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Venezuela, the USA and China: A Fight for Rare Earth Elements
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمVenezuela, the USA and China: A Fight for Rare Earth Elements
Analysts and politicians have been following the situation in Venezuela, considering the USA’s actions and wondering why there has been an escalation in recent weeks. Trump suggested that he wants to open up US access to Venezuelan land, oil and assets that he says were “stolen” when the country nationalized its oil fields in the 1970s. He has also that he is targeting the illicit drug trade and human trafficking in Venezuela due to its effect on the USA. But a closer look at the situation shows that there is a geopolitical angle here with a clear link to China and America’s larger trade war with the country.
What is happening?
On December 16, Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade”, halting sanctioned vessels entering or leaving, paralyzing oil exports and creating storage crises for Maduro’s regime. While Venezuela has deployed its navy to escort tankers, U.S. operations continue with over 90 fatalities from related strikes. These strikes have coincided with a broader U.S. military buildup in the region, including large naval deployments in the southern Caribbean, as well as Donald Trump’s subsequent threats of potential land strikes.
On the surface, this may not seem unusual as USA has a history of taking steps to put pressure on Modarao. But pre-2025 measures focused mainly on financial sanctions, asset freezes, and designations of specific networks like Rosneft in 2020 or evasion ships in 2021, aiming to disrupt without broad physical intervention. These caused economic pressure but allowed shadow fleets to persist, with limited direct seizures. While Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, the recent seizure is the first of a Venezuelan oil cargo amid U.S. sanctions that have been in force since 2019. It is also the Trump administration’s first known action against a Venezuela-related tanker since he ordered a massive military buildup in the region.
This shift to “maximum pressure” came around the same time that the White House issued an official statement affirming the Trump administration’s commitment to the Monroe Doctrine. Signed in 1823, the doctrine said the US would reject other countries’ influence in Latin America. A new “Trump Corollary” to the doctrine states that “the American people – not foreign nations nor globalist institutions – will always control their own destiny in our hemisphere”.
With China’s connections to the region, we can understand why there is a growing analysis that America is trying to secure the region against them. Especially when the blockade has disrupted Venezuela’s principal source of revenue – oil. And one of the major buyers of said oil is China.
“The most interesting aspect of all of this is that by squeezing Venezuelan oil, you are not only putting tremendous pressure on the Maduro regime, you are also impacting China strategically… The longer it goes on, it may create negotiating space in U.S.-China diplomacy, because Venezuelan oil is discounted to China, and it’s the type of heavy crude that China can refine…Without VZ oil, China will have to go to the market to Russia and the Middle East, which will be more costly to them,” said Aaron Roth, retired Coast Guard captain and principal, federal strategy & security, for the Chertoff Group.
For years, China has extended credit lines to Venezuela under loans-for-oil deals, with shipments in December on track to average more than 600,000 barrels per day. While the oil itself only accounts for a small percentage of Chinese oil imports, it is needed if they want to wean themselves off a dependency on Middle Eastern oil.
But this, on its own, doesn’t explain why the USA would suddenly increase their aggression against Venezuela.
The current tensions between China and the USA
Looking at the bigger picture, we can see that the situation in Venezuela began around the time that Chinese restrictions on Rare Earth Elements came into effect. Starting December 1, foreign companies anywhere in the world need approval from the Chinese government to export products containing even trace amounts of rare earth elements that originated in China or were produced using Chinese technology. This move came in response to the US expanding the list of Chinese firms denied access to most-advanced US semiconductor chips and other technologies. China’s decision also represents a sharp escalation in China’s export controls, directly countering the earlier US-China deal announcements from October-November 2025.
About which, the White House had previously released statements:
On October 30, the White House announced a deal with China that it later said would “effectively eliminate” all current and proposed export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals. This followed China’s decision in April to virtually halt exports of rare earths and its announcement in October of further restrictions that were expected to chokehold exports of critical minerals to the United States.
“China will issue general licenses valid for exports of rare earths, gallium, germanium, antimony, and graphite for the benefit of U.S. end users and their suppliers around the world,” the White House said on November 1.
While China maintains that it’s not a ban, China announced new measures that build upon its earlier semiconductor-focused restrictions, extending to products made outside China that have as little as 0.1 percent of Chinese rare earths in them or use mining, separation, or magnet-making technology developed by Chinese firms.
This isn’t an unusual move – China has previously displayed a willingness to use export controls as a tool of economic coercion. Around fifteen years ago, China curtailed rare earths to Japan over a dispute in the East China Sea. And now, they restricted its exports of critical minerals in response to the United States’ tariffs and export controls.
But it is significant because China controls up to 90 percent of the world’s processing capacity, including more than 99 percent for three kinds of rare earths necessary for heat-resistant magnets. It also has an average market share of 70% for 19 of the 20 most strategic critical minerals and 94% for rare earth containing permanent magnets.
With near total control of the world’s critical minerals production, China maintains significant economic leverage over access to inputs that are necessary for everything from everyday products like smartphones to advanced weapons systems like the F-35.
This is an area where the USA is lagging behind, and they are aware of it. The President has described the U.S. reliance on foreign adversaries—particularly China—for minerals as a “self-inflicted wound” that undermines their technology leadership and defence readiness.
The USA had previously been willing to let China take the lead across mining, processing, and manufacturing, viewing it as a cost-efficient arrangement rather than a strategic risk. But now, that strategic risk has turned into a vulnerability which gives China power over them. This is not position that the USA can or is willing to be in. As the global hegemon, their power relies on being ahead of other countries in all critical areas – including technological advancements. This is especially important when we consider their policy towards China – seeing it as regional adversary that needs to be contained.
But they are reliant on China for much of the hardware required for next-generation technologies, across both military systems and the energy sector. And as we can see with China’s recent actions, this makes the USA vulnerable and puts their foreign policy objectives at risk.
The USA has made it clear that they now see control over mineral supply chains as the primary determinant of military readiness and national survival. And as such, have begun a series of interlocking legislative, diplomatic, and military initiatives designed to dismantle the China’s decade long dominance over the supply chain, and develop their own.
The Trump administration has enacted policies to ramp up the supply of critical minerals in the U.S. and from allied countries, while also engaging in a high-stakes trade and tariff battle with China. The Biden administration was also focused on this issue, and pursued a strategy of grants and loans, while engaging with allies and partners to build support for collective action. But the Trump administration has gone further.
Those who doubt the centrality of minerals to U.S. strategy should consider the recent agreement between Washington and Kyiv, which granted U.S. entities preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral reserves as partial repayment for wartime assistance.
Minerals are becoming a crucial resource. And Venezuela has vast mineral wealth – with abundant deposits of bauxite, coltan, gold and rare-earth minerals.
Venezuela’s ‘Orinoco Mining Arc’ is known to contain significant deposits of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) alongside its vast gold, iron, and bauxite reserves. While reports on the exact quantities are still developing, Venezuela could potentially become global source of Rare Earth Elements.
And China is currently benefiting from it – with an involvement in the Orinoco Mining Arc (OMA) through both official agreements with the Venezuelan government and informal trade networks.
“Investigations cited by Venezuelan watchdogs suggest substantial smuggling—often routed through neighbouring countries before ending up with Chinese processors, the global choke point for separation and refining. Volumes are uncertain; the mechanism is credible”. Source
And so, Venezuela has become the latest ‘battle ground’ in the trade war between China and the USA. But this doesn’t mean that this situation will turn into an all-out war – as some analysts have suggested. Condemnations aside, starting a military fight in America’s backyard would spark tensions that goes beyond China’s current objectives. So far, this seems to be the next step in their political- economic ‘war’ not the start of an all-out military one.
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Q&A: Concession (Rukhsah) and Strict Ruling (ʿAzimah)
Answer to Question
Concession (Rukhsah) and Strict Ruling (ʿAzimah)
To Zahid Talib Naʿim
(Translated)Question:
Our Shaykh, the eminent scholar Aṭa Bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah,
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings,
I hope that this question reaches you while you are in complete health and well-being. I ask Allah to hasten for His believing servants succession and empowerment on earth, and to relieve the distress from the Muslims in general and from our people in Gaza in particular.
It is mentioned in The Islamic Personality Volume III, page 64 (Arabic version): “That is because acting upon the strict ruling, which is refraining from eating, is permissible, but it is a permissible act that inevitably leads to the prohibited, which is the destruction of the self. Thus it becomes prohibited in accordance with the legal principle ‘a means to the prohibited is prohibited.’ Therefore, acting upon the strict ruling here becomes prohibited, and acting upon the concession becomes obligatory, due to an incidental reason, which is the realization of destruction)”
Is leaving the concession (rukhsa) and acting upon the strict ruling (azimah) prohibited? And is leaving the strict ruling and acting upon the concession obligatory? Does this contradict the principle that commanding something is not a prohibition of its opposite, and prohibiting something is not a command for its opposite? Is refraining from eating described as prohibited, or is it considered leaving an obligation? And is the one who eats in this situation described as having performed an obligation and avoided the prohibited?
May Allah accept from us and from you righteous deeds, and may Allah bless you.
23/6/2024 – Zahid Talib Naʿim
Answer:
Wa Alaikum Assalam wa Rahmatallhu wa Barakatahu
May Allah bless you for your good supplication, and we supplicate Allah for you with goodness.
The place you are asking about in The Islamic Personality, Volume 3, is in the chapter “Concession and Strict Ruling”, and this is its complete text:
[This is with respect to the reality of concession (rukhsa) and strict ruling (azimah) legislatively. As for acting upon the concession or upon the strict ruling, then acting upon whichever of them one wishes is permissible; he may act upon the concession, and he may act upon the strict ruling. That is because the texts of concessions indicate that…
It may be said that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى رُخَصُهُ، كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى عَزَائِمُهُ» “Allah loves that His concessions be taken just as He loves that His commands be observed.” (Narrated by Ibn Ḥibban). This is a request, and it is evidence that it is recommended. And the compelled person, if he fears destruction upon himself, it is obligatory upon him to eat the flesh of carrion, and it is prohibited for him to refrain from eating it. And the one choking who finds nothing except wine must remove his choking with wine if he fears destruction, and it is prohibited for him to refrain and perish. And the fasting person, if exhaustion reaches him to the level of perishing, it is obligatory upon him to break his fast, and it is prohibited for him to remain fasting and perish, and so on. This indicates that acting upon the concession is obligatory; therefore, the concession may be obligatory, may be recommended, and may be permissible. The answer to that is that the discussion is about the concession insofar as it is a concession. And the concession, insofar as it is a concession, is decisively permissible based on the previous evidences. Thus, the ruling of the concession, insofar as it is legislated, is permissibility. As for the saying of the Messenger (saw): «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى رُخَصُهُ» “Allah loves that His concessions be taken.” there is no indication in the hadith of recommendation (nadb); rather, it indicates permissibility (ibaḥah), because it explains that Allah loves that His concessions be taken, and He loves that His strict rulings be observed, and seeking one of them is not more deserving than seeking the other. The text of the hadith is: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى رُخَصُهُ، كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى عَزَائِمُهُ» “Allah loves that His concessions be taken just as He loves that His commands be observed.” Therefore, there is no indication in the hadith that acting upon a concession may be recommended. As for eating the flesh of carrion, it does not mean only the compelled person for whom destruction is certain; rather, merely fearing destruction is considered compulsion, and in this case eating is permissible for him and not obligatory. However, if destruction is certain were he not to eat, then at that point it becomes forbidden for him to refrain from eating, and it becomes obligatory upon him to eat. This is not because it is a concession, but because it has become obligatory. That is because acting upon the strict ruling, which is refraining from eating, is permissible, but this permissible act has come to inevitably lead to the forbidden, which is the destruction of life. Thus it becomes forbidden, in accordance with the legal principle: “The means to the forbidden is forbidden.” Therefore, acting upon the strict ruling here becomes forbidden, and acting upon the concession becomes obligatory, due to an incidental cause, which is the certainty of destruction. This is not the ruling of the concession in and of itself, but rather a case to which the principle “The means to the forbidden is forbidden” applies. This is not specific to concessions, but is general for all permissible matters. An example of that is the drowning person drinking wine, and the one whose destruction is certain breaking the fast, and other similar cases. Accordingly, the concession in and of itself, and in terms of its legislation as a concession, its ruling is that it is permissible. If abandoning it and acting upon the strict ruling leads inevitably to a forbidden matter, then the permissible becomes forbidden. [End]
And you ask:
[Is abandoning the concession and acting upon the strict ruling prohibited? And is abandoning the strict ruling and acting upon the concession obligatory? Does this contradict the principle that commanding something is not a prohibition of its opposite, and prohibiting something is not a command of its opposite? And is refraining from eating described as prohibited, or is it the abandonment of an obligation? And is the one who eats in this situation described as having performed an obligation and avoided the prohibited?] End.
