours. I was wondering about the best way to communicate with him without meeting with him face to face, as I had not spoken with him up until that point, since I had planned to meet him in his city of residence.

I boarded my train and prepared from another long journey back to Milan. I looked at my allocated seat number, and though the train was almost empty I still made sure to find the seat number that was on my ticket. I headed to the carriage, put my bags down and seated myself and began to read the du’a of travel (duʿā’ ar-rukūb). Once I finished I looked around and I saw that seated parallel to me only a few seats away was the very Imam I was thinking of! I greeted him with a big smile and told him of what just occurred and he smiled back and said to me “This is the Qadr of Allah, He had willed that we would meet and so nothing in the universe could prevent it from happening.” Al-Hamdulillah we spoke for many hours throughout the trip and I felt a tranquility and calmness at that time which I cannot describe, but it occurs when a person feels the Power and Mercy of Allah and is reminded that Allah is Powerful over all things.

I have had many similar experiences, some of which are even more amazing and more powerful, however this one experience came into my mind and I thought it would not be suitable that I keep it to myself, but rather I should share it hoping to strengthen the hearts of those who believe and to remind ourselves that our Lord is our Provider and our Protector, and that He will surely not allow us to become lost after He has guided us.

There these times when Allah allows us to meet those whom we had hoped to encounter for His sake, or there are times when 2 believers love one another for His sake and they wish to meet for His sake yet Allah has decreed that they would not meet in this world, and so we look forward to reuniting with those believers whom we loved for Allah’s sake in the Paradise that He has prepared for the Righteous.

One such meeting that I pray Allah will allow to occur is that of my brother in Islam Ahmad, the Mujāhid and the Shahīd God willing. The first time that I was blessed to visit the House of Allah and to perform the Ḥajj I had hoped to meet with approximately 10 brothers during my time there. All of the brothers were from Australia however we went with different Ḥajj groups and so we were placed in different parts and it was not easy to find each other especially as we were not using our mobile phones at the time. Despite the crowd of 5 million people I met 9 of them. One of them I saw in Masjid An-Nabawī after Jumuʿah prayer, another I saw when making wuḍū’ on the Day of ʿArafah, another I saw while we were making ṭawāf around the Kaʿbah. Each meeting was one that we had not planned, yet Allah had willed would occur.

I did not meet Ahmad however. He was the 10th person that I wished to meet, and though we had planned to meet at Ḥajj we did not get the chance. What I did not know at the time is that I would never again see Ahmad on this Earth. Our brother, may Allah have Mercy on him, had gone to Somalia to fight against the Ethiopian Crusaders who had just invaded. He did not say a word to us about it, this is why we were expecting to meet him in Makkah during the Ḥajj. He went and fought in the Path of Allah and died while fighting the enemy. As his soul was about to leave his body those who were present informed us that he looked up above him and said “I can see my place in Jannah”, and then he returned to the Mercy of Allah. May Allah accept him and enter him into His Jannah.

And so while Allah decreed for me to meet many through ways which I could never imagine, He had decreed that the meeting which I had planned with Ahmad would not occur in this world, and I hope and pray that He in His Wisdom has decreed that we would meet in a better place, raised upon pillars of Light in the company of those that we love and those who love Allah. I pray that if we meet that we will not be alone, but we will be with all of those who love us and we love them for the sake of the Almighty. I pray that Allah joins all of those that I love for His sake with the Prophets, and the Righteous and the Martyrs in the best of destinations, and with this I wish to let you all know that I love you all for the sake of Allah and that there are many of you who I wish to meet in this life, and I pray that if we do not get that chance that it is because Allah has saved for us a meeting in His Paradise.

Muslims of India & Their Love for the ‘Uthmani Khilafah: the Khilafat Movement

By a brother who is currently in India and wrote the following piece in light of research and first-hand discussions on the ground.

