The recent wikileaks releases have sent shock waves around the world exposing the views of western diplomats regarding foreign governments and individuals. Causing a mixture of embarrassment and political incidents, the leaks have left the American government scrambling around the world to maintain damage control. In addition to America’s humiliation, the leaks have given the world a better understanding of western views of other heads of state, as well as confirmation of the true nature of the Muslim rulers.

The leaked documents give candid accounts of meetings with many leaders, exposing their real concerns and views. A number of documents focus on the deep concern towards Iran, where many Arab nations repeatedly raised concerns over Iran. King Abdullah claimed Iran was meddling in ‘Arab matters’ and called the state liars. Abu Dhabi’s crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan also suggested that the US should send in ground forces if air strikes were not enough to "take out" Iranian nuclear targets. Egypt’s intelligence chief general Omar Suleiman called Iran "a significant threat to Egypt….supporting jihad and spoiling peace," furthermore Hosni Mubarak told a US congressman, "Iran is always stirring trouble". These statements amongst many others actually encourage military action against the Ummah.

These accounts show the intimate relationship between the US and the Muslim rulers, where these leaders are raising their fears hoping the US will help them. The appreciation and care shown to the US is remarkable. In a discussion with the US, Saudi King Abdullah said, "We (the U.S. and Saudi Arabia) spilled blood together" in Kuwait and Iraq, the King continued, and Saudi Arabia valued this tremendously. Friendship can be a difficult issue that requires work, Abdullah said, but the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have done it for 70 years over three generations. "Our disagreements don’t cut to the bone," he stated. Zardari showed similar appreciation for US help during the Pakistani elections stating, "We are here because of you."
However the most staggering example of this relationship was from Yemen’s president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who assured the US that missile strikes conducted in his own country by the US in Yemen would be claimed as a Yemeni army assault, and he would "continue saying the bomb are ours, not yours." One of the leaked cables showed in one attack 41 local residents, including 14 women, 21 children and 14 other Muslims were killed. General Petraeus on the same issue but in another cable is recorded as saying that the attack had caused the deaths of "only" three "civilians".

Whilst the Muslim rulers continue their relationship of subservience to the West the US views the world only in terms of its national interests. As captured in the leaks Turkey has been used to negotiate with Iran regarding their nuclear ambitions and was even reprimanded by the US when they weren’t dealing with Iran adequately. The cables show that US diplomats have grave doubts about Turkey’s dependability, quoting one high-ranking government adviser as saying that Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu would use his Islamist influence on Erdogan, describing him as "exceptionally dangerous." Regardless of how much help Recep Erdogan has given the US over years with Iran, Israel, Iraq and Gaza, the AKP’s commitment continues to be questioned.
A number of the leaked cables show pure condescension of the Muslim rulers. Chief of the Defence Staff Jock Stirrup stated that although Zardari has "made helpful political noises, he’s clearly a numbskull.", furthermore Permanent Under-Secretary for Security Affairs Peter Ricketts characterized Zardari as having "not much sense of how to govern a country…I fear he talks and talks but not much happens." This is not the first time the US has backed a less than desirable leader as an ally since their objective is not to promote a leader who will bring his people progress but one who would be an active accomplice in their global plans.

The wikileaks cables have only come to confirm the widely held belief that our rulers are exceptionally inept in their role. The cables prove that in addition to merely being concerned about building palaces and holding on to power, they are also delusional, seeing their role in the US grand schemes as indispensible and privileged. The cables show the world that our leaders are quick to give help to the west in order to gain some crumbs, happy to sell their own people to achieve western aims.
The leaked cables show us that the US is only concerned with the pursuit of its interests in the world and an ally is seen merely as an aid to attain these interests. These leaders leave our Ummah vulnerable to the interests of the west, happy to accommodate them where the only vision is to please their colonial master.

