Press Release
Dividing the Country under the Pretext of Self-Determination is Haraam
Barzani Carries out the Enemies’ Schemes under the Shade of his Parliament
(Translated)

The parliament in Kurdistan issued a referendum on secession on Friday 15/9/2017, and the establishment of an alleged state of Kurds in northern Iraq under the pretext of the right to self-determination!! This came in response to Barzani's calls and his confirmation of the scheduled date on 25/9/2017, and closing his eyes on what has become known of the international and regional stances of being impossible to rely on the results of the referendum at the moment, even if it was positive, especially that the US had refused the referendum since the first day Barzani declared his intention to carry it out, to which Brett McGurk responded through his envoy saying: “Having a referendum on such a fast timeline, particularly in disputed areas, would be, we think, significantly destabilizing,” (AFP 8/6/2017). Thereafter, US Secretary of State Rex Tilerson informed Barzani on 11/8/2017 by phone about Washington's desire to postpone the referendum. This is with regards to the international stance. As for the regional stance, Barzani is certain that the declaration of a Kurdish state will not stop at the borders of the Kurdistan region and will automatically attract behind it strong movements storming the Kurds, and this is a painful blow to America and its agents in Turkey, Iran and Syria... And will result in the mixing of papers, and uncontrolled movements, especially the Kurdish region, causing them harm as we mentioned, not only morally and politically, but also materially. Therefore, Barzani's decision to hold the referendum for the establishment of an independent state is in the interest of the enemies and is part of the international conflict in the region. This has led to the opening of the door to disintegration and fragmentation, the door of conflict and internal strife, as well as the political and economic that will damage to them. It will prevent Kurds from living with the rest of the Muslims under one state, and will make the land of Kurdistan a hotbed of colonialism looting their wealth, which Allah (swt) has given them, and will make their land, airports and military bases for the tumultuous countries.

Iraq is an occupied land that is occupied by colonial forces. It has lost its independence due to occupation, its sovereignty has been lost, and its decision-maker is a foreign occupier who believes in a creed different from the creed of the Muslims in Iraq and carries a view of life that differs from that of Muslims in Iraq. It is the decision-maker, and is the one who appointed the Governing Council before, and chose its members; people who serve only its interests, their personal interests, and the nation in Iraq as a whole does not trust them, but accuses them of their loyalty and belonging, and above that, they are not the decision-makers, but the decision is in the hands of the occupying colonial forces. What brings sorrow to the heart is that some of the nation's sons in Iraq who have fallen under the nationalistic, sectarian and ethnic pressures have deliberately worked on tearing the country into lean entities, under the pretext of Union or federation or the right to self-determination, as a prelude to the separation of these entities into independent states, which weakens them all. And will fall under the yoke of colonialism once again.

What is happening in Mesopotamia, which was the capital of the Khilafah for a long time and the birth place of great Muslim leaders who repelled the attacks of the Mongols and Tatars and liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders at a time when Muslims did not say I am an Arab or a Kurd, but I am a Muslim, attesting that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. But after the penetration of nationalist ethnicity and the abhorrent sectarianism, people were divided and quarreled and the colonial Kuffar who created these abhorrent names took control over their lands and necks and brought those who would govern them by their orders.

With regard to these positions, we declare the following facts:

1 – Barzani will not have the strength to declare for the referendum to be carried out under the international and regional oppositions mentioned above, unless a major state stands behind him to encourage him, namely – and certainly - Britain, since the Barzani family had ties with her since the late Ottoman Empire. Britain's position was supportive to the referendum – which was mentioned by British Ambassador Frank Baker during his meeting with the President of the Territory on 24/8/2017, followed by the declaration of Falah Mustafa - Foreign Relations Officer in the region: "Britain is not against the referendum, and does not oppose the Kurdish aspirations", after the meeting of British Secretary of State for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt with Kurdish officials in Erbil. (Source: Kurdistan24 Erbil 5/9/2017).

2- Barzani's insistence on moving forward in the same direction involves family and partisan goals such as staying in power despite the demand of his opponents to step down due to the end of their legal term, and to cover the corruption files in his administration, after demanding a statement of the funds received from the central government and indicating their disbursements... but he did not respond to that. Barzani is now an agent of Britain and his party and family are in a poor position among the masses of people who complain about their injustice, their oppression, their exploitation of money and positions, and there is a strong opposition against them. Therefore, he seeks to save his position and the position of those with him, and to register for himself a historical record as the founder of the state of Kurdistan, while at the same time be an English agent who disrupts American projects and plans.

