A United Muslim world

When one thinks of the Muslim world, it conjures up images of poverty, corruption and war. Many negative connotations exist about the state of the Muslim world which continues to occupy news space and newspapers. The global media tends to neglect the achievements of the Muslim world and the contributions it made to humanity. The Muslim world has a rich history of development and discovery, the results of which are being reaped today.

Over the last decade, the call for a united Islamic world i.e. the Khilafah has gained momentum and this momentum continues to grow. The possibility of a united Muslim world behind one ruler (Khaleefah) is something that the Muslim Ummah can achieve as this was achieved in the past and even western historians have testified to this fact. The Muslim lands currently posses:

• The Largest population in the world, 1.6 billion
• Largest army in the world
• Control of half of the world's oil and many other natural resources
• Control key strategic naval straits (A third of the world's oil travels through the straits of Hormuz which is between Iran and UAE) and airspace
• Largest land mass
• Nuclear weapons

The golden period of the Ummah saw many technological developments. Muslims utilised technology which Europe at that time could not even dream of. For example, some of the technology we take for granted today would not have existed if mathematical concepts such as algebra did not develop during the golden period of Islam. Computers which are used today would not have been possible if mathematical concepts such as algorithms did not exist. Many scholars such as Donald Routledge Hill express the view that Islam was the driving force behind the Muslim achievements while Robert Briffault even sees Islamic science as the foundation of modern science.

Oliver Joseph Lodge wrote in the Pioneers of Science: "The only effective link between the old and the new science is afforded by the Arabs (Muslims). The dark ages come as an utter gap in the scientific history of Europe, and for more than a thousand years there was not a scientific man of note except in Arabia"

Through the application of Islam, the Ummah was bound by the Islamic systems, this allowed Muslims and non-Muslims to live in peace and security. The Muslim Ummah has to return to its previous position, the one of leadership and honour as this is the only position that will save the Muslim Ummah from the crisis it is currently facing.

If the Khilafah existed today, it would embrace technology, develop an economy that distributes wealth efficiently and establish law and order. The key to a successful state is to have a government that actually takes care of its citizens, as this will allow the Ummah to make advances since their basic needs are being taken care of. Islam makes it an obligation upon the ruler to fulfil the rights of its citizens and this is the reason why the Khilafah was successful in the past. The Khilafah will make use of its resources so that the needs of its citizens are met. Whereas today, the Ummah with its great reserves of mineral resources labours in poverty. No individual or company will have a monopoly over basic utilities that are essential to the Khilafah such as the water sources and oil wells because the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said in a hadith narrated by Abu Dawud:

"The people are partners in three things: water, green pastures and fire (energy)."

The Muslim lands have no shortage of energy resources; however most of the Muslim lands suffer from load shedding and crumbling infrastructure. The majority of the Muslim world faces an energy crisis. The root problem of the energy crisis within the Muslim world is the attempts by many governments in privatising such resources. Privatisation has lead to increased prices of such basic commodities which ensures the masses labour in poverty. The Khilafah brings its assets together and develops the necessary infrastructure so that the citizens of the Khilafah can benefit from them. The large oil reserves (56% of world oil reserves are in the Middle East, Source: EIA) which exist in the Middle East will be used to fulfil the basic energy requirements of the citizens of the Khilafah as energy commodities will be transferred to all parts of the state. This energy policy is one example of what the Khilafah can do to develop

A number of Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia and Turkey have developed aspects of their industry that has allowed them to make technological advancements, especially in their military industries.

Pakistan has been successful in developing defence hardware such as cruise missiles which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, aircrafts and the famous Al - Khalid tank (ranked 7th amongst tanks). If the Muslim armies were to unite under one leader, this army would be the largest army in the world with a force of over 3 million personnel.

The Muslim lands have many strengths and advantages. One key advantage that a united Muslim world has, is control over strategic international airspace and naval straits. During the time of Sultan Muhammad Al Fatih, the Muslims had control over the straits of Bosphorus and ships of other nations could only pass through the Bosphorus if the Islamic state gave permission. In the same way the Khilafah will have control over key strategic straits such as the Bosphorus and Hormuz and control over the airspace that comes under the lands it controls; hence the Khilafah will decide which nation can travel through its straits and fly over its airspace. As a result countries such as the US will find it hard to launch attacks on the Muslim world as the Khilafah will restrict American manoeuvrability.