To gain protection from the colonialist wolf and progress as an ummah it’s time we had the vision for the true Islamic ruler as seen in Khaleefah’s of the past who followed in the way of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

via: http://islamicsystem.blogspot.com/2010/12/wikileaks-confirms-treachery-of-ummahs.html

Elite capitalist nations, such as America, UK and Canada, portray aid packages to Muslim countries as charity. But, in reality, this money is an investment that enables the colonial powers to maintain their influence in the Muslim lands. Foreign aid is a tool of control. We must call on the Ummah to reject the continued subordination of our affairs to these colonial nations. We must call on the people of influence in the Muslim lands to reject foreign aid and set a course that is subordinate to none but Allah (swt).
In October, US President Barack Obama signed into law the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009. The bill, also known as the Kerry-Lugar Bill, promises to send $7.5 billion in “aid” over a period of 5 years. However, the conditions attached to the bill are a cause of concern for many, including the Pakistani army, who see the bill as an infringement on national security.

Foreign Aid: “No Free Lunch”
When analyzing the actions of nations that adopt the capitalist ideology, such as America, it is important to recognize that they do not provide assistance – monetary or otherwise – for free. A closer look at the Kerry-Lugar Bill will reveal that the aid package comes with the following conditions:

1. US can inspect Pakistan’s nuclear programs on demand.
2. Washington must confirm military promotions and appointments made by the Pakistani civilian leaders.
3. Pakistan must accept American and British blame – without dispute – for their failures in Afghanistan.
4. Pakistani military must cease support for extremist and terrorist groups – which include Muslims who resist occupation in Kashmir and Afghanistan – and prevent them from undertaking any operations in neighboring countries.
5. “Pakistani national, regional, and local officials and members of Pakistani civil society and local private sector, civic, religious, and tribal leaders” must implement projects as dictated by the US.
6. Pakistan must change its curricula for Madrassas.
Pakistan is also expected to sacrifice its troops – the sons of this noble Ummah – for the sake of America’s brutal occupation of Afghanistan. This is in addition to the lives that will be lost from America’s bombing campaign conducted by its unmanned drones.
The Kerry-Lugar Bill is not the first foreign aid package sent to Pakistan. According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, the US alone has sent $16.7 billion from 1946-2007 in economic and military assistance. Despite this “aid” being sent, the situation in Pakistan has not improved.

Where does the money go?
The money sent by the US, UK, Canada and other capitalist nations mostly ends up in the pockets of the multi-national corporations. According to the New York Times, 45% of the aid sent by the Bush administration to Pakistan eventually reached the hands of American private contractors. A similar trend exists in Afghanistan. According to Action Aid, as much as 60% of aid is considered “phantom aid”, which does not even make it to Afghanistan. Instead, it is funneled directly to the bank accounts of American corporations. Aid is also a means to support the puppet government: it was reported in the Telegraph that the Karzai government depends on foreign countries for 90% of its revenues. The bulk of this comes from the US (who pledged about $10 billion in 2008). The article notes that without this money, the Karzai government would not be able to stand against the Taliban. The aid money is used to fund the local puppet government, who in turn implements the foreign policies of the sponsor country. In other words, this money is not intended to help the poor people of Afghanistan. Rather it is being used to prop up the puppet government that is a tool of America.
The arrangement of “paying-off” the local ruling class is routine amongst the colonial capitalist nations. Take, for example, the submarine deal between Pakistan and France. A French company was hired to build submarines for the Pakistani army. In 2002, 11 French engineers who worked for this company were killed in a bomb blast that occurred in Karachi, Pakistan. Initially, the blame was put on Al-Qaeda. However, an investigating judge from France claims that the bombing actually traced back to a deal-gone-sour between the French government and the Pakistani government. The judge alleged that the Pakistani army killed the French nationals because France stopped paying “commissions” to Pakistani army officials on the sale of submarines.
In Egypt, a comparable relationship exists between the country’s ruling elite and their American paymasters. A 2006 article in Al-Ahram Weekly noted that Egypt received $1.3 billion in foreign military financing and $1.2 billion in international military education and training. By paying the army directly, its dependence on America is ensured. Through its training initiatives, America can also recruit agents. The article noted that David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, saw Egypt as a key tool in America’s foreign policy in terms of exerting American influence in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, and Iran.
America is not alone in using aid to wield their influence in the Muslim lands. Canada partakes in this game as well. In Afghanistan, Canada funnels the aid through non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Oxfam and CARE Canada. The Canadian government does not want to give the aid money to the Karzai regime and prop-up America’s puppet. Furthermore, Karzai is mired in so much corruption that the money will be “diverted” before it is used in the manner that would achieve Canada’s interests in Afghanistan.

