Media Release: A Warning to the New Government of Trinidad and Tobago

Media Release:

A Warning to the New Government of Trinidad and Tobago

Waajihatul Islaamiyyah would like to inform the Nation that at no point in time did we ever support any Political Party in the 2010 General Elections. We voted for no one. We see this act of voting in Democratic Elections as Haram which is a violation of our God given rights and obligations.

So the question is asked why are Muslims being encouraged towards voting in general elections in the west is it because of Fear or some interests? And those who have been encouraged to vote for their interests what did they get in return? 

In America they got:

·         The invasion and destruction Iraq.

·         The Invasion and destruction of Afghanistan.

·         The occupation of Palestine

·         Guantanamo. 

·         An American control Pakistan.

·         The banning of Hijabs in schools 

In the UK they got:

·         The rogue state of Israel.

·         Traitors

·         Two million dead in Iraq.

·         An attack on Islamic values and rules.

In France they got:

·         The banning of the Hijab and Burka

In Belgium they got:

·         The Banning of the Burka

In Switzerland they got:

·         The banning of the Minarets

Muhammad reminded Muslims that “The believer is not bitten from the same hole twice.” How many more times do we need to be bitten before we realise?  Even those that have tried to get involved and participated have been tossed aside as they hadn’t abandoned Islam enough and those that changed aim to change Islam.

Political parties contradict Islam and also give legislative authority to man besides Allah. Muslims should secure their Islamic interest politically but politically within the means that Islam allows. Islam does not permit Muslims to vote in none Islamic based elections.

Whilst elections and voting for a political leader is committed in Islam it is only permitted for an Islamic leadership and within the Islamic System, no such system exists today this is the burning problem and vital issue for the Muslims globally. 

·         For those that bring Yusuf as proof for voting in an un-Islamic election, it should be known that “the laws of the previous prophets are not applicable today.  Even if it were accepted, it must not contradict the laws that Muhammad came with. 

·         For those that use the example of the Muslims that immigrated to Abyssinia; the Muslims never participated in the political process or voted for Najashi.

·         For those that vote on the basis of the lesser of two evils.  This is linked to necessity at the point of life and death and not simply hardship or its presumption. 

How can Muslims vote for local or national interest at the expense of the interests of their global ummah? 

How Muslims can votes for a manifesto that contradicts Islam and compromises Allah’s’ sovereignty? 

Muslims must be political upon Islam, forging unity and self-reliance.  This would give us Muslims the means to engage, while at the same time retaining the Islamic values and dignity and avoid exploitation and humiliation both in this world and the next.

It is against this backdrop that we make the following statement:

Waajihatul Islammiyyah (The Islamic Front) will monitor the New People’s Partnership Government in light of their promises made to the people of this nation; keeping in mind promises made by previous Governments before were never fulfilled. Remember the promises made by the PNM? And to date, Manning have the longest list of broken promises of any leader in the Caribbean. In its 2007 election manifesto, titled ’Journey with us to the next level’, the People’s National Movement (PNM) made about 200 promises of which only 25 per cent materialised. However, in its 2010 manifesto (’Caring about you today and tomorrow’), there are no concrete promises until page 29 of the 35-page document.

We demand that these promises made by the New People’s Partnership Government, be fulfilled in the time set out in your Manifesto. Failure to do so will be met with stiff resistance. Having said that, we will also be looking very closely at your policies as it relates to the following:

·         Gay Rights and Abortion

·         Human Rights and Prison Reform

·         Sustainable development  and  the Preservation of the Environment and eco systems

·         Accessing Information and Education reform that will balance the scale of intellectual perception.

·         Public consultation and participation

·         Health and safety

·         Crime and Socioeconomic ills.

·         Emergency and disaster relief

·         The continued granting of licence to sell spirituous liquors.

