News & Comment
We Need Decisive Action in Syria

News

Terrified residents fled a new wave of air strikes on rebel-held areas of Syria’s divided city of Aleppo on Saturday, as key regime backer Russia rejected calls to rein in its ally.

“The situation has become unbearable,” Abu Mohammed said as he prepared to flee with his wife and five children.

Once Syria’s economic hub, Aleppo and its surrounding countryside have suffered some of the worst fighting in a conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, a total of four medical facilities were hit in Aleppo on Friday on both sides of the front line.

Doctor Mohammad Wassim Maaz, known as the most qualified pediatrician in eastern Aleppo, was among the dead at the hospital, which was supported by MSF and the ICRC. (Dawn, 1/5/2016)

Comment

As the situation in Syria goes from the worst, we can imagine to even more dire it is time for decisive action. As well as images of children who have been killed in raids on four hospitals in the city, social media informs us there was no Jummah prayer on Friday 29th April in Aleppo, a city that has been part of the Muslim lands since 637AH. Knowing that our Deen is from Allah (swt) and He has given us every solution to every problem is the only guidance we should use in this situation as well as others in our lives. We need to ask; how is the blood of the Muslims and the sanctities of Islam meant to be protected by the laws of Islam?

At the time of RasulAllah (saw), a Muslim woman was abused in the market and her awrah was uncovered by the actions of a Jew - the Jew was killed and this led to many retaliatory attacks. The decisive action of the Messenger (saw) as the leader of the State was to expel the whole tribe of Banu Qaynuqa.

In 837 CE, a Muslim woman was captured and imprisoned by the Romans on the borders of the Khilafah "Caliphate" State (Caliphate) and called out, “Ya Mutasim!” When news of her plight reached the Khaleefah Mutasim he called the emergency sixth Adhan in the masjid and all of the Muslims gathered. Mutasim said that “a report has reached me that one Muslim sister was attacked in a Roman city.” He said “Wallahi (I swear by Allah), I will send an army that is so big that when it reaches them it is still leaving our base. And tell me the strongest city of these Romans and I will send the army to that city.” This was the decisive response of the Khaleefah when the honor of one sister was touched.

At the time of the Ummayads, a group of Muslims were traveling and captured by Raja Dahir in Sindh. Muhammad ibn Qasim took an army to rescue the Muslims as well as liberate the land-on a side note within this army there are reported to be was 6,000 Syrian cavalry. This was the decisive action initiated by Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, Wali to the Umayyad Khaleefah Al Walid I.

Today there is absolutely no one to take decisive action to solve this situation. We have to use the same method that was used in the past to ensure the protection of the Muslims lives and honor. This was the method our Prophet (saw) showed us. We have seen in 5 years, aid workers risking life and limb to help, we have seen droves of people fleeing and drowning and dying on the perilous journey – those who survive and find asylum face negative propaganda and little hope of stability and acceptance in their new ‘homes’. We have seen social media raising awareness where mainstream media is silent. We have seen a ceasefire sponsored by America to further its own agenda in the region. This same pseudo ceasefire is the very reason why today Aleppo, one of the oldest civilized cities of the world has been obliterated. And we see the decisive inaction of the Muslim rulers who have failed our Ummah ever since they have held their positions of negligence and cowardice over us.

Any Muslim today must be part of the salvation of Syria. On a personal level we have a responsibility to raise awareness of both the situation and the solution which is the Khilafah "Caliphate" (Caliphate) on the Prophetic method alone. Aside from this we must work sincerely according to the Prophetic Method and push the armies of the Muslims to mobilize and receive honor both in this life and the Next.

«وإنما الإمام جنة يقاتل من ورائه ويتقى به»

“The Imam (Khaleefah) is a shield, behind whom you fight and protect yourself.” (Muslim)

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Nazia Rehman - Pakistan