Allahuakbar walhamdulillah – I’m learning some incredible history that I feel I need to share, especially as one will not find it in any books, least of all in the English language. It also gives many lessons into how “public opinion” can be built, and how it was historically, for the concept of Khilafah among the Muslim masses.

I am sitting at the moment in one of the cities that can be considered the homes/birthplaces of the Khilafat Movement – the movement of imminent scholars and politicians in Hind (India-Pak) during the late 1910s and early 1920s as a reaction to the collapsing Ottoman Caliphate and as a way of generating support for it.

I am specifically in the city of Rampur, which has history well beyond its small size. It was also the home and birthplace of one of the greatest men of Islam in the last century, the great Sheikh/Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, one of the founders of the Khilafat Movement and a luminary personality in the history of Muslim India.

I’ve been speaking with people who are old enough to know of his legacy almost first hand – from what they were told during their own childhood – and how that legacy is today being revived after it had been forgotten.

One thing I have always questioned, as have other Muslims in the west, is: “how widespread was the influence of the Khilafat Movement? Was it merely a movement of academics and scholars? Or was it more than that?”

My learned Uncles (Dad’s brothers) have been telling me a range of things and here are some incredible and telling points from the history of the Movement and its lasting impact:

– The impact of the Movement in the areas it existed in was massive – “there was not one household except that it had been moved by their call and message of unity with the Ottomans”. Ie: the message of the Khilafat and unity with the Ottomans was a widespread desire of the Muslims – not JUST scholars and Muslim academics.

– There was a deep felt love and veneration of the ‘Uthmani Khilafah in India well before the 1900s. As corrupt as at times the Mughal rulers were, nonetheless they all saw themselves as subservient to the Ottomans, of whom they considered themselves as constituents, at least in a broad sense.

– Upon the appointment of a new Mughal ruler, he sought “sanad” (verification would be the best translation of this word in this sense) from Istanbul. While it was largely ceremonial, it highlights the incredible weight placed upon the consent of the Caliph in Istanbul in accepting the appointment of the next Mughal ruler to rule over Muslims of India as part of the broader Islamic Ummah.

– The Muslims of India sacrificed in their hundreds of thousands under the oppression of the British, including in the struggle to keep a polity that gave allegiance to the ‘Uthmanis.

– This one is beautiful: after the Khilafah was destroyed, some Muslims of India did weird things to signify their love for and attachment to the Khilafah. For example, in weddings, they would order 50 fezs be made (Fez = the Turkish/Ottoman “cap”) and worn by attendees in order to signal their allegiance and attachment to the destroyed Khilafah and their love for their brothers and sisters who were governed by the Ottoman State.

– The legacy of the Khilafat Movement was almost destroyed and has not been encouraged, until recent times with the building of a University in his name just outside Rampur, with which curiosity has grown about Muhammad Ali Jawhar and his legacy and work.

The discussions so far have been beautiful and moving, and very emotional. I am sitting 2 kilometres from the home of Muhammad Ali Jawhar, and I might pay it a visit. Arguably Rampur’s greatest son, and what a son he was. The Khilafat Movement is known throughout the world as having been the most organised movement to champion the cause of the Khilafah at around its fall. It is amazing to think that this otherwise small town could have produced a man who had such a massive impact, and because of whom so many tens of millions of Muslims of the subcontinent and especially India and Pakistan identified with the ‘Uthmanis and kept the love for the Khilafah in their hearts and minds. Alhamdulillah!

Glimpse Into the Life of Salahudeen Al-Ayyubi (rh)

An inspirational look into some of the qualities of Salahudeen Al-Ayyubi (rahimahullah) & the situation during his times & the Victory by the will of Allah.

Short clip by br. Bilal Merhi:

Full lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcRZYxX3bG4

* * *

“He had two qualities of a leader Allah glorifies in the Qur-aan, when the people will love you & respect you.
It is when Allah (swt) says, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him, are harsh & stern against the disbelievers & kind & compassionate among one another.”