Colonialism: Emanating from the Capitalist Aqeedah
The Western nations vying for influence in the Muslim lands is colonialism in disguise. The colonial policy emanates from the capitalist aqeedah, which maintains that the sole criterion for action is “benefit and harm”. According to the capitalist formulation of foreign policy, nations conduct foreign policy by furthering their interests and protecting them abroad. Of course the main interest of the capitalist nations is economic. This means that these nations will compete with each other to access cheap natural resources at the expense of the weaker nations. The Ummah witnessed this policy with the American invasion of Iraq; the invading American army protected the oil ministry, but left the people to fend for themselves. Furthermore, the capitalist economic system depends on the procurement of cheap resources and cheap labor to pad the bottom line of its corporations and drive the stock prices and the stock market indices higher.
When comparing the rulers of Muslim lands and their supporters to the Sahaba (ra), we see a stark contrast. The Sahaba (ra) were loyal to Allah (swt) and RasulAllah (saw). For example, when Ka’ab Bin Malik (ra) was boycotted by the Ummah – by the command of Allah (swt) – he received a letter from a pro-Roman King of Ghassan (who had deep hatred for Islam), inviting him to leave Madinah and live in “comfort and consolation” with the Christians. After reading the letter, Ka’ab (ra) simply burned it. However, today is a different story. We see the rulers and their supporters running after America and Britain in a manner that is void of any izzah (dignity). One wonders how the Ummah fell from such heights of honor and dignity to the current pitiful state.

Intellectual Slavery: How did we get here?
Although the intellectual decline had been in progress for centuries, it was the fall of the Khilafah and the onset of the European occupation that led to the emergence of these tyrants and elites that rule the Ummah today. Through this direct occupation, the Europeans were able to secure the institutions of power. They were able to change the ruling system, the judicial system, the education system, the eco-nomic system and the social system throughout the occupied Muslim lands. These systems – along with the common emotions and common thoughts of the people – are what bind the society together, and, through them, the Europeans were able to corrupt the Ummah. Any Islamic alternatives that were offered by the Ummah during these times of colonial rule were eliminated. For example, in Algeria, scholars attempted to preserve the Islamic culture, heritage and language. However, they were continually harassed, arrested, and persecuted by the French occupation until they were silenced.
The present rulers and intellectuals (e.g. civil servants, educators, etc) grew up in this environment. They were immersed in European thoughts and concepts. They were taught about European history and European wars, but were not taught the Seerah of the Prophet (saw) or the history of the Khilafah. Consequently, they knew more about European philosophers than about Mus’ab ibn Umayr (ra), Saad ibn Mua’dh (ra) or the other Sahaba (ra). The colonized personality became the model of their thoughts through the European education system. This vision for engendering a colonized mentality was articulated in 1854 by Mountstuart Elphinstone, who said ”we must not dream of perpetual possession, but must apply ourselves to bring the natives into a state that will admit of their governing themselves in a manner that may be beneficial to our interests…”.
As a result of this process, the ruling class within the Muslim countries today looks solely to America and Europe for solutions – because that is all they are familiar with. It has become natural for these people to have cordial relations with the very enemies that once occupied them! By extension, it is natural for this segment of society to accept the continued intervention of America, Britain, France and other elite capitalist nations, in the affairs of the Ummah – be it through foreign aid, economic assistance or direct intervention.

