Does the Revolution in Tunisia mark the end of the era of the ruthless dictators and the beginning of the era of Khilafah Islamiyah? What is the role of the da’wah and global jihad amidst the political uproar in the Islamic countries which are affected by the domino effect from the revolution in Tunisia? Are the Islamic ummah ready to lead the world with the return of the Khilafah?
The Revolution Of A Vegetable Seller
The revolution in Tunisia originated from a vegetable seller named Muhammad Bouazizi, aged 26. Muhammad Bouazizi is a symbol of the oppressed youths in the area of Sidi Bouzid Sidi, 300 kilometers south of the capital of Tunisia. There are many youths who hold a bachelor degree there but day to day are just hanging out at the cafés in the dusty streets of the poor cities, showing the failure of governments in guaranteeing decent works.
Bouazizi, had been a vegetable seller for seven years until the police confiscated his vegetable cart on 17th December 2011 by accusing him of selling without license. Bouazizi had already tried paying 10 Tunisian dinars and paid another 7 dollars approximately, but he was slapped instead and was spat upon and his father who had died was insulted. Bouazizi could not accept being humiliated like that, and he reported it to the provincial headquarters hoping his complaints would be heard. However, as is usually the manner of the officials, they did not even want to meet him. Bouazizi then took his own steps, he doused fuel onto his body and burnt himself. It turned out that Bouazizi did not only burn himself but also burnt the anger of the entire Tunisian population against the dictatorship of the ruling regime.
Ben Ali, the dictator had the time to visit Bouazizi on 28th December to dampen the fire that had already burned the people of Tunisia. However, the fire fire in the chest of the people of Tunisia could no longer be extinguished, and on 14th January, only 10 days after Bouazizi died, the dictatorship of Ben Ali was overthrown by an intifadhah which was triggered by a vegetable seller.
Ben Ali, the dictator of Tunisia who had been in power for 23 years is a symbol of the secular governments of the Muslim countries, especially in the Arab world, who failed to perform his system of administration in all aspects of life. Unemployment, economic liberalization, free market are the sources of problems for Tunisia. Especially that Tunisia does not have the natural resources and is very highly dependent on foreign countries. Plus the corrupt and repressive government and the reticence of political access, then the sufferings of the Tunisians is complete which eventually led to the resistance for a change. A revolution had begun.
The End Of The Dictators?
The collapse of the dictatorial regime of Tunisia turned out to be a particular concern for all dictators, especially in the Arab countries. They worry that the people in their country would make the revolution in Tunisia as an inspiration, and that’s what happened today!
Abdul Bari Atwan, editor Al-Quds Al-Arabi based in London wrote an article entitled “Thank You Tunisians”, expressed the concerns of the Arab dictators caused by the Tunisian revolution.
“These are critical days for most of the dictatorship of the Arab leaders. The conditions of life in Tunisia is still better compared to most other Arab countries. Furthermore, the dictator in Tunisia was less repressive than in the other Arab world.
Abdul Bari Atwan, who wrote the book “The Secret History of Al-Qa’ida” (telling about Sheikh Usamah bin Ladin and Al-Qaeda) also provided an interesting advice for the U.S. government related to the revolution in Tunisia. Atwan advises the U.S. Government to prepare an island in the Pacific Islands to accept the Arab allies and other dictators.
An expert on Arab politics , Hussein Majdoubi also analyzed the possibility of a revolution, similar to the one in Tunisia, that would spread to Arab countries. The rulers of Morocco, Libya, Algeria and Egypt according to him are the targets of the next revolution. He was also disappointed with the West which continues to provide support to the Arab dictators and ignores the sad state of politics.
Clovis Maksoud, former Arab League envoy for the UN, said that the Tunisian revolution is an inspiration in the Arab world used by the countries which have dictatorial regimes. In an interview with Press TV, he said “The Tunisian revolution is one of the most inspirational in the Arab world in this contemporary time.”
Yvonne Ridley, a Muslimah journalist who was also a muallaf (Muslim convert ) from London, UK, believes that the people in the Arab world today has lost their sense of fear for the Arab regimes which are oppressive and corrupt as supported by the power of America and Europe, and which will start falling like dominoes. She continued:
“The first thing to do is to send the Air Force One to assemble all the dictators, tyrants and despotic rulers who are paid by America and bring them all to Washington. Like the pet droppings in the New York Central Park, you must be responsible for the mess your dogs!”