The answer to that is as follows:
1- As established in the book “The Islamic Personality, Volume Three”, acting upon the concession, insofar as it is a concession, is permissible. This is the original ruling of the concession. Naturally, this applies when no detailed evidence exists indicating that the concession in a particular case is recommended and preferred over the strict ruling, or that the strict ruling in a particular case is recommended and preferred over the concession. We have explained these cases in the book “Taysir al-Wuṣul ila al-Uṣul”, where it states on pages 42–44 (Word file):
“The concession, insofar as it is legislated as a concession, its ruling is permissibility. If one continues to act upon the strict ruling, that is permissible for him, and if he acts upon the concession, that is also permissible for him.
As for why the strict ruling and the concession are equal in the ruling of permissibility, it is because the Messenger of Allah (saw) says: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى رُخَصُهُ، كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى عَزَائِمُهُ» “Allah loves that His concessions be taken just as He loves that His commands be observed.” This clarifies that both are equal in obedience to Allah in terms of performance.
This applies if no text exists indicating that either the concession or the strict ruling, in a particular case, is more beloved to Allah.
Example: Allah Almighty says:
[أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ وَأَن تَصُومُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ]
“[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] – a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess – it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew” [Surat Al-Baqarah: 184]. From this it is understood that whoever is permitted to break the fast due to an excuse, and is able to fast without hardship, then his fasting is better than his breaking the fast, such as one who travels the distance permitting concession in an airplane or a comfortable car; he may fast and he may break the fast, but his fasting is better in this case, based on the indication of:
[وَأَن تَصُومُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ]
“But to fast is best for you, if you only knew” [Surat Al-Baqarah: 184].
Likewise, it is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: «لَيْسَ مِنَ الْبِرِّ الصِّيَامُ فِي السَّفَرِ»“It is not righteousness to fast while traveling.” This was said when he saw a traveling man who was fasting and had been exhausted by fasting. From this hadith it is understood that whoever’s travel is difficult and exhausting, then breaking the fast is better for him.
Thus, in the first case, it is understood from the verse that fasting is better, meaning acting upon the strict ruling is better. In the second case, it is understood from the hadith that breaking the fast is better, meaning acting upon the concession is better.
As for when no specific text exists indicating preference between the strict ruling and the concession in particular cases, then taking either the concession or the strict ruling is equally permissible for both, based on the previously mentioned hadith of the Messenger of Allah (saw) at the beginning of the discussion.)
2- In the case of the concession of eating or drinking what is prohibited in a state of necessity, as we explained above—namely: “As for eating the flesh of carrion, it does not mean only the compelled person for whom destruction is certain; rather, merely fearing destruction is considered compulsion” – then the ruling of the concession is permissibility, like all other concessions.
3- If destruction is certain by not eating or drinking the prohibited, then this means:
a- That acting upon the strict ruling (not eating the prohibited) in this case falls under the principle: (The means to the prohibited is prohibited). This is because the strict ruling was originally permissible for the one who fears destruction if he does not eat or drink the prohibited. However, for the one whose destruction is certain if he does not eat or drink the prohibited, the strict ruling—though originally permissible—becomes prohibited in this case, just like any other permissible matter becomes prohibited when the principle (The means to the prohibited is prohibited) applies. According to this principle, a permissible matter that leads to a prohibited matter becomes prohibited. Thus, by virtue of this principle, the strict ruling that was permissible before its application transforms into prohibition, because it becomes a means to the prohibited, which is the destruction of life. Evidence has been reported prohibiting the destruction of life.
b- Likewise, the concession of eating for one who fears destruction if he does not eat or drink the prohibited had the ruling of permissibility, in accordance with the original ruling of concessions. But if destruction is certain, then its ruling transforms into obligation, because saving one’s life from destruction is obligatory. And saving one’s life in a case of certain destruction cannot occur unless he eats or drinks the prohibited. Thus, the realization of the obligation—saving life—in that specific case necessitates eating or drinking the prohibited. Since the obligation cannot be fulfilled except by it, it becomes obligatory by the principle: (That without which an obligation cannot be fulfilled is itself obligatory). Thus, acting upon the concession in this specific case becomes obligatory.
4- What is mentioned above does not contradict the principle: (Commanding something is not a prohibition of its opposite, and prohibiting something is not a command of its opposite), for saying that acting upon the strict ruling is prohibited in the specific case of certain destruction has its evidence, which is the principle: (The means to the prohibited is prohibited), and saying that acting upon the concession is obligatory also has its evidence, which is the principle: (That without which an obligation cannot be fulfilled is itself obligatory). Thus, saying that eating or drinking the prohibited is obligatory does not stem from the idea that refraining from eating or drinking is prohibited, but rather from the legal principle (That without which an obligation cannot be fulfilled is itself obligatory). Likewise, saying that acting upon the strict ruling by refraining from eating or drinking the prohibited is prohibited does not stem from the idea that acting upon the concession is obligatory, but rather from the legal principle (The means to the prohibited is prohibited). Therefore, the discussion here is not a linguistic discussion regarding the implication of command and prohibition, but rather a discussion supported by legal evidences related to its details. Hence, saying that acting upon the concession is obligatory is not based on a linguistic implication derived from prohibiting the strict ruling, nor is saying that acting upon the strict ruling is prohibited based on a linguistic implication derived from commanding the concession.
I hope the matter has now become clear.
Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah06 Rajab 1447 AH
Corresponding to 26/12/2025 CEThe link to the answer from the Ameer’s Facebook page.
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Q&A: Using Artificial Intelligence in the Field of Photography, Drawing, and Videos
Answer to Question
Using Artificial Intelligence in the Field of Photography, Drawing, and Videos
To: Islam Abu Khalil and Raed Al-Harsh Abu Mu‘adhQuestion:
1- Question from Islam Abu Khalil:
As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, our honorable Sheikh. May Allah protect you and make Islam established on Earth by your hands.
I wanted to present an important question in this era for many people regarding artificial intelligence, and I hope that the answer will be beneficial for everyone if you publish it on your official page, in sha’ Allah.
Today, many people use artificial intelligence to create images of humans or animals. A person inputs certain information along with some parameters into the AI and asks it to create an image, and it produces images or video clips, whether in the form of animation or realistic. It is also possible to input an image of an existing person to create a podcast or a program, or one may request the creation of an image of a person who does not exist at all.
First question:
Is it permissible in the Shariah to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create images of humans or animals? And likewise to create animations or video clips for da‘wah purposes or in general?
Second question:
If creating images of humans using artificial intelligence (AI) is permissible, must these images abide by the Shariah rules? Meaning: must the woman be covered (hijab) or not?
May Allah reward you with all good for your responses.
Islam Abu Khalil — 25/11/2025
2– Question of Raed Al-Harsh Abu Mu‘adh:
As-salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
Today, with artificial intelligence, we can convert text into an image, and we can also change the features or type of the image or convert it into animation, and we can also create videos based on textual input. Is altering an image (such as converting it into a cartoon or anime) considered “drawing by hand,” or is it something else? Or is it an “automatic generation” based on algorithms and not direct human action?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
Your two questions are similar, and here is the answer:
First: Artificial intelligence (AI) programs are a vast door opened for humanity, and artificial intelligence is evidence of the greatness of the Creator, Exalted is He, who
[عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ]
“taught man that which he knew not” [Surah Al-‘Alaq: 5]. Thus, the human became capable of harnessing machines, calculations, algorithms, and computer programs to perform tasks and carry out missions that are difficult for a human being to achieve with his mere effort… Artificial intelligence is a major leap in science and application, and is capable of causing major changes in methods, means, and the course of people’s lives and civil progress, etc.
Second: Artificial intelligence is not limited to a single field, but has multiple uses according to the multiplicity of fields of science, knowledge, and application… It can be used effectively in the field of health, medicine, and hospitals, and in the field of sciences and inventions, and in education, and in the military field and wars, and in various arts… and many other fields. Like all sciences and inventions, it can be used for good or evil depending on what the human chooses. It can be harnessed for the good of humanity and the benefit of people, and it can be harnessed for evil, corruption, injustice, and consuming people’s wealth wrongfully, etc.
Third: The question we are answering concerns the use of artificial intelligence programs in the field of photography, drawing, videos, robots, and similar matters. To answer this question, we review the following:
1- Linguistically, “tasweer” (creating an image) means producing a likeness of a creature that resembles its creation, that is, producing something similar to it. The closer the created image is to the actual creature, the stronger and greater the skill… So creating an image means producing a resemblance to it. The “musawwir” are therefore the ones who create likenesses. But transferring the actual thing itself by any tool is not called “tasweer.” The forbidden tasweer is that which has a soul, and the reality of tasweer is drawing something that resembles it by hand or by a camera or by any tool on land or air… and it is not the transferring of the actual object itself.
2- As for the fact that the prohibited image-making is that which has a soul, that is due to the following evidences:
a. Sahih al-Bukhari: On the authority of Sa‘īd ibn Abī al-Ḥasan who said: I was with Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with both of them) when a man came to him and said: “O Abā al-‘Abbās, I am a man whose livelihood is only from the work of my hands, and I make these images.”So Ibn ‘Abbās said: “I will not tell you except what I heard the Messenger of Allah say; I heard him say:
b. Sahih al-Bukhari: On the authority of ‘Ubaydullāh, from Nāfi‘, that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) informed him that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: «إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَصْنَعُونَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ»“Those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them: ‘Give life to what you have created.’”
c.Sahih Muslim:On the authority of Nāfi‘, from al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad, from ‘Ā’ishah, that she bought a cushion on which were pictures. When the Messenger of Allah (saw) saw it, he stood at the door and did not enter. She recognized—or it was recognized on his face—the dislike. So she said: “O Messenger of Allah, I repent to Allah and to His Messenger! What sin have I committed?”
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:«مَا بَالُ هَذِهِ النُّمْرُقَةِ؟»“What is the matter with this cushion?” She said: “I bought it for you to sit on and rest your head on.”The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:«إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرِ يُعَذَّبُونَ وَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ»“The people who make these images will be punished, and it will be said to them: ‘Bring to life what you have created.’”
d. And this is confirmed by the fact that the imaging of what is not of living beings has come with its permissibility as mentioned in al-Shakhṣiyyah 2 (Islamic Personality Vol. 2) – Chapter of Imaging:[(As for the permissibility of depicting what has no soul—such as trees and the like—it has come explicitly in the Hadiths.
In the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah: «فَمُرْ بِرَأْسِ التِّمْثَالِ يُقْطَعْ فَيُصَيَّرَ كَهَيْئَةِ الشَّجَرَة» “Order that the head of the statue be cut off so that it becomes like the form of a tree.”(It was narrated by Ahmad, and also narrated by al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud).And this means that the statue shaped like a tree has nothing (prohibited) in it.And in the Hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas:He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:«كُلُّ مُصَوِّرٍ فِي النَّارِ يَجْعَلُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ صُورَةٍ صَوَّرَهَا نَفْساً فَتُعَذِّبُهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ، وقَالَ: فإِنْ كُنْتَ لَا بُدَّ فَاعِلاً فَاصْنَعْ الشَّجَرَ وَمَا لَا نَفْسَ لَهُ»“Every image-maker will be in the Fire. For every image he made a soul will be created for him, and it will punish him in Hell.And he said: If you must do so, then make (images of) trees and things that have no soul.”] End.
Thus, the prohibition in the above texts is restricted to what has a soul, and specific to it and not general, by the indication of “until he breathes into it the soul” and “Give life to what you have created,” and the exception of the tree and the like. Meaning that the prohibited image is the one that has a soul.Therefore, the other unrestricted or general texts are carried upon the restricted and the specific, as in the principles (of jurisprudence), meaning: carried upon (images) of beings that have a soul.Such as the Hadiths:(Ibn ‘Umar): «إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَصْنَعُونَ هَذِهِ الصُّورَةَ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ» “Indeed, those who make these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ibn ‘Abbas): «كُلُّ مُصَوِّرٍ فِي النَّارِ»“Every image-maker will be in the Fire.” And similar Hadiths.