Political Independence: A Vital Issue for the Ummah
As demonstrated above, “foreign aid” is really a means for the capitalist nations to enslave the Muslim countries, and more importantly, it is haram for Muslim countries to allow themselves to become colonized by other nations. Allah (swt) revealed:
وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا
"And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers."[TMQ 4:141]
It is important to link the issue to halal and haram, as this is the only criterion that is valid before Allah (swt). Connecting the issue of halal and haram to Allah (swt) and the akhira is a core aspect of dawah as the hukm (ruling) of Allah (swt) is the correct way to measure the issues we face – as opposed to the criterion of “benefit and harm” used by the capitalists.
Once the correct criterion is established, we must also convince the Ummah that such an approach is politically disastrous. We must lobby the people of power and influence them to make themselves independent of foreign aid. We must raise the points and evidences discussed above and demonstrate how this policy leads the country to become subordinate to the capitalist nations. Alhumdullilah, Allah (swt) has blessed the Ummah with the Qur’an and Sunnah, offering comprehensive Guidance in all of life’s affairs and for all times – we do not need their “theories” or “solutions”. Allah (swt) has blessed our Ummah with good people and blessed our lands with tremendous wealth – we do not need their paper dollars that steadily lose their value every day.
Islam was revealed to be a beacon of light for all of humanity. But this cannot happen until the Ummah becomes intellectually and politically independent of the secular-capitalist system, and establishes its thoughts and systems on the guidance of Islam.
May Allah (swt) guide this Ummah, restore our izzah, and grant us a righteous leadership that will implement upon us Islam and rid us of the interference of the colonial powers.
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِين
“We revealed the Book to you in explanation of every thing, and as guidance, mercy, and good tidings to those who believe.”[TMQ 16:89]

Source: http://islamicsystem.blogspot.com/2009/11/foreign-aid-path-to-slavery.html

this short piece from IslamicRevival. The last paragraph is a real soul-stirrer – Insha’allah the arab leaders in the Middle East awaken from their slumber, their decadent lifestyles and face the reality of this world and the reality of the hereafter.

Deeply saddening, appalling is indeed the violence in Gaza, as our world leaders have called it. Events which stir our emotions intensely. But more than emotion, we all feel a view, have an opinion as politics doesn’t just conjure feeling, it conjures thought and viewpoints as more than anything its about how we look after mankind in the world we live in. And in this present world we live in, it has to be said not only is the Palestinian conflict one of the most saddening, but is one which conjures the most political voice. For even the most apolitical amongst us, we all have a view about whether those people who claimed their homeland after around 2000 years, were right to do so, or wrong.

I remember some years ago, before I came to Islam, I was travelling in Morocco with a young Jewish girl who told me about how her parents envisaged settling in Israel one day from the UK, as their ultimate dream. At that time all I knew about Israel was, that it was a place in the middle east which came up in the news now and again, but didn’t really know why and I wasn’t that bothered either. When I returned to the UK, I ambled through some news pages in a vague attempt to maybe find out about this Israel. All I read was Israel was suffering at the hands of Palestinians and Palestinians were suffering at the hands of Israelis. Seemed like another classic conflict situation with some sort of history I’d never get but I hoped, as a passing thought, that both sides would meet in the middle somewhere. Thats classic conflict mediation isn’t it, even in marriages, it’s all about meeting somewhere in the middle; compromise. Both sides had to do their bit.

A couple of years later, my attachment to my Muslim brethren, urged me to read up on the history of Palestine and Israel. I read about a group of people homeless in Europe. I read about them set their eyes on a land they not only wanted to live in, but rule over. I read about them coming into Palestine and throwing people out of their homes, bulldozing them down and making people refugees in their own land. I read about bloodshed, I read about their domination, occupation spreading like a infectious disease. I read about their sophisticated missiles and tanks, whose design, manufacture was aided in Britain and America; massacre families, and the resistance of the Palestinians named as terrorism. Palestinians who grew up generation after generation in the muddy squalor of refugee camps in their own land attempted to fight this occupation with whatever they had. I read it all. Then came the wall, the blockades and the intense attacks of the last few days.

