When our brothers and sisters are being openly slaughtered in places like Palestine, or being “shot on sight” by security forces in Bangladesh, we may feel overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness and despair at the prospects of stopping the horrific oppression and bloodshed. For example, we have witnessed many videos, of Muslims asking “Where are the Muslims? Where are the Arabs? Where are the rulers of the Muslim countries?” after a Zionist bombardment. As expected, we find the traitor rulers of the Muslim lands including neighbouring Arab countries are not only silent but in fact, complicit with the Zionist entity’s objectives and working under the direction of their colonial masters. The tyrant rulers view the oppressed Muslims from the Ummah with disdain and as no more than bargaining chips, when convenient for their own corrupt regimes’ survival. In contrast, we see that the Muslim Ummah is keen on seeking ways to aid their oppressed brothers and sisters, whether through political and social advocacy, gathering donations for food and shelter and exposing the corrupt Western powers for their unwavering support for the criminal Zionist entity. This is indeed commendable. However, one thing we must keep in mind is that aside from our emotional connection to our Ummah at large; what is the Islamic ruling regarding providing support for our Muslim brothers and sisters when they seek our help?

Kufr Systems: Corrupting Hearts and Minds 

As Muslims, we should strive to continuously seek ways to change the reality our dear Ummah faces. Since the fall of the Islamic Khilafah in Istanbul in 1924, the Ummah has been divided across nationalistic borders drawn by our enemies, and ruled by secular, Capitalist un-Islamic systems. This has corrupted our vision on how to solve the problems we face according to what Allah and his Messenger (SAW) has revealed. We must refer back to the text of the Quran and Sunnah and the statements of the righteous scholars for the correct solutions for mankind.

False Paradigms

As an Ummah, we are in currently in battle with the concept of Nationalism and humanitarian values. Nationalism seeks to bind man on the basis of nation states. This has ultimately caused Muslims to be primarily focused on the plight of their fellow ‘countrymen’ only. Even though the reality is that nationalism actually deceives many and is used by the corrupt elites to support their economic and political interests. However, even if we look at the concept of nationalism, we find that it directly contradicts the basis of the Islamic bond as Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:

 “Indeed, the Believers are Brothers”. (Surah Hujurat, verse 10)

Such corrupted nationalistic concepts encourage Muslims to extend their concern only to the people within their nationalistic borders. However, with Allah’s mercy, we see that the Ummah has come to generally reject this idea as Palestine, the land of Isra wal Mi’raaj, is indeed of great importance to every Muslim across the globe irrespective of the false borders. Our brothers and sisters in Gaza and other oppressed populations keep us awake at night; as this reflects the true bond between Muslims as one body, as the Messenger (SAW) said

“The believers, in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy, are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Secondly, humanitarian values are an inherent negation of the Islamic values. Humanity defined by the United Nations Office of humanity is: “Human suffering must be addressed wherever it is found. The purpose of humanitarian action is to protect life and health and ensure respect for human beings.”

The reality is that this definition is imposed on the world since it is viewed as supreme to all other value systems; and as Muslims, that contradicts our Aqeedah where Allah (SWT) is the only one who defines for us what is humane and what is not. Also, the reality is those who laid down such principles, such as the United Nations, are tools of the imperialistic colonial powers that created the most ‘inhumane’ regimes, such as the Zionist entity to begin with!

The Hukm of Islam

When we return to our Islamic paradigm, we see clearly that indeed Allah (SWT) has given us the clear answers on what to do when our brothers and sisters seek help and what is our role in terms of providing it.

The word the Qur’an uses for when Muslims seek help from other Muslims is Istinsaar (استنصار). 

Istinsaar is defined as in Lisān al-‘Arab: “Istansarahu: He sought help from him for victory; Istansara al-qawm: He sought help from the people for them to support him.” Therefore, the word “Istinsar” means seeking help and support in facing an enemy or a particular problem.

Allah (SWT) mentions this in the Qur’an as He says:

“And if they seek help of you for the Deen, then you must help.” (Surah Al-Anfaal, verse 72)

Imam al-Qurtubi (RH) mentions:

““Allah says: ‘And if they seek help of you for the deen, then you must help.’ It means that if they call upon you to help them against their enemy to assist them, because they are your brothers in religion. Except against a people with whom you have a treaty, meaning if those who seek your help are against a people with whom you have a treaty, then do not help them against those people, and do not fight with them, in adherence to your covenant and loyalty to it, unless the covenant is broken by those with whom you have a treaty.”

Elaborating on this Hukm, Imam Shawkani (RH) mentions in his book Nayl al Awtar:

“If the people of a town seek help against the people of another town, it is obligatory upon them to provide support with whatever means they can.”

Furthermore, Imam Nawawi mentions in his explanation of Riyad as-Saliheen:

“Supporting a Muslim is one of the most obligatory duties, and if he seeks your help against someone who oppresses him in religion and worldly matters, it is obligatory upon you to help him.”

To emphasize, Imam Nawawi (RH) says “Awjab al Wujoob” meaning it is the most obligatory of the obligations! The Prophet (SAW) clearly indicated that the Muslims are equal in their blood as he said:

“The blood of all Muslims is equal; the protection given by the lowest of them is binding on all, and they are united against others.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood)

Are We Capable of Helping?