3- As for the fact that the reality of image-making is that it involves imitation of a created being that has a soul and is not a transfer of its actual essence, this is due to the following evidences:
a. It is mentioned in ‘Umdat al-Qari, commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, regarding the Hadith of ‘A’ishah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
قَدِمَ رسولُ الله ﷺ، مِنْ سَفَر وقَدْ سَتَرْتُ بِقِرَامٍ لي عَلَى سَهْوَةٍ لي فِيهَا تَماثِيلُ، فَلَمَّا رآهُ رسولُ الله ﷺ، هَتَكَهُ وَقَالَ: «أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُضاهُونَ بِخَلْقِ الله»
“When the Messenger of Allah (swt) returned from a journey, I had screened a small room of mine with a curtain having images. He tore it down and said:‘The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection are those who imitate the creation of Allah.’”“هتكه” means: he tore it and removed it. “يضاهون” means: they imitate or resemble the creation of Allah.
b. It is mentioned in Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar regarding the same Hadith:«أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُضَاهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّه»“The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection are those who imitate the creation of Allah.”[His statement “يُضَاهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ” means: they make what they create resemble what Allah creates… And in the narration of al-Zuhri from al-Qasim in Sahih Muslim: “الَّذِينَ يُشَبِّهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ” — those who resemble (their created forms) to the creation of Allah.]]
And based on that, the prohibited imaging is that which is of something possessing a soul, in imitation of the creation of Allah — meaning that the forbidden image is the one that imitates the creation of Allah, that is, resembles the creation of Allah. And the closer the resemblance is to the actual creation, the stronger the “creativity” in the image… And therefore those who imitate the creation of Allah are called, in other Hadiths, “the image-makers” (al-muṣawwirūn):
«إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ» “Indeed, the people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection are the image-makers.”
«إِنَّ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ» “Verily, among the most severely punished people on the Day of Resurrection are the image-makers.”
This was stated in response to a question posed to the founding Ameer (may Allah have mercy on him) on 23/3/1969: (And he (saw) said: «يَا عائِشَةُ أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَاباً عِند اللَّهِ يَوْمَ القيامةِ الَّذينَ يُضاهُونَ بِخَلقِ اللَّهِ»“O ‘Aisha, the people who will be most severely punished before Allah on the Day of Resurrection are those who imitate the creation of Allah”, meaning those who make images.)
Although, imitation or resemblance is not the reason for prohibition, and therefore depicting trees and other things without a soul is permissible as we mentioned. However, imitation or resemblance is a description of the forbidden image of something with a soul, meaning it falls under the principle of determining the actual subject of the ruling: if the image resembles the creation of Allah, it is prohibited; but if the image is a mere depiction of the thing itself, it is not prohibited. Because depicting a creature is to create an example or form resembling it, not transferring its essence. And transferring the essence: (is not imaging a person, meaning taking an example from them, but it is the actual person or thing itself being imprinted as an impression. Accordingly, the Hadith forbidding image-making does not apply to it. This is from the principle of determining the relevant context (taḥqīq al-manāṭ), not from the search for evidence alone — one investigates the actual reality of the thing to which the ruling is to be applied, then applies the ruling.) This was stated in the Answer to a Question on 23/3/1969.
Fourth: Based on what has been mentioned above, we answer the questions:
1- We have clarified the rulings on drawing, sculpting (statues), and photographic imaging in our books (Islamic Personality, Volume Two) and in the answers to questions we have published, including an Answer dated 19/03/2017, which contains many details and evidences. We have shown that hand drawing of beings with souls and sculpting them into statues (except for children’s toys) is prohibited by Sharia as long as it is done by human effort, in imitation of creation, and one can refer to the answer where the evidences are detailed.
2- After the invention of the computer, it became possible to do drawing and imaging of beings with souls using drawing programs through the use of the mouse, in computer drawing. This is a distinct shift in drawing and imaging, as the creator uses programming abilities to produce drawings and images. However, drawing by human effort remains imitation of creation, and the closer the resemblance to the creature, the stronger the creativity.
3- As for photographic imaging, it is permissible and not prohibited because it is a transfer of the actual thing, not an imitation of it. The evidences are:
a- From the Answer to Question dated 23/3/1969:[And as for the photographic image… it is like a mirror. Just as the mirror reflects the essence of the thing upon it, so does the photographic device. What the device produces, besides not being a drawing or forming, it is also not image-making of a person, meaning taking an example from them. Rather, it is the actual person or thing itself being imprinted as an impression. Therefore, the Hadith forbidding image-making does not apply to it. This is from the principle of determining the relevant context (taḥqīq al-manāṭ), not from the search for evidence alone — one investigates the actual reality of the thing to which the ruling is to be applied, then applies the ruling. The reality here is that it is an imprint or reflection, not a drawing or forming, therefore the ruling of image-making does not apply. It is covered by the general permissions, and thus photographic imaging is not prohibited. (05 Muharram 1389 AH / 23 March 1969 CE)]
b- From the Answer to Question dated 22/1/1971:[Image-making is engraving, drawing, and other things that a person directly practices. Allah has forbidden the Muslim to directly draw any being with a soul, whether on paper, clothing, walls, or other; and forbidden the Muslim to directly engrave any being with a soul, whether on stones, utensils, or other; and forbidden to practice anything resembling drawing or engraving of any being with a soul, whether on leather, walls with plaster, sculpting, or coloring on clothing, etc. Everything that falls under the word “image-making” linguistically is prohibited, including sculpting, drawing, engraving, printing, and so on. However, what is not considered image-making linguistically is not prohibited, and therefore photographic imaging, satellite imaging, and the like are not prohibited.(22/01/1971)]
4- As for the production of images, drawings, or videos of beings with souls using artificial intelligence, its reality is as follows:
a. A person writes a text in an AI program requesting, through this text, the formation of images of a being with a soul. For example, they may request: “Draw President X in sports clothing”, and the AI program produces an image of the requested president in sports attire, either in photographic form or as a drawing, etc.
This also applies to video production. A person can ask a designated program to produce a video with specific specifications, for example, to produce a video of a Friday sermon for a particular preacher. The program uses the information at its disposal and produces a video of the preacher delivering the sermon as requested, and so on.
b. Based on what we mentioned in points (Fourth – 1 and 3), if the image is a transfer of the actual thing, such as a photographic image in place and time, there is no problem. However, if the image is in the form of imitation of the thing in terms of its creation — as in hand drawing or computer drawing — it is not permissible, because the word image-making applies to it, i.e., (they imitate Allah’s creation).
If, moreover, this image includes things that are not real, i.e., not as in actual reality, such as altering the features of someone’s face, the type of clothing, showing the person giving Friday sermon while they are not there, or forming an image of a deceased person, etc., meaning not in the actual form of the person at the place and time when showing the image, then, in addition to being prohibited, the texts prohibiting deceit, lying, and causing harm apply due to manipulation of images against reality:
- The Prophet (saw) said: «الْخَدِيعَةُ فِي النَّارِ وَمَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ» “Deception is in the Fire, and whoever does a deed not upon our command, it is rejected.” (Bukhari)
- The Prophet (saw) said: «لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ» “There is no harm and no causing harm.” (Ahmad; also Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak)
- The Prophet (saw) said: «وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ» “Indeed, lying leads to immorality, and immorality leads to the Fire.” (Muslim: “And beware of lying, for lying leads to immorality, and immorality leads to the Fire.”)
Accordingly, any imaging that changes the reality of a thing and displays it differently from its reality is a lie and deception, which is not correct and not permissible. Likewise, causing harm to a protected person who is depicted untruthfully through manipulation of the image is also not correct and not permissible according to the above evidence. Whoever uses artificial intelligence programs to produce such images is sinful.
The sin increases if these images and videos:
- – generate images of the Messengers and Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, or generate videos representing them and speaking in their tongues, because of the sanctity of the Prophets. Allah, glory be to Him, chose the Prophet with prophethood and the message, which is a special privilege for him and not for other humans. Generating an image or video of the Prophet or the Messenger to whom Revelation was sent is an aggression against the message, a failure to give prophethood its due, and a failure to give the message its proper status, and this is a great injustice to the message and the Messenger.
- – generate an image or video that promotes ideas of disbelief, promotes immorality and vice, insults reputations, or promotes any other actions and speech that are prohibited.
This is what I consider most likely regarding this issue, and Allah Knows Best and Judges Best.
Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah18 Jumada al-Akhira 1447 AH
Corresponding to 9 December 2025 CEThe link to the answer from the Ameer’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AtaAboAlrashtah/posts/12211107198312a -
Q&A: Sudan After the Rapid Support Forces Take Control of El Fasher
Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem
Answer to Question
Sudan After the Rapid Support Forces Take Control of El Fasher
(Translated)Question: “Massad Boulos, senior advisor to US President Donald Trump on Middle East affairs, confirmed that the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces had agreed to a three-month ceasefire, based on the plan of the Quartet, which includes the UAE, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, announced on September 12.” (Sky News Arabia, 3/11/2025).
This agreement to the American plan by the Sudanese parties—the regime and the Rapid Support Forces—came after the Rapid Support Forces seized control of El Fasher in Sudan. What lies behind this agreement to the American plan? Furthermore, what happened to the Sudanese army that allowed the Rapid Support Forces to seize control of El Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region? It is a very large and heavily fortified city that the army had fiercely defended against the Rapid Support Forces attacks for a long time. How did the city succumb? And what are the dimensions and repercussions of this?
Answer:
To clarify the answer to these questions, let’s examine the following:
First: Al Jazeera reported on its website on 28/10/2025: “The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Sunday morning their control of El Fasher, after a siege that lasted more than a year. This means extending the forces’ influence over all five Darfur states and dividing the country between an east controlled by the Sudanese army and a west under the control of the Rapid Support Forces.” This brief account from Al Jazeera makes it clear that the Rapid Support Forces’ control of El Fasher is more than just a victory in a battle for a city; it is a remarkable takeover of an entire region! The RSF had been besieging the city for a year, yet they lacked the sophisticated weaponry necessary to achieve a victory against the Sudanese army units defending it. These units had valiantly defended the city for a year, but suddenly, #Burhan‘s government handed it over to the separatist rebel Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), the commander of the Rapid Support Forces. The handover was blatant and unambiguous:
1- “Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stated that the Sudanese people and armed forces would prevail, emphasizing that the leadership’s assessment in El Fasher (the capital of North Darfur State) was to evacuate the city due to the systematic destruction it had suffered.” (Al Jazeera Net, 27/10/2025). He then followed this with empty rhetoric: (In a televised address, al-Burhan added, “Our forces are capable of achieving victory, turning the tables, and reclaiming the land,” adding, “We are determined to avenge all of our martyrs”)
2- “Sudanese military sources told Al Jazeera that the Sudanese army evacuated a division headquarters in El Fasher “for tactical reasons.”” (Al Jazeera Net, 27/10/2025).
These statements from Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his military sources clearly indicate, not implicitly, that the army evacuated El #Fasher, leaving it to be plundered by the Rapid Support Forces.
Secondly, Burhan’s government and its military leadership refrained from providing military and logistical support from their central areas of control to their forces in El Fasher for a year. As a result, these forces remained besieged, fighting and repelling the RSF attacks with whatever resources they had from within the city. The Burhan government’s military command, which boasted of clearing #Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri of the RSF, was certainly capable of supporting its large contingents in El Fasher, but it failed to do so for a year. In other words, the plan was to let those contingents collapse.
Third: Upon closer examination, we find that the handover of the forces of the rebel separatist Hemedti took place concurrently with talks being conducted by #America, between the two Sudanese parties in America with the aim of a ceasefire: (“After the Sudanese Sovereignty Council denied the existence of any direct or indirect negotiations with a delegation from the Rapid Support Forces in Washington, diplomatic sources revealed that the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Mohi El-Din Salem, arrived in the United States on an official visit aimed at discussing efforts to stop the war that has been raging in Sudan for more than two years.” (Al-Arabiya, 24/10/2025)).
This means one thing: America brought together in #Washington the delegations of its two Sudanese agents—Burhan’s and Hemedti’s—and the Sudanese Sovereignty Council’s denial of holding negotiations with the RSF in Washington serves as proof. The implementation of America’s orders to its two agents was carried out openly two or three days later in El Fasher. According to the previous same source (sources told Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath on Friday that the Sudanese minister will hold a series of meetings in Washington with US administration officials, including Massad Boulos, senior advisor to the US president on Middle East and Africa Affairs. They added that Salem will also meet with a number of his Arab counterparts, noting that the visit comes at the official invitation of the US administration to discuss several issues of mutual interest. A US official also explained to Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath that Boulos will chair the Quartet meetings on the Sudanese crisis).
