Khilafah: The Panacea to Global Food Crises

On Wednesday, 5 May 2021 an international alliance of the United Nations, the European Union, governmental and non-governmental agencies working to address food crises released The 2021 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC 2021). The report states that 55 countries/territories with an estimated total of 155 million people were affected with food insecurity. In addition, the report acknowledged an increase of 20 million people from the previous year (2019 with 135 million people). (The Eastern Africa)

This latest 2021 edition of the report captures the highest numbers in its five-year existence. The report mentions conflict/insecurity (99.1 million people in 23 countries), economic shocks (40.5 million people in 17 countries) and weather extremes (15.7 million people in 15 countries) as the primary drivers of severe food insecurity in 2020. To be specific, 66% of the 155 million people found in Crisis or worse were in 10 countries/territories: Democratic Republic of the Congo (21.8M), Yemen (13.5M), Afghanistan (13.2M), Syrian Arab Republic (12.4M), Sudan (9.6M), northern Nigeria (9.2M), Ethiopia (8.6M), South Sudan (6.5M), Zimbabwe (4.3M) and Haiti (4.1M)! Furthermore, 75.2 million children under the age of 5 years in the 55 food-crisis countries/territories were stunted!

The above figures confirm the grim reality facing humanity as it lurches under the failed secular capitalist leadership. Unsurprisingly the founding members of the so called The Global Network Against Food Crises are the ones instigating conflicts and economic catastrophes across the world with their insatiable thirst in plundering the world’s resources at the expense of the suffering majority. On the pack they are led by the most corrupt and cruel nation in the world, America and its allies. The secular capitalist order presided over by the American regime is micro-managing global affairs using brutal colonial plots and policies that choke and shackle mankind to perilous livelihood.

Just to mention a few examples, domestically America has spectacularly failed to quell the deadly racial divide that has led to the black community to suffer irreparable socio-economic damage. Abroad, via its agent rulers is currently engaged in protracted wars against European / British agent rulers in Yemen, Libya and Somalia for regional superiority. In Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq it is engaged in propping up regimes in ‘miserable democratic trials’ that have lost legitimacy from the people. In the process of their fallacious wars people are massacred and especially Muslims on the pretext of fighting ‘Terrorism and Extremism.’

Consequently, there is a global frenzy for an alternative to the secular capitalist order that continues to wreak havoc in all spheres of life. Food crises are just the tip of the problem in relation to the immeasurable destructions the venomous hegemony has repaid humanity in its adoption of the ideology! The only tested and viable alternative is the Khilafah (Caliphate). Khilafah is an Islamic system of governance that exist to invite humanity to the good of Islam as a complete way of life. A system that ensures humanity remain as slaves to their Creator, Allah (swt) via their submission to the execution and implementation of the divine Islamic systems on them. The systems are designed to relieve their lives.

A Muslim man engrossed by the fear of Allah (swt) as a Khalifah (Caliph) will strive to come up with policies that will usher peace, tranquility and prosperity. As it was in the second Khilafah of Umar (ra) when he ensured that men, women and children were not only secured against hunger but even fearing the injury of a donkey due to unattended roads under his leadership! The Khilafah will strive to provide its citizens with the basic needs as Islam demands. The Prophet (saw) said: «لَيْسَ لاِبْنِ آدَمَ حَقٌّ فِي سِوَى هَذِهِ الْخِصَالِ بَيْتٌ يَسْكُنُهُ وَثَوْبٌ يُوَارِي عَوْرَتَهُ وَجِلْفُ الْخُبْزِ وَالْمَاءِ» “There is no right for the son of Adam in other than these things: A house which he lives in, a garment which covers his nakedness, and Jilf (a piece of bread) and water.”[Tirmidhi]

In addition, Rasulullah (saw) said: «مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا» “Whoever among you wakes up physically healthy, feeling safe and secure within himself, with food for the day, it is as if he acquired the whole world.” [Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]. It is therefore not a favour for the Khilafah state to provide both basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) and social needs (security, education and health) to its citizens. Instead it is one of its obligations that must be met with in the best way possible. In case of negligence the Imam / Khalifah will be held responsible in this Dunya and Akhira.

The Messenger (saw) said: «أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ» “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The amir (ruler/caliph) who is over the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock…” [Abu Dawud] It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr (ra) who said:

عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلاَ تَسْتَعْمِلُنِي؟ قَالَ: فَضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى مَنْكِبِي ثُمَّ قَالَ:‏ «يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنَّكَ ضَعِيفٌ وَإِنَّهَا أَمَانَةٌ وَإِنَّهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ خِزْىٌ وَنَدَامَةٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَخَذَهَا بِحَقِّهَا وَأَدَّى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ فِيهَا»

“I said to the Prophet (ﷺ): Messenger of Allah, will you not appoint me to a public office? He stroked my shoulder with his hand and said: Abu Dharr, you are weak and authority is a trust. And on the Day of judgment it is a cause of humiliation and repentance except for one who fulfils its obligations and (properly) discharges its duties.” [Muslim]

Based on the above evidences it is explicitly clear that the Khilafah system will not engage in myopic policies including but not limited to food policies. As witnessed in the current erroneous secular capitalist system; where state machinery instigates conflicts and economic quivers amongst other vices. In turn causing the people not to be able to participate in serious agricultural activities to improve their lives via adequate food production. Since they are on the run escaping perpetual conflicts and both financial and land policies are demeaning and exploiting the majority in the agricultural sector which is appropriated to a few multinationals that dictate agricultural terms and conditions!

InshaAllah, the soon to be reestablished Khilafah based on the method of Prophethood will execute and implement numerous policies including that of agriculture to make it a food secure and self-sustaining state across the world. It is our hope that humanity will adopt the Khilafah project spearheaded by Hizb ut Tahrir to liberate them from the clutches of the noxious Western colonial hegemony. On the hand, humanity must read these kind of contemptuous and miserable reports that depict the current status quo prevailing over them with yearning hearts for unshackling via an Islamic state of Khilafah. Finally, to take the necessary steps that involve working and being steadfast inside Hizb ut Tahrir by seeking Nussrah from the people of power (Muslim armies) to resume the Islamic way of life via reestablishing the Khilafah on the method of Prophethood.

[وَيَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ]

“And that day the believers will rejoice.” [30. Ar-Rum: 4]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Ali Nassoro Ali
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir