TALK TRANSCRIPT: THE AWAKENING OF THE GIANT

PORTSMOUTH UNIVERSITY, 16/04/08

LIFE WITHOUT THE SHIELD – THE PRESENT REALITY

The Muslim World is littered with examples of crisis, corrupt leadership,

occupation, division and insecurity.

Scarcely a day goes by without another crisis affecting the Muslim lands.

I remember when I was young, I was moved by the plight of Muslims in Europe,
Bosnia and that pushed me to think about how this could happen at the end of
the 20th century, I began to understand the age old European hatred towards
Islam, in this particular instance Serbian nationalist revenge for past defeats, I
realised that:

• Western nations have no moral compulsion driving them to end conflict

and save life, rather they act when an interest they hold dear is at
stake.
• I also began to think about the poor response from people with grand
titles, President, King, Prime Minister etc. Without exception the
response was filled with empty gestures, words clearly feigning concern
despite the existence of Muslim armies to provide protection for Muslim
life.

The expectations of the leader had been set out 1400 years earlier in two
ahadith of our beloved Messenger SalAllahu alaihi wasallam,

«‫»إﻧﻤﺎ اﻹﻣﺎم ﺟُﻨﺔ ﻳُﻘﺎﺗَﻞ ﻣﻦ وراﺋﻪ وﻳُﺘﻘﻰ ﺑﻪ‬

“Indeed the Imam is a shield, from behind whom you fight, and defend
yourselves.”

‫ ﻓﺎﻹﻣﺎم راع وهﻮ‬.‫آﻠﻜﻢ راع وآﻠﻜﻢ ﻣﺴﺌﻮل ﻋﻦ رﻋﻴﺘﻪ‬

‫ﻣﺴﺌﻮل ﻋﻦ رﻋﻴﺘﻪ‬
"Each of you is a guardian and is responsible for those whom he is in charge
of. So the ruler is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects…” (Agreed
Upon)

THE FESTERING WOUNDS

PALESTINE: Last Saturday, six month old Bashir Hamo died after being
prevented from leaving the prison camp known as Gaza for medical treatment
for heart disease. Gaza is a victim of Israeli government brutality and the
Egyptian government’s desire to punish its Muslim victims.
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KASHMIR, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN ATTACKS AGAINST RASOOLALLAH

REACTIONS BY PREVIOUS KHULAFAA – Our past history showed the way

things could be

MU’TASIM BILLAH

We saw the woman in the documentary at the beginning calling for help,
relying on Allah alone, but no one responded to her plight, the armies in the
Muslim world that have the ability, the weaponry, the manpower, but not the
political will could respond.

In the past the Muslims had an expectation that the khaleefah looked after the
affairs of the Muslims.

When one Muslim sister was attacked by the Romans in the Roman city, one
Muslim sister was attacked. She was not killed by a fighter plane dropping
bombs 40,000 feet from the skies. She was not murdered. Simply she was
abused. And she shouted, "Ya Mutasim".

And that is all she shouted. And these words reached Khalifah Mutasim Billah,
and he called the emergency sixth azan in the masjid and all of the Muslims
gathered in the masjid. And they said, "what is the matter?" And he replied
that "a report has reached me that one Muslim sister was attacked in a Roman
city." He said "Wallahi, 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
Khalifah. When the honour of one sister was touched.

SULTAN ABDUL HAMEED

Twenty years prior to the destruction of the Khilafah, a play based on the
writings of Voltaire was being staged in France and Britain titled "Mohammad or
Fanaticism", deriding the character of the Prophet salAllahu alaihi wasallam
through the Zayd/Zainab issue. When the Khalifah (Sultan Abdul Hamid II) was
informed of the play, his ambassador to France warned the government of the
serious political repercussions which would follow if it was continued. France
promptly stopped the play, so the group went to England. When the same
warning was issued to England, the reply was that the tickets were sold out,
and banning the play would be an infringement on the freedom of its citizens.
So the following edict was issued by the Sultan, saying in no unclear terms: “I
will issue an edict to the Islamic Ummah declaring that Britain is attacking and
insulting our Prophet. I will declare Jihad...” Upon receiving this ultimatum,
the claim for freedom of speech was forgotten, and the performance quickly
stopped.