“It was the Taqwa of Salahudeen that got him the Victory.”

“He loved the Seerah, Ibn Shaddad, the great Scholar, & his best friend said, whenever a Hadith of Rasulullah (saw) would be mentioned he would sit down out of respect, & make everyone else around him sit down also.”

“You know Salahudeen when he started his conquest he faced the same criticism that we see going on today.
That:
i) the Ummah isn’t ready
ii) the enemy is too strong
iii) we need to use Hikmah
iv) we need to have peace talks & strike deals with the enemies
All of these criticisms were thrown at Salahudeen.
By who?
The Scholars of Islam.
Yet Salahudeen didn’t listen to any of them, but he stood firm on Islam, & at the end Salahudeen was correct. While the cowards… they were all wrong.”

The Modern-Day Equivalent Of the Bubonic Plague, by Tarek Mehanna

Written by: Tariq Mehanna
On the day of the lunar calendar that Allah drowned Fir’aun and saved the Children of Israel
Thursday, the 10th of Muharram 1435 (14th of November 2013)
Terre Haute CMU

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“So, whatever you have been given is only the enjoyment of this worldly life. And what is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who believed and place their trust in their Lord / And those who avoid major sins and indecency, and when they become angry, they forgive / And those who answered the call of their Lord and properly performed the prayers, and consult each other in their affairs, and donate from what We have provided them…
…And those who, when they suffer tyranny, they avenge themselves.” (Surah Ash-Shūra 36-39)

Commenting on this last verse, ash-Shawkani said: “Allah mentioned those people who avenge themselves in the context of praise just as He mentioned forgiveness when angry in the context of praise. This is because bowing down to a tyrant is not a trait of those to whom Allah has granted honor… So, striking back against tyranny is a virtue, just as forgiveness when angry is a virtue. an-Nakha’i said: “They (the early Muslims) used to hate degrading themselves in order to prevent the insolent from being bold against them.””

Naturally, the quality of defending oneself against a tyrant is a virtue in the eyes of all people – except the tyrant. The tyrant, of course, prefers a peaceful victim. When Mūsa (‘Alayhis-salām) returned to Egypt to emerge as a leader with a following, Fir’aun became horrified at the prospect of his subjects possessing actual strength, and thus revived his policy of killing each male newborn (40:25) in an attempt to deprive them of the manpower he assumed they needed to resist. Plantation owners in the South were able to keep black slaves under the whip for nearly three centuries due to their overall success in erasing from their minds the concept of resistance. When Western colonial powers exploited entire populations across Africa and Asia, they were able to pull it off for centuries primarily by erasing from their minds the concept of resistance. So, a tyrant’s attempt to vilify or otherwise do away with the spirit of resistance in the minds of those under the whip is a timeless strategy. Continuing in this tradition, a panel of American judges recently likened Jihād to “the modern-day equivalent of the bubonic plague.”

This analogy got me thinking.

Also known as the “Black Death”, the bubonic plague is the most common form of plague. It “typically starts with shivering, then vomiting, headache, giddiness, intolerance to light; pain in the back and limbs; and insomnia, apathy, or delirium. Body temperature rises rapidly to 104 degrees or higher, and frequently falls slightly in the second or third day, with marked prostration. Constipation is usual; diarrhea is a grave sign. Most characteristic is the early appearance of buboes (swelling of the lymph nodes), which are usually distributed in the groin and armpits.” The bubonic plague took the lives of entirely one quarter of the population of Europe during the great epidemic of the 14th century. The plague is, indeed, a terrible calamity.

Al-Bukhāri reported that ‘A’ishah (Radi Allahu ‘Anhā) asked the Prophet ﷺ regarding the plague. He informed her that it was a punishment that Allah would send upon whom He willed, and that He had made it a mercy for the believers. Ibn Hajar mentioned another version of the Hadith which states: “So, the plague is a form of martyrdom for the believers and a mercy for them, and a punishment for the kafir.” He then commented: “This is explicit in showing that the plague is a mercy solely for the believers, and if it befalls the kuffar, it is a punishment upon them expedited in this world before the next.” Interestingly, the description of Jihād in the Qur’an (9:14) is almost identical to this. From such a perspective, the analogy is correct. Perhaps this is what was intended by it.