Further evidence of America’s gathering of its two agents’ delegations in Washington is this: [A diplomatic official confirmed yesterday, Thursday, that the Quartet (the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt) would meet today in Washington with representatives of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to push both sides toward a three-month humanitarian truce. He said the goal was “to exert unified pressure to solidify the ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians,” Al-Arabiya, 24/10/2025]. This means that the timing of the RSF storming of El Fasher and the Sudanese army’s evacuation of it, coinciding with the Washington meeting, leaves no doubt that the decision to hand over the strategic city to the RSF was made in Washington and that the two Sudanese parties immediately began implementing it on the ground, i.e., two days later, with the outcome achieved on the third day.
Fourth: This meeting in Washington is the second step following the first, when America gathered its agents and followers in the region in what is called the Quartet (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt) and began implementing its will to impose a ceasefire in Sudan. Al-Arabiya reported on 12/9/2025, the statement issued after that meeting: (The joint statement read: “At the invitation of the United States, the foreign ministers of the United States, Egypt, #Saudi_Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates held in-depth consultations on the conflict in Sudan, recalling that it has caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and poses grave risks to regional peace and security. The ministers affirmed their commitment to a common set of principles to end the conflict in Sudan.”) The fourth point of the statement read: “The future of governance in Sudan will be determined by the Sudanese people through a comprehensive and transparent transitional process not subject to the control of any warring party.” It also stated in one of its points: “All efforts will be made to support a negotiated settlement of the conflict with the effective participation of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.”
On the one hand, this Quartet is a formula chosen by America so that its solution in Sudan appears to have a regional character as well, that is, with the approval of key countries in the region. However, these countries do not move unless Washington moves them, and they do not take any step without America. On the other hand, the text of the statement indicates the recognition of the two parties to the conflict in Sudan on an equal footing and calls on them to participate effectively. That is, the statement does not refer to the Rapid Support Forces as separatist and rebel forces, nor does it call on them to stop their rebellion, especially since they formed a separatist government to split Sudan.
Fifth: After the Rapid Support Forces took control of El Fasher, a strategic city, their control of it meant taking over the entire Darfur region, with its five states, most of which were already under their de facto control. Therefore, agreeing to a three-month truce, or even demanding it, means American recognition of the RSF control and legitimate presence in the Darfur region and in the most important city of the region, El Fasher. This truce, which America is proposing and dressing up as a “Quartet” agreement, is followed by further steps of negotiations between the two parties to the conflict in Sudan, after America’s plans enabled the RSF to control all of Darfur, and after America’s agent, Hamdan Dagalo (#Hemedti), had established a separatist government, which he announced at the end of February 2015 in Nairobi, the capital of #Kenya, with himself as its head. It was operating from Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State, and now the way is certainly completely paved for Hemedti’s separatist government to move to El Fasher.
Sixth: As for the American position, it was explicit and did not even express displeasure at the Rapid Support Forces’ control of El Fasher. Instead, it called for the next step in the American plan for Sudan: a ceasefire. This would completely block the Sudanese army’s path to retaking El Fasher and ensure Hemedti’s control over it was firmly established, undisturbed by any clashes:
[Massad Boulos, advisor to US President Donald Trump on African affairs, called on the warring parties in Sudan to consider and immediately approve a proposed humanitarian truce. He added that he had presented a three-month humanitarian truce proposal, which was welcomed by both sides in the Sudanese conflict. He urged the Rapid Support Forces to proceed with the humanitarian truce and cease fighting. Boulos had stated the previous day that the world was watching with grave concern the actions of the Rapid Support Forces and the situation in El Fasher, calling for the protection of civilians.] (Al Jazeera Net, 27/10/2025).
This was then confirmed again, as reported by Sky News on 3/11/2025: [Massad Boulos, senior advisor to US President Donald Trump on Middle East affairs, confirmed that the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces had agreed to a three-month ceasefire, based on the plan of the Quartet, which includes the UAE, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, announced on September 12th. Boulos explained, in statements he made from #Cairo on Monday, that technical and logistical discussions were underway before the final signing of the ceasefire, noting that representatives of both sides had been in Washington for some time to discuss its details. He added that the ceasefire proposal represents a real opportunity to end the crisis, emphasizing that the army and the Rapid Support Forces are engaged in discussing a paper presented by the US with the support of the Quartet, aimed at achieving peace. He pointed out that the conflict in Sudan has become a threat to the region and the world, especially to the security of the Red Sea.] (Sky News Arabia, 3/11/2025).
Seventh: Amidst US President Trump’s boasting that he is a peacemaker and ends wars, America is clearly and unequivocally proceeding with its plan, and at an accelerated pace, to divide Sudan and separate the Darfur region, just as it previously separated South Sudan. This is what we have repeatedly warned against. In the answer to a question titled “Drone Attacks and Developments in the War in Sudan” we stated the following on 21/5/2025:
[(It is clear from all this that the major attacks in eastern Sudan, especially on the strategic facilities of the city of Port Sudan, are linked to the war in Darfur. They are aimed at forcing the army to move away from attacking El Fasher and head east to defend Port Sudan) we added: (Fourth: It is painful that the kaffir colonial America can manage a fight that reaps lives in Sudan and harness its agents to implement it openly, not secretly, and publicly, not hidden. Burhan and Hemedti are fighting with the blood of the people of Sudan for no reason other than to serve America’s interests, as it wants to repeat the division of Sudan as it did in separating the south from Sudan. It is now doing its utmost to separate Darfur from what remains of Sudan. Therefore, the army focuses its attention on the rest of Sudan’s regions, and the RSF focus their attention on Darfur. If the sincere in the army
become active in regaining control of Darfur, the RSF will move the battle to other regions in Sudan to distract the army, so its forces withdraw from Darfur to eastern Sudan, in which the RSF are intensifying their attacks with drones. This is to enable the RSF to take complete control of Darfur!
Prior to that, in the answer to a question titled “Acceleration of Military Operations in Sudan” dated 6/2/ 2025, we warned that the puppet political and military leadership in Sudan, which takes its instructions from the Trump administration, is directing the army to open corridors for the Rapid Support Forces from the central region towards Darfur. We stated:
[Sixth: Accordingly, it is most likely that the field developments in Sudan are arranged and managed by Trump and that they aim to achieve the following:
– Accelerating the American plan to prepare the atmosphere by dividing the country between America’s agents on the basis of Darfur under the control of the Rapid Support Forces and the rule of Hemeti, while the army led by Burhan controls central and eastern Sudan, so two entities appear in Sudan, and this matter was imposed by virtue of Hemeti’s control over Darfur. We have previously mentioned this plan in response to a question dated 19/12/2023, where we explained at that time “that America is preparing the atmosphere for division… when America’s interests require it. Even if America’s interests require another separation after South Sudan, it will do this separation in Darfur… and it seems that the time for this separation has not come yet… but preparing the atmosphere for it is what is currently happening.” This is what we said previously, and it seems that America’s interest is close to accelerating the separation of Darfur as it did in South Sudan… and this is very dangerous if Trump succeeds in implementing it… so the Ummah must stand in his face and not be silent as it was silent when South Sudan was separated!]
Eighth: Hizb ut Tahrir has been warning since the beginning of this year, and indeed since 2023 when America ignited the war between its two agents in 2023, that America’s plan to divide Sudan would come to fruition. And now, the steps toward partition are unfolding before your very eyes, with many Sudanese people becoming embroiled in this carnage between America’s agents to achieve America’s goals and maintain its influence in Sudan. Today, the American plan is close to realizing the secession and the separation of the Darfur region from Sudan, and this is happening while you stand by and watch! Is there a single wise and powerful leader in the army who will sit down for an hour and decide to be sincere to his Lord, and take the necessary steps to thwart America’s plan and eliminate its agents who have killed tens of thousands of Sudanese and displaced millions, for no other purpose than to carry out Washington’s demands? Is there a single wise and powerful leader in the army who will place Sudan’s power in sincere hands, granting Nusra (material #victory) to Hizb ut Tahrir, which has long cried out, warned, and called for the establishment of Islam, so that from Sudan, the Islamic State, a second Khilafah (Caliphate) on the method of Prophethood, may be established? And how great is this wise and strong man who meets Allah (swt), and Allah has used him to fulfill the glad-tiding of His noble Prophet (saw) of the return of the Khilafah Rashida (Rightly Guided Caliphate) after this oppressive rule in which we live:
«…ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكاً جَبْرِيَّةً فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ، ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ ثُمَّ سَكَت»
“…then it will be an oppressive rule, and it will be as long as Allah wills it to be, then He will lift it when He wills to lift it, then there will be a Khilafah (Caliphate) on the method of Prophethood.” Then he was silent.” [Extracted by Ahmad].
12 Jumada Al-Awwal 1447 AH
3/11/2025 CE -
Q&A: Trading in the Forex market
Answer to Question
Trading in the Forex market
To: Ameen Jarrar
(Translated)Question:
Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
The question is:
Trading in the Forex market (foreign exchange market) using a Contract for Difference (CFD), where trading and speculation are based on the price movement of an asset, rather than buying and selling it as usual.
The Forex market is a global market regulated by international bodies and institutions that oversee traders, financial intermediaries, and other institutions such as banks and reserve funds.
To enter the Forex market, I need a financial intermediary (broker) with whom I have a trading agreement and contract. This contract includes a CFD, where I deposit money with the broker and then trade foreign currencies through a mobile application.
[13/8, 12:41 PM] Osama Al-Fari’a]:
Many fatwas that have addressed this topic, whether their answer is permissible or forbidden (which is the majority opinion), have only addressed the issue of money leverage and overnight fees (riba). This is something that can easily be avoided during trading. However, the core of the question is the principle of the contract itself: Is it contrary to Islamic law?
Answer:
Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
What I know about Forex is that (Forex is an abbreviation for “Foreign Exchange,” meaning the exchange of foreign currencies; it’s a huge global market for trading currencies with the aim of profiting from price differences). We previously answered a similar question on 14/10/2024, and I’ll quote what it said about currency trading:
[– Trading in gold and silver: As for gold and silver, selling and buying them for each other or for cash must be done hand to hand, as in the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud on the authority of Omar:
«الذَّهَبُ بِالْوَرِقِ رِباً إِلَّا هَاءَ وَهَاءَ»
“Gold for silver is usury except hand to hand,” meaning hand to hand. Therefore, buying gold for silver or for cash is not valid except by hand to hand.
And because after we have learned how to trade online, the exchange does not happen immediately, but rather it may take hours or days, therefore it is not permissible to buy gold and silver with an electronic card via the Internet unless the card is deducted from the account immediately when buying gold or silver, i.e. hand to hand, so do not receive the gold or silver except at the time the amount is deducted from your account… And since there is no immediate exchange in trading online, but rather after a day or two, then it is not permissible.
– Trading in stocks and bonds is forbidden because stocks belong to joint-stock companies that are invalid according to Islamic law, and because bonds are linked to usury.We have detailed the subject of joint-stock companies in the book, The Economic System, as well as in the booklet, The Turbulence of the Stock Markets, and other books.We have mentioned in the booklet, The Turbulence of the Stock Markets, a summary of the matter as follows:
“As for the Shari’ah rule pertaining to the dealing in these shares and in securities, whether buying or selling, it is forbidden. This is because these shares are those of a company that is unlawful according to Shari’ah. They are in fact certificates of bills which contain mixed sums from a lawful capital and unlawful profits made from an unlawful transaction. Each bill represents the value of a share, and this share represents part of the assets that belong to the unlawful company. These assets have been mixed with an unlawful transaction which Shari’ah has prohibited. Thus, it is illicit money, whose buying and selling becomes unlawful, and dealing in such money is also illicit. This is also the case for bonds, in which money is invested with interest, and so is the case for bank shares and similar, since they all contain sums of illicit money; thus their buying and selling is unlawful, because the money contained in them is illicit.”
– Trading paper currencies on the Internet, such as the dollar and the euro, is forbidden because there is no hand-to-hand exchange, which is necessary in exchanging money. Hand-to-hand exchange, as it applies to gold and silver, also applies to paper money on the grounds of currency, i.e. using them as prices and wages. We mentioned the following in the Answer to Question on 11/07/2004:
[Dealing with paper currencies: Yes, what applies to gold and silver in terms of usury and other monetary rulings applies to them.This is because the realization of the reason (cash, i.e. its use as prices and wages) in these papers makes them take the rulings of money.Therefore, buying usurious items with these papers applies to what was mentioned in the hadith (hand to hand), i.e. it is not a debt.
