Press Release
Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Lebanon Sit In
“The Displaced Are Our Brothers”
(Translated)

Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Lebanon organized a massive sit-in in the city of Tripoli Ash-Sham, starting from the Al-Mansouri Grand Mosque. This was to express their solidarity with the displaced and refugees from Syria, who fled from the criminal Assad regime's oppression and sought refuge with their brothers in Lebanon in search of safety and shelter until they have the opportunity to return with dignity and safety to their homeland where they were raised and grew up. During the sit-in, there were speeches by Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim, Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Lebanon, and Brother Ahmad Al-Shamali, Member of Hizb ut Tahrir. The speeches addressed the following points:

* Our condition and our displaced brothers condition, and our relationship with them, can be summarized by the words of Allah Almighty:

[وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّؤُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ]

“And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.” [Al-Hashr:9].

* The racists are divided into two categories: one group consists of those with vile racism, who believe that this land belongs to them and forget that most of them came to this land as guests of the Islamic state in general, and the people of Al-Sham in particular. The other group consists of those who have forgotten how they came to this land, and who still, to this day, do not speak Arabic fluently and hold several passports to flee from this land if anything happens! These two groups, the spiteful racists and the forgetful ones, if we pass over them lightly without naming and describing them, it is because we know of their abhorrent racism and their hatred towards Islam and its people! It is not surprising that they bite the hand that was extended to them!

* As for some who “belong” to the people of Islam, among them you see those who hasten to be with the racists, seeking their affection, and offering them a certificate of innocence for their actions, taking upon themselves the blame for them, and throwing them a lifeline. Their condition is such because they do not live the state of Muslims as one united Ummah; rather, they live the Lebanese condition with its detestable sectarianism, abhorrent denominationalism, and vile racism. Their state is as Allah Almighty said:

[فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَآئِرَةٌ فَعَسَى اللهُ أَن يَأْتِيَ بِالْفَتْحِ أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِ فَيُصْبِحُواْ عَلَى مَا أَسَرُّواْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ نَادِمِينَ]

“So you see those in whose hearts is disease hastening into [association with] them, saying, "We are afraid a misfortune may strike us." But perhaps Allah will bring conquest or a decision from Him, and they will become, over what they have been concealing within themselves, regretful.” [Al-Ma’ida:52].

And to these politicians from the Muslims, especially those from Tripoli, particularly the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior, we also say: Why did you align yourselves with these racists, and against whom? Against the Muslims of Lebanon who reject this approach! And here is their voice, which you have heard clearly, adopting the cause of the displaced, affirming that they are our people, and we are part of them, and they are part of us.

* We understand that you are seeking a way to normalize relations with the criminal Bashar Assad regime, which he and his father have committed atrocities in Syria and Lebanon. And here they are, starting to communicate with the Syrian regime on the sidelines of the Arab Summit in Bahrain! These communications are not officially announced by the government but are covertly passed through the media under the guise of the displaced persons' issue!

* We are aware of how America manages the region and manipulates its issues for its own benefit! But we warn you not to try to use the displaced as fuel for your conspiracies and your obedience to your American master! We also warn the sectarian racists against playing with fire by creating issues to ignite the flame of fitnah (sedition)! The Muslims today are not the same as they were during your era of wars, so do not go down this path!

* As for organizing the affairs of our displaced people, we do not oppose it, but it must be done without injustice, prejudice, or transgression!

* As for our brothers who are arbitrarily detained in Lebanese prisons without trials from among our displaced people, we will oppose their extradition by every possible means. We call on Muslim lawyers and legal professionals to stand united on this issue, and we hold human rights and humanitarian organizations accountable for what may happen to our detained brothers for their opinions! Especially since you know that the criminal regime in Syria will work to eliminate them, as it has done with others before!

And a message to Muslims in general:

The displaced are your brothers; they fled with themselves, their religion, and their children to you, so do not hand them over to your enemy and theirs. Heed the words of the Prophet (saw):

«الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ لَا يَظْلِمُهُ وَلَا يُسْلِمُهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ فِي حَاجَةِ أَخِيهِ كَانَ اللهُ فِي حَاجَتِهِ، وَمَنْ فَرَّجَ عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ كُرْبَةً فَرَّجَ اللهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرُبَاتِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِماً سَتَرَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ»

“The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he doesn't oppress him and doesn't put him into ruin, and whoever is concerned for the needs of his brother, Allah is concerned for his needs, and whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens of the Day of Judgement and whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover (his faults) on the Day of Judgement.” [Sahih]

And indeed, the Shari’ duty dictates considering Muslims as one Ummah, not as peoples, nations, and states separated by what is called national borders that tear apart the Ummah and form a barrier to protect the systems created by the colonial infidel to serve its colonial interests. It is not permissible for us, nor is it valid, to acknowledge the reality imposed by colonialism, let alone to strive to institutionalize it and normalize the conditions it has created.

* The Islamic Ummah is a distinguished Ummah from others, with its connection to each other through the bonds of Islamic Aqeedah and the concepts of Islam and its Sharia.

* An uplifting message was delivered by Sheikh Nabil Rahim, in which he pointed to Islamic brotherhood and the sanctity of protecting the displaced, emphasizing that the people of Lebanon should reject the racist discourse and affirming that the economic crisis is a crisis of thieves and corrupt, not a crisis of displaced people.

In conclusion, Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Lebanon reaffirms its commitment to this matter until the truth prevails and falsehood is nullified, even if the racists, slanderers, and hypocrites dislike it. We will continue with positions of truth, words of truth, and intellectual struggle against any ideology alien to Islam, and political struggle against the corrupt regimes in the Muslim lands until the establishment of a just and righteous Dawlah (state), the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) upon the method of the Prophethood. Under its canopy, people from Muslims and non-Muslims live, and it shelters those who seek refuge in it, seeking security and protection regardless of their religion.

[وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلاَمَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ]

“And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.” [At-Tawba:6]. This is imminent by the permission of Allah Almighty, and the conditions in the region - from time to time - are on the verge of significant changes, so stand in the ranks of Islam and its people.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Lebanon