Ever since the fall of the Khilafah in 1924 there has been one nakbah (tragedy) after another. The British taking control of Palestine, the massacres of Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kashmir, East Turkmenistan, France’s colonial murdering rampage in Algeria. Today, as Gaza burns, the Ummah is unable to mobilize its military forces that are shackled by the despot agent rulers who have made the White House instead of the Ka’ba their qibla (direction). 

Seeing our inability to answer the immediate call of our brothers and sisters in places like Gaza when they call upon us; we must ask ourselves, what is within our capacity to help?

Before we let the corrupt reality make us depressed or feel hopeless, we must recall that indeed Allah (SWT) is the all-Knowing and all-Capable and that life of the Dunya is a place of test. Understanding that within our limited lives; we must find all avenues that the Shariah directed to help our brothers and sisters in need. This attitude is indeed in the spirit of the Hadith of removal of hardship from our brothers and sisters as he (SAW) said “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever relieves a believer of a hardship from the hardships of this world, Allah will relieve him of a hardship from the hardships of the Day of Judgment. Whoever makes it easy for someone in difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal his (faults) in this world and the Hereafter. Allah helps His servant as long as the servant helps his brother.” (Narrated by Muslim)

When we do help, we must help with our full capacity whether it be donating money, advocating for the vital issues of the Ummah, exposing the plots of the capitalist powers and their agendas, or making du’a.

Whatever Leads to an Obligation is an Obligation 

If we indeed realize our inability to help in responding to our brothers and sisters when they seek our Nasr (support) it is because of the absence of the Khilafah State that the Prophet (SAW) describes as the shield for the Ummah when he said:

“Indeed, the Imam is a Shield; he is fought behind and he is protected by.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

Thus, the obligation of re-establishing the Khilafah is a life and death matter for us and one of the most important obligations for us to work towards. 

This is due to the Usul principle “Whatever is necessary to an obligation is itself an obligation” which great Usuli scholars like al-Ghazali, al-Amidi, and Ibn Qudamah all attest to as an important principle in Islamic Jurisprudence. Ghazali mentions, “if an obligatory act (wajib) cannot be completed without performing a certain action, then that action also takes on the ruling of obligation.” 

That means we must look at the steps the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) performed to establish the Islamic Authority in Madinah and emulate those steps so that we do have a state that indeed supports the Muslims when they are in need. 

Contrasting Nusrah Prior To and After the Establishment of the Islamic State 

When the Prophet (SAW) was in Makkah, he witnessed his companions being oppressed and tortured by the elite of the Quraysh. 

Ibn Ishaq narrated that the Banu Makhzum (tribe of Abu Jahl) clan abducted Yasir, his wife Sumayyah, and their son Ammar and subjected them to intense torture under the hot midday sun in the sands of Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed by them while they were being tortured and said, “Patience, O family of Yasir, for your appointed place is Paradise.”

The Prophet (SAW) was not commanded to intervene since it is the State that would eventually engage in military struggle with Quraysh. Hence, he was not instructed to give material support to the family of Yasir but gave them glad tidings of Paradise instead. 

In contrast to this, when the Prophet (SAW) established the Islamic State in Medina, he was able to provide material support to those who were in need. It is narrated in ibn Kathir, “After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, there was a truce between the Muslims and the Quraysh. The Khuza’a tribe allied with the Muslims, while the Banu Bakr tribe allied with the Quraysh. The Banu Bakr, supported by some members of the Quraysh, attacked the Khuza’a tribe, violating the terms of the treaty. Amr ibn Salim al-Khuza’i, a member of the Khuza’a tribe, went to Medina to inform the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about the attack and seek his assistance. He recited verses of poetry to the Prophet, describing the plight of his people: “O Lord, I beseech Muhammad … our alliance and that of our forefathers.” Upon hearing Amr’s plea, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) assured him of support and said: “You are helped, O Amr ibn Salim.” Due to this the Prophet (SAW) prepared and eventually completed the Conquest of Makkah, thereby giving support via the Islamic State.

Indeed, as Muslims we are commanded by Allah (SWT) to help our Muslim brothers and sisters as a matter of obligation. This means we must fulfill their rights upon us to alleviate the pain and suffering of our Ummah. However, we must remember to create the final enduring solution Allah (SWT) has commanded, which is to re-establish the Islamic Khilafah that will be a beacon of Nasr (help) to all oppressed Muslims and peoples across the globe against all Kufri (disbelieving) powers and ideologies.

That means we must study the Life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and follow his method to establish the State. Hizb ut Tahrir has studied the Seerah meticulously and derived the Shar’i method to establish the State. We invite Muslims to study this method and join us in working for this obligation. The re-establishment of the Khilafah is not only an obligation, it is also the Promise of Allah (SWT) that we must work to achieve. It is not allowed to neglect this obligation as this would contradict the method of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) who worked tirelessly to establish the first Islamic State. Let us answer the desperate calls of our oppressed brothers and sisters and be Muslims who have fulfilled the rights of those who have rights upon them; and be from among those Allah (SWT) is pleased with, Insha’Allah.

“Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.” (Surah Yusuf, verse 21)