Hizb ut-Tahrir's solution to tyranny or how to avoid concentrating power
in the hands of dictators like Musharraf

Some of Hizb ut-Tahrir’s past statements about Pakistan include:

Pakistan's dismal election turnout signals a rejection of the failed politics of the past

Tuesday, 19 February 2008

Unofficial election results in Pakistan show that the opposition parties led by the PPP and PML-N have swept to victory pushing the "president's party" the PML-Q into a humiliating third position, retaining only 38 of their 118 seats in the National Assembly. With counting ongoing, it appears that the PPP and PML-N have gained 87 and 67 seats in the National Assembly respectively, opening the door for alliances and coalitions to occur in the struggle to form a government with a clear majority.

However, one aspect of the elections is abundantly clear, that the voter turn out was extremely low, possibly as low as 30% and at best 40%, despite a huge security operation to prevent the intimidation of voters or attacks upon polling stations.

What this tells us is that the vast majority of Pakistanis do not believe that democracy offers them a solution to the woes afflicting their country, as one might believe from the coverage of events in the western media. The Pakistani people have come to realise from bitter experience that the cycle of military dictatorship and corrupt democratic civilian governments has brought little progress to the country during its short existence but has rather entrenched division, poverty and humiliation to the majority of the nation.

The poor voter turnout at such a high profile national election amidst a wave of sympathy for Benazir Bhutto is a damning indictment of the proponents of democracy in Pakistan and their western supporters who still believe that a system devoid of the heritage of the Muslims of the Asian subcontinent can really ever hold sway over its people. The time is fast approaching where the Pakistani Muslims will bring about the return of Islam in the shape of the Khilafah, a system the Muslims believe in and that will re-unite them as it did in the past. It is only the Khilafah that can truly offer Pakistan a chance to end the cycle of injustice, poverty and subservience to foreign powers that has characterised its short history.

Retrieved on 20/02/08 from:
www.hizb.org.uk

Also:

24 December 2007

With yet another farcical election in the coming weeks, Pakistan's dictator Musharraf thinks he can fool the world into believing he has made the transition from military dictatorship to legitimate civilian presidency. While Musharraf wheels and deals with Pakistan's most corrupt politicians, it is the nation that is sufferring day in day out under his tyrranical rule.

Hizb ut Tahrir Britain continues to expose the true scale of Musharraf's betrayal of the Muslims of Pakistan and outlines a new path for Pakistan which will solve its most chronic problems through Islamic policies that will make Pakistan work for its citizens and not for America and Britain.

Retrieved on 20/02/08 from:
www.hizb.org.uk

Also:

06/11/08

Musharraf declares emergency with US and UK blessing

On the 3rd of November 2007, General Pervez Musharraf suspended the constitution of Pakistan, sacked the Chief Justice, closed down private TV stations and arrested leading politicians in an attempt, in his words, to save Pakistan from ‘suicide'. However, contrary to Musharraf's contention, the subsequent events reveal that his primary role has been to put western interests first and not those of the Muslims of Pakistan.

Retrieved on 20/02/08 from:
www.hizb.org.uk

So what is Hizb ut-Tahrir's alternative?

Taken from the Introduction to the Constitution by Hizb ut-Tahrir:

"Article 35:

The Khalifah is the State. He enjoys all the mandatory powers conferred to the State. These powers are the following:

The Khalifah reserves the right to make binding the Shari'ah rules that he adopts, thus these become laws that must be obeyed and violating them would be forbidden.

The Khalifah is in charge of the State's foreign and domestic policies. He assumes the command of the Armed Forces and he reserves the right to declare war and hold truces and peace treaties as well as all other treaties.

He reserves the right to accept and reject foreign ambassadors and to appoint and remove Muslim ambassadors.

It is the Khalifah who appoints and removes the Assistants and the Walis; they are all answerable to him and they are also answerable to the Ummah Council.

