The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Verily, the knots of Islam will be undone one by one. Whenever one knot is lost then the people grabbed onto the one which came after it. The first of these knots will be the ruling and the last will be the salah." [At-Tabaraani]
The first knot of Islam was undone in 1924 with the destruction of the Khilafah. Since that time the Muslim Ummah has witnessed calamity upon calamity befalling her. Each year the Imam's du'a gets longer as more and more Muslim countries fall victim to occupation, killing and oppression. Charity organisations struggle to cope as scarce resources are spread ever more thinly. So many Islamic rules are neglected to the point where even those who pray salah are harassed and treated with suspicion.
As a result many Muslims are working to retie the knots of Islam. Witnessing the occupation of their lands, resistance movements are formed to expel the occupiers. Seeing the mass poverty and economic stagnation, charity organisations are formed to alleviate some of the suffering. Witnessing the moral decay and non-adherence to Islamic rules, schools and educational programmes are established to return Muslims to their deen.
Although this good work must continue we must realise that only by retying the first knot of Islam – the Khilafah will all other knots be retied as well.
The noble Sahabah of the Prophet (saw) understood this. Their consensus (ijma) on delaying the burial of the Prophet (saw) in order to appoint a Khaleefah is a shari'ah evidence for us.
When the Prophet (saw) died a multitude of problems arose within the Islamic State. False prophets emerged, tribes apostatised from Islam and the army's expedition to Syria was delayed. After the Sahabah appointed Abu Bakr (ra) as Khaleefah, he ordered the army under the command of Usama bin Zayd (ra) to Syria and fought the rebellious tribes. Only then was the disunity and chaos threatening the Islamic state finally abated.
Similarly the calamities we face today will only be resolved with the re-establishment of the Khilafah.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind whom the people fight and by whom they protect themselves." [Muslim]
Without this shield Muslims have witnessed their lands stolen and occupied by the western colonialists. Abdul-Hamid II, one of the last Khulafaah of the Muslims predicted this when the Zionist tried to bribe him in to giving them access to Palestine. In 1901, Theodore Hertzil, founder of the Zionist movement visited Istanbul and tried to meet with Abdul-Hamid. Abdul-Hamid refused to meet him and told his Head of the Ministers Council:
"Advise Dr Hertzil not to take any further steps in this project. I cannot give away a handful of the soil of this land for it is not my own, it is for all the Islamic Ummah. The Islamic Ummah that fought Jihad for the sake of this land and they have watered it with their blood. The Jews may keep their money and millions. If the Islamic Khilafah state is one day destroyed then they will be able to take Palestine without a price! But while I am alive, I would rather push a sword in to my body than see the land of Palestine cut and given away from the Islamic state. This is something that will not be; I will not start cutting our bodies while we are alive."
Despite the brave efforts of Muslims resisting occupation, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and Kashmir still remain occupied. A future Khilafah will utilise all in its ability so that it can re-take this occupied land.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The son of Adam has no better right than a house wherein he may live and a piece of cloth whereby he may hide his nakedness and a piece of bread and some water" [Tirmidhi]
It's estimated that nearly half the world lives on less than $2 a day, a measure the World Bank defines as ‘moderate poverty'. Muslim countries rank as some of the poorest in the world with interest based debt crippling their economies and leaving them at the mercy of oppressive IMF restructuring plans. Indeed the source of all economic problems in the Muslim world is the implementation of these Capitalist economic policies.
Additionally, corrupt Muslim governments siphon off the Ummah's wealth in to Swiss bank accounts and some even prop up western economies through their investments whilst their own people starve. Robert Baer, a former CIA agent in the Middle East wrote in Atlantic monthly, "The Saudis keep around a trillion dollars in US banks and another trillion on the stock market. If they were suddenly to withdraw all their holdings in this country, the effect … would be devastating."
A future Khilafah will restructure the economies of the Muslim world on the basis of Islam. Natural resources such as oil and gas would be utilised for the benefit of the people not western companies. Exploitation through oppressive capitalist taxation and policies would come to an end.
During the Khilafah of Umar bin al-Khattab (ra), Medina suffered a famine. Umar utilised the resources of the whole state to combat the famine. He ordered his governor of Egypt ‘Amr bin al-As to dig a canal from the River Nile to the Red Sea to transport grain to the Arabian Peninsula.
Allah (swt) says in the Holy Qur'an:
"Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging (clot of blood). Read, and your Lord is most bounteous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man what he knew not."
[TMQ Al-Alaq: 1-5]
Some Muslims view poor education and literacy rates as a major source of problems in their countries. Great emphasis is placed on gaining higher education to alleviate the technological and industrial backwardness faced by much of the Muslim world.
On closer examination we find the Muslim world is not lacking in educated Muslims. Some of the world's top academics, scientists, engineers and doctors are Muslim. The problem is no system and infrastructure is in place in Muslim countries to utilise their skills. This is why the majority of these Muslims are found in the west. It's all too common to find taxi drivers and waiters in Muslim countries who are degree educated because their country cannot utilise their skills.
A future Khilafah will reverse this ‘brain drain' from the Muslim world and develop agricultural and industrial policies to develop the infrastructure and standard of living in the country.
After the Battle of Badr the Prophet (saw) ransomed some of the prisoners of war on condition they teach 10 Muslims to read and write. In this way he (saw) used the state to institute an educational programme for the Muslims.
It's well known that the Abbasid Khilafah was at the forefront of science and technology whilst Europe languished in the dark ages. The Khilafah provided the environment and motivation for Muslims to develop and utilise their skills.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The best amongst you is the one best in morals." [Agreed upon]
Corruption, criminality and non-adherence to Islam are attributed to lack of Islamic knowledge and bad morals. Schools, educational programmes and study circles are all established to teach the Muslims about Islam and thus increase their taqwa and observance of the Islamic rules.
It is true that Muslims hold corrupt concepts towards Islam today which affects their behaviour. However, society does not become corrupt solely by the behaviour of individuals. Society becomes corrupt due to a corrupt system and a corrupt political awareness among the people. Even the most pious person living in a Muslim country may find himself having to pay bribes, something which is haram, in order to function normally. The fault here is the system that forces people to become corrupt in order to function on a day-to-day level. The following principle certainly holds true:
"Reform the society and this will lead to reform of the individual constantly."
The conduct of many in the West shows their people have the lowest moral behaviour imaginable yet their systems and governments are less corrupt than the Muslim world. This is not due to secular-democracy being superior to Islam but due to their implementation of a functioning system that there populations believe in and adhere to.
The Khilafah's education system and societal environment will produce strong Islamic personalities who adhere to the law based on taqwa. Also a future Khilafah will establish an accountable government and effective judiciary based on taqwa that will eradicate bribery, corruption and criminality through the force of law.
The third Khaleefah of Islam, Uthman bin Affan said, "Allah deters by the power of government (sultan) those who are not deterred by the teachings of the Qur'an."
There is no doubt that the vital issue for Muslims is the re-establishment of the Khilafah in the Muslim world. All other calamities affecting the Muslims are symptoms of the Khilafah being absent. The scholars of Islam referred to the Khilafah as the ‘mother of all obligations (fard)' since so many Islamic obligations cannot be established without it.
Therefore, it is imperative for all Muslims to work with those sincere groups in this noble work and gain the greatest reward – the pleasure of Allah (swt) and entering His (swt) jannah.