The news of Afia contracting cancer, is another horrific incident in the long list of violations of Human rights carried out by the U.S . Such news are frequently brought to our attention, exposing the heinous crimes by U.S in its decade old war of terror, however our rulers (and those in line) have become oblivious to these sufferings of Muslims, and they only engage in the pursuit of their own interests. One wonders if this has always been the state of the Muslims and their Rulers?
Today we find ourselves helpless under both Democracy and Dictatorship. However, contrary to this, the past was very different.
There was a time in our History, that once it so happened, that in a Roman City, one Muslim sister was attacked. Unlike the far graver atrocities that are reported today, only to fall on deaf years of our rulers, this news of attack reached the then ruler of the Caliphate. When the Caliph, Mutasim Billah heard about the cry of the women, calling “Ya Mutasim”, he was stunned. He immediately ordered a meeting, for which an emergency Adhan (Sixth Adhan) was given in the Masjid, and the relevant personals gathered. They inquired the Caliph, “What is the matter?”, to which he replied, “a report has reached me that one Muslim sister was abused in a Roman city.” He proceeded, “Wallahi, I will send an army that is so big that when it reaches them it will still be leaving our bases. And tell me the strongest city of these Romans and I will send the army to that city.” This was the decisive response of the Khalifah, when the honor of one of our sisters/mothers was touched.
It is noteworthy to note the swift and decisive response of the Caliphate, with regards to protection of human rights. The Caliph did not send a team of lawyers to take up the issue in the courts of Romans, nor did he dispatched State diplomats to plea and request the ‘safety’ of the victim. The Islamic state did not delay the matter to first gauge public sentiments. Neither did the Muslim rulers exploit the issue for their own personal gain. This ability of the Islamic state was not merely confined to the ‘character’ of the then Ruler, but stemmed from legal framework of the Caliphate, i.e. the Shariah Law. Which obliged rulers to take notice, authorized the Caliph to make quick decisions, and operate a robust foreign policy, in which the State, ventured to rescue the women, by taking on a prominent power i.e. the Romans. Such decisive maneuvers are impossible within the confinements of the nation state models and democratic (or dictatorial) mode of governance found in the divided Muslim world today. A Caliphate can change this for the better, and our past, is testimonial to this.
by Engr. Sharique Naeem ([email protected])
About the author
Sharique Naeem is an automation engineer and political commentator. His writings have been published in national newspapers of Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Yemen, Libya & Iran. He can be reached at [email protected] He tweets at @shariquenaeem