بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Establishing Allah’s Law on Earth
The Covenant of True Leadership that is Renewed until Allah Fulfills His Promise
(Translated)
Glory be to Him who created man and fashioned him, blown into him his ruh (spirit), and with the intellect he honoured him. Glory be to Him who sent His Messenger as a mercy to the worlds to bring them out from the darkness of disbelief to the light of faith. Glory be to Him, who revealed His Book to His Prophet, the Chosen One, to be a beacon and a lamp that illuminates the path of all people. Glory be to him who said:
[وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ * مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَن يُطْعِمُونِ]
“I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me * I seek no provision from them, nor do I need them to feed Me.” [TMQ Adh-Dhariyat: 56-57]. Glory be to Him who said:
[قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ].
“Say, “Surely my prayer, my worship, my life, and my death are all for Allah—Lord of all worlds”. * He has no partner. So I am commanded, and so I am the first to submit.” [TMQ Al-An'am: 162-163].
God created His servants and took their covenant that they would testify that He is their Lord
[وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى شَهِدْنَا أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ]
“And ˹remember˺ when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. ˹Allah asked,˺ “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” ˹He cautioned,˺ “Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day, ‘We were not aware of this.’” [TMQ Al-A’raf: 172].
He sent down His law so that those on earth might live a good life, guaranteed by his rulings that do not come to falsehood or imperfection, established among them by a God-fearing leader. Allah (swt) chose the nation of His Prophet (saw) to be the best nation brought out for people calling for good, enjoining good and forbidding evil, to be the nation that leads nations in what pleases Him, Glory be to Him
[كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ]
“You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious.” [TMQ Aali-’Imran :110].
One of His Sunnahs, Glory be to Him, is that He made leadership a necessity of life to run the affairs of His creation, so flocks of birds have a leader who directs them, and cattle and animals have someone who leads them, as well as ants and bees... They are nations like humans
[وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ]
“And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered..” [TMQ Al-An'am:38].
Leadership is an authority to direct and organize life, and it is a necessary matter for its conduct. And Allah the Almighty made the pledge of allegiance to the leader of the Ummah of Islam in order to implement Allah’s rulings in it and He obligated the Ummah to obey Him unless he commanded them to disobey him, then he is not heard nor obeyed.
The Prophet (saw) was the first leader of the Ummah of Islam and the greatest man known to humankind; he conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, and left the Ummah of Islam, glorious and powerful, who led nations and spread among them the light and guidance of Allah, and humanity has not witnessed a leader greater than him; He is the one who brought people together in sects and clans, races and colors under the banner of “There is no god but Allah,” breaking boundaries and uniting hearts.
To worship Allah means to populate the earth and spread His wisdom on it. That is the trust that the heavens, the earth, and the mountains refused to carry and that man would bear. The prophets and messengers received it, and the Messenger of Allah (saw) was the last of them to fulfill this great trust to the fullest and to please his Lord and witness him hand over the trust to his Ummah to continue walking on his path and follow his method in fulfilling the covenant he made to preserve Allah's religion and spread it in the worlds.
It was the covenant of the true, honest, faithful leader, who has nothing but to please his Lord and spread his law among all people so that life may be as Allah loves and is pleased with for His servants.
[فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِالصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَاءَهُ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكَافِرِينَ * وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ * لَهُم مَّا يَشَاءُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ]
“Who then does more wrong than those who lie about Allah and reject the truth after it has reached them? Is Hell not a ˹fitting˺ home for the disbelievers? * And the one who has brought the truth and those who embrace it—it is they who are the righteous. * They will have whatever they desire with their Lord. That is the reward of the good-doers.” [TMQ Az-Zumar: 32-34]
And upon his path, his companions walked, and they were for what he placed in them and what he taught them of preserving the religion and working to spread it, establishing the affairs of the Ummah, spreading justice and security in it, and competing to provide the needs of everyone who has affiliation with the state of Islam and in the service of religion and the elevation of its word, they spend their money, and for the afterlife and the pleasure of Allah they spend what they have. They were working to improve the implementation of its rulings upon the servants, fearing Allah in them and fearing His wrath if they fall short or do wrong. They used to serve their subjects and provide for their needs, especially the elderly, and those without a guardian. And the story of the blind old woman who was served by Abu Bakr, the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, and then continued her care, Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (ra), is a good example of the race for good care and the glee of one of them for the other in that “You have exhausted the caliphs after you, O Abu Bakr…” They take turns in the secretariat, and each of them strives to perform it well in a manner that is pleasing to God. And they used to fear Allah even in birds (they spread love for them so that they do not go hungry) and the beasts (they levelled the path for them so that they do not stumble)!
