If the State Takes up a Position, Neither the Convention nor the Deviant Organizations Will Remain

News:

I had written the News-Comment analysis dated May 3, 2020 under the title of “The AKP That Has Protected Ali Erbaş, Also Protects the Istanbul Convention” and mentioned homosexuality which was being uttered by the Minister of Religious Affairs Ali Erbas during the first Friday Sermon in the month Ramadan. Ali ERBAS had said during the sermon “that Islam considers adultery as the biggest sin, damnates the people of Lut, homosexuality, these sins cause diseases and it is needed to struggle together in order to protect the people from such evils”. However, neither the government in power and the President nor the other rulers have taken any concrete steps against these deviances, they did not take action to struggle with these evils.

Comment:

Thus, on June 29, 2020, President Erdogan said during his public speech after the Council of Ministers Meeting that it is needed to take up a position against aberrants and homosexual organizations, but he passed the buck to the people. President Erdogan said: “Some people are sneakily attacking our national and moral values. Those who support such marginal movements are partners in the same deviance in our eyes. From here, I invite our people to take a careful stand against those who support any deviance that our Lord forbids”. Then, AK Party Deputy Chair Numan Kurtulmus said in answer to the questions of the reporters during a TV show he attended on 02 July, 2020: “The signing of the Istanbul Convention was really wrong. It was signed in Istanbul in 2011 and Turkey passed it through Parliament in November 2012. In other words, the thesis that without the Istanbul Convention, violence against women will increase in Turkey is a popular legend. It is a lie, a false propaganda.”

At this point, I see benefit in emphasizing a few matters. Firstly: The responsibility of Muslims and masses in this issue. If the Muslims and communities-masses do not speak the truth to the rulers who rule by kufr, and do not call the parties and powers who make laws to account, they will be responsible before Allah.

It should not be forgotten that there will be a group in this Ummah who always continue to enjoin the right and forbid the evil and to remain on the right path, because there is Khair in this Ummah. The Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said:

« لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَذَلِكَ»

“A group of people from my Ummah will always remain triumphant on the right path and continue to be triumphant (against their opponents). He who deserts them shall not be able to do them any harm. They will remain in this position until Allah’s Command is executed (i.e. Qiyamah is established)” (Bukhari and Muslim)

And for this reason, we have taken up a position against this evil convention called the “Istanbul Convention” from the very beginning, and we said to the Muslims that they have to take up a position against this convention as well. In this context, we said that we will protect the Family, Generation and Society from the deviances and evils this human laws and systems have generated. We called the rulers to account and tried to remain on the right path. In other words, a distinct section of the society has exposed the sedition and deviance this convention generated and discharged the responsibility.

Secondly: The responsibility of the rulers which outweighs the responsibility of Muslim individuals and communities. Because the rulers have the authority to entirely annihilate the evil by using the legal and state power. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said:

«مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ»

“Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of Iman” (Muslim)

In this context, the rulers use the power in their hands in order to annihilate the evil, they are obliged to do so. However, what are today’s rulers doing? They evade responsibility and try to pass the buck to the Muslims, to the people. They expect the people to take up a position against such evils and deviances. They shuffle and consider the public opinion, other party’s opinions and people’s expectations, and above all, they hang on their master’s lips.

What opinion of other parties or demands of the people would be of importance in an issue which is cursed and forbidden by Allah? If the people take up a position in favor of this convention, in other words, if a significant section of the people ally on the basis of evil, will this cursed convention continue to remain in implementation? The rulers first should take up a position on behalf of the state and unilaterally withdraw signature from this convention. It is unacceptable for the state’s rulers to shuffle in such an issue.

Lastly, I especially would like to emphasize the responsibility of the ruling party and President Erdogan. Because in spite of the fact that they are in power for 18 years now and have the power and means, they signed the practices which destroy the family structure by the “Istanbul Convention”. They caused the families to fall apart. They have contributed to the spread of deviances on the streets. Now, if they back down from what they’ve done, they won’t be able to clean up their past sins. Because in spite of the fact that these persons knew that this deviance is a cursed sin, they became partners in evil, malice and deviance for the sake of political interest. Even today they still say let it be examined, considered and if necessary, we will withdraw the signature. In other words, these rulers do not take a step with the purpose of fulfilling Allah’s command, they look after another political interest.

(مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ) “What is [wrong] with you? How do you make judgement?” [As-Saffat: 154]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Mahmut KAR
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Turkey