The subject is as follows:
The Messenger (saw) says: «الذَّهَبُ بِالذَّهَبِ، وَالْفِضَّةُ بِالْفِضَّةِ، وَالْبُرُّ بِالْبُرِّ، وَالشَّعِيرُ بِالشَّعِيرِ، وَالتَّمْرُ بِالتَّمْرِ، وَالْمِلْحُ بِالْمِلْحِ، مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ، سَوَاءً بِسَوَاءٍ، يَداً بِيَدٍ، فَإِذَا اخْتَلَفَتْ هَذِهِ الْأَصْنَافُ فَبِيعُوا كَيْفَ شِئْتُمْ إِذَا كَانَ يَداً بِيَدٍ»“Gold is to be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, and salt by salt, like for like and equal for equal, payment being made on the spot. If these classes differ, sell as you wish if payment is made on the spot” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Ubadah bin Al-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him).
The text is clear when these usurious (riba) categories differ, that the sale is as you wish, i.e. like for like is not a condition, but the exchange is a condition.The word “categories” was mentioned generally in all usurious categories, i.e. the six, and nothing is excluded from it except by a text, and where there is no text, the ruling is that wheat is permissible for barley or wheat for gold, or barley for silver, or dates for salt, or dates for gold, or salt for silver, etc…no matter how different the exchange values and prices are, but hand to hand, i.e. it is not a debt. And what applies to gold and silver applies to paper money by virtue of the common cause (cash, i.e. its use as a price and wages).] End.
By studying how this online trading in buying and selling gold is done, it became clear that the collection or settlement is delayed for a day or two… from the date of the contract, and this is contrary to the agreed-upon condition of exchange, which the Prophet (saw) stipulated in his saying: “Hand in hand.” Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of Al-Bara’ bin Azib, who said: We asked the Prophet (saw) about that, and he said: «مَا كَانَ يَداً بِيَدٍ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا كَانَ نَسِيئَةً فَذَرُوهُ»“Take what was from hand to hand and leave what was on credit.” Muslim narrated on the authority of Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathan that he said: I came and said: Who is exchanging dirhams? Talhah ibn Ubaydullah said while he was with Umar ibn al-Khattab: Show us your gold, then come to us when our servant comes and we will give you your money. Umar ibn al-Khattab said: No, by Allah, you must either give him his money or return his gold to him, for the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: «الْوَرِقُ بِالذَّهَبِ رِباً إِلَّا هَاءَ وَهَاءَ…»“Gold and silver are usury, except for this and that…”
Accordingly, it is not permissible to trade the euro, dollar, and other forms of currency over the Internet because there is no immediate exchange) End quote from the answer. I hope this is sufficient, and Allah Knows Best and is Most Wise. 11 Rabi’ al-Akhir 1446 AH Corresponding to 14/10/2024 CE] End of quote from the previous answer.
Therefore, since the transaction, as explained above, is invalid, the contract to perform the aforementioned work is also invalid.
This is what I believe to be the most preponderant view on this matter, and Allah Knows Best.
Your Brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah11 Jumada Al-Awwal 1447 AH
2 November 2025 CE -
‘Ismah of the Rasool
This is chapter 32 from the book “Islamic Thought”
The ‘ismah (infallibility) of the prophets and messengers is an issue stipulated by the mind. For the fact that he is a Prophet or a Messenger necessitates he is infallible in conveying from Allah (swt). If there is a defect of the possibility of the absence of ‘ismah in one issue, then this defect would reach every issue; and then the whole prophethood and message would collapse. The proof that a person is a Prophet of Allah (saw) or a Messenger from Allah (saw) means he is infallible in regards to what he conveys from Allah (swt). So his infallibility in conveyance is inevitable, and the rejection of this infallibility is rejection of the message that he brought and the prophethood that he was sent with. As regards to his infallibility from doing the actions that disagree from the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt), it is definite that he does not commit kaba’ir (major sins) definitely, so he does not commit any of the kaba’ir absolutely. This is because performing a major sin means committing disobedience. Obedience is not partitioned and the disobedience is not partitioned. So if disobedience reaches to the action, then it would reach the propagation (tablaegh), as matter that contradicts the message and prophethood. That is why the prophets and messengers were infallible from committing kaba’ir, the same way they are infallible in propagation from Allah (swt). As regards the infallibility regarding the saga’ir (minor sins), the scholar had different views about it. Some of them said they are not infallible from them, for they are not disobedience; while others said they are infallible for they are disobedience. The true view about that is whatever its performance is considered haram and whatever its performance is considered obligatory, i.e. all the duties (furoodh) and the prohibition (muharraamat), they are infallible regarding them. Thus they are infallible from neglect on the obligations and from committing the prohibitions, whether they were kaba’ir or saga’ir. In other words, they are infallible from anything called disobedience (ma’siyah). Other than that, like khilaf-ul-awla (opposite to what is most appropriate), they are not infallible from them. So, they might do what is opposite to the most appropriate, absolutely, for in all its aspects, it does not enter under the meaning of the word ma’siyah (disobedience). This is what is necessitated by the mind and required by the fact they are prophets and messengers.
Our master Mohammad (saw) is a Prophet and a Messenger. So, like the other messengers and prophets, he is infallible from making an error in what he conveys from Allah (swt). This is a definite infallibility proved by the rational and shar’i evidence. The Rasool (saw) did not convey the ahkam except from the wahy (revelation). Allah (swt) says in the Surah of Al-Anbiaa’:
“Say: I only warn you with the wahy (inspiration).” [TMQ Al-Anbiaa’: 45]
Allah (swt) says in the Surah of An-Najm:
“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only inspiration that is inspired.” [TMQ An-Najm: 3-4]
The word ‘speak’ (yantiq) is of the generality (umoom) words, so it includes the Qur’an and others. There is nothing in the Qur’an or the Sunnah that specifies it in the Qur’an, so it remains general, meaning that everything he speaks of legislation is an inspired wahy. It is invalid to specify what he speaks to the Qur’an only; it must rather remain general, including the Qur’an and the hadeeth. As regards specifying it in to what he conveys from Allah (swt), in terms of legislation and others, of ahkam, creeds, thoughts and stories, without including the style, and means from drawing plans to battles, or dusting the palm trees or the like, this is because he is a Messenger. Discussion is about a Messenger and study of what he was sent with and not in other than that. So the subject of the speech (of the Messenger) is what specifies. Thus the form of generality remains general in the subject it came with, and it is then considered a form of specification. This is due to His (swt) saying:
“Say: I only warn you with the wahy (inspiration).” [TMQ Al-Anbiaa’: 45]
It is also due to His (swt) saying in Surah of Sad:
“It is revealed to me only that I may be a plain warner.” [TMQ Sad: 70]
It shows that the aim is what he brought of creeds, ahkam and everything he was ordered to convey and to warn with. Therefore, it does not include the use of styles or his natural actions which are of man’s innate nature (fitrah), ie from his natural creations, such as walking, speaking, eating etc. It is specified in the men’s actions and their thoughts, and not in the styles, the means and the like. So, whatever the Messenger (swt) was ordered to convey of what is related to the actions and thoughts of men, is revelation from Allah (swt). The wahy includes the speech and actions of the Rasool (swt) as well as his agreement (sukoot), because we are commanded to follow him. Allah (swt) says:
“Whatever the Rasool brought it to you, take it; and whatever he forbade you from, abstain from (it).” [TMQ Al-Hashr: 7]
And He (saw) said:
“Verily, in the messenger of Allah you have a good example.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 21]
Thus the speech, the action and the agreement of the Rasool (swt) are shar’i evidence, and they are all revelation from Allah (swt). Rasool Allah (swt) used to receive the revelation, conveys what the wahy brings to him from Allah (swt), and settles the matters in accordance with the wahy, without deviating from the wahy absolutely. Allah (swt) said in Surat al-Ahqaaf:
“I only follow what is revealed to me.” [TMQ Al-Ahqaaf: 9]
And He (saw) said in Surat al-A’raaf:
“I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord.” [TMQ Al-A’raaf : 203]
This means, I don’t follow except that is revealed to me from my Lord. So he limited his adherence (ittibaa’) to that which is revealed to him from his Lord. All of this is explicit, clear and apparent to be general (a’amm); and what is related to the Rasool (saw) in regards to what he is ordered to convey is wahy (revelation) only. The Legislative life of the Rasool (saw) in explaining the ahkam to the people followed that approach.
So, he (saw) used to wait for revelation in many of the ahkam, such as the dhihar (pre-Islamic form of divorce) and the li’aan (sworn allegation of adultery committed by the wife) and others. He never said of a hukm on an issue, or made any legislative action or made a legislative agreement, except based on a wahy from Allah (swt). The Sahabah would be confused sometimes between the hukm of one of human actions and the opinion regarding a matter, a means or a style, so they asked the Rasool (saw): “ Is that wahy, O Rasool Allah, or it is the opinion and advice”: If he said to them, it is wahy, they kept silent, for they knew it is not from him. If he said to them; it is rather the opinion and the advice, then they would discuss with him, and he might of followed their opinion; as what happened in (the battle of) Badr, the trench and Uhud. He used to tell them in regards of other than what he conveys from his Lord: “You know better in regards of the matters of your dunya,”, as it was reported in the hadeeth of dusting the palm trees. Had he spoken in the matter of legislation without revelation, he would have not waited the revelation so as to say the hukm, and the Sahabah would have not asked him of whether that was a revelation or an opinion; he would have rather answered from himself, and they would have discussed with him without asking him.
Therefore, the Rasool (saw) used not to start a speech, action or acceptance except based on wahy from Allah (swt), and not based on an opinion from him. He (saw) is also infallible from making error in everything he conveys from Allah (swt).
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Q&A: The American Strategy and the Two-State Solution
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمAnswer to Question
The American Strategy and the Two-State Solution
(Translated)Question:
We know that the American strategy for establishing a Jewish entity in the heart of the Muslim countries has, for the most part, been based on the two-state solution. However, under Trump, this strategy has begun to be abandoned, or at least kept quiet, which has raised questions. For example, Trump said, “When you look at the map, a map of the Middle East, ‘Israel’ is a tiny little spot compared to these giant land masses. I actually said: ‘Is there any way of getting more? It is tiny…” (Sky News, 19/8/2024). Does this mean that America’s two-state solution project is dead and finished, or is it still alive? Thank you.
Answer:
To clarify the answer, let us review the following points:
1- In 1959, at the end of Eisenhower’s term, America adopted its two-state solution project, which can be summarized as “supporting and preserving a Jewish entity and establishing a Palestinian entity alongside it.” Its agents in the region, most notably the Egyptian regime, then began working to implement the project, and for this purpose, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was established. However, Britain, through the Jordanian regime, strongly opposed the project and adopted a secular Palestinian state project dominated by the Jews, similar to the secular state of Lebanon, which is controlled by Christians.
2– All of this was during the time when the West Bank was under Jordanian rule, and Gaza was under Egyptian rule. However, when the West Bank and Gaza, along with Sinai and the Golan Heights, fell under the control of the Jewish entity in a theatrical war in June 1967, the talk was no longer about establishing a Palestinian state, but rather about the withdrawal of the Jewish entity from these occupied territories based on Security Council Resolution 242. Then America put the Palestinian issue aside and began preparing for a provocative war. This was the October War of 1973 to jumpstart the peace process. The Egyptian regime, headed by Anwar Sadat, signed the Camp David Accords in September 1978. According to this agreement, the Jewish entity withdrew from Sinai, while remaining limited in its weapons as a buffer zone protecting the entity’s borders. It remains so to this day, despite the war of extermination waged by the criminal entity in Gaza on the Sinai borders!
3- Then America moved to the northern front, ordering the Jewish entity to invade Lebanon in 1982 to expel the Palestine Liberation Organization from there and force it to recognize the Jewish entity and conclude a peace agreement with it. The head of the organization, Yasser Arafat, signed this on 25/7/1982, in what became known as the McCloskey Document, in which he said: “The organization now recognizes Israel’s right to exist.” In 1988, Arafat announced at the Palestinian National Conference held in Algeria, as well as in a meeting before the United Nations in New York, his acceptance of the establishment of a Palestinian state. Then Britain and its agent, the King of Jordan, agreed to disengage from the West Bank in this year.