Or it could be that one of the dictionary definitions of plague is “any widespread affliction, calamity, or evil, especially one regarded as a direct punishment from God.”

Or it could be that it was in Iraq, of all places, that Black Death originated in the 11th century before spreading to Europe.

More likely, though, the judge’s analogy is an example of what is known as psychological projection. Psychological projection is defined as “the tendency to ascribe to another person feelings, thoughts, or attitudes present in oneself, or to regard external reality as embodying such feelings, thoughts, etc. in some way,” especially with “such an ascription relieving the ego of a sense of guilt or other intolerable feeling.” Thus, for one to liken the means of repelling his government’s tyranny to an infectious disease is an attempt to deflect our attention from a more appropriate analogy: the AIDS virus is one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. But it doesn’t kill the body by hurting it directly. Instead, it wipes out its immune system to leave it defenseless against attack from all other infections. The Muslim Ummah is like the human body. Jihād is its immune system. The US government is like the AIDS virus, doing all that it can to wipe out that immune system and leave us defenseless against its attacks. Despite the invasions and drone attacks and arrests and lengthy prison sentences, however, black flags are popping up everywhere from the Western Sahara to the farthest reaches of Southeast Asia, and with increasing frequency.

In another dictionary definition, a plague is “any cause of trouble, annoyance, or vexation.”

When Fir’aun realized that his “fierce efforts” to subjugate Mūsa (‘Alayhis-salām) and his followers had failed, he made no secret of how this small gang of terrorists had enraged him (26:54-55). He was in a state of outward denial, while acknowledging inwardly (27:14) that those who just yesterday were living under his whip will tomorrow be the leaders who inherit his world (28:5).

But before orphans receive their inheritance, they must first be tested (4:6). Someone else sitting at this desk may not see the connection between this promised future and an apparently cheerless life in prison for myself and my brothers. But Fir’aun’s demise contains a valuable lesson for people like us inside prison and people like you outside of it. If you look at each individual piece of the story on its own, nothing seems to make sense. Whether you’re looking at the circumstances surrounding the childhood of Mūsa (a.s), his escape from Egypt, his return to Egypt, his choosing of the time to confront Fir’aun’s magicians, the various signs sent by Allah to Fir’aun, and so on – none of the details indicate exactly how the story would end. Only when Fir’aun and his army follow Mūsa (a.s) and the other Muslims, and are finally standing at the seacoast – only when the last piece of the puzzle has fallen into place – does it all make sense. The series of events leading up to that single moment, as they stood looking at two mountains of seawater which would become their grave, had been set in motion decades earlier without anyone except Allah knowing what it would all culminate in. All the talk of victory, establishment, and freedom might have seemed misplaced before that moment to the Israelites living for years in captivity as imprisoned slaves, with no end in sight. Some might say that such talk is similarly misplaced for someone sitting where I’m sitting.

filepicker-ZbLTBVImS0CPfY6l5cAs_moses_red_sea — Muslims await the Victory of Allah, just as it came to Musa (as)

But at that moment, Allah’s promise came to life, and the seemingly disconnected events of the previous years suddenly fused together: “So, We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them. And We allowed the people who had been oppressed to inherit the east and west of the land which We had blessed. And the promise of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel due to their patience, and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had produced and built.” (7:136-137)

A skim of daily news headlines indicates that our moment is gradually approaching, and after careful consideration of the massive record, the Qur’an’s prolific arguments, and the controlling law, I affirm that history repeats itself (48:23).

Nelson Mandela’s Death, How Should the Muslim Respond?