Today, the Messenger salAllahu alaihi wasallam can be attacked with impunity,
cartoons insinuating the Messenger as a terrorist, politicians in mainland
Europe arguing the Qur’an, the revelation from Allah sent to him SalAllahu
alaihi wasallam is being proposed, a so-called documentary attacking Islam
2
under the guise of debate. And there is no strategic response from the rulers
of the Muslim countries.

I am not outlining a utopian vision, a perfect situation, but the restoration of

justice, security, protection of Islamic values as outlined by Islam.

LACK OF RESPONSE TODAY FROM THE RULERS OF THE MUSLIM WORLD

The last summit of Arab rulers in Damascus on the 29th/30th March was a grand
meeting, you had the people who rule our lands, enough time to make
important decisions, the only thing that was missing was political will. On the
subject of the occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan, the attack against Rasool Allah
a talking shop from people that have the ability to respond.

Some people will say the framework for nations interacting with each other
has changed. The current rulers cannot strong-arm other nations,
diplomacy may be slow and long term in terms of what you want to achieve
but it is the internationally recognised model. You cannot threaten or
cajole other nations, that is barbaric.

The point is the practice belies the theory, in the real world nations have
not stopped using whatever leverage they have to achieve their goals. The
US did this in Iraq when it sought regime change to achieve a vital interest
and even Saudi Arabia did this recently.

PRESSURE FROM STATES IMPACT THE POLICY DECISIONS OF OTHER STATES –

BAE SYSTEMS – BRIBE INVESTIGATION

The UK government decided to stop an investigation into £1 billion worth of

bribes to members of the Saudi Royal Family – to secure the £43 billion Al
Yamamah arms deal.

The decision was taken by the government to secure this country’s national
interest. Lord Goldsmith, the attorney general at the time said diplomatic
relations with Saudi Arabia could be affected, although the real reason was
plain for all to see, it was a threat to BAE’s £20 billion deal to supply 72
Typhoons. At the time the French were pushing for an alternative to the British
contract.

Saudi Arabia leaned on Britain, and Britain saw an interest in stopping the
investigation. The point is if the political will exists countries will change their
policy. So why couldn’t these rulers use their influence to protect the Muslims
of Afghanistan and Iraq. Are these not as important?

RULING BY ISLAM

THE KITAB

Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala has obliged ruling by Islam,

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As regarding the book, Allah (SWT) says:

‫ﻋﻤﱠﺎ‬
َ ‫ﷲﱠ َو َﻻ َﺗ ﱠﺘ ِﺒ ْﻊ َأ ْهﻮَا َء ُه ْﻢ‬
ُ ‫ﺣ ُﻜ ْﻢ َﺑ ْﻴ َﻨ ُﻬ ْﻢ ِﺑﻤَﺎ أَﻧ َﺰ َل ا‬
ْ ‫ﻓَﺎ‬
‫ﻖ‬
‫ﺤ ﱢ‬ َ ‫ﻦ ا ْﻟ‬
ْ ‫ك ِﻣ‬
َ ‫ﺟَﺎ َء‬
“So judge between them by that which Allah has revealed and follow not
their desires away from the truth that has come to you..” [5:48]

He also says:

‫ﷲﱠ َو َﻻ َﺗ ﱠﺘ ِﺒ ْﻊ َأ ْهﻮَا َء ُه ْﻢ‬

ُ ‫ﺣ ُﻜ ْﻢ َﺑ ْﻴ َﻨ ُﻬ ْﻢ ِﺑﻤَﺎ أَﻧ َﺰ َل ا‬
ْ ‫نا‬ْ ‫َوَأ‬
‫ﻚ‬
َ ‫ﷲﱠ ِإَﻟ ْﻴ‬
ُ ‫ﺾ ﻣَﺎ أَﻧ َﺰ َل ا‬ ِ ‫ﻦ َﺑ ْﻌ‬
ْ‫ﻋ‬ َ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ن َﻳ ْﻔ ِﺘﻨُﻮ‬ْ ‫ﺣ َﺬ ْر ُه ْﻢ َأ‬
ْ ‫وَا‬
“Judge between them by that which Allah has revealed and follow not their
desires and beware of them lest they seduce you from some part of that
which Allah has revealed to you..” [5:49]