·         Interest Free Housing and Medical care for Muslims especially Muslim Sisters

·         Islamic Banking and the Setting up of an Islamic Court

·         Facilitating Muslims wanting to perform Haj by forging new diplomatic and travel relations with the Saudi Government

·         The God given right of every citizen to bear arms to defend themselves.

·         Your foreign and local policy as regards laws affecting our Muslim Brothers and Sisters such as laws forbidding Muslim women to wear the Hijab and the Burka, laws forbidding the building of Minarets, and whole Body scans at our nation’s airports and check-in Points in other countries etc. and equally important your relationship with the Rogue State of Israel.

These are the policies that will stand on the threshold between your Government and Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front). These are the policies that will determine our relationship in the coming months. These are the policies that will either make or break your Government.

For Immediate Release:

24 May 2010

Umar Abdullah

Head of Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front)

Tel: 1 (868) 787-0765/365-6253

Fax: 1 (868) 631-8595

Email: waajihatulislaamiyyah@gmail.com

Scholars cannot permit what Allah has forbidden

In The Name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful

In Response to an Article Published In the Trinidad Express 17th May 2010, Entitled 'StayAway From The Polls' Pt. 2.

Scholars cannot permit what Allah has forbidden

One of the main excuses some people use today in attempt to justify the evil act of voting for a person to make law on one’s behalf is that the majority of Muslim scholars say it is allowed to vote, and some even go further saying it is a religious duty.

This, like every other so-called argument used to justify voting for man to play the role of God and make law, is entirely flawed and can never be used as an excuse to associate partners with Allah by choosing a lawmaker besides Him. There are many places in the Qur’aan in which Allah (SWT) informs us of individuals in the past who were favoured by Him and were given knowledge, yet they abused the knowledge they were given, started to follow their own desires and misled the people.

For example, the Jews and Christians (People of the Book) were accused by Allah of worshipping their rabbis and priests by obeying and following their religious edicts which clearly went against the commands of Allah. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’aan:

“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah).” (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9:31)

‘Uday bin Haatim used to be a Christian. When he heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) recite the above verse he tried to deny this and responded: “We did not worship them (rabbis and priests).” The Prophet (SAW) replied: “Did they (rabbis and priests) not forbid what Allah permitted and hence you forbade it; and they permitted what Allah forbade and thus you permitted it?” ‘Uday replied “Yes.” The Prophet (SAW) said, “That is how you worshipped them.” After this incident ‘Uday (RA) embraced Islam.

So it can be argued that any Muslim who blindly follows a scholar when he permits what Allah forbids has taken him as a lord and false god besides Allah. Any matter which is clearly forbidden by Allah – such as alcohol, committing shirk (in this case, voting for man to make law), adultery, interest (ribaa), and so forth – cannot be made lawful by scholars. Moreover, one cannot claim on the Day of Judgement that they were merely following their scholars or the majority of people and therefore cannot be blamed for their actions. Allah (SWT) says:

“And those who followed (blindly) will say: “If only we had one more chance to return (to the worldly life), we would disown (declare ourselves as innocent from) them as they have disowned (declared themselves as innocent from) us.” Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire.” (EMQ al-Baqarah, 2:167)

Furthermore, it is reported in the Sunan of Ibn Maajah that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: “Verily, what I fear most for my Ummah is misguided Imaams.” There can be no doubt that the misguided Imaams (or scholars) of today are those who allow voting for man-made law by twisting the verses of Allah and Shari’ah principles in order to achieve popularity, maintain their career and please the masses, tyrannical governments and disbelievers.

What makes someone an ‘aalim?

What makes someone an ‘aalim is not the level of knowledge they have, the length of their beard or their credentials. The Sahaabah, for example, did not study at a “renowned” institution and nor did they achieve any certificates, credentials, degrees, PhDs, and so forth. Despite this, they were the greatest ‘ulamaa (scholars) the Ummah has ever seen.