This was Israel. This was occupation, domination and suffering to the nth degee whilst the world watched, calling it deeply saddening and terribly appalling, but never wrong.

There have been many demos over the last few days, asking Israel to stop the attacks – and despite news reports saying that they won’t until Hamas does, we must be slightly loopy if we ever believe they will put an end to their agenda which has been ruthlessly undertaken over the past century. And the West – they will never verbalise Israel’s cruelty, as they are the ones who set the cannon loose and gave the go-ahead all those years ago. It’s a silence that will never be broken in Washington or London, and if we don’t own up to this, we continue to leave the suffering Palestinians stranded in a problem which has been sugarcoated and sold to us as a solution through roadmaps and ceasefires.

The solution lies in a place which we don’t always look. Like a action-packed thriller, where the director misguides you into thinking who the killer is, masking the real one in order to create that all breath-taking twist, the Muslims will also face their twist. The realisation that sustainable change can only come from the solution Allah SWT gives us for our politics. Lobbying MPs, pressuring Israel, all these things serve to divert us from the real solution – the armies of the Muslim lands – who did they stand to defend? The thousands and thousands of people, weaponry who make up the Muslim armies – where and for what reason do they stand idle?
Allah SWT will ask the rulers of the Muslim world, where were their ears and their eyes as the missiles fell, one after the other? These rulers we know prefer to shake the hands of the perpetrators than straighten them, in order to keep their seats of power. But Allah Almighty is the owner of the Heavens and the Earth, and it is He who can destroy all 50+ of them and their kingdoms in a fell swoop and one day InshaAllah He will. There will come a day, as Allah SWT has promised where just Islamic rule will return to this Earth and liberate all the oppressed. This is the only solution which can pool together the resources of the Muslim world, and create the unity to enable a resistance which stands to the likes as those of Israel. This is the solution which doesn’t accept a few Palestinian homes being returned, or a few Palestinians being allowed to work – This is the solution which will return an uncompromising rule of law which favours no race, only justice, to the Arabian plains. I pray that we are strong enough to remember this and become part of its return, instead of busying ourselves with fruitless actions which actively ensue its delay.

In light to the Gaza Massacre by Israeli forces, I’v decided to republish this post featuring the infamous nasheed: Sanakhudoo.
Muslims of Gaza, you are killed today, tomorrow you shall be raised, your wounds & flowing blood be a means to enter gardens of paradise.

Sana’khoodu Ma’arikana Ma’ahum
We’ll take our fights with them
Wa sanam dhiJi moo’an Narda’uhum
We’ll go as groups to stop them
Wa nu’eedul haqqal mug-tasaba
We’ll return our slain rights (territories)
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out

Sana’khoodu Ma’arikana Ma’ahum
We’ll take our fights with them
Wa sanam dhiJi moo’an Narda’uhum
We’ll go as groups to stop them
Wa nu’eedul haqqal mug-tasaba
We’ll return our slain rights (territories)
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out

Bisilaahil haqqil battari
By the weapon of truth (meaning that they are the people who have the right, the right will always go back to its owners one day, no matter how long wrong lasts)
Sanu harriru ardhal ahraari
We’ll free the land of the frees (meaning that their dignity always made them free)
Wanu’eedul tuhraa ilal qudsi
We’ll return the pureness of Islam to Al-Quds (meaning it wasn’t pure under non Muslim leadership)
Min Ba’didh-dhuli wadhal ‘aree
After our weakness our humiliation