A trust performed by the Muslim Khulafa (Caliphs), each one according to his piety and fear of Allah (swt). They tried to preserve this religion and defend it and spread it in all parts of the earth so that the word of Allah would be supreme and the rule would be for the One Allah, but the enemies of this religion and with the help of a small group of the sons of the Ummah who betrayed Allah and His Messenger and neglected the trust and sold it were able to bring down the Khilafah (Caliphate) state. The political entity that preserves the religion and is based on the implementation of its rulings, and they divided them into states on which they installed agents of theirs, based on their interests and securing for them the looting of the Ummah’s wealth and lands. The matter was assigned to those who do not deserve it, and if the matter is assigned to the one who doesn’t deserve it then we should await the arrival of the day of judgment as peace be upon him has told us: «إِذَا ضُيِّعَتْ الْأَمَانَةُ فَانْتَظِرْ السَّاعَةَ» قَالَ: كَيْفَ إِضَاعَتُهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «إِذَا أُسْنِدَ الْأَمْرُ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ فَانْتَظِرْ السَّاعَةَ»Allah's Messenger (saw) said, "When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour." It was asked, "How will honesty be lost, O Allah's Messenger?" He said, "When authority is given to those who do not deserve it, then wait for the Hour” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari].
The matter is entrusted to those who do not take care of people's affairs and do not stand up for their interests. They burdened them with taxes and high prices, and deprived them of the wealth that Allah had endowed them with. The matter was entrusted to those who sold the country and spread injustice among the people and spread immorality and corruption among them.
So where are those who took over the affairs of people and ruled them with a human system that serves the interests of a few and oppresses the majority of people from which children suffer in the world (wars, famine, physical and sexual exploitation)?!Where are they from the fear and displacement that these people, especially the sons of Muslims, live in?! Where are those who rule with a system that is incapable of providing care and that does not provide for human needs from which thousands of children who die of starvation live or who subsist from weeds and garbage to make ends meet?! And they are the sons of a Ummah that has wealth, what guarantees it a decent life?!
There is a great difference between these people and those who used to rule by the law of Allah, they have mercy on the young and respect the old! «لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا وَيُوَقِّرْ كَبِيرَنَا»“He is not one of us who does not have mercy on our young and does not respect our elders”. [Narrated by Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi]
There is a difference between them and those who used to wipe the heads of orphans and provide them with what they need!
Where are the rulers today when people suffer from poverty and unemployment?! Where are the youth of the Ummah who end their lives by hanging, drowning, or burning after all doors were closed in their faces, and their lives became black and despair and frustration became their titles?!
Where are they from the pain of our youth while they are surrounded by a torrential stream of tribulations and temptations?! They live a life that invites them to all the prohibitions and forbids them from chastity and purity! Where are those who took the trust and strived to preserve it and feared Allah in the youth, so they helped them to get married, pardoned them and helped them to satisfy their instincts with the rulings that Allah (swt) enacted and what pleases Him?! On the authority of Abu Huraira who said, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, «ثَلَاثَةٌ حَقٌّ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَوْنُهُمْ؛ الْمُجَاهِدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، وَالْمُكَاتَبُ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ الْأَدَاءَ، وَالنَّاكِحُ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ الْعَفَافَ» “There are three whom it is right for Allah to help: The slave whose master has agreed to let him buy his freedom when he wishes to pay the sum, the one who marries desiring to live a chaste life, and the one who fights in Allah’s path.”
Where are the rulers today when the youth are unable to abstain from the expenses of marriage or to support a family and meet their expenses (unemployment is rampant and the costs of marriage and living are exorbitant…)?!
Where are the rulers, when the woman has become exploited, oppressed, enslaved, deceived by the titles of freedoms and rights while she is in chains, waiting for someone to free her from this miserable life that has made her lose her femininity that Allah created in her?!
Where are those who claim to lead the world from the famines, poverty, unemployment and wars that the entire world is suffering from?! From a life of wretchedness, people’s chests are narrowed and their necks are tied, waiting for another system that takes care of the affairs of all people: the poor and the rich, the young and old, their men and women, that takes care of the human being as a human being?!