The death of Nelson Mandela has been the centre of world attention in the last 20 hours. It has drawn varying responses from Muslims and as many issues in the past, delineated them in two opposing spectrums. Proposition Revival has a look at some prominent comments from Muslim activists across the world in regards to the issue.

Mandela’s death: how should Muslims respond?

Alomgir Ali:

R.I.P?

When the Prophet’s uncle Abu Talib was on his death bed the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم pleaded with him to pronounce the testimony of faith. His uncle was very supportive of him when he was alive and provided him a high level or protection.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: I shall ask Allah to forgive you unless He prohibits me to do so. He eventually died but upon polytheism. Thereafter Allah (swt) revealed:

“It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.” (9:113)

Saying R.I.P (Rest in peace) is not simply a statement of a reality since we do not know what the state of the deceased is unless we are informed by revelation, rather it is a form of supplication where a person wishes or asks God to make the person rest in peace.

It is therefore not permissable for a believer to mention R.I.P after hearing the death of someone who died in a state other than Islam.

Some people might find my words distasteful or extreme, especially after the death of Mandela, however it’s important that we do not allow our emotions to contravene our faith and it’s rulings.

A believer always connects his thoughts and emotions to the afterlife, and so when he views the worldly life he looks through the lens of the afterlife and realises that true success lies in the success in the Afterlife. There is no true success unless that success leads to success with Allah. Anything less is only transient and will only have its benefit last for as long as the earth remains, which are only passing moments that will soon pass us by.

“Say, [O Muhammad], “Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work.” Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any importance.” (18:103-105)

“And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed” (25:23)

The biggest lesson we can learn from Mandela’s life is that no much how much good you may do and achieve in this life, it will be to no avail if you choose not to believe in the greatest good; to dedicate your life to your Creator and spend your life in submission to Him.

There can be no doubt though that he was a man that stood up against racism and apartheid and played a part in bringing and end to great tyranny and he is to be acknowledged for that.

May Allah guide us all to the straight path and make our good deeds count when we really need it.

Ameen.

Shaykh Ahmad Musa Jibril:

Bismillah
Alhamdullah, Wasalatu Wasalamu ‘Alaa Rasool Allah

**Mandela & Tawheed**

1. (We shall turn whatever good deeds the disbelievers did into dust) 25:23

No matter what one achieves (without Tawheed) they failed and lost!

One can loose everything in this life, yet win the akhira with his Tawheed and he ends up being an ultimate winner!

Another can gain and achieve everything in this life, yet lose the Akhira with Kufr and he is an ultimate loser.

(Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds?
Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds.
They are the Kuffar… ) 18:103-105

That’s from the ABC’s of Tawheed.

2. Purposely making duaa for (Rahmah) mercy on one who we know died as a Kafir is a sin and transgression in Duaa!

a) Allah subhanu watala said:

(those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah and the Meeting with Him, it is they who have (((no hope of My Mercy))): and it is they who will have a painful torment)29:23

-Allah subhanu watala who we say by fard, 17 times a day is the {most merciful}….

He bestowed 1 portion of his 99 mercies on this entire universe, saving 99 for the judgement day, said they have {no hope of mercy}!

Making Duaa for their mercy implies one has more mercy than ALLAH subhanu watala who denied them His mercy!!

b) Allah subhanu watala said:
(It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allah’s Forgiveness for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief) 9:113

c) ALLAH subhanu watala cursed the Kuffar in Quran several times:

(So let the Curse of Allah be on the disbelievers)2:89

La’nah = Curse: means expulsion from mercy!

Allah subanu Watala expelled them from mercy and some want to override the order and decision of Allah subhanu watala and include them!?!

d) The Jews used to go near the Prophet Sallah Allahu alieh wasalam and fake their sneezing so he can make duaa of Rahmah (mercy) on them.

He would ask Allah subhanu watala to guide them instead!