‫ﷲ‬
ِ‫ﺤ ْﻜ ُﻢ ِإ ﱠﻻ ﱠ‬
ُ ‫ن ا ْﻟ‬
ِ ‫ِإ‬
“Indeed, ruling belongs to Allah”. [TMQ 12:40]

‫ﺠ َﺮ َﺑ ْﻴ َﻨ ُﻬ ْﻢ ُﺛﻢﱠ َﻻ‬
َ‫ﺷ‬
َ ‫ك ﻓِﻴﻤَﺎ‬ َ ‫ﺤ ﱢﻜﻤُﻮ‬
َ ‫ﺣﺘﱠﻰ ُﻳ‬
َ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ﻚ َﻻ ُﻳ ْﺆ ِﻣﻨُﻮ‬َ ‫ﻼ َو َر ﱢﺑ‬َ ‫َﻓ‬
‫ﺴﻠِﻴﻤًﺎ‬
ْ ‫ﺴﻠﱢﻤُﻮا َﺗ‬ َ ‫ﺖ َو ُﻳ‬
َ ‫ﻀ ْﻴ‬
َ ‫ﺣ َﺮﺟًﺎ ِﻣﻤﱠﺎ َﻗ‬
َ ‫ﺴ ِﻬ ْﻢ‬
ِ ‫ﺠﺪُوا ﻓِﻲ أَﻧ ُﻔ‬ ِ ‫َﻳ‬
“But no, by Your Lord, they can have no (real) faith until they make you
judge in all disputes between them and find in their souls no resistance
against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest submission” [4:65]

THE SUNNAH

As regarding the sunnah, it was narrated from Nafi', he said: Abdullah ibn Umar
said:

‫»ﻣﻦ ﺧﻠﻊ ﻳﺪًا ﻣﻦ ﻃﺎﻋﺔ ﻟﻘﻲ اﷲ ﻳﻮم اﻟﻘﻴﺎﻣﺔ ﻻ ﺣﺠﺔ‬

‫ وﻣﻦ ﻣﺎت وﻟﻴﺲ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻨﻘﻪ ﺑﻴﻌﺔ ﻣﺎت ﻣﻴﺘﺔ‬،‫ﻟﻪ‬
«‫ﺟﺎهﻠﻴﺔ‬
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) say: 'Whoever withdraws his hand from
obedience (to the Ameer) will find no proof for himself when he meets Allah
on the Day of Judgment, and whoever dies without having an oath of
allegiance (Bay’ah) on his neck he would die the death of Jahiliyyah."' This

4
is narrated by Muslim.

Muslim also reported on the authority of Abu Hazim that he said: I accompanied
Abu Hurayra for five years, and heard him informing about the Prophet (saw),
he said:

‫ آﻠﻤﺎ هﻠﻚ ﻧﺒﻲ‬،‫»آﺎﻧﺖ ﺑﻨﻮ إﺳﺮاﺋﻴﻞ ﺗﺴﻮﺳﻬﻢ اﻷﻧﺒﻴﺎء‬

،‫ وﺳﺘﻜﻮن ﺧﻠﻔﺎء ﻓﺘﻜﺜﺮ‬،‫ وأﻧﻪ ﻻ ﻧﺒﻲ ﺑﻌﺪي‬،‫ﺧﻠﻔﻪ ﻧﺒﻲ‬
،‫ ﻓُﻮا ﺑﺒﻴﻌﺔ اﻷول ﻓﺎﻷول‬:‫ﻗﺎﻟﻮا ﻓﻤﺎ ﺗﺄﻣﺮﻧﺎ؟ ﻗﺎل‬
«‫ ﻓﺈن اﷲ ﺳﺎﺋﻠﻬﻢ ﻋﻤﺎ اﺳﺘﺮﻋﺎهﻢ‬،‫وأﻋﻄﻮهﻢ ﺣﻘﻬﻢ‬
“The Prophets ruled over the children of Israel, whenever a prophet died
another Prophet succeeded him, but there will be no Prophet after me.
There will soon be Khulafa’a and they will number many.” They asked:
‘what then do you order us?’ He said: “Fulfill the Bay’ah to them, one after
the other and give them their dues for Allah will verily account them about
what he entrusted them with.”