Does she have a better system than that of her Creator to take care of her affairs and ensure her needs?
[أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالأَمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ]
“The creation and the command belong to Him ˹alone˺. Blessed is Allah—Lord of all worlds!” [TMQ Al-A’raf: 54]
Where are these from the true leaders who are conscious of the trust that Allah has entrusted to His servants and which was carried by the best of mankind, his companions, and everyone who was true with Allah?! Whoever is truthful and fulfills the trust has been saved, and whoever falls short and lies has betrayed and will regret a day when regret will not benefit him!
The true leadership bears the call of Allah and reminds of honesty with Allah, bears the concern of this message and the concern of this religion and works to defend it and honour it on earth, not fearing the blame of the blamer and not being deterred by the few who follow this path. It is the one who works to guard the law of Allah and is based on making him rule the earth with all strength and solidity. Does not compromise, does not compliment, does not tolerate. It has the determination with which to conquer all hesitation, and the courage and boldness that negates any slackening or regression from it. It is honest and its sincerity with Allah, the Helper, the One who grants victory, the Ever Strong.
True leadership is a responsibility, and everyone who fears Allah fears not giving it its due في رواية عن أبي ذرّ قال: قلت يا رسول الله، ألا تستعملني؟ فضرب بيده على منكبي ثم قال: «يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنَّكَ ضَعِيفٌ، وَإِنَّهَا أَمَانَةُ، وَإِنَّهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ خِزْيٌ وَنَدَامَةٌ، إِلَّا مَنْ أَخَذَهَا بِحَقِّهَا، وَأَدَّى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ فِيهَا» Abu Dharr told that he asked Allah‘s Messenger to make him a governor, but he patted him on his shoulder with his hand and said, “You are weak, Abu Dharr, and it is a trust which will be a cause of shame and regret on the day of resurrection except for him who undertakes it as it ought to be undertaken and fulfils his duty in it.” In a version he said to him, “I see that you are weak, Abu Dharr, and I wish for you what I wish for myself. Do not accept rule over two people and do not become guardian of an orphan’s property.” [Narrated by Muslim]
The true leadership is that their concern is based on implementing Allah’s rulings upon people to illuminate their lives with it, so that the perfection of Allah’s Shariah is manifested in solving their problems, securing their needs and ensuring a decent life for them, spreading justice and mercy among them and making them feel secure in it and they will enter Islam in groups. The true leader is the one who does not see the world unless it is governed by, dominated, and guided, by Allah’s laws because he is certain of Allah’s promise of empowerment and victory for His faithful servants.
The true leader is the one who places the great trust above all considerations, as our master Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who drew from the best of creation and accompanied him in his emigration."فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ يَعْبُدُ مُحَمَّداً ﷺ فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً ﷺ قَدْ مَاتَ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ"“Whoever amongst you worshipped Muhammad (pbuh), then Muhammad (pbuh) is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and will never die.”
In a decisive step, it preserved the unity of the state and eliminated apostasy.
The true leader is a leader who does not lie to his people, is honest with Allah and His Messenger and the believers, works day and night to restore the glory and honour of Islam and unites the Muslims under the banner of monotheism and unites them in one state in whose shade they live a life of strength and honour by which they conquer enemies, humiliate them, rule them and lead them with the just rulings of Allah.
The true leadership is the one that places its covenant with Allah at the top of its actions, because it believes that this is an obligation upon it and a legal duty that must be adhered to. It is the leadership that renews this covenant every now and then and assures that there is no rest for it unless the law of Allah rules the world and Islam returns its glory and becomes the only leadership that brings people out from the darkness of human rule to the light of the rule of the Lord of humanity a leadership that only cares about implementing Allah’s rule and living under its sun’s shade.
It is a leadership united in a political party, Hizb ut Tahir, that works to resume life with Islam, does not want a position and does not seek a worldly honour, but rather fears Allah as if it sees Him and is honest in the implementation of the covenant it made until the banner of monotheism rises in the sky and the religion is all to Allah and there is no command but His. What a great leadership it is that was true with its Lord: in Him it relied, and in His promise it clung to and was certain.
[مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلاً]
“Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration -.” [TMQ Al-Ahzab: 23].
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
Zeina As-Samit