If the US was not allowed to pass through the straits of Hormuz and use the airspace of Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, it would have been very difficult for the US to attack Iraq and Afghanistan. Fighter Jets cannot fly non-stop from the US to Iraq or Afghanistan, hence the US requires local air bases and aircraft carriers for its operations.

The Khilafah will face many challenges on its emergence and this cannot be underestimated. Due to this, achieving technological development and improving the current situation of the Muslim world will take time, however the key issue is that a united Muslim world has the potential to become a super power. In the current climate the Muslim world has achieved certain milestones and if a sincere Islamic leadership arises, this leadership will guide the Muslim world to new heights and the Khilafah will become the beacon of light for the whole of mankind InshAllah.

The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Indeed Allah gathered up the earth for me so that I saw its eastern and western parts, and indeed the dominion of my Ummah will reach what was gathered up for me from it." [Sahih Muslim]

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Ahmad Kamal Khattak said:

I wonder if there is any unity among the Muslim states at all or not? The reason of disinfect and lagging behind in all the fields of life is not economic shortcomings, it is lack of trust on each other. Let us take the example of Gulf region. It is oil rich, has abundant resources and can become one of the most strongest country on the surface of the earth on if the Arabs start trusting each other. Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, U.A.E. Saudi Arabia and Oman are the most rich countries on the surface of the earth and their economies are almost the same yet they have different currencies. Just imagine what could happen if we have to travel between all these countries and we do not have to take a visa and only if we can use one currency.

I would not make it Utopian but would like to stick to the ground realities. I have a very strong question in my mind which i would like to ask all my friends from the Gulf region? Isn't their wealth enough to help out the poor people of Yemen too who speaks the same Arabic and live on the same Arabian Peninsula. Can't their 23.5 million population helped out with jobs and access to the rest of GCC region. All this requires a little more trust and the feelings of brotherhood and sympathy towards the Muslim brothers. i strongly believe if helped out the same Yemen could prove to be a strong muscle for the Arab world.

What the Big Muslim countries need to do is to open its arms towards its brothers and try to shrug off the divisions of geography as the whole earth belongs to Allah and we belong to one Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). I just thin some times how easy would it become for the people of all the Muslim countries if we join a big alliance where we join our economies through one currency and where we abondon the restriction of movement between the Muslim countries. How beneficial it would become for all of us. This is the need of the hour. We need one parliament which we can term as Shura for the whole Muslim world. Which must take care of the weak ones too along with catering to the needs of wealthy nation. The example of European Union is ahead of us. We need our government systems to establish one language as the language of the government like Arabic which defines the law equally the same for everyone. Only then can the whole Muslim world reach the Zenith which all the intellectuals in the whole Muslim world yearns for!

May Allah give us enough strength to fight back all the injustices and to establish Khilafah. Amin.

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March 02, 2010
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tiphique said:

	A.W.W. Let us not forget that to create a united muslim world,we have to share a general understanding of some important issue in islam eg the true concept of jihad,the death of jesus and the prophecies in the hadith that talked of his second coming as the messaih cos chosing khilafah is divine.PLS CAN U WRITE ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS a.s?
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February 12, 2010
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Annas I. Wibowo said:

	Thank you very much hizbut tahrir. The muslim world will not rest and continue fighting for our fight is our paradise.
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February 09, 2010
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someone said:

	NATO is giving it their al in this desperate effort in helmand to wipe out those espousing and attempting to establish Islam. Likewise, Muslims must hasten to be with their brothers in the hills of Afghanistn to give it their all to establish their ideology, and defend their woman and children before this war is over. They should hasten to fully unify this ummah once again.
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February 08, 2010
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dr q a said:

AA...

As always interesting material for muslims to read on this website... Can I request K.com to write something about the role of Muslims in the west and the role of the Ambassadors of the Khilafah to other states... I understand that the role of ambassadors would be a complex issue but there can still be general points to understand in it... As for the role of Muslims in the west those of us who want a Khilafah and waiting for it everyday how do we win the hearts and minds of the non Muslims to create an interest about islam in them... in view of the negative image and the constant attacks of the western media against Islam and Muslims...??

Masalam

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February 08, 2010
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