4- After that, America held the Madrid Conference in 1991 to proceed with the implementation of its two-state solution project. Then, the Oslo Accords were concluded between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Jewish entity in 1993, for the organization to officially recognize the Jewish entity. Also, the Wadi Araba Agreement (26/10/1994) was concluded between the entity and Jordan, for Jordan to give up the West Bank that was part of it, and then announce its recognition of the Jewish entity. America rose and contained the two agreements to implement its two-state solution project. After the end of Bush’s two terms at the end of 2008, Obama came to power in Washington. He requested direct negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Jewish entity under American sponsorship on 2/9/2010, hoping that within a year the two-state solution would be implemented. However, the negotiations ended without reaching an agreement.
5- After Obama’s two terms at the end of 2016, Trump came to power in early 2017 and continued his first term, then lost in the elections. Biden succeeded him in early 2021. After the end of Biden’s term, Trump won again and became president in early 2025.
In these two periods—the Trump and Biden periods—a different approach emerged from previous American presidents. Since America announced its approach to the two-state solution, previous presidents had mentioned the solution without going into the details of a Palestinian state. Shortsighted people assumed that the Palestinians would be given a sovereign state in part of Palestine. When Trump and Biden came to power, they delved into some details, stating that what the Palestinians would be given is a demilitarized state, similar to limited, powerless autonomy, dominated by Jews, with some differences between them in the strength and ambiguity of their statements. Here, the questions arose: Has America’s two-state solution project ended, or has it not ended and is still continues? It is worth mentioning that the statement of the Jews about Palestine has no weight except with a rope (help) from the people (America). The American statement is the subject of the discussion:
6- A careful examination of the issue reveals the following:
A- We previously answered a Question and Answer dated 23/2/2017, regarding the two-state solution after Trump began his first term in office, which stated:
[(1- The text of President Trump’s statements as was reported in all the world and local media and as was broadcasted live, as follows:
“American President Donald Trump has written on Wednesday a new perspective in US policy towards the Middle East after he confirmed that the two-state solution is not the only way to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, pointing out that he was open to alternative options if they lead to peace. All the former American presidents have defended the two-state solution, whether Republicans or Democrats” (France 24 website, 16/2/2017) and Trump said, “I look at the two-state solution and the one state solution (…) if Israel and the Palestinians were happy, I would be happy with (the solution) they prefer, both solutions suit me” (Aljazeera Live website, 16/2/2017), the resolution of a single state mentioned by America for the first time through Trump, he did not illustrate, does it means giving self-autonomy to the Palestinians inside the one Jewish state?! Or does it mean a secular state that the Palestinians share in the management of the Jewish state, which is similar to the English project introduced by Britain in 1939 when it brought out the White Book on Lebanon’s formula? Note that the two-state solution is the same American project introduced since 1959, the era of Republican President Eisenhower and it made the so-called international community accept and it discarded the one-state solution introduced by Britain. Whatever the case, what appears from analysing these statements and its indications is that America has not abandoned its two-state solution; the American ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley confirmed this, saying: “First and foremost, the two-state solution is what we support. Anyone who says that the United States does not support a two-state solution would be mistaken … certainly we support the two-state solution, but we also think outside the box … which is needed to attract the two sides to the table, which is what we need in order to make them agree.” (Reuters, 16/02/2017).
This confirms that Trump did not abandon the two-state solution, which is the US State policy since 1959, but he wanted to try another way to put pressure, as his ambassador said (certainly we support the two-state solution, but we also think outside the box …) that it is by considering the use of other methods.] END QUOTE.
B- Trump’s (Republican) statements supporting the Jews accelerated during his first and second terms in office:
* US President Donald Trump announced the United States’ recognition of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of “Israel.” Trump also affirmed that the United States supports the two-state solution if it is approved by the Israelis and Palestinians. (BBC, 6/12/2017)
* US President Trump said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings,believes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would “work best,” adding, “It is a dream of mine to be able to get that done prior to the end of my first term.” (BBC, 26/9/2018)
* US President Trump said,“When you look at the map, a map of the Middle East, Israel is a tiny little spot compared to these giant land masses. I actually said: ‘Is there any way of getting more? It is tiny…” (Sky News, 19/8/2024).
* Earlier, US President Donald Trump reiterated his plan for the United States to control Gaza and deport Palestinians from it, saying he was “committed to buying and owning Gaza…” (BBC, 10/2/2025). Then, ten days later, he declared, “He would not impose a plan to deport Palestinians from Gaza, but rather ‘propose it’…” (CNN, 21/2/2025). This is manipulating words!
C- On the other hand, Biden’s (Democrat) statements have sometimes gone beyond Trump’s in support of the Jews:
* When Trump lost the elections and was replaced by Biden at the beginning of 2021, America returned to talking about establishing a Palestinian state in some form, without specifying how or where. US President Joe Biden stated to reporters on 3/9/2024, “There are several models for a two-state solution, noting that several countries in the United Nations do not have their own armed forces.” Biden is referring to a state for the Palestinians of one of those types, without armed forces, i.e., self-rule or something similar!
* When US President Biden visited Tel Aviv on 18/10/2023, following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, he met with officials there and said: “Israel must again be a safe place for the Jewish people. If there were not an Israel, we’d have to invent one.” (Al Jazeera, 18/10/2023).
* In a speech he delivered at the White House during the celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights (Hanukkah), Biden said: “You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist.” (Asharq Al-Awsat, 12/12/2023).
7- By contemplating the previous Question and Answer, as well as these statements and positions, it becomes clear that there is no major difference between the positions of Trump and Biden except in some methods that do not change the essence of the issue at all…The United States is the one that is managing this issue on the basis of two states: a state for the Jews in most of Palestine, which it supports financially, militarily, internationally, and even regionally through its agents and followers among the rulers in the Muslim countries.. and a demilitarized (autonomous) state for the Palestinians in part of Palestine with Jewish hegemony over it!! Regardless of the desire of the “Palestinian Authority (PA) and the agent rulers” to call it a Palestinian state, this does not change anything of its reality, as America does not want it to be a sovereign state even over part of a part of Palestine, but rather more like self-rule without weapons except what is necessary for the police within the Jewish hegemony!! Two factors emerged during the presidential terms of Trump and Biden to consolidate a Jewish entity that confirm what we mentioned above, although they were more prominent during the Trump era, and they are:
The first: which is currently taking place today, is strengthening the Jewish entity and providing it with money and weapons so that it remains the major power that is militarily superior to all its surroundings.
The second: normalization, in what Trump called the Abraham Accords; which is the one that he achieved halfway through in his first term and now wants to complete. Therefore, American envoys are touring in the region not only to persuade Saudi Arabia to join the so-called Abraham Accords, but are also laying the groundwork and opening negotiations, which are currently underway between Syria and Lebanon and the Jewish entity. America wants to expand this process to include other agent rulers in the Muslim countries!
In conclusion, America did not abandon the two-state solution, but under Trump and Biden, it has declared the intended state of Palestine to be a kind of self-autonomy dominated by the Jews. Previous presidents, however, mentioned the two-state solution without delving into the nature of the state they envision for the Palestinians!
8- Finally, Palestine is a jewel in the history of the Muslims since Allah (swt) linked it with His Sacred House with one bond, when He took His Messenger (saw) from the Sacred Mosque to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
[سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ]
“Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed” [Al-Isra: 1]
And made it a good and blessed land. And he attracted the hearts of Muslims to the capital of Palestine (Bait ul Maqdis) by making it their first Qiblah before Allah gave the Muslims their second Qiblah (the sacred Ka’ba) sixteen months after the Hijra. That was before Palestine came under the rule of Islam when the second Caliph, Omar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), conquered it in the year 15 AH. He took it over from Sophronius and he gave him his famous covenant (the Omari Covenant), one of the texts, based on the request of the Christians there, was (that no Jews should live with them there). Then Palestine became a graveyard for the Crusaders and the Tatars. There were decisive battles with the Crusaders and the Tatars: Hattin (583 AH – 1187 CE), and Ain Jalut (658 AH – 1260 CE), and they will be followed, Allah willing, by other decisive battles with the Jews to restore Palestine pure and clean to the abode of Islam.
The continued existence of the Jewish entity in Palestine until today is not due to their strength, for they are not people of fighting and victory, but as Allah (swt) says:
[لَنْ يَضُرُّوكُمْ إِلَّا أَذًى وَإِنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ يُوَلُّوكُمُ الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنْصَرُونَ]
“They can never inflict harm on you, except a little annoyance. But if they meet you in battle, they will flee and they will have no helpers” [Aal-i-Imran: 111].
Their survival is due to the failure of the rulers in the Muslim countries. The Muslims’ misfortune lies in their rulers, for they are loyal to the kaffir colonialists, the enemies of Islam and Muslims. They see and hear about the Jews’ occupation of Palestine, their brutal crimes, and their various massacres, yet it is as if they neither see nor hear.
[صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ]
“They are ˹wilfully˺ deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return ˹to the Right Path” [Al-Baqarah: 18]
They have prevented armies from supporting their brothers and sisters in Gaza until today, and the martyrs are multiplying and the wounded are increasing… and the rulers are watching what is happening, and the best of them is the one who counts the martyrs under the name of the dead and then counts the wounded as if he is a neutral party, although he is closer to the Jews! They are placing the “seats of power” above their country and their people! Even though, this Ummah is the best nation brought forth for humankind, it will not remain silent for long, Allah willing, regarding this tyrannical rule by these Ruwaibidha (insignificant ignorant (rulers)). the Messenger of Allah(saw) gave us the glad-tidings of the return of the Khilafah Rashidah (Rightly-Guided Caliphate) after this oppressive rule as stated in Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad and Al-Tayalisi on the authority of Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman: «… ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكاً جَبْرِيَّةً، فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ، ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةٌ عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ نُبُوَّةٍ»“…Then there will be oppressive rule (ملكًا جبرية) for as long as Allah wills, then he will remove it when He wills, and then there will be Khilafah on the method of Prophethood.’ Then he (saw) was silent.” Then Muslims will be honoured and the kuffar will be humiliated.
[وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ]
“And on that day the believers will rejoice * at the victory willed by Allah. He gives victory to whoever He wills. For He is the Almighty, Most Merciful” [Ar-Rum: 4-5]
The strange thing is that the Kuffar, especially the Jews, realize this more than many Muslims today. The Jews realize that the Khilafah will lead to their destruction. Their Prime Minister said in a press conference broadcast live by the media, including Al Jazeera, on 21/4/2025: “We will not allow the establishment of a Caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean.” He added, “We will not accept the presence of a Caliphate state here or in Lebanon, and we will work to guarantee the security of Israel.”
Nonetheless, it will be established, Allah willing, against their will, and will remove them from this pure land, especially since Hizb ut Tahrir, the party devoted to Allah (swt) and true to the Messenger of Allah (saw), is the one leading the effort to establish the Khilafah with men who have been true to their covenant with Allah, and who are assured of Allah’s victory:
[وَاللّٰهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ]
“Allah’s Will always prevails, but most people do not know” [Yusuf: 21]
10 Rabii’ Al-Awal 1447 AH
2/9/2025 CE -
Essentials of Political Understanding and Policymaking – Part 3
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمPrerequisites for Political Understanding and Policymaking (Part 3)
The Role of the Map in Political Understanding
(Translated)It has been said that a politician who does not know the world map does not know politics; the world map and its knowledge are essential to political understanding.
Map-related information is not limited to knowing the location of the country to which the particular event under investigation relates. Instead, it extends to understanding the country’s location on the map, the nature of the geography related to the country, the nature of its borders, its connection to oceans, its connection to important geographical features, and understanding the demographic situation in terms of population number, population density, the nature and characteristics of the population, and its possession of energy and technology.
It is worth noting that there is an intersection between the political and strategic features of a country’s location. Political features help a country to carve out an important international position, and help the analyst understand the political issues and events related to the country. Understanding the strategic features of a country’s location on the map is useful in military analysis, and for the country’s military position to be strong. The intersection is due to the fact that the political strength of a country is linked to its military strength.
Understanding a country’s location requires several factors, including whether it is a continental state, an oceanic state, or a combination of both. A continental state is one whose geographical location is on land, with its borders surrounded by land, land-locked, with no access to the sea. An oceanic state is one located in the ocean, and therefore its borders are surrounded by ocean waters. A country that combines both is one that has a continental mass, that is, a large portion of land, and coasts open to oceans or seas.