The people’s revolution in Tunisia makes the Arab dictators panicky. The thing that happened to Ben Ali is an insult that has never happened to an Arab leader before. An extraordinary event, when the Tunisian dictator who had been in power for 23 years was finally overthrown by the people’s resistance who are frustrated and sick of the system that had governed them all these time. The era of the dictators appears to be ending soon.
The Domino Effects Of The Tunisian Revolution
The act of the vegetable seller, Muhammad Bouazizi, that sparked the Tunisian revolution turned out to be an immediate inspiration for the people in some other Arab countries. There were nearly a dozen people who imitated the action of self-immolation in several Arab capitals, some of which were in Cairo and Algeria. In fact, until now, demonstrations demanding the departure of the Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak, is still continuing to happen in the city streets of Egypt. Egypt is now in turmoil.
The protesters in Egypt even burnt the government buildings in the Suez port town. Protests against the dictatorial government of Hosni Mubarak continued to happen in Egypt. Protesters also threw Molotov cocktails at the government buildings. The burning and throwing of bombs were also carried out at the headquarters of the ruling party, National Democratic Party.
Thousands of Egyptians took to the streets across the country to continue their protests the likes of which had never been seen before, defying the ban of the government which was earlier announced by the Interior Minister. The Protesters burned tires and threw stones at the police in Cairo, while the fully armed riot police were deployed in major cities to dissolve the masses opposing the three decades dictatorial rule of Egypt under Mubarak.
Clashes were also reported in the cities of Alexandria and Suez, where the security forces used water cannons, tear gases, batons and rubber bullets to disperse the masses. Hundreds have been killed.
Large scale demonstrations in Egypt have been running for two weeks and to date it got even more heated. The Egyptian police even shot 17 people who were trying to attack the police station in Cairo, Egypt. This action occurred following a statement by the dictator Hosni Mubarak, who refused to step down. This statement further heated the atmosphere instantly and pepped up tens of thousands of masses to take to the streets in major cities in Egypt. The domino effect of the Tunisian revolution is creeping and now happening in Egypt with one common goal, to depose the dictator!
In Yemen, the people are also demanding the resignation of the ruthless dictator, Ali Abdullah Saleh. Thousands of people are demonstrating in the capital, Sanaa, calling for the dictator of 30 years, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to step down. The courage the people of Yemen in trying to overthrow their president emerged after the mass protests in Egypt and the revolution in Tunisia which succeeded in overthrowing the ruling regime.
The people of Yemen complained about the increasing poverty among the young people and frustration with the lack of political freedom. Also complaining about corrupt officials.
“We are gathered today to demand the abdication of President Saleh and his corrupt government,” said the demonstrators.
The Tunisian revolution sparked the solidarity of the common citizens in the Arab world, especially the Muslims who are fed up with the dictatorial and secular system of government which has been applied all these time. After Tunisia, the revolution spread to Egypt, and it could be spreading to Yemen, and probably will continue throughout the other regions of the Arab world. A big change is happening. The Pharaohs are facing the anger and resistance of ‘Moses’ who rose up against oppression!
The Call Of Da’wah & Global Jihad
The Tunisian revolution is also supported and in synergy with the calls of da’wah and global jihad. All geared towards the same end, the implementation of Islamic Shari’ah and the establishment of Khilafah Islamiyah.
Dozens of Muslim activists in London demonstrated in front of the embassy of Tunisia in London, Friday (21/1) calling on the Muslims in Tunisia to apply the Islamic Shari’ah(Khilafah). In the demonstration, Islamic activists carried the inscription “Shari’ah For Tunisia”, in English, Arabic and French. They also shouted “Shari’ah Will Return” and“Khilafah Will Return” followed by echoes of Takbeer!
Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda for the territories of Maghrib or which is better known as AQIM, supported the Tunisian revolution and called for the implementation of the Islamic Shari’ahimmediately in Tunisia. In a 13-minute video, Sheikh Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, the amir of AQIM, stated his support for the rallies of the Tunisians in overthrowing the dictator Ben Ali. In the video posted to jihadist forums, he also provided a number of strategic advices, including their readiness to provide training in the use of weapons.
Sheikh Abu Musab Abdul Wadud also criticized Ben Ali for committing oppression, corruption, and for neglecting the welfare of ordinary people. He asked the demonstrators to immediately overthrow Ben Ali and apply the Islamic Shari’ah law in Tunisia. He said, the Tunisian Muslims should expand the revolution into a nationwide scale.
Leader of AQIM Sheikh Abu Musab Abdul Wadud is the tandzim of Al-Qaeda in Al-Jazair (Algeria), or in full the Tandzim Al-Qaeda Biladil Maghrib Islami (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Countries of North Africa) which until now existed and continues to expand its influence. Previously, before joining Al-Qaeda, this tandzim‘s name was The Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC) or in Arabic “Al-Jama’ah As-Salafiyyah lidakwah wal Qital.”