Bisilaahil haqqil battari
By the weapon of truth (meaning that they are the people who have the right, the right will always go back to its owners one day, no matter how long wrong lasts)
Sanu harriru ardhal ahraari
We’ll free the land of the frees (meaning that their dignity always made them free)
Wanu’eedul tuhraa ilal qudsi
We’ll return the pureness of Islam to Al-Quds (meaning it wasn’t pure under non Muslim leadership)
Min Ba’didh-dhuli wadhal ‘aree
After our weakness our humiliation
Min Ba’didh-dhuli wadhal ‘aree
After our weakness our humiliation

Sana’khoodu Ma’arikana Ma’ahum
We’ll take our fights with them
Wa sanam dhiJi moo’an Narda’uhum
We’ll go as groups to stop them
Wa nu’eedul haqqal mug-tasaba
We’ll return our slain rights (territories)
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out

Wa sanamdhi Nadukkum-Ma’aqilahum
We’ll carry on bring down their fortresses
Bi dawyyin Daamin Yuqliquhum
With strong sounds that will scare them
Wa sanam hul ‘ara’ Bi’ayy-deena
We’ll erase our humiliation by our own hands
Wa biqullil quwwati Narda’uhum
With all force we’ll stop them

Wa sanamdhi Nadukkum-Ma’aqilahum
We’ll carry on bring down their fortresses
Bi dawyyin Daamin Yuqliquhum
With strong sounds that will scare them
Wa sanam hul ‘ara’ Bi’ayy-deena
We’ll erase our humiliation by our own hands
Wa biqullil quwwati Narda’uhum
With all force we’ll stop them
Wa biqullil quwwati Narda’uhum
With all force we’ll stop them

Sana’khoodu Ma’arikana Ma’ahum
We’ll take our fights with them
Wa sanam dhiJi moo’an Narda’uhum
We’ll go as groups to stop them
Wa nu’eedul haqqal mug-tasaba
We’ll return our slain rights (territories)
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out
Wa bi kullil quwwati Nad-fa’uhum
With all force we’ll push them out

Lan Nardha Bijuz-in Muhtallin
We’ll never accept a slain part of our lands
Lan Natruka Shibral-lildh-dhulli
We’ll never leave out a bit of our land for them to humiliate us with.
Satamourul ardhu Wa tahriquhum
The Earth will burst in flames and burn them
Fil ardhi Baraakeenun Taghli
In Earth there is volcanoes that are boiling (he’s pointing to how much Muslims have in their hearts from having their lands slain rights taken)

Lan Nardha Bijuz-in Muhtallin
We’ll never accept a slain part of our lands
Lan Natruka Shibral-lildh-dhulli
We’ll never leave out a bit of our land for them to humiliate us with.
Satamourul ardhu Wa tahriquhum
The Earth will burst in flames and burn them
Fil ardhi Baraakeenun Taghli
In Earth there is volcanoes that are boiling (he’s pointing to how much Muslims have in their hearts from having their lands slain rights taken)
Fil ardhi Baraakeenun Taghli
In Earth there is volcanoes that are boiling (he’s pointing to how much Muslims have in their hearts from having their lands slain rights taken)

Islamic Brotherhood

by Khalid Baig

“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood.” [Al-Hujurat 49:10]

“A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others.” [Sahih Muslim].

The Islamic Brotherhood is not based on economic interests, race, or color. It is based on something infinitely superior: Rejection of falsehood and acceptance of the Truth as revealed by the One True God.

Not only is this Brotherhood based on faith, it is also a part of that faith. The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “You cannot enter paradise unless you become a total believer and you won’t become a total believer unless you love each other.” Obviously, faith and community are inseparable in the faith community produced by Islam. Even a casual reader of Qur’an would note that it almost always addresses the Believers and not the Believer. All acts of worship that are declared pillars of Islam have a collective form. The five daily prayers are best performed in congregation, that being twenty-seven times more valuable than the individual prayer. The special Friday prayer cannot be offered individually at all. Zakat is obviously aimed at making the rich of the community take care of the needs of its poor. Fasting, an essentially individual act, has been given a collective form through unity in time. Hajj enforces unity in both time and place, bringing the believers together in the plains of Arafat in their remembrance of Allah.