A continental state’s strength is continental, meaning its power is linked to the strengths of the land, in terms of terrain, transportation and trade routes, and land power. An oceanic state’s strength is oceanic, due to its openness to sea routes, the ability of its fleets to transport and wage war, its broad trade horizons, and its extensive ability to communicate with other peoples. Therefore, the continental state lacks peripheral projective power, and its ability to carve out an influential international position remains less than that of more peripheral states. As for those states that possess both characteristics, having a continental mass and an oceanic mass, their ability to carve out an advanced global position is high.
Continental countries include those located in the centers of continents, such as Afghanistan, Chad, Niger, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Oceanic countries include Britain, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Countries with both characteristics include the United States, Spain, Turkey, India, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, ash-Sham, Iran, Pakistan, France, Italy, Germany, and China. Russia’s continental mass is large, but it is connected to frozen waters, making its use of the oceanic aspect very costly. Therefore, it has made tremendous efforts throughout its history to reach warm waters, and continues to do so, in order to take on the oceanic dimension.
A country’s location on the map remains a decisive factor in determining its global weight, whether through its ability to connect to other countries, or its location on key international communication routes. Not all oceanic countries are made equal; those connected to important geographic features are more likely to assume a high global weight. Important geographic features include islands, straits, isthmuses, and locations overlooking international shipping lanes.
Islands are of great importance in several respects. If a country’s borders extend to include an archipelago of islands in a significant region, and it controls the surrounding sea, it gains global influence. Therefore, Japan sought to control the Pacific Ocean, and its attack on Pearl Harbor was perhaps motivated by its desire to control the Pacific Ocean. Had it achieved this, it could have easily assumed the position of the number one country. If the islands are not on trade routes, their location can be considered if it is important for influencing other countries. They can be controlled and used as military bases, such as the Solomon Islands in northeastern Australia, and the Socotra Islands in southern Yemen opposite the Horn of Africa. Peninsulas, such as Crimea, are also included in the list of islands.
International maritime transport takes routes across the high oceans, and if a situation compels it to change its route, this is not at all difficult. However, when shipping routes pass through straits, they are indispensable routes, as the route is often restricted through these straits. Britain’s control of Gibraltar and the Bab al-Mandab made this a tool for its global influence when it was the leading power there. The Taiwan Strait, through which 500,000 commercial sea voyages pass annually (Asharq Al-Awsat, 21 August, 2023), prompted America to turn it into a zone of influence and friction with China, by winning over the ruling regime in Taiwan to its side. The Bosphorus Strait made Istanbul an internationally influential region, prompting the Allies to grant it special status in the Treaty of Lausanne, which stipulated the demilitarization of the Strait, along with the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, the Turkish islands, and some Greek islands.
An isthmus is a thin strip of land connecting two larger areas of land. Its location on international shipping routes makes it a port and embarkation point for ships at either end, or it may prompt the country administering it to dig a canal connecting the two ends of the isthmus. Examples of these are the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, and the Kiel Canal. Prior to the opening of the Panama Canal, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec was the shortest route between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.
It is clear that if continental countries do not have access to the oceans, they will be forced to rely on intermediary, more peripheral states that occupy a place between the continent and the sea. Even those countries with little global influence are viewing this issue with concern. Ethiopia, for example, concluded an agreement with the breakaway Republic of Somaliland in 2023 to grant it access to the Red Sea.
The nature of geography related to a state encompasses several fundamental elements, including its area, the nature of its borders, its domestic, internal terrain, and its natural structure. As for the nature of a state’s borders, there is no specific law governing the nature of borders, whether chosen or imposed by a state. It is natural for a state to have defined itself by natural boundaries, such as mountain ranges, river courses, and seashores. Borders may have been drawn pursuant to agreements with neighboring countries, or as a result of expansion or contraction due to wars. However, since the emergence of the new world order, nationalistic borders have taken on a sacred character, and the issue of expansion has become a matter of global abhorrence, or in need of justification that reflects a popular will for annexation or secession. Among the geography related to borders is the type of population centers located on the border. Some borders border two countries and separate two peoples, while others border two countries and separate a single people into two parts, each part belonging to a separate state. This helps us understand the stability and permeability of borders due to the connection or separation of the two peoples on either side of the border. Border geography includes knowing the countries bordering the border and knowing their international status, which opens the door to competition, dispute, war, dependency, or taking over vital territory.
The natural structure is related to the nature of the country’s environment and the resources contained within its geography. A country’s surplus water resources are vital to its water security, and the depletion of groundwater reservoirs is a risk indicator. Oil and mineral wealth is an important factor in countries, enabling them to achieve self-sufficiency in energy and industry, and even enhancing their ability to influence others through these resources. Marine mineral and fish resources are an important factor in their wealth and food security. The nature of the soil, in terms of the vastness of fertile land, and the contrasting expanse of deserts, influences a country’s position in terms of the true strength of its economy, or in other words, its productive capacity. This even influences the nature of its people.
The area of a country, as in the vastness of the area, has a value in several aspects — one of which is the connection between the vastness of the area and the population, another through the connection between the area and the wealth, and another through the strategic depth of the country. This last aspect is very important, especially in the event of its exposure to invasion, as the large area makes the control of the invaders slow, and perhaps faltering if their invasion is an invasion of the territory, and not an invasion of the centers of power.
Domestic terrain grants natural internal defensive lines for a country if it contains rugged terrain, or vice versa if it contains flat terrain. The diversity of terrain also contributes to the diversity of production in a country. The Ural Mountains in Russia were a natural barrier, behind which a vast extension to the east protected Russia from collapse, in the event that invaders took control of its western part, the part in which the Russian capital, Moscow, is located. In contrast, the European Plain in Eastern Europe made its countries a corridor for wars and an arena of cultural conflict.
It is important for countries to be located on land ports and transportation routes. Turkey’s location makes it a major land link between Asia and Europe, and thus, land trade routes between Asia and Europe pass through it. The same applies to countries located along the ancient Silk Road and the Belt and Road Initiative, including China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Germany. This has prompted the implementation of major projects along these routes, including railways, land ports, and oil and gas pipelines.
Population, on the other hand, is a very important factor in a state’s strength. Research into it takes several approaches, one of which is population size and growth rate. Another links population to area, thus studying population density. Another relates to the age density of the population, and another relates to the nature of the people. Countries that aspire to assume international status push toward increasing their population. This is achieved by encouraging the population to reproduce, and providing benefits for each additional family member, thus increasing birth rates in the country. Another approach is to compensate for the population deficit by immigration, thus increasing the incentives that drive people to immigrate into the country, thus increasing the population. This stimulates the economy, provides protection from extinction, and provides the potential to pursue major projects that may require waging costly wars in terms of manpower, whether in terms of preparation or in terms of bearing losses. Population density, on the other hand, is an indicator of a state’s human and economic strength, as you will see that the largest cities in the world are those that provide abundant economic opportunities, abundant resources, financial activity, or political centers. Population density indicates the ageing or youthfulness of societies. Young societies have a high capacity for production and fighting, unlike aging societies.
Energy and technology have become key issues in shaping the strength of nations, especially those that have, or seek to achieve, a prominent international position. Energy and technology are interconnected. While energy can be classified as a nation’s resource, it can also be given a separate classification. It can be viewed in terms of the availability of raw materials for fossil fuels and nuclear energy within a nation. It can also be viewed in terms of the nation’s investment in its existing energy resources, such as the presence of oil wells, refineries, nuclear reactors, and the level of enrichment in nuclear reactors. These resources and associated facilities are extracted and operated by the nation, or the nation has granted concessions for other nations to do so. Conversely, some technologies are relatively common within a nation and do not significantly impact its weight, while others are a key factor in its strength. These include iron and steel technology, heavy industries, electronics technology, and the microchip industry. Others include artificial intelligence, which is used in military industries and espionage operations, and aviation and satellite technology. There are many examples of this. Taiwan’s “monopoly” over the microchip industry has given it global influence. In other words, America has influenced the world because the Taiwanese government is subordinate to America, and because the operating system for Taiwanese chips is American. Indeed, America provides subsidies to companies operating in this field in America, including Intel, which has chip projects in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico, and Oregon, and the Taiwanese company, TSMC, which has two factories under construction near Phoenix (Al Jazeera Net, January 28, 2024). This is to ensure the industry remains under its control. Furthermore, America excels in the software aspect of microchips, and has been ahead of the rest of the world in this field, which has helped strengthen its global influence. On the other hand, the development of the missile industry in Russia has made it a reality in wars. The Kinzhal missile and the hypersonic Oreshnik missile have distinguished Russia’s strength. As for the espionage industry, America developed it to the point of producing aircraft during the Soviet era that fly at high altitudes beyond radar detection, equipped with high-resolution cameras that accurately capture the desired locations. It then developed into the manufacture of spy satellites with ultra-high-resolution cameras. Let’s not forget modern technologies in image analysis, facial recognition, and network security, to the point where its armies wage wars as electronic hackers. Although these things haven’t been captured on modern maps, they must be observed in countries, just as raw material and oil resources are observed.
This is a brief overview of a collective of issues that are important to consider when looking at a map, noting that some are more influential in highlighting a state’s power than others. There is no single law that determines whether a state possesses certain characteristics that make it more powerful than another. Instead, it examines the overall geopolitical situation of the state and the sum of its characteristics.
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The Concept of Empowerment (Tamkeen) in the Noble Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The Concept of Empowerment (Tamkeen) in the Noble Quran
(Translated)Allah (swt) said,
[وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ]
“Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land, as He did with those before them; and will surely empower for them their Deen, which He has approved for them; and will indeed replace their fear with security, provided that they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. However, whoever disbelieves after this promise, it is they who will be the rebellious.” [TMQ Surah An-Nur: 55].
When we talk about empowerment (tamkeen), we are talking about the cause for which the Messengers and Prophets, peace be upon them all, were sent. The cause we are discussing in this article is not the empowerment of a person or persons, but instead the empowerment of Deen, and the empowerment of the Islamic Ummah that establishes this Deen. The purpose of establishing Deen is to establish on this earth the way of life that Allah (swt) has chosen for humanity. Among the last verses revealed in His Noble Book is,
[ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمَ دِينٗاۚ] “Today I have perfected your Deen for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.” [TMQ Surah Al-Maida: 3]. That is, Allah (swt) has chosen for Muslims Islam as loyalty (walaa’), Deen, Shariah Law, and way of life. The word ‘Deen’ encompasses all of these meanings. The Prophet (saw) did not join the Supreme Companion, Allah (swt), until he (saw) had completed the mission, by conveying the Risaalah (message). His action (saw) was not limited to conveying the Risaalah (message) alone. Instead, he (saw) also established a political authority for Islam, empowered by Allah (swt) on earth. The Prophet (saw) did not depart from this worldly life, except after leaving behind an Islamic state, an Abode of Islam (Dar ul-Islam) encompassing the entire Arabian Peninsula, for the Khulafaa Rashidoon (Rightly-Guided Caliphs) and those who came after them to continue the advance, by expanding the Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate) state. This advance continued for centuries, until a time came when the Ummah abandoned this mission, its authority was removed from the earth, and its empowerment (tamkeen) was completely lost.
Now it is in the process of working to regain empowerment, wanting to return to its former glory; an Islamic Ummah empowered by its Deen, appointed as a successor on earth in order to carry out the mission for which it was sent. Allah (swt) said,
[كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَتَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَتُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِۗ]
“You are the best community ever raised for humanity, you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah.” [TMQ Surah Aali Imran: 110]. So, when we talk about empowerment (tamkeen), we are talking about the empowerment of Deen on earth. Linguistically, empowerment (تمكين) comes from the word “makkana مَكَّنَ” which means to enable and assist in something. As for مكَّن له في الشَّيء “To empower someone in something,” it means جعل له عليه سلطانًا وقدرة “to give them authority and power over it.” Whoever is empowered from within a people, has power over them. Empowerment comes from power (قدرة). When we say, “So-and-so has been empowered on earth,” it means he has acquired power. Of course, power on earth is authority (sultan سلطان). The one with authority, influence, and power is the one who has power on earth. This is the linguistic meaning of empowerment.
When Allah (swt) empowers us on earth, it means that He, glory be to Him, has empowered us. That is, He (swt) has given us the ability to be the decision-makers and the ones with power on this earth, so that the Word (Kalima) of Allah (swt) is supreme, and the word of the disbelievers is the lowest on earth. This is in the context of the natural struggle that Muslims must engage in, which is the ongoing struggle between truth and falsehood, between Iman and kufr. Quranic verses in the Book of Allah (swt) contain this meaning of empowerment. Among them is the Saying of Allah (swt),
[ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُواْ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَنَهَوۡاْ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡأُمُورِ]
“They are those who, if empowered in the land by Us, would perform Salah (Shariah ritual prayer), pay Zakat (Shariah alms), command what is good, and forbid what is evil. And with Allah rests the outcome of all affairs.” [TMQ Surah Al-Hajj: 41].