According to experts, the bases of AQIM increasingly widened to a number of countries, such as Tunisia, Al-Jazair, Mauritania and Mali. The AQIM also said:
“Your disaster is our disaster and your suffering is our suffering.”
What System Will Be Used?
Where is the direction of the Tunisian revolution? Will the Islamic Shari’ah be implemented there? Tunisia is an Arab country with Muslim populations located in North Africa, on the coast of Mediterranean Sea to be exact. Tunisia is bordered with Algeria to the west, and Libya in the south and east.
Among the countries situated in the Atlas Mountains , the region of Tunisia is one of the easternmost and smallest. 40% of the Tunisian region is made up of the Saharan desert, the rest are fertile lands.
Tunisia used the secular system i.e. Republic for regulating its state sand society after getting independence from the kafir French colonial on 20th March 1956. Ben Ali, rose to power through a bloodless coup in 1987 to later become the ruling dictator for a period of 23 years.
When in power, Ben Ali kept on committing evils to the Islamic ummah of Tunisia and this shows that he was a genuine dictator. In fact, Ben Ali is a staunch supporter of Zionist Israel where he forbade the people of Tunisia from carrying out Anti-Israel demos, in fact he even prohibited the efforts of collecting relief aids for the Muslim in Gaza. Too much!
Ben Ali is also a loyal American stooge, as well as anti-Islamic Shari’ah. He banned the jilbab, in the 1990’s, Ben Ali started rounding up Muslims who grew beard in Tunisia- which in truth are people who want to go back to the Islamic Shari’ah– banning them from going to masjids and being at workplaces and learning institutions.
Apparently, Ben Ali and his family also liked to steal the wealth of the Tunisian people while at the same time, the people of Tunisia are left to live in poverty, no job and under opprerssion every day. Corruptions and collusions become a daily meal for Tunisian officials which ultimately makes the people of Tunisia sick with the system of administration and dictatorship of Ben Ali, that they finally were moving against and overthrew the dictator.
After the overthrow of Ben Ali, for the first time in 23 years, Muslim youths performed their prayers in congregation in the streets of the cities in Tunisia. The spirit to return and implement the Islamic Shari’ah became one of the alternatives for the Tunisian folks, especially the youths. This is of course a concern for the secular officials and former proponents of the dictator, Ben Ali.
The Regional Development Minister, Silvan Shalom, expressed his concern about the overthrowing of the dictatorial ruler, Ben Ali, because “This step will facilitate the movement of Islam in this country.”
The Tunisians who do not feel enough with the results of the coup against the government of that country, called for radical changes in politics. They held a mass action demanding the release of political prisoners from the jails of the dictator, Ben Ali.
Most people in Tunisia call for the establishment of an Islamic state and the implementation of Islamic Shari’ah and to ensure the consolidation of the Muslim countries. The people who marched in Tunisia shouted: “There is no other way, there is no other way, Islam is the only solution!” “With our souls, with our blood, we will sacrifice for You, O Islam!”
Standing before the Tunisian army, they addressed this kalimah to: “You in Palestine, you in Iraq, drop the chains of the rulers off your neck and fulfill your duties!” “O Muslim forces, we are ready with you, with our blood, with our souls and our children! Topple the oppressive regimes!”
An appropriate choice for the people of Tunisia is to implement the Shari’ah of Islam and establish the Islamic system of government i.e. by establishing the Khilafah of Islam. The people of Tunisia should be getting this ‘blessing’ from Allah SWT, that with the fall of the dictatorial regime of Ben Ali, they could make use of this precious moment and not be fooled by the gentle persuasion and deceptions of satan which offers the poison of democracy.
A Mujahid had told us a valuable experience in the struggle:
“We are busy with military combats, success is forged on the sincere souls, and we managed to revive the love of dying shaheed. But we forgot to think of power (politics). Because we do not embrace it wholeheartedly. We still view politics as a filthy thing. The result? We are successful in changing the direction of the wind of victory with very invaluable sacrifices, until upon approaching the last chapter, when victory is ready to be plucked, the enemies are opening the fires of “mercy” at us – thus was the vocabulary that they usually use in order to tame us.”