Those who join in the worship of Allah produce a Brotherhood that embodies the best moral values of the faith: Mercy, compassion, fear of Allah, piety, and justice. It is a Solid Cemented Structure [As-Saff, 61:4], a tremendous force in the service of Right and against Wrong. Its members are to help each other in righteousness and piety but not in sin and rancor [Al-Maida 5:2]. They are to be “strong against unbelievers but compassionate amongst each other [Al-Fat-h 48:29]. They do not do injustice to others nor do they tolerate any injustice to themselves. In their love and concern for each other, all members of this Brotherhood are one body: when any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels the pain [Sahih Muslim].

This Brotherhood was established in the most unlikely place: Arabia, where before Islam internecine war was a way of life. On both social and political levels, this was one of the greatest achievements of Islam. On both levels, it remains one of Islam’s greatest goals. We can imagine the sensitivity of the Shariah about it by reflecting on its teachings regarding the relations between believers. It is forbidden, for example, for two Muslims to start a whispering conversation in the presence of the third. This might offend the one left out and weaken the Brotherhood. It is not permissible for a Muslim to sever relations with his brother for more than three days. “It is sufficient evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother. The life, wealth, and honor of a Muslim are inviolable by another Muslim.” [Sahih Muslim]. The books of hadith are full of such teachings.

This Brotherhood was a force for good, a purveyor of peace and justice for everyone. It provided stability in a quarrelsome world. To the downtrodden and oppressed everywhere, it provided freedom. When it was powerful, it even saved the Jews and Christians in Palestine and Spain from each other.

Two unfortunate developments in this century have impaired this Brotherhood. The first was the destruction of Khilafah and the emergence of independent nation-states in the Muslim world. This made it possible for “national interests” to be declared that are at cross-purposes to the interests of the Brotherhood. Not only that, it destroyed the means for both defining and defending the Brotherhood interests. The second development was the emergence of the United Nations Organization and the participation of individual Muslim nation-states in it, solely at its terms. The U.N. was and remains an organization of unequal powers, designed to perpetuate that inequality. Its purpose was to establish hegemony of the Western alliance over the rest of the world— not for any higher moral purpose but solely for economic exploitation. Its very structure (with real decision making in the hands of a few in the Security Council ) guaranteed the disenfranchisement of the weak, and the entire Muslim world found itself in that category at the end of official colonialism.

While the U.N. has failed miserably in its declared goals, it has been tremendously successful in the real ones. While it promised peace and justice, it has delivered death and destruction, exploitation and oppression. It provided legal cover for the first U.S.- Iraq war in 1991. It facilitated the carnage in Bosnia by tying the hands of the victims. It has perpetuated genocide in Iraq through the imposition of the most brutal economic sanctions in the history of the world, resulting in death of a million people through starvation and disease.

If any one country or group of countries had tried to commit such atrocities on their own, there would have been a tremendous reaction. But we have allowed ourselves to be deceived by the legal camouflage provided by the U.N. And witness how low we have fallen with our own accord. Muslims are not allowed to kill the women and children of their enemies even in war. How could we support the killing of our own women and children? A Muslim is not really a believer if he eats his full while ignoring the plight of a hungry neighbor. How could a believer then participate in economic sanctions designed to starve his own people to death?

When giving commands regarding the Islamic Brotherhood, the Qur’an uses a beautiful style with a profound message. Instead of saying, “greet each other” it says, “greet yourself.” [An-Nur 24:61]. Instead of saying, “do not defame each other,” it says, “do not defame yourself.” [Al-Hujurat 49:11]. Instead of saying, “do not kill each other,” it says, “do not kill yourself.” [An-Nisaa 4:29]. The message is clear: Whatever is happening to others in the Brotherhood, is actually happening to yourself. Any aggression against any part of the Brotherhood is an aggression against all of it.

We must free the Brotherhood from the servitude to the ideology of nation-states and the unjust international organizations so we can stop killing ourselves.