The Enemies of our Enemies are not our Friends

The Islamic Ummah in the years since the destruction of the Khilafah has been looking for new leaders at the global level.

Some we find on the liberal side of the spectrum, looking towards the West for their morality and instruction. Then there are some who claim to be “traditionalists.” We may be looking towards “strong men,” such as Xi Xing Ping, Vladimir Putin and, even anti-liberal social media influencers, amongst other non-Western aligned leaders or speakers. That’s because we view liberalism as the poison effecting Islam the most.

While it is easy to understand the perspective of finding allies in our war against the West, simultaneously it must be remembered that the old proverb “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is disproven. One can be surrounded by enemies, even if those enemies are at war with each other. That’s exemplified by the Ridda wars at the time of Abu Bakr as-Siddique (ra), or the simultaneous campaign against the Persians and the Romans, at the time of Umar al-Farooq (ra).

This is why we as Muslims are obliged to struggle against the kafir West and their ideological poison. So why jump out of the frying pan and into the fire?

We must remember that to find allies in those who oppose the West, amongst the kuffar, is an equivalently extreme mistake and diversion from our Deen.

We cannot forget Vladimir Putin’s massacres of Muslim men, women and children in Chechnya and Syria, nor can we forget Xi Xing Pings cruelties against the Uyghur Muslims.

We must hold ourselves to a higher standard, the highest standard on earth, the Message of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw). It seems that some of us make the mistake of being willing to “worship” these “idols” amongst the kuffar. This is instead of struggling in the name of Allah (swt).

It seems some of us have been seized by the fear of destruction, destitution and death. It seems some of us feel desperation to find allies other than Allah (swt), His Messenger (saw) and the believers sincere to Islam.

This is even though, today, Islam is spreading everywhere and teachable with such ease. This is even though the Ummah has a golden opportunity to unify as one state.

This is even though we are sensing our Islamic intellectual wealth and material strength given by Allah (swt).

One weakness remains. Our practice of Iman is incomplete. It is restricted to our belief and individual obligations. It is missing from our collective obligations. It is missing from state and ruling. We are in a house with no roof or walls, exposed to the heat and the storms.

Without a Khaleefah, and without the Shariah implemented over us, we remain a body without a mind. A car, if you will, with no driver.

Instead of looking to kafir and men who promote dunya over Deen, instead of looking to misguided figures of today, we must look to the great figures of our past. We must look to those who obeyed Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). We must look to Abu Bakr as-Siddique (ra), look to Umar al-Farooq (ra), look to Uthman bin Affan (ra) and look to Imam Ali (ra).

We do not look to the misguided leaders of today because they are nothing more than idols expecting worship. They are a corrupt brotherhood promoting wealth and power, not humility and submission to Allah (swt). They are deceivers and a source of destruction for the Ummah. They divide; they do not unify and gather.

We must not look for leadership among men who hold power in this Dunya, whilst ruling by other than Islam. We must look for a leadership amongst those who seek power and authority for our Deen: those with the most taqwa, the most piety and the most knowledge of Islam. We must not look for those with the most weapons, power or wealth alone. A believer must remember, even in weakness, if he has the help of Allah (swt), he is the strongest. It is time for a leadership that carries the Dawah to Islam. It is time for a leadership that establishes the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of Prophethood.

Allah (swt) said,

[وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ وَلَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ أَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذَابِ]

“Still there are some who take others as Allah’s equal. They love them as they should love Allah. But the true believers love Allah even more. If only the wrongdoers could see the horrible punishment awaiting them, they would certainly realize that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is indeed severe in punishment.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:165].

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Jalal ud Din – Wilayah Pakistan