What makes someone an ‘aalim, besides having knowledge, is when they engage in the duties of the Anbiyaa (Prophets). Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said, “The ‘ulamaa are the inheritors of the Prophets.” Therefore, in order for one to be considered an ‘aalim, they must engage in the duties of the Prophets. The mission of the previous Prophets was to call people away from shirk (associating partners with Allah) and taaghout (false gods, such as lawmakers or MPs). They called society to Tawheed and to reject man-made laws as well as kufr (un-Islamic) ideals, ways of life and values such as freedom, democracy, liberalism and so forth.

It is for the above reasons that the previous Messengers and Prophets were attacked by the disbelievers, vilified, ridiculed, boycotted, imprisoned and some were even murdered or assassinated. This is how we recognise the people of truth: they are tested by Allah and vilified by the disbelievers. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was labelled a lunatic; Ibraaheem (or Abraham) was thrown into fire; Yoosuf (Joseph) was incarcerated for a crime he did not commit; the disbelievers plotted to crucify ‘Eesa (Jesus); Shu’aib (AS) was threatened with extradition; Nooh (Noah) was ridiculed; and the list goes on.

Allah (SWT) has destined, as part of His Almighty Traditions (Sunnatullah), that any person who desires to be with the Prophets, Messengers and their Companions in the Hereafter must struggle in this life the way they did and endure the tests they were made to endure. Allah (SWT) says:

“Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, “When (will come) the Help of Allah?” Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!” (EMQ al-Baqarah, 2:214)

In what way have those so-called scholars (who try to justify voting for kufr law) suffered for the sake of Allah and the Deen of Islam? Rather than calling people away from shirk and to shun taaghout (false gods), we find them calling us to commit shirk for their personal interests and benefit (maslahah) and to obey taaghout (those who rule by other than what Allah has revealed). What excuse do these sad individuals (particularly in Trinidad and Tobago) have for not speaking out against this great evil? Unlike scholars in the Middle East, they are not being threatened with torture, imprisonment or death yet they are still afraid of upsetting the masses, gaining notoriety or being labelled an extremist.

There is a famous principle in Islam: “The haq (truth) is known by the daleel (divine evidence), not by men.” Therefore, the haq is not established by the number of people that agree with it or the number of “renowned” or celebrity-like scholars who state it. Rather, the haq is known by the daleel (Qur’aan and Sunnah, by the understanding of the Sahaabah). But if it is names you are after and not daleel, below is a brief list (in no particular order) of scholars from across the world that say democracy opposes Islam and that voting and participating in democratic elections is forbidden (haraam):

·        Sheikh Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi (Jordan)

·        Sheikh Feiz Mohammad (lived in Australia, originally Lebanon)

·        Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki (lived in USA, originally Yemen)

·        Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Misri (UK, originally Egypt)

·        Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman (USA, originally Egypt)

·        Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal (lived in UK, originally Jamaica)

·        Sheikh Abdul-Qaadir bin Abdil-Azeez (Egypt)

·        Sheikh Naasir al-Fahd (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Ahmad Fadeel an-Nazal al-Khalayleh (Jordan)

·        Sheikh Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Ayman Muhammad Rabee’ al-Zawaahiri (Egypt)

·        Sheikh Sayyid Qutb (Egypt)

·        Sheikh Humood bin Uqla Ash-Shu’aibi (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Ali bin al-Khudayr (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaani (Saudi Arabia, originally Albania)

·        Sheikh Muhammad Ameen al-Shanqeeti (Saudi Arabia, originally Mauritania)

·        Sheikh Ahmad Hamood al-Khaalidi (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Yusuf al-Uyayri (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Abdullah al-Ghunaymaan (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Muhammad al-Fazaazy (Morocco)

·        Sheikh Hani al-Siba’i (UK, originally Egypt)

·        Sheikh Saalih al-Awfi (Saudi Arabia)

·        Sheikh Ziyaad Qattaan (UAE)

·        Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad (lived in UK, Lebanon)

·        Sheikh Abu Qataadah al-Filasteeni (UK, originally Palestine)