Establishing Salah in the Quranic verse does not mean merely the performing of Salah by individuals, instead it extends to establishing Salah amongst people in general, within an Islamic society. Commanding the good is also achieved through empowerment, by establishing this good through the obligating authority of the Islamic authority on earth, and not merely through verbal commands and prohibitions. This is because verbal commands and prohibitions are within the power of almost all people, even if they are not empowered on earth.
Similarly, we consider Allah’s Saying,
[وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ]
“Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land, as He did with those before them; and will surely empower for them their Deen, which He has approved for them; and will indeed replace their fear with security, provided that they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. However, whoever disbelieves after this promise, it is they who will be the rebellious.” [TMQ Surah An-Nur: 55]. Succession and empowerment are a promise from Allah (swt) to those who believe and do righteous deeds. Therefore, empowerment is dependent on Iman in Allah (swt) and adherence to His Shariah Law.
Allah (swt) first said,
[وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَيَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ]
“Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land.” This means that He makes them successors as He made those before them successors.
As for the Saying of Allah (swt), [وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ] “And that He will establish for them their Deen which He has approved for them,” clearly states that the goal of this succession is not to establish succession over individuals alone, but instead the succession is for the sake of the empowerment of the Deen, because the goal is to give rise to a jamaa’ah (community) of believers who live the life that Allah (swt) has approved for His servants. As for His Saying,
[وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنٗاۚ] “And He will surely replace their fear with security,” this is a promise from Him, the Most High, that one of the fruits of empowerment is that He will substitute for them, after their fear, security. Then Allah (swt) says, [يَعۡبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشۡرِكُونَ بِي شَيۡٔٗاۚ ۚ] “They worship Me, not associating anything with Me,” which is further evidence that the goal of this empowerment is a life in which the worship of Allah (swt) is manifested. Worship in the Islamic concept is not limited to individual ritual acts of worship. Instead, the concept of worship in the Book of Allah (swt) is complete submission to Him, the Almighty. What is meant is a life in which servitude to Allah (swt) is manifested in all aspects of life, including the relationships that shape society, generating a way of life that distinguishes the Islamic Ummah from others, which is a life in which the Islamic way of living is manifested.
Then, Allah (swt) said, [وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَٰسِقُون] “However, whoever disbelieves after this promise, it is they who will be the rebellious.” This statement also indicates that the goal of empowerment on earth is to manifest the Deen so that its emergence, that is, its dominance, is a confirming evidence for the people. After that, those who disbelieve in it, those who disbelieve and commit sins despite the clear evidence, will be disobedient transgressors. Therefore, this goal of empowerment (tamkeen) is to create a community (jamaa’ah) of believers and Muslims living an Islamic life, which is also called, in contemporary terms, an Islamic society. When we speak of an Islamic society, we are not only speaking of a society whose components are Muslims. Today, Muslims are spread across the globe, numbering nearly two billion. However, they do not constitute an Islamic society. A society is a community (jamaa’ah) of people who have established permanent relationships upon a basis, and these permanent relationships give this society its identity and way of life. If the relationships are shaped by Islam, then it is an Islamic society. If its relationships are shaped by capitalism, then it is a capitalist society, and so on.
These relationships can only be Islamic if the culture of a society is based on Islamic thoughts, and the prevailing systems are Islamic systems, which means it is based on Shariah Law. If Muslims embrace pure Islamic concepts, free of any foreign concepts, and apply their Islamic system to their lives, they will have manifested themselves as an Islamic society. If Islam spreads among Muslims with its concepts, if they desire to live an Islamic life, and if they reject all non-Islamic concepts, but limit themselves to being educated in Islam and committed to it as individuals, then unless a political system is established in their land that applies Islamic systems and oversees their affairs, then this society will not be Islamic. This is because the system implemented in a society, in terms of constitution, laws, and legislation, determines its essential identity. A society cannot be Islamic as long as the systems implemented there are not Islamic, even if Muslims embrace a pure Islam devoid of any blemish individually. Therefore, working for empowerment is working for an empowered Ummah on earth, with authority, where sovereignty belongs to the Shariah Law of Allah (swt).
The above discussion leads us to a very important question: Is empowerment the ultimate goal of Islam and Muslims in this worldly life? Or is it a method to achieving the actual goal?
This question is a subject of debate, and even conflict, among many Muslims today. Most of those who answer it give the wrong answer. Many Muslims believe that establishing an Islamic state is the pinnacle of reviving Muslims, and that it is the result of implementing Islam, and establishing an Islamic way of life and an Islamic society. Many sincere Muslims who love their Deen say: We must establish an Islamic society so that an Islamic state can then be established. This is a major misunderstanding, as they fail to grasp the meaning of the state or its function. The state in Islam is neither the pinnacle of reviving nor the ultimate goal. Instead, the state in Islam is the practical method for establishing Islam, generating an Islamic way of life, and perfecting Islamic society. It is well known to all political thinkers, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, that the state is the executive entity for the set of concepts, convictions, and standards held by any people. The state is its means of achieving the way of life it seeks. Without an Islamic state, there will be no Islamic society, and no Islamic life. The misconception that the existence of an Islamic state or the Khilafah (Caliphate) is the ultimate goal of reviving and advancement for the Ummah, after it has fully implemented Islam, is a complete failure to understand the true meaning of implementing Islam and the Islamic state. Islam cannot be implemented without a state, and Islamic systems cannot be truly viable on the ground unless they have a state.
Therefore, Allah (swt) made empowerment on earth a means to establish Islamic life, implement Shariah Law, and achieve security. Therefore, those who limit their efforts to preaching Islam to mere preaching, guidance, and what resembles Christian evangelism, without considering the serious work required to establish an Islamic state, whether they realize it or not, are not working to establish Islam. They are merely calling people to adhere to Islam individually. No individual can fully implement Islam, and more so, all individuals together cannot implement it without a state. This is because Islam did not come only for individuals; instead, it came as a way of life, and a state must be established to implement it. The state is the executive entity of any civilization and any political culture. It is the executive entity of the way of life that people want to live.
So, the issue of empowerment on earth means that the Islamic Ummah must have a state that embodies this empowerment, a state for the Ummah, not just any state. For example, if we imagine that Muslims established a small, territorial state that lacks the strength to make it impregnable against enemies, such a state would not empower Islam and Muslims on earth. The state that empowers Islam and Muslims is the one Islam calls “Dar ul-Islam (Abode of Islam).” Dar ul-Islam is the one that, by its Shariah definition and legal reality, embodies the empowerment of Islam and Muslims. The definition of the Abode of Islam is الدار التي يطبّق فيها الإسلام، ويكون أمانها بأمان المسلمين “the Abode in which Islam is implemented and whose security is guaranteed by the Muslims.” If one of these two conditions is missing — the complete establishment of Islam and the security of the state being guaranteed by the Muslims alone, both domestically and externally — then it is not an Abode of Islam and does not embody the empowerment of Islam and Muslims. There is no empowerment where there is dominance and hegemony of the kuffar, as Allah (swt) says,
[وَلَن يَجۡعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا] “Allah (swt) does not grant the kafiroon a way of dominance over the Muslims.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa: 141].
After the establishment of an Abode of Islam, Muslims cannot be content with merely implementing Islam in their own lands. Instead, the state must have a foreign policy based on carrying the Risaalah (message) to the world. Carrying Islam to the world is the practical implementation of the Saying of Allah (swt),
[وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ أُمَّةٗ وَسَطٗا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدٗاۗ]
“Thus We have made you a just Ummah that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger (saw) will be a witness over you.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah: 143].
Another issue that remains a source of controversy and confusion for some Muslims today is: Is succession on earth a consequence of Muslims striving for empowerment, as it falls under the takleef (Shariah liability) conferred by Allah (swt) upon His servants? Or is it merely a Favor (mannah) from Allah (swt)? Now, some say that empowerment is not one of the takaaleef (Shariah liabilities) upon the believers, but instead it is a mere Favor from Allah (swt) and so we are required have Iman and do good deeds in general, without striving to assume authority and ruling. They add that when good deeds are evident in us, Allah (swt) will then bestow upon us His Favor of succession and empowerment on earth. This statement is undoubtedly devoid of any Shariah legal evidence. Indeed, it contradicts the Shariah legal evidencing. Its implication is that Muslims are not required to strive for nasr (victory), whereas Allah (swt) says,
[وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُم مَّا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن قُوَّةٖ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ ٱلۡخَيۡلِ تُرۡهِبُونَ بِهِۦ عَدُوَّ ٱللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمۡ وَءَاخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُهُمۡۚ]
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of material power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides them whom you do not know but whom Allah knows.” [TMQ Surah Al-Anfal: 60].
Allah (swt) commanded us to prepare for battle, and He will not grant victory to the believers if they do not prepare for battle. Instead, Allah (swt) warns them of destruction if they neglect to prepare. Allah (swt) says,
[وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلۡقُواْ بِأَيۡدِيكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلتَّهۡلُكَةِ]
“And spend in the Path of Allah and do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 195]. This means that if they do not prepare for battle, then Allah (swt) will not grant them nasr.
Instead, more than that, they will throw themselves into destruction. Allah (swt) attributes nasr to Himself, but this does not mean that nasr comes without the efforts of His believing servants. If we refer to the Seerah of the Prophet (saw), from the time he was sent until he established his state, he did not wait for the state to come to him as a Favor from Allah (swt). Instead, he would approach the people and tribes and ask them: How much quwwa (material strength) and man’ah (protective capability) do you have? He would ask them to believe in him and grant him material support, because he was searching for a ruler to be established on earth, and he was searching for someone to grant him material support in order to convey the Risaalah (message) of his Lord (swt), and in order to establish a state for Islam. Therefore, when the people of Madinah gave him their leadership, Allah (swt) honored them by calling them the Ansar, because they supported him and supported Islam. Thus, by the Grace of Allah (swt), the state of Madinah was established based on the Prophet (saw) and his Companions (ra) taking the necessary causative measures (asbaab) to achieve this empowerment.
Yes, those who work to achieve empowerment may seek to take the necessary causative measures (asbaab) but fail to achieve it, because they do not yet possess the necessary elements, and because some of these elements are not even within their control. This is what happened with previous Prophets (as). However, if they do not take the necessary asbaab (causative measures), then empowerment will inevitably not occur, and succession will not take place. There is no succession or empowerment on earth without working for it, and taking the necessary causative measures.
After taking the necessary causative measures, their goal may or may not be achieved, for this is a matter of the Unseen (Ghayb). However, this nation is promised succession by the text of the Book of Allah (swt), in the Words of the Almighty,
[وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَيَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمَا ٱسۡتَخۡلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي ٱرۡتَضَىٰ لَهُمۡ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنٗاۚ يَعۡبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشۡرِكُونَ بِي شَيۡٔٗاۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَٰسِقُونَ]
“Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land, as He did with those before them; and will surely empower for them their Deen, which He has approved for them; and will indeed replace their fear with security, provided that they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. However, whoever disbelieves after this promise, it is they who will be the rebellious.” [TMQ Surah An-Nur: 55]. It is also through His Saying,
[هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَرۡسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُظۡهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوۡ كَرِهَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ]
“It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Deen of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allah (swt) dislike it.” [TMQ Surah As-Saf: 9]. This is a promise from Allah (swt) that this Deen will prevail over all religions, and this prevalence over all religions has not yet happened. Islam has appeared over a wide area of the earth, but it has not yet been established over the entire earth. This promise is still awaited. In Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Thawban, he said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, إنّ الله زوى لي الأرض، فرأيت مشارقها ومغاربها، وإنّ أمّتي سيبلغ ملكها ما زوي لي منها “Allah (swt) folded the earth up before me, so I saw its easts and its wests. My Ummah’s dominion will reach what was folded for me of it.” However, the Ummah cannot reach this empowerment unless the causative measures (asbaab) for this empowerment are achieved within it, and these reasons cannot be achieved without its own efforts. Allah (swt) said,
[يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن تَنصُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرۡكُمۡ وَيُثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَكُمۡ]
“O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.” [TMQ Surah Muhammad: 7].
