Islam is true solution for India and rest of the world: Hizb ut Tahrir

Over the past couple of months there have been various reports that suggest that members of the Hizb ut Tahrir is planning on launching attacks in India from Bangladesh.

While these were based on intelligence intercepts, the HuT was quick to deny the allegations and says that it is not a terrorist outfit.

Like the ISIS, even the HuT has spoken about declaration of a Caliphate. The HuT however clarifies that unlike the ISIS they are not resorting to violent means.

The Caliphate is certainly the wish of majority of the Muslims says Osman Bakhach Director of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir (Beirut Lebanon).

In this extensive interview with OneIndia, Bakhach says that they believe Islam is the true solution for the people of India and for all the other countries.

Why is that many want to brand the Hizb ut Tahrir a terrorist organisation?

This is a good question: Considering the fact that for over 60 years since the establishment of Hizb ut Tahrir in 1953 we have only engaged in a strictly political & intellectual discourse, it is very difficult to explain why some biased media outlets are intent on promoting malicious propaganda about us.

One thing that comes to the mind is that we call for the liberation of mankind from the yoke of both colonial imperialism (manifested in the western hegemony over the global Order) and the corrupt secular civilization (the other side of the imperial coin) which has only resulted in endless miseries across the globe and we have consistently presented the Islamic solution to these challenges and this obviously does not suit the vested interests of the corrupt elite leadership & Capitalist thugs that rule the world, and because they cannot counter our arguments the easy way out for them is to use the 'Terrorism' label.

It effectively means that they define terrorism as the rejection of their slavery!

Does the HuT feel that the Caliphate can be declared? If yes then why does it become so necessary to declare one?

The Islamic State or the Caliphate is an essential part of the Islamic tenets & practices and was originally established by the Prophet of Islam, Mohammad and continued after his death for over 1300 years under the leadership of his successors who were called Caliphs , until 1924 .

There are several evidences in the Holy Quran and the Hadith which establish the importance of this issue.

Scholars over the centuries have unanimously agreed on the importance of the subject and its necessity and its benefits.

India had a close relationship with the caliphate as well, in 1924 at the time when the Caliphate was being abolished in Turkey, the Muslim scholars of India along with the Freedom fighters such as Gandhi undertook a national campaign called the Khilafat Movement all over the subcontinent to support the Caliphate.

The return of the Caliphate is a yearning carried by the Muslims globally and it reflects the natural aspirations of Muslims who want to live the Islamic way of life.

The geopolitical order imposed by the western colonial powers totally contradicts the Islamic way of life, and does not reflect the popular will.

It has been imposed only through the heavy handed rule of the military boots as can be observed has been the case with most of the Muslim world.

Having said this, the declaration of the establishment of a Caliphate must meet the essential requirements of a state. i.e. it is not a mere announcement without the corresponding realities to justify it.

What are your thoughts on the ISIS?

ISIS is one of the militant organisations competing for ground control in Syria & Iraq. We have repeatedly declared that their announcement of the Caliphate is invalid, as it does not meet the Islamic requirements.

The Caliphate state is meant to be a state of Justice and Mercy to which all people look up to, and not a state spreading terror and destruction.

The HuT too has been branded radical. Do you agree?

This terminology is dual edged; unless and until a neutral universal definition is agreed to, it is senseless to use the colonial dictionary as "The yardstick" to assess and judge people and organizations.

For example, The USA so far has refused to apologize for her colonial crimes not only against the native Red Indians, but also against the Japanese and Vietnamese peoples , to name few of the victims.

However why doesn't anyone call the American policy as "Radical" or "inhuman"?

Regarding HuT, we only present our intellectual & political thoughts leaving the freedom to people to either accept or reject them.

There have been reports that suggest that the HuT is growing stronger in Bangladesh. Is this true?

Over the years there has been an overwhelming support among the Muslims globally for the reestablishment of the Caliphate.

There have been several surveys and polls which reflect the sentiments of the Muslims on this issue.

Hizb ut Tahrir has increasingly received lot of support and motivation from the Muslims across the Muslim world and this is the case with Bangladesh as well.

Do you believe the Caliphate is the wish of all Muslims?

Certainly it is the wish of the majority of the Muslims. There are several gauges which represent the sentiment of the Muslims globally.