«‫»إذا ﺑُﻮﻳﻊ ﻟﺨﻠﻴﻔﺘﻴﻦ ﻓﺎﻗﺘﻠﻮا اﻵﺧﺮ ﻣﻨﻬﻤﺎ‬

“If the pledge of allegiance (Bay’ah) has been taken for two Khulafa’a kill
the latter of them”, narrated by Muslim.

The unity of the Muslims is considered a vital issue.

IJMA’A AS-SAHABAH

When the Messenger salAllah alaihi wasallam passed away, the sahabah
ridawanAllah alaihim agreed to appoint a khaleefah, a successor to the
Messenger in ruling, not prophethood.

The burial of the prophet was delayed for two nights (late Monday morning to
Tuesday night) because the sahabah were engaged in discussing who the
khaleefah should be. This is despite the fact that the burial of the dead person
is obligatory. No one disagreed with this delay despite the fact that not
everyone was engaged in the decision making process.

The burial did not take place until Abu Bakr was given the bay’ah, This Ijma’a
(consensus) of the Sahabah illustrates the obligation of appointing a khaleefah
was more important than the burial, even that of RasoolAllah salAllahu alaihi
wasallam.

When Umar was stabbed, the Muslims asked him to nominate a Khaleefah, but
he refused. They insisted upon him so he confined it into six people, ie he
5
nominated six to them. Then he appointed Suhaib to lead the prayer and to
watch over those nominated by Umar so as to select the Khaleefah from
amongst them within the three days fixed to them by Umar. He said to Suhaib:

،‫ وأﺑﻰ واﺣﺪ‬،ً‫ ورﺿﻮا رﺟﻼ‬،‫ ﻓﺈن اﺟﺘﻤﻊ ﺧﻤﺴﺔ‬...»

« ...‫ﻓﺎﺷﺪخ رأﺳﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻴﻒ‬
“…. If five agreed and accepted one man, while one man rejected, then hit
his head with the sword….”

THE CLASSICAL SCHOLARS

Unanimous agreement that the khilafah is an obligation.

Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Shawkani (d. 1250 AH)

It is known from Islam by necessity (bi-dharoorah - i.e.: like prayer and fasting)
that Islam has forbidden division amongst Muslims and the segregation of their
land. [Tafseer al-Quran al-Atheem, volume 2, page 215]

Imam Yahya ibn Sharaf al- Nawawi (631–676 AH)

(The scholars) consented that it is an obligation upon the Muslims to select a

Khaleefah [Sharhu Sahih Muslim page 205 vol 12]

Imam Abu Abdullah al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH)

Imam Qurtubi said in his tafseer of the verse,

‫ﺧﻠِﻴ َﻔ ًﺔ‬
َ ‫ض‬
ِ ‫ﻷ ْر‬
َ ‫ﻞ ﻓِﻰ ا‬
ٌ‫ﻋ‬
ِ ‫ِإﻧﱢﻲ ﺟَﺎ‬
"Indeed, man is made upon this earth a Caliph" [TMQ 2:30]

This Ayah is a source in the selection of an Imaam, and a Khaleefah, he is

listened to and he is obeyed, for the word is united through him, and the
Ahkam (laws) of the Khaleefah are implemented through him, and there is no
difference regarding the obligation of that between the Ummah, nor between
the Imams

Imam al-Qurtubi also said: The Khilafah is the pillar upon which other pillars
rest

Imam Tahawi also narrates a Hadith from Muslim ibn Yasar that the Prophet
(saw) said, “The (collection of the) Zakah, the (implementation of the) Hudood
the (distribution of the) spoils and the (appointment of the) Jumu.ah are for
the Sultan..” (A similar narration has been narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in his
Musanaf and also by Imam Narghiyani. They have been deemed acceptable.)

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Hujjatul Islam Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazzali

Imam Al-Ghazzali (450-505 AH), when writing of the potential consequences of

losing the Khilafah said:

The judges will be suspended, the Wilayaat (provinces) will be nullified, ... the
decrees of those in authority will not be executed and all the people will be on
the verge of Haraam. [al Iqtisaad fil Itiqaad page 240]
Imam Taqi ad-Din Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah (661-728 AH)

It is obligatory to know that the office in charge of commanding over the

people (ie: the post of the Khaleefah) is one of the greatest obligations of the
Deen. In fact, there is no establishment of the Deen except by it....this is the
opinion of the salaf, such as al-Fadl ibn 'Iyaad, Ahmed ibn Hanbal and others.
[Siyaasah Shariyyah - chapter: 'The obligation of adherence to the leadership']

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (164-241 AH)

The Fitna (mischief and tribulations) occurs when there is no Imaam
established over the affairs of the people.