The fact is, until now it is still not known where the Tunisian revolution would gear toward. The situation is still uncertain. At this time, Prime Minister Mohammad Ghannouchi who serves the interim government promised to immediately held an election which will replace the presidential system with a parliamentary system. Of course this promise was just a lie which will not bring about meaningful impacts of change. Because the change of the regime and its system is still in the corridor of the system of democracy which is anti-Islamic Shari’ah.
The change of a regime or dictator in a country is not a sure guarantee for a change in life in that country. Experience has proven that the change of a regime without being followed up by a comprehensive change in the system of life would not bring any change whatsoever. Not to mention the sweet promises of changes and reformation which are always shouted out by the enemies of Islam, who are not prepared for the Islam Shari’ah and Khilafah to be applied as the only system which regulates the life of the Islamic society. In the end, it is democracy which is always offered as the best alternative for a change. Whereas, democracy is a very deadly venomous poison for the Islamic ummahwho are longing for the return of the Islamic Shari’ah in the entire aspects of life. For that, there is no other alternative, and there is no other system for the Islamic ummahanywhere except to reapply the Islamic Shari’ah in kaafah (in its entirety) in the frame of Islamic Khilafah.
Khilafah, Ready To Lead The World
From Nu’man bin Basyir from Hudzaifah bin Yaman radliallahu ‘anhu, he said that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
“The Prophethood will remain among you for as long as Allah wills, then Allah will lift it when He wishes to, then it will be a Khilafah Rashidah on the method of the Prophethood (KHILAFAH ‘ALAA MINHAJIN NUBUWWAH), it will remain for as long as Allah wills, then Allah will lift it if He wishes, then it will be a hereditary leadership (MULKAN ADLON) which will remain for as long as Allah wills, then He will lift it if he wishes, then it will be a tyrannical rule (MULKAN JABARIYYAH), and it will remain so for as long as Allah wills, then He will lift it if He wishes, then it will be a Khilafah on the method of the Prophethood (KHILAFAH ‘ALAA MINHAJIN NUBUWWAH), then he kept silen.” (H.R. Ahmad and Al Baihaqi. Mishkatul Masabih: Bab Al-Indzar wa Tahdzir, Al-Maktabah Ar-Rahimiah, Delhi, India. Page 461. Musnad Ahmad, juz 4, page 273).
The news from Prophet SAW above becomes a glad tiding for the Muslims today. The time or era of the Khilafah (Islamic state system) which follows in the footsteps of prophethood will soon be starting after the collapse of the era of ‘mulkan jabariyah’ or the era of the arrogant (cruel) kings alias dictators.
The phenomena of the Tunisian revolution, followed by the Egyptian and beyond, could be a mark of the truth of the hadith which is believed as the phases of history of the Islamic ummah‘s decline and revival. After the collapse of the last Islamic Khilafah in Turkey, 3rd March 1924, the Muslims entered the bad periods in its history. The system ofIslamic Khilafah was toppled by ‘dajjal’ Mustafa Kemal At-Tatruk, giving birth to the secular system and which gave birth to dictatorial leaders all over the countries of Muslims. It was at that time that the period of “mulkan adlon” ended and the period of “mulkan jabariyyah” alias the dictators was started. These dictators, under the pressure of the West, used the system of secular democracy with elections, as the jargon of freedom and change.
Now the ummah realizes how cruel their kings and leaders, the dictators, are. The system of secular democracy also turned out to be only promise for the winds of paradise without any reality at all. The living condition which is sunken due to applying the system and ideology of kufr democracy ultimately raises the awareness and wind of change in all countries of the Muslims. The Tunisian revolution becomes a trigger, and an inspiration at the same time.
Based on the good news from Prophet SAW, in the haidth about the history of the Islamic ummah, then the collapse of the cruel dictators marks the beginning of the emergence of a system of Islamic Khilafah and the reimplementation of the Islamic Shari’ah in all aspects of life.
The ummah is also longing for the emergence of Al-Mahdi, the figure of a Khalifah who would emerge after the expiration of the period of “mulkan jabbariyah” or cruel dictators. The collapse of Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak, and followed by the other dictators insha Allah, becomes a sign of the nearness of that period promised by Rasulullah SAW, about the emergence of Khilafah Islamiyah based on the method of prophethood. The Tunisian revolution could be an introduction to the promised advent of that period, where the Islamicummah and in fact the entire people of the world will live in peace, prosperity and mercy. Therefore, be prepared O Muslimeen to receive the return of the Khilafah Islamiyah to lead the world!
Wallahu’alam bis sowab!
By: M. Fachry
International Jihad Analysis
Translate By: theunjustmedia.com
Ar Rahmah Media Network
http://www.arrahmah.com
The State of Islamic Media
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