Political Concepts

Does the fall of a despot alone build an Ummah?

The severity of suffering that the Ummah has known under the feet of the oppressive dictators for decades has made the Ummah imagine that the whole disease that she has endured will be cured by the removal of these tyrants. And that the removal of these despots alone is sufficient enough to guarantee a way out from all of her crises and the calamities that have befallen her. This conviction has been reinforced by those Fataawaa (Fatwaas) that declare incomplete rashness that freedom comes before everything including the Sharee’ah and that democracy is the cure for every disease!

So the Ummah erupted in a number of its regions in opposition to the tyranny and oppression and they brought down some of her despots and the people rejoiced declaring that their downfall would bring a new era of flourishing and revival. However the two years that have passed since these uprisings is sufficient as a wakeup call to anyone who possesses enough awareness to realise that the fall of despots is not sufficient to give birth to an Ummah and for revival to take place.

This is because the problem is much greater than restricting it to the dictators as the fundamental problem resides in the loss of the Islamic identity and in the application of man-made constitutions of disbelief in addition to the dominance and hegemony of the West over our lands from every angle.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آَمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

“And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.”

(An-Nahl, 16:112)

Today the people comprehend and realize that the revolution that does not carry along with it a comprehensive political project that will change the reality of the society and the state bringing a new era of civilization, they realize that it will be destined to failure and that it will be easily overturned. And the example of what happened in Egypt is not far from our memories.

So O people of Ash-Shaam, let it be that you have learned a lesson and are aware of it, before that which happened in the land of Al-Kinaanah (Egypt) happens to you! We have great hope in you and a great reliance.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

“Allah has promised those of you who have iman and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their deen with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security. ‘They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.’ Any who are kafir after that, such people are deviators.”

(An-Nur, 24:55)

Ahmad Al-Qasas, Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir Lebanon