It is the Khalifah who appoints and removes the Supreme Judge, the Heads of Departments, the Army Commanders and the Brigadiers. All these are answerable to the Khalifah and they are not answerable to the Ummah Council.

It is the Khalifah who adopts the Shari'ah rules according to which the State budget is designed. It is he who decides on the details of the budget and the sums which each side requires, whether this were related to revenues or to expenditures."

Hizb ut-Tahrir's rejection of ijma and the ijma of the ulema
against Hizb ut-Tahrir's work

“The introduction to the Constitution or the causes of its obligation” by Hizb ut-Tahrir (Muqadimmat ul-Dustur aw asbab ul-Muwajjabbat lah) Page 56/57

"Regarding those that that the consensus of the Muslims (Ijma al-Muslimeen) is a legal evidence (Dalil Shari), base it upon the saying of the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), "My Ummah will not agree upon misguidance". There is no evidence in this however, because the meaning of misguidance here is apostasy from the religion of Islam and not a mistake, and this is what is correct. The Islamic Ummah will not agree to abandon Islam, though has done upon error (khata); the clearest evidence for this, is that the Islamic Ummah had an Ijma on abandoning the actions to establish a Khalifah for a time period exceeding quarter of a century, and this was an Ijma on an error (khata)."

(i.e. Until HT Assumed the Work)

Islamism is peace or we declare war on you

“The introduction to the Constitution or the causes of its obligation” by Hizb ut-Tahrir (Muqadimmat ul-Dustur aw asbab ul-Muwajjabbat lah) Page 450

“In the view of Islam there is dar al-Islam and dar al-Harb and there is no third. Except that the people of warfare (ahl ul-harb), whom we have a treaty with (Muahideen) are considered belligerent in governing solely (muharibeen hukman). Similarly when there is no actual hostilities (qital) though there is not a treaty, they are also considered belligerent in government (muharibeen hukman). As for Muahideen, because they are infidels (kuffar) and they do not submit to the authority of "Islam", they are considered belligerent (muharibeen lit. warring people) because of the messenger said: 'I have been ordered to fight the people' and this is general (aam). Similarly those whom we do not have treaty with, they all fall under the saying 'I have been ordered to fight the people' as they are kuffar and considered muharibeen hukman though not actually in a state of war (fi'lan), as no state of war between us and them exists. Neither has a state of war (harb fi'liaya) been declared between us and them, from them or from ourselves. As for those who are actually in a state of war (harb fi'liyah) between us and them, no peace treaty is contracted, they are considered in all states, in a state of war, a combatant in the battlefield (muharibeen fi'il-marika), their blood is Halal (lawful), as is their property except that of the Muslims amongst them.”

Implementing the shariah rules and a brief analysis of the verses pertaining to judging by the shariah

Some excerpts from the well known books of Qur’anic exegesis “al-Jami ul-Bayan an-Tawil ul-Quran” by Imam Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari

Imam al-Tabari says:

“What is said in explanation of the verse: ‘Whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are unbelievers’ – those that conceal the judgement of Allah in their (divine) Books which He has made a judgment for His servants and then they hide it and judge by other than it; like the Jews that were guilty of committing fornication… then ‘they are unbelievers’. It is said: it is those that don’t judge by what Allah has revealed but rather replace and change the actual judgment and then conceal the truth that Allah has revealed in the book…

And the people of Qur’anic exegesis (Ahlul-Tawil) have differed regarding the interpretation of ‘Kufr’ (lit. unbelief) in this context:

Some of them said something similar to what we have said regarding this verse. The verse is concerning the Jews who altered the Book of Allah and changed its judgments.

Others said what is meant by ‘Unbelievers’ is the people of Islam, and by ‘Oppressors’ (Thalimeen) the Jews, ‘Transgressors’ (Fasiqeen) the Christians.

Others yet said what is meant by this is ‘unbelief that is lesser than (actual) unbelief’ and ‘oppression less than (actual) oppression’ and ‘transgression less than actual transgression’.