THIS UMMAH
This ummah is the best ummah, that’s not my biased view, our creator says
this,

‫ف‬
ِ ‫ن ﺑِﺎ ْﻟ َﻤ ْﻌﺮُو‬
َ ‫س َﺗ ْﺄ ُﻣﺮُو‬ ِ ‫ﺖ ﻟِﻠﻨﱠﺎ‬ ْ ‫ﺟ‬ َ ‫ﺧ ِﺮ‬
ْ ‫ﺧ ْﻴ َﺮ ُأ ﱠﻣ ٍﺔ ُأ‬
َ ‫آُﻨ ُﺘ ْﻢ‬
‫ﷲ‬
‫ن ﺑِﺎ ِﱠ‬ َ ‫ﻦ ا ْﻟ ُﻤ ْﻨ َﻜ ِﺮ َو ُﺗ ْﺆ ِﻣﻨُﻮ‬
ِ‫ﻋ‬َ ‫ن‬ َ ‫َو َﺗ ْﻨ َﻬ ْﻮ‬
You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma`ruf
(all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (all that Islam has
forbidden), and you believe in Allah.

We are the sleeping giant, with the latent potential to be great for the sake of
Allah and in the service of His deen.

If we answer the call of Allah, work to establish his deen on this earth, work to
make the deen of truth a guidance for the whole of mankind.

If we rush to the establishment of Khilafah.

If we do not become enamoured by the monotony of this life.

If Allah, His Messenger and the striving to establish that which they love is
more important than everything else.

SURAH YA-SIN

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There is a town mentioned in Surah Ya-Sin in which the people worshipped
idols. Ibn Ishaq said the place was the town of Antioch.

Allah sent two messengers to this town but the people rejected them, he
strengthened them with a third but the people said these people are human
beings like us.

The people threatened them with a punishment and then planned to kill them.

Then a man came running, from the far reaches of the town, he was a man of
no standing with leporosy, yet he testified to the truth these messengers
brought.

Ibn Abbas said this man was Habib an-Najjar and he was killed by his people.

‫ل ﻳ َﻘ ْﻮ ِم ا ﱠﺗ ِﺒﻌُﻮ ْا‬
َ ‫ﺴﻌَﻰ ﻗَﺎ‬
ْ ‫ﻞ َﻳ‬
ٌ‫ﺟ‬ُ ‫ﻦ َأ ْﻗﺼَﻰ ا ْﻟ َﻤﺪِﻳ َﻨ ِﺔ َر‬
ْ ‫َوﺟَﺂ َء ِﻣ‬
‫ﻦ‬
َ ‫ﺳﻠِﻴ‬َ ‫ا ْﻟ ُﻤ ْﺮ‬
And there came a man running from the farthest part of the town. He said, "O
my people! Obey the Messengers.''

‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺴَـُﻠ ُﻜ ْﻢ َأﺟْﺮًا َو ُه ْﻢ ﱡﻣ ْﻬ َﺘﺪُو‬
ْ ‫ﻻ َﻳ‬
‫اﱠﺗ ِﺒﻌُﻮ ْا ﻣَﻦ ﱠ‬
"Obey those who ask no wages of you, and who are rightly guided.''

‫ن‬
َ ‫ﺟﻌُﻮ‬
َ ‫ﻄ َﺮﻧِﻰ َوِإَﻟ ْﻴ ِﻪ ُﺗ ْﺮ‬
َ ‫ﻋ ُﺒ ُﺪ اﱠﻟﺬِى َﻓ‬
ْ ‫ﻻ َأ‬
َ ‫ﻰ‬
َ ‫َوﻣَﺎ ِﻟ‬
"And why should I not worship Him Who has created me and to Whom you shall
be returned.'' Surah Ya-Sin (20.) (21.) (22.)
All of you have the potential to be great, to be part of the awakening of this
ummah.

I want this to be my last word before we break for the Q&A and I want you all
to look at the Islamic solutions this future khilafah will implement and ask
questions until you are satisfied.

I want you also to ask how do we take part in this work, how do we establish
something so great.