We have entered the Month of Rajab, year of 1442 AH (after Hijra). This is one of the four Sacred months of the Islamic calendar. When Allah (swt) revealed, “They ask you concerning the Sacred Month, fighting in it…” [TMQ 2:217]

The companions of the Prophet (saw) asked about the month of Rajab according to Tafseer al- Qurtubi. Before the revelation of the Qur’an, the Arabs honoured these sacred months.

During these months, the Arabs prohibited fighting, and, instead, emphasized its religious significance by performing the rituals of Hajj (i.e., the remnants of the Deen of Ibrahim (as)).

The sacred month of Rajab has a distinct significance to the Muslim Ummah as it marks the fall of the last Islamic State, the Uthmani Khilafah. The Khilafah was dismantled on the 28th of the month of Rajab in 1342 AH – which corresponds to March 1924 CE – at the hands of Mustafa Kamal, a traitor to the Ummah and enemy to Islam. Since the destruction of the Khilafah 100 years ago, the Muslim Ummah suffered countless tragedies on an unimaginable scale.

The Zionist Entity’s occupation of Palestine, the artificial division of our vast lands along colonialist lines, countless foreign invasions by the major colonialist powers (e.g., US and Britain), and severe economic, social and political devastations plaguing Muslims are only a few examples.

It is only with the work to re-establish the Khilafah that the Muslim Ummah will regain its position as the best Ummah raised for mankind. So, what role should we Muslims be undertaking to change our situation?

The Problem

The absence of the Khilafah is deeply felt by every Muslim today. Be it the cries of the Uyghur Muslims in China’s concentration camps, or the government- sanctioned mob violence against Muslims in India, or the flagrant hatred for Islam displayed by the Gulf’s rulers, the Muslim must seek guidance from Allah (swt) as their one and only source to effecting change in the world.

Secondly, in the last 100 years, we have seen the total failure of the secular, nation-state-based Capitalist system. Its leading nations, such as the United States, Britain and France, are continuously engaged in wars to spread corrupt secular values.

They use violence to enforce their Capitalist system, even though it is facing an ideological crisis internally; a crisis that clearly manifests itself in the fundamental divisions in their society. This ideology is a failure which the Muslim Ummah must reject.

Allah (swt) says,

“and these are the Days (we make wins, losses) go between the people.” [TMQ 3:140]

Thus, our Ummah should arm itself with energy and optimism about Islam regaining a say in the world affairs through the restoration of the Khilafah Rashidah.

The Rulers of the Muslim Lands have Betrayed

Allah (swt) says,

“But nay by your Lord, they will never believe until they make you (O Muhmmad) the Judge between them” [TMQ 4:65]

and He (swt) also says,

“Have you not seen then one who claims to believe in what Allah has revealed to you and what was revealed before you; go and seek judgement from the Taghout, whilst they were commanded to disbelieve in it”? [TMQ 4:60]

Imam Malik (rh) narrated:

“The Taghout is anything that is worshipped besides Allah”. (Tafseer al-Qurtubi)

Furthermore, As-Sha’bi narrated that a man from among the Hypocrites (Munafiqun) had a dispute with a Jewish man. The Jewish man said, “we should go to the Prophet (saw) for judgement.” The Munafiq said, “Rather we should go to the Kahin (i.e., a witch or idol- worshipping religious figure) from Juhaynah, instead of the Prophet (saw).” The Kahin was labelled the Taghout by Allah (swt) as he was to be an independent source of legislation from other than Islam.

We can see from the aforementioned ayaat and ahadith that Allah (swt) prohibited the Ummah from implementing laws that do not emanate from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. However, as we can see from the reality, every Muslim land is drowning under laws that emanate from disbelief (Kufr). In every case, man erected himself a legislator besides Allah (swt).

We do not owe these rulers any obedience. Some might misuse the ahadith about obeying the rulers to legitimize them, but those commands only apply when the rulers govern by Islam, and nothing else. Otherwise, we must remove them.

For example, in a hadith narrated by Umm al-Hasan it is clearly stated,

“If a slave who has been mutilated is made your commander and leads you in accordance with the Book of Allah, listen to him and obey.” [Muslim]

Likewise, the hadith narrated by Ubada ibn Samit (ra) states,

“Not to dispute about the People of Authority unless you see evident disbelief (Kufran Buwahan) regarding which you have a proof from God.” [Bukhari]

Qadi Iyad (rh) commenting on this hadith as relayed by Imam an-Nawawi (rh) “…if disbelief appears on the ruler, or he changes the Shariah.”

Based on the evidence and the reality of the Muslim lands, it is obvious that the Muslim lands are governed under systems of Kufr. These states are illegitimate and the rulers governing them betrayed the amaanah.

Obligation of the Khilafah

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar (ra) said he heard Allah’s Messenger (saw) say,

“He who throws off obedience will meet God on the day of resurrection without possessing any plea, and he who dies without having a ba’yah on his neck will die a death of Jahillyah (pre-islamic ignorance.” [Muslim]

Ibn Khaldoun (rh) said in his Muqadimmah,

“…a contract of obedience, because the one pledging his obedience pledges to his Amir that that he will submit to his obedience in the affairs of the Muslims during times of ease and hardship.”

As for this Bay’ah being pledged to the Khalifah, Imam Shawkani (rh) mentions in Nayl al-Awtar “death of Jahilliyah,

“…means that his situation is like that of those who died from the people of Jahilliyah in misguidance as they did not have an Imam (Khalifah) who they obeyed as they did not have that concept and the meaning of Death of Jahilyyah is not that they die as Disbelievers, but they die in disobedience”.

The Usuli scholar Sa’ad al- Taftazani (rh) said,

“The Imamah refers to the General Leadership in the matters of the Deen and Dunya; it is the role of the Khalifah (successor) of the Prophet (saw).

Thus, the Muslims are obligated to maintain a ba’yah to a khalifah. However, since we lack the Khilafah, we must restore it to fulfill our obligation of contracting an oath. This stems from the Fiqh principle, “Whatever leads to an obligation, is an obligation in and of itself.”

Rajab: A Strong Reminder of our Obligation

Imam Ghazzali (rh) delivers a holistic insight on the obligation:

“The Muslims must have an Imam, who carries out the implementation of their ahkam, the maintaining of their hudud, the guarding of their frontiers, the equipping of their armies, *the receiving of their Zakat, the subjugation of those who rebel, thieves and highway robbers, the establishment of jumu’a and the two ‘Eids, the settlement of disputes which take place amongst people, the receiving of evidence based on legal rights, the facilitation of the marriage of the young men and women who have no guardians, and the distribution of the booty.”

In light of Imam Ghazzali’s (rh) words, we can start to understand how the grave problems we are enduring today stem from the absence of the Khilafah. For every Muslim with a sound heart and mind & concern about his or her Hereafter, it becomes imperative to work to bring about what the Prophet (saw) has described as the Shield for the Believers when he said,

“The Imam is the Shield, whom the Muslims fight behind and find protection” [an-Nasa’i]

In this month of Rajab, join Hizb ut Tahrir in its worldwide campaign (“Centenary of the Destruction of the Khilafah”) whereby we invite our noble Ummah to the noble work of restoring the Khilafah 100 years after its destruction. We call you to help us in re- establishing the Khilafah upon the Method of the Prophet (saw). Indeed, this is an urgent obligation, one that will affect the Ummah for generations, and one that promises us everlasting rewards in the Hereafter, insh’Allah.