3- Muslims throughout their history did not know what is called federalism, that is, the system of the union, but the Islamic state was one unit, based on the unitary rather than federal system, i.e. centralization of government and decentralization of administration. It extended its geographical spread from Andalusia to the west, to the borders of China in the east, subject to one Khaleefah, and it had one currency. It was the Khaleefah who appointed and removed the governors. He is the one who mobilizes the armies and opens the lands. He sends messengers to kings and heads of states and accepts their ambassadors. The legislative ruling on the rights of Muslims states that it is fardh to appoint one Khaleefah over them, and that his orders are obeyed and implemented outwardly and domestically. He is the one who adopts the Shari’ah rulings, which are executed as laws. The main language was the Arabic language because it is the language of the Qur’an and the way of understanding Islam, and Ijtihad in the Shara’ cannot be made without it. The Muslims accepted this all with open hearts, and thousands of Persian, Kurd, Turk and Mongol scholars of legislative and Arabic language sciences emerged, among them were Khulafa’, governors, Sultans and army generals, this was all before the Kaffir colonialist divided the unity of Muslims, by using the calls of Jahiliyah (times of ignorance) – like the call to the rotten nationalism, which the Messenger of Allah (saw) warned us of in his (saw) saying: «دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُنْتِنَةٌ»  "Leave it, for it is rotten”.

Indeed, the expropriation of any part of the Muslim lands is prohibited by Islam, and its perpetrators or advocates are subjected to punishment, whether under the name of "regionalism" or "federalism" or "self-determination", regardless of the basis of it whether it was ethnic or sectarian or any other basis... Proven by the saying of the Prophet (saw): «فمَن أرادَ أنْ يُفرِّقَ أمرَ هذهِ الأمَّةِ وهيَ جَميعٌ فاضرِبُوه بالسَّيفِ كائِناً مَن كان»“Whoever wants to divide this Ummah when it is united, strike him with the sword, no matter who he is.” (Narrated by Muslim). i.e. it is agreed upon by consensus that the caller of division should be prevented by any means; because that is contrary to security, and harmful to the Muslims, and if he does not abstain except through fighting then he is fought, and if anything else prevents him then whatever works will be used against him until he stops his evil and harm. This proves to us the keenness of Islam to unite the word and masses, and to prevent chaos. Accordingly, Islam has categorically denied federalism because it is based on the separation of the state into territories, each of which has its own autonomy and its own laws. If it unites in general governance, it is however independent entities in most of its affair, and is not subject to the laws of central government except in some issues. This division is haraam, because it is the first step on the way of dividing the state into small states and entities that the Kaffir enemy does not give credit to, nor give it any importance, as Barzani demands today declaring the Kurdistan region to an independent state on the pretext of impossibility of co-existence and the right to self-determination by independence.

4- We are confident that the Muslim people of Kurdistan still carry the clear doctrine of Islam that refuses to allow the Kurds be helpers of the colonizer Kuffar to tear down the unity of the Muslims and a way to disguise their Arab and Turkoman brothers after Allah has brought their hearts together and thus they became one Ummah throughout the Islamic history ﴾إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ﴿ “Indeed, the believers are but brothers”… How would that not be when the Kurds are the descendants of Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, liberator of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque from the abomination of the Crusaders, Salahuddin Al-Ayoubi who struggled to preserve the unity of the land of Islam, and we urge you not to follow the whims of corrupt politicians and declare your boycott of the referendum scheduled for 25/9/2017, which is considered one of the most terrible plots on Iraq in particular, and Muslims in general.

Your destiny will be in unity with your Muslim brothers, Arabs and Turkmen in one state where sovereignty will be for the Sharia and authority will be for the Ummah, and be one hand as described by the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him:«كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا»“Verily, the believers are like a structure, each one strengthening the other,” against the schemes of the enemies and their colonial plans and work to end their influence and cut their hands. The Kaffir colonizer is sooner or later heading to the demise, and that the Muslim Ummah from the east to the west is being prepared to free herself from the yoke of colonialism and its laws and authority, which was dedicated to divide the Ummah and violate its ruling. And soon, the Righteous Khilafah State (Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood will be declared, and will fill the earth with its light, after having been filled with the darkness of disbelief and tyranny.

O Muslims of the Kurds, align with the truth wherever it is, and let Allah be your goal, and the implementation of Sharia and ruling by what Allah has revealed be your demand, and prevent the Shaytan from accomplishing his intentions and make his plots go against him. Proclaim the word of truth high and loud, ruling is for none other than Allah, not for nationalism, nor for federalism, nor for sectarianism, nor for the so-called self-determination. Yes, to the rule of Allah and to those who judge by what Allah has revealed, whether a Shia or a Sunni. Kurdish or Arab or Turkmen.

﴿وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ﴾

“Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).” [TMQ 22:40]

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Iraq