One Two Buckle My Shoe!

News:

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that Pakistan hopes to host the next round of US-Iran talks "very soon," as diplomatic efforts push toward a possible agreement. He pledged that Pakistan would continue its peace efforts "with utmost sincerity." (Tribune)

Comment:

Pakistan has already hosted and mediated one official, high-level round of direct face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran, known as “Islamabad Talks”, and recently the Field Marshal of Pakistan Asim Munir visited Iran to finalise a memorandum to resolve the US Iran conflict. The rise of Pakistan’s current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, is often cynically attributed to an exceptional talent for polishing military boots; yet the recent negotiations led by Asim Munir suggest that the nation’s political imagination may need to expand its metaphors—from domestic boot-polishing to the more ambitious diplomatic craft of fastening Donald Trump’s shoelaces. This is the humiliation they have bought by becoming slaves to disbelief.

We have to see what is the thinking behind the role that Pakistan is playing to end the war between America and Iran? Is this being done on the basis of Muslim brotherhood and Muslim unity? No! If this were the case, Pakistan’s role would not be that of a mediator, but it would stand firm with its brother Iran and become a symbol of fear for America. Same is with Iran. If it thought of its responsibility towards the Ummah it would refuse to sit on the dialogue table with the US. On the other hand, in Pakistan these recent talks are being hailed as a success, and Pakistan and its rulers are hailing this cheap and temporary fame and glory as their greatest achievement. The Ummah knows that all the negotiations that took place in the last century in which Muslim states and rulers sat with any Western power were never in the interest of the Ummah, with all previous ‘peacemaking’ sharing one defining feature: corrupt leadership, be it Sharif Hussein’s Mc-Mahon correspondence or Anwar Sadat’s Camp David Accords. And now, following the precedent of brown noser’s past, Asim Munir steps into the role of negotiator.

The third round of talks expected in Pakistan may be beneficial for the US and its Gulf allies, but the role of most Muslim countries is nothing more than that of parasites. The purpose of the talks here is to ease the difficulties faced by the US and its allies, and as we mentioned earlier, this ease of theirs always led to increased suffering for the Muslims. In the Islamic ruling system, these resources are for the Ummah and they are partners in them. There are examples in history from the Abbasid and Ottoman periods when these Muslim caliphates controlled these sea routes and trade checkpoints to build wealth, protect trade, and expand their influence, similar to the modern importance of the Strait of Hormuz. Abbasid's physical and political dominance was a result of controlling the exact same bottlenecks which Iran exercises its leverage over oil flowing from the Persian Gulf and while the modern Strait of Hormuz relies on tolls and naval positioning to control roughly 20% of the world's energy supply, the Ottomans "from the shore" controlled the Red Sea via fortified ports and naval armadas to dominate both spiritual and commercial arteries.

The Muslim world has a large population, valuable natural resources, and an important geographic position that gives it influence over trade and energy supplies. Because of this, Muslim countries have the potential to become stronger, protect their independence, and advance their own interests instead of remaining dependent on Western powers that once dominated them. The Muslim Ummah is rich in the treasures bestowed by Allah. What is needed is a Khalifah who, following the path of the Messenger of Allah, the Companions, and the footsteps of the righteous Caliphs, establishes and successfully runs the Islamic state for the sake of obedience to Allah and the convenience of His servants. Only a ruler who comes in accordance with the command of Allah will be able to protect the land, water, and air routes of the Muslims, and this will be the only way that will guarantee the safety of the belief, lives, and property of the Muslims.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet of Allah (saw) said:

«إِنَّمَا الإِمَامُ جُنَّةٌ يُقَاتَلُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ وَيُتَّقَى بِهِ فَإِنْ أَمَرَ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَعَدَلَ كَانَ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ أَجْرٌ وَإِنْ يَأْمُرْ بِغَيْرِهِ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْهُ»‏

“A commander (of the Muslims) is a shield for them. They fight behind him and they are protected by (him from tyrants and aggressors). If he enjoins fear of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, and dispenses justice, there will be a (great) reward for him; and if he enjoins otherwise, it redounds on him.” (Sahih Muslim)