Well known organisations such as PEW Institute and the WorldPublicOpinion.org have time and again surveyed various Muslim countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Pakistan and Indonesia and have come with reports which clearly indicate the majority support for the implementation of Islamic Shariah.

Is the HuT keen on implementing an Islamic state? Is this really possible?

To implement the Islamic Sharia is not a matter of choice for any Muslim. In Islam, unlike Christianity or Capitalism, separation of Church and State is not possible.

The concept of Secularism was born in the western European society due to peculiar circumstances which does not match the reality of Islam or Muslim society.

Whereas it may be very normal for western nations to adopt secular capitalism as the ideological bedrock of the society, it is as much normal for Muslims to live according to the Islamic way of life.

If you mean by your question that the western colonial powers are hell bent on preventing the rise of the Islamic Caliphate, then indeed this is a struggle for liberation, hence the name of the party: The Liberation Party (HuT).

Many western politicians and leaders have openly expressed their commitment to prevent the rise of the Caliphate; this will not deter us from working tirelessly to liberate our nation from the colonial order.

The HuT was accused of anti-Semitism. Is this charge levelled because the organization is opposed to Israel?

Islam does not discriminate against people based on their nationality/ethnicity or religious background.

Islam, while rejecting the false beliefs of non-Muslims, yet Islam offers them full protection and the right to live with dignity among Muslims.

The Islamic history is a testament to this fact. Hundreds of thousands of Jews chose Istanbul, the Capital of the Caliphate to be their land of refuge from the Spanish Inquisition and they were welcomed and supported by the Caliph in settling in the cities.

It is important to note that Islam does not accept aggression and oppression, it teaches that aggressors and evil doers must be resisted and punished.

It is a well-known fact that the State of Israel has been built after occupying Muslim lands and driving the Muslim inhabitants out of their lands, thanks to the colonial Order, this is the reason why Muslims have every right to liberate their lands.

History is witness to the fact that Jews lived among Muslims both in Palestine and elsewhere in the Muslim world without being harassed.

It is sad that some hot headed Zionist leaders fell prey to the colonial policies and accepted to play pivotal role in the aggression against Muslims through the establishment of Israel.

What are your views on India?

India much like any other country globally that implements Capitalism has a large population living in poverty and hardships.

It suffers from Economic problems, social problems and political problems. At the same time people in India suffer from ethnic inequality and lack of social cohesion and harmony, and this is similar to the case of the Capitalist countries globally which includes USA and the European countries.

We believe Islam is the true solution for the people of India and for all the other countries of the world so that the people are relieved from the sufferings which we mentioned above.

The ISIS has mocked the HuT recently about the manner in which you function. They feel that intellectual discussions alone will not help achieve the cause. What are your thoughts on the same?

Our methodology is an imitation of the work of the Prophet Mohammad who worked day and night to bring the intellectual & political change he called for.

The prophet did not engage in any act of violence, although he and his followers were subject to brutal crackdown by their opponents in Mecca.

Our vision is that the State must reflect the convictions of the people. People should be ready to sacrifice to rebuild the society and state; this cannot happen at the barrel of a gun, instead it must emanate from their inner beliefs and conviction.

Regarding ISIS, and similar groups, we maintain that they have misunderstood the methodology of the prophet.

You hear incidents of violent deaths and terrorist attacks almost every day. Has the world become a more dangerous place?

Due to the endless crimes perpetuated by the colonial powers, there are always bound to be some reactions.

It is fairly easy to describe the IRA fighters as terrorists while overlooking the brutal British occupation.

The same applies in the case of Palestinians fighting Israeli brutalities, or the south African fighting the British. No one would dare label the Americans as terrorists, simply because in the law of jungle prevailing nowadays, "might makes right".

Do you think the world was a safer place when Saddam Hussein was alive?

Saddam was a brutal dictator not much different from the other dictators in the Muslim world, by degree but not in kind.

It was perhaps his poor luck that the USA wanted to demonstrate its global superiority at his demise, bypassing any and all criteria of justice or human rights.

Madeleine Albright infamous reply sums it all up when she coldly justified the murder of 500,000 Iraqi children, who, in her world view, were no more than collateral damage who had to be sacrificed at the American imperial altar.

So in brief the world is not and cannot be safe under the hegemony of the Secular Imperial Order, and the long record of endless wars and economic miseries are a clear evidence to this fact.