Our Mamo (Maternal Uncle), Naveed Butt

Everyone calls him Mamo (Maternal Uncle) and that’s why it never felt good to call him Naveed Butt. This name created a feeling of belonging, although he was already like someone from our family. Indeed, everyone felt that he is from their own kin. I worked under him as his deputy spokesman for seven years and because of this fact I received a lot of his kindness. He extended many favours to me, such that my family can never really pay back those favours. He is always part of the Dua of my wife and I. When my children started to speak we trained them to pray, “O Allah forgive us, O Allah forgive our parents, O Allah secure Mamo from captivity.” My heart is sad and it remains so until he is released. While working in the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Pakistan under his leadership, I did not only receive knowledge and learn the art of conveying Dawah, but I received his guidance in every sphere of life such as marriage, upbringing of children, medicine, medical treatment, business partnership, morals and family. I still regret that I could not benefit more of him because of my own shortcomings.

I saw him in times when he was not financially well off. Even during those times, he never allowed me to pay for something. He never let on that he is financially weak. When he received some money from inheritance, he extended a lot of it to brothers as a grant or loan. I have no knowledge that he ever asked anyone to pay back his loan.

I used to go along with him to meet media people. Due to the ban on the party, we rarely got an opportunity for interviews. Once we got an opportunity of being interviewed by a newspaper in Rawalpindi and that was a great achievement. Mamo and I were travelling toward the office of that newspaper. When we saw a car immobile, with the driver and his family standing beside it, Mamo stopped and checked that car and found out that the fuel tank was out of gas, so the car had to be pulled by rope to a nearby CNG station. I said to Mamo that the interview is very important, and that someone else will help them. However, he towed their car with his car and took them to the CNG station personally.

Mamo was a prolific and enthusiastic advocate for Khilafah (Caliphate). He remained in this mode 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. I never saw him in front of the media being unable to answer their questions. Regarding those people who are known today as famous anchors, Mamo used to answer their toughest questions, which most of the Islamic leaders avoid answering openly or hide behind excuses. However, Mamo impressed the superiority of Islamic thoughts upon them. An anchor of ARY TV asked Mamo, “In the Khilafah will you force women to cover themselves?” Mamo calmly answered him, “Tell me, is there not a minimum dress code in public places in countries like the US, UK and France?

Can anyone there move outside completely naked? If there is a limit, then it means absolute freedom is not possible. Therefore, it is not an issue that a limit is present, because it is present everywhere, in various forms and you don’t object it. The only question is who should have the authority to decide the limit. Democracy considers this authority resides with a parliament, whilst we Muslims believe that it belongs to the Creator of this Universe (swt) alone.” After this answer, the anchor could not raise any further questions.

Another anchor, who has moved onto YouTube, was impressed just in two minutes when he invited him to his program. Mamo asked him, “Please tell me how long will you limit people to the discussion of comparison between democracy and dictatorship? Do both of them not have the same judicial system? Do both of them not have the same police, bureaucracy and social system based on the liberal thought? If Mujahedin were sold out in the Musharraf era, was Aimal Kansi not sold out to the US in the Nawaz era? Do both of them not secure US interests in the name of “national interest”? Do both of them not work within the neo-colonialist order?” However, that program was never aired, probably because of a single phone call which forced him to back track from his offer.

Another anchor who was about to resign from his channel and so gave full opportunity in his last program to Mamo to present his call openly. This shows the love of media persons towards Islam and its credit definitely goes to Mamo.

Mamo wrote many articles to refute those thoughts which were influenced by modernist and compromise thinking. Even today, those articles, which were written in simple Urdu, are the best to refute those thoughts. He prepared superb presentations on the topics of the economic system of Islam, the ruling system of Islam, judiciary in Islam and the foreign and education policy of Islam, so the confidence of the Ummah can be restored in her great Deen. His press releases tore apart the oppressors and it was unbearable for rulers to accept the sheer effect of his words.

Mamo and his friends not only prepared members for Hizb ut Tahrir, they made leaders in large numbers. Definitely he is a teacher of many Shabab and InshaAllah he will be back. He will not regret his abduction and forced disappearance, when he will find that his successors have fulfilled the responsibility of carry this call. It is probable that when he comes back the situation would be such that the oppressors will have been grabbed by their necks and the game of the colonialists will have ended. On that day, under the roar of Takbeerat and carried upon the shoulders of the brothers, Mamo will start fulfilling the responsibility of implementing the Deen of Islam as one of the rulers.

#FreeNaveedButt
#KnowNaveedButt

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Imran Yusufzai – Pakistan