Side Feature, Social System, The Khilafah

“War on Terror” A Masquerade to Imprison our Honourable Sisters!

With the 15th year of imprisonment of our honourable sister Aafia Siddiqui in sight, the shameful news has reached us that yet another Muslim sister has been wrongfully put behind bars. This time her name is Jannat Besplova, a member of the Islamic political party Hizb ut Tahrir, who resides in a very different part of the world than Aafia, i.e. Russia. Even though their names and backgrounds are very different, their so-called crime, being a Muslim, is the same. Having the Islamic faith is what binds these two sisters together. It is also what makes their predicament, the worry and responsibility of the Islamic Ummah.

The so-called war on terrorism has for years been used as a political smokescreen allowing governments to supress the Islamic call in order to secure their own domination of the world and its resources.  We have seen this many years ago with the arrest of our sister Aafia Siddiqui who fell victim to false claims of terrorism whilst the US achieved wider strategic geopolitical objectives in the Muslim world and now we see the same with Sister Jannat Besplova in Russia.

This same so called “war on terror” paved the way for Russian President, Putin, who in 2016 signed into law a controversial package of amendments to the country’s existing counterterrorism laws. These new laws have toughened punishments for crimes connected to so called terrorism even though the criteria for determining what terrorism is remains completely vague.  The ‘war on terror’ also paved the way for the Supreme Court to rule the Islamic political party, Hizb ut Tahrir a “terrorist” organisation in 2003, consequently, banning its literature and membership. Giving free way for the FSB, Russia’s security service to conduct mass prosecutions, with men receiving sentences of up to life imprisonment for involvement in the organization.

Even though Hizb ut Tahrir cannot be linked with any involvement of any kind of terrorist activity and is well known for using an exclusively intellectual and political struggle in changing the situation of the Muslim world, this hasn’t stopped Russia arresting many of its members who are now facing long jail terms for upholding their dawah activities.

This isn’t Jannat’s first difficult trail to face at the hands of the Russian government. On the 2nd of April 2015, her husband, Issa Rahimov, was arrested and is now facing a 12-year prison sentence and his crime was because he isa member of Hizb ut Tahrir. Alhamdullilah our brothers and sisters in Russia remain firm in carrying the Islamic dawah even though they are full aware of the consequences this might bring with it. They are the true believers who stay true to the pact that they made with Allah. They do not get shaken by the oppressive methods of the Russian government to silence their dawah. They only become firmer as Allah (swt) revealed in the following verse:

الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ * فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ * إِنَّمَا ذَلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ

“Those to whom the people said: “Verily, the people have gathered against you a great army. So, fear them.” But it only increased them in faith, and they said: “Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.” So, they returned with grace and bounty from Allah. No harm touched them, and they followed the good Pleasure of Allah, and Allah has great bounty. It is only Satan that suggests to you the fear of his allies. So, do not fear them, and fear Me if you are believers.”

(3:173-175)

Let’s also remain firm in speaking out about the crimes these governments commit against our Muslim brothers and sisters world-wide. Make no mistake; Russia and the US are allies when it comes to their dislike towards Islam and their struggle to oppress its call. They not only violate the rights of Muslims living within their country, but they continue their crusades throughout the world. The only terror acts that are committed are by the Russian army in Syria and the US army in Yemen. So yes, there certainly is a war going on and it’s a war against Islam!

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِؤُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

“Their intention is to extinguish Allah’s Light (by blowing) with their mouths: but Allah will complete (the revelation of) His Light even though the unbelievers may detest it.”

(61:8)

 

Yasmin Malik