[sunan Abu Dawood, al-Tirmithy, al-nisaaei, al-Hakim, Musnad Ahmad, al-Tahaway, al-Baihaqy, al-Tabarany and others]

That’s the man that Allah subhanu Watala said he was sent as a mercy:

(And We have sent you not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)21:107

-He refused to make duaa of Rahama for them while they were living even though there was the possibility that they may be guided, imagine after their death on Kufer when the books are sealed!

e) In Saheeh Muslim the Prophet Sallah Allahu alieh wasalam said : I sought permission of Allah to make istighfar for my mother and it is not allowed. And I sought permission of Allah to visited her grave, and it is allowed!

*There is more proof and more to say, however this was quickly written based on the the request of many brothers and sisters.

*It very sad to see the level of ignorance many have in basic matters of Tawheed that surface with such incidents.

May Allah always guide us to the straight path.

Ahmad Musa Jibril

Faraz Nomani:

Some of the comments surrounding Mandela’s death in the mass media and by prominent figures display the same paternalistic attitude that led to the system he had to struggle against. Too much “positive” emphasis on “the way Mandela adopted the peaceful way after earlier resorting to violence” for it to be a coincidence. Even here, the white establishment pertains to determine what the right way to engage in struggle against what was essentially a very violent and coercive system should be. So the whites of south Africa physically separated, killed, massacred at times and universally oppressed the blacks but if they responded with violence they were wrong to do so? Hypocritical garbage. This is not to say that violence is the way to be adopted, but the last one to be deciding on right and wrong are those who are the inheritors to that oppression today and distant cousins to similar treatment of indigenous populations.

Sahar Gumkhor:

I can’t help but think that those who continue Mandela’s struggle against racism and imperialism and those who are its victims are currently being dehumanised (boat people, terrorist, extremists, religious fundamentalists, etc), detained, renditioned, tortured, droned and rendered as human waste by the same governments and politicians now celebrating and exalting his legacy. Let’s not for even a moment forget the violence of this moment.

Abu Zakariya:

Nelson Mandela as far as we know, for all extents and purposes dies on Kufr. All I am seeing is the Western Du’aa (and I call them Western Du’aa because their Da’wah (call) is tailored to suit the West) praising his life and acts, etc.

It is very astonishing on how much effort they have put to recognize him, yet the Mujahideen whom are 1000000+ times better than this man are shunned and put down by these same people.

This is the reality of the Western Du’aa that many find hard to accept…

Soft with the kuffar and harsh on the believers.

Clarifying the Term ‘Islamist’

Despite falling out of usage in the last century, the term ‘Islamist’ was formerly synonymous with the word ‘Muslim’. In recent times however it has come to be applied solely to Muslims who accept Islam as the only acceptable source of legislation in their lives and in Muslim communities.

The reason for this change in the meaning of the term is clear. With the rise in the 20th century of a group who refer to themselves with the oxymoron ‘secularist Muslims’ a distinction has had to be made between those who wish to live by Islamic principles and those who wish to relegate Islamic as a relic or cultural identity rather than a source of guidance and legislation in life.

The fact that being an Islamist was formerly synonymous with being a Muslim shows that secularism was never at all associated with Islam in the past, a Muslim was somebody who submitted his self to the Religion of Allah and did not dare look to any other system to govern his life. Therefore, to be called a Muslim in itself implied that one was also an Islamist, that is, a person who took Islam to be his guide and law in life. The idea that a Muslim could be a secularist who relegates Islam to anything but a position of superiority in all areas of life was a blasphemy to which no person could claim to be whilst still daring to call his self a Muslim. A secularist who did not accept Islam as the sole authority in this world was seen rather clearly as a non-Muslim.

The Secular American Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This brave Shaykh: Shaykh Walid Al Sinani expresses his thoughts regarding the Saudi regime without any fear or second thoughts.
May Allah keep him steadfast, & protect him from the tyrants of Al-Sa’ud & hasten the release of all our sincere Scholars & Da’ees locked in the dungeons & prisons in the world.