Press Release
Political Reactions to Hizb ut Tahrir's Islamic Position Confirm the Bankruptcy of Democracy

On October 7, 2022, Hizb ut Tahrir / Denmark published a flyer under the title "Dear Muslims - The crisis-stricken democracy is against your Islam. Do not take part in the insignificant election ritual!” In addition to pointing out the obvious contradiction between Islam and democracy, the flyer, which has been distributed in a number of cities, contains several substantial criticisms of secular democracy, including:

- Democracy in practice is a majority tyranny against Muslim population groups in Europe, where in a Danish context today it is crystal clear that Muslims will be subject to further political pressure and harassment, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming general election.

- Democracy is suffering from a global crisis of distrust. In Denmark too, more citizens are waking up to the reality that democracy is a glaze that must cover the underlying capitalist elite power. The myth of real co-determination by casting a ballot every four years is dying.

- Part of this myth is that the choice is between voting or getting stuck on the couch and putting oneself outside of influence. However, Hizb ut Tahrir has always been politically active in all parts of the world and societies where we work, and we call Muslims to do the same: To be actively engaged in society – politically, culturally, educationally and professionally – on Islamic terms.

In a number of newspaper articles as well as radio and TV features, politicians across wings and parties have responded to our message. Expectedly demonizing reactions from speakers of various parties have offered populist offers of single tickets to distant lands, wishes to "conjure us away", loose claims about the glories of democracy and repetitions of the above myths. In other words, not a single reflected thought.

As is their wont, the livelihood politicians completely fail to address the substantive criticism, and instead repeat their worn and meaningless platitudes.

With their poor defense of democracy, these politicians confirm an important point: Just as, despite all their talk of freedom, they introduce special laws and carry out systematic hate campaigns against Islam and Muslims, so, despite all their hymns about the superiority of democracy, they lack completely for any actual arguments.

They further confirm that they have nothing to offer Muslims who want to openly hold fast to Islamic values, other than condemnation, contempt and demands for loyalty to the ailing democracy.

In this context, we repeat our appeal to all Muslims: Do not give artificial respiration to a system in crisis, which contradicts and fights your Islam! The politicians' eagerness to lure you to the voting booth is neither about co-determination nor the prospect of less Islamophobia, but rather about belonging in terms of values and political loyalty. We should instead, as a Muslim community, strengthen our engagement in society based on Islam and thereby affect the political agenda as well as the public debate and opinion.

Elias Lamrabet
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Denmark