Others said surely these verses were revealed regarding the people of scripture (Ahlul-Kitab), what is intended is all the people Muslim and unbeliever.

Others said whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed rejecting it (jahid bih)…

The first is what is correct to me; the saying that: the verses were revealed regarding the unbelievers of the people of scripture, because the verses before and after it were revealed concerning them and they are specifically intended by it. The contextual flow (siyaq) of the verses is informative (khabr), so it is more likely they are information regarding them.

If its is said: Surely Allah has made them general by the informing us that they are about everyone who does not judge by what Allah has revealed, so how do you make it specific (khass)?

It could be said: Allah made it general about a people who used to disbelieve (jahideen) in the judgment of Allah in His Book. And he informed us concerning them, that they abandoned the judgment of Allah in the way that they abandoned as unbelievers (kafiroon). And similarly anyone it is said regarding everyone who does not judge by what Allah has revealed rejecting it (jahidin bih) he is an unbeliever in Allah. As Ibn Abbas (ra) said, as this is because by disbelieving (juhood) in the kudgment of Allah after knowing with certainty (ba’da ilmihi) that Allah had revealed it in His Book. Similarly disbelieving (juhood) in the prophethood of His Prophet after knowing him to be a prophet”

[The edition of Muassas al-Risala Volume 3 Page 103]

Concerning the State’s views on: imposition of religion, diversity,
and tolerance of differences

Abu Jafar al-Mansur said to Malik: “I want to unify the knowledge. I shall write to the leaders of the armies and to the rulers so that they make it law, and whoever contravenes it shall be put to death. Malik replied “O’ Amir ul-mumineen! There is another way! Truly the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wassallam) was present in this community, he used to send out troops or set forth in person, and he did not conquer many lands but that Allah took back his soul. Then Abu Bakr (radiAllahu’anhu) arose, and he also did not conquer many lands. Then Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) arose after the two of them and many lands were conquered at his hands. As a consequence he faced the great necessity of sending out the Sahabah (ra) of the Prophet (saw) as teachers and people did not cease to take from them, notable Ulema from notable Ulema till our time. If you know go and compel them from what they know to what they do not know, they shall deem it Kufr! Rather, confirm the people of each land with regard to whatever knowledge is there and take this knowledge to yourself!

Narrated from Utba ibn Hamid al-Qari al-Dimashqi by Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi in his introduction to Jarh wa al-Tadil page 29.

In another narration al-Mansur said to Malik after hearing his answers to certain questions that he had put to the noble Imam; “I have resolved to give the order, that your writings be copied and spread to every Muslim region on the face of the Earth, so that they may be put into practice exclusively and prevent other rulings being practiced. They will leave aside innovations and keep only this knowledge, for I consider that the source of knowledge is the narrated tradition of Madinah and the knowledge of its Ulema.” Malik replied; “O’ Amir ul-Mumineen! Do not do so! For people have already heard different positions, heard ahadith and related narrations. Every group have taken whatever came to them and put it into practice, conforming to it though others differed. To take them away from what they have been professing will cause a disaster! Therefore, leave people with whatever school they follow and whatever the people of each country choose for themselves”. Al-Mansur said; “I swear by life! I would have commanded it if you would have let me!”

Narrated from al-Waqidi by Ibn Sad in the supplemental volume of his Tabaqaat page 440. Also from Zubayr bin Bakr by Ibn Abd al-Bar in his Intiqa page 81.

Another narration states that one of the Khulafah said to the noble Imam of the holy sanctuary: “Work with me! For I have resolved to make the Muwatta law, in the same way Uthman (ra) made the Qur’an law for them.” Malik replied, “There is no way for you to do this! For the companions of the Prophet (saw) scattered east and west after his time and narrated from him; consequently the people of every region possess knowledge”. Narrated by Abu Nuaym in his Hilya ul-Awliyah ed.6/331.