The following is the transcript of an address from the Ameer of Hizb ut-Tahrir, Sheikh Ata Abu Rashta, to Muslims living in the West:

 All Praise to Allah who said:

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُم فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
"Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them." [TMQ An-Nur: 55]

And peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم who said: "Whosever dies without a Bay'ah on his neck he shall die the death of Jahilliyah."

I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship other than Allah سبحانه وتعالى Who said:

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ
"And We wished to do a favour to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors." [TMQ Al-Qassas: 5]

And I bear witness that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم who is His servant and Messenger said: "Then there will be a Khilafah "Caliphate" on the way of the Prophethood."

All Praise to Allah سبحانه وتعالى and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم and His family, companions and all those who followed him.

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu

O Muslims gathered in the Western lands:

Indeed, the lands of Islam remain without a Khaleefah to unite the Muslims, who will establish the rules of Islam and fight Jihad with them in the Path of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and shade them under the Banner of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, the banner Laa ilaaha illallah Muhammadur Rasoolallah.

Indeed, the lands of Islam have been cut up into more than 55 states while they should have been one state ruled by one Khaleefah. Hence they became weak after being strong and they became humiliated after having honour and dignity.

The lands of Islam are being controlled by the Kafir colonialists and their armies as in Afghanistan and Iraq or by the spreading of their bases as in the Arabian peninsula, the Gulf, Pakistan, Uzbekistan or by using other forms of influence whether politically, economically and culturally as we can see in other Muslim countries. This is done by the consent and approval of the puppet rulers of the Muslims for the sake of the Kafir colonialists or at times even without any need for the approval and consent of these rulers.

The lands of Islam have become booty to be plundered for every Kafir with ambition. Their funds are kept in banks in the West to support its economy and make the rich richer whilst the Muslim masses collapse under the burden of mounting poverty. And this, despite having their wealth and resources but which are being exploited by the Kafir colonialists and a handful of agents in the Muslim countries. And the Muslims who own the wealth are prevented from benefiting from it whilst it is in front of them. The following couplets are an expression of their situation:

Like the well bred camels in the desert killed by the thirst
While the water is being carried on their very backs

O Muslims gathered in the Western lands:

The lands of Islam used to be the minaret of the world and the beacon for mankind. The Muslims used to be the centre of attention and heard all across the world for more than thirteen centuries. They were the best Ummah brought forth for mankind. If they said a word it would reverberate in all corners of the world and if they did an action the fear would enter the hearts of the Kafireen. They were strong due to their Lord and dignified by their Deen. Their Khaleefah used to address the clouds saying: "Go and send down rain wherever your Lord wishes but your rain will always fall on the land of Islam, under the shadow of the authority of Islam." The cry for help by a Muslim woman oppressed by the enemy was enough for the Khaleefah to mobilise the army and march with him at its head and demolish the fortress of the enemy and avenge for the injustice done to the woman and return her honour and dignity.

The Islamic lands, Ummah and State were a refuge for the oppressed and a fortress for the weak. This was not only for its citizens but also for states of other religions who felt weak and sensed they will be attacked so they did not find anyone to help other than the Sultan of the Muslims. France's call for the Sultan of the Muslims to help them in the sixteenth century to save their king from being taken captive by their enemies is well known when Sulayman al-Qanuni, the Sultan of the Muslims at that time answered their call and saved their king.

O Muslims gathered in the Western lands:

The time for the return of the Khilafah "Caliphate" on the way of the Prophethood has come in view once again. You have brothers in the Islamic lands working day and night with strength and resolve to resume the Islamic way of life by establishing the Righteous Khilafah "Caliphate" which Allah سبحانه وتعالى has promised to His believing servants and whose glad tiding the Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم has given us.

Your brothers in the Islamic lands, the Shabab of Hizb ut-Tahrir, are hastening their steps to achieve their objective, they will not be stopped by those who harmed them and go against them, and nor by the Kafir colonialists and their agents who are punishing them with imprisonment and torture leading to martyrdom as we can see happening in the prisons of the Taghuts, especially by the Taghut of Uzbekistan. The most recent person to be martyred at his criminal hands is 'Arif Ishanov. Despite this the Shabab of the Hizb have not yielded and nor has their resolve weakened Rather they have increased in strength when the calamity gets worse. They look forward to the dawn the more the darkness of the night increases. And whatever the circumstances they feel assured of the victory of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and the clear victory.

The Kuffar and their agents have exerted their utmost effort to spread secularism in the Muslim lands and separated Islam from life. They allowed the 'Ibadaat or a part of it and banned the transactions (mu'amalaat), punishments ('uqubaat), ruling, politics and Jihad.

They said the 'Ibadaat was more or less has been taken from the Deen but these rules (i.e. the transactions) have nothing to do with the Deen and so they separated the former from the latter. Your brothers in the Islamic lands have strengthened their resolve to bring back the complete implementation of the Islamic rules. So that the Takbeer of the Musalli will be said together with the Takbeer of the Mujahid in his Jihad (Takbeer). And the joy of the one who is fasting at the time of breaking his fast will be felt together with the joy of the soldier when he is given the victory. And the Takbeers of the Muslims will be heard from the rooftops of the Muslims in joy due to the return of their Khilafah "Caliphate" and their honour just as the Takbeers of the Muslims will be heard from the places of their Salah in their 'Eids.

O Muslims gathered in the Western lands:

Today I am sending my Salaams from afar, on the day of the opening of your powerful conference. Tomorrow by Allah's سبحانه وتعالى permission the messenger of the Khaleefah, the ambassador of the Islamic State, will open your conference in the Western lands. Today I will remind you of the Promise of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and the good news of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم of the return of the Righteous Khilafah "Caliphate". And tomorrow the messenger of the Khaleefah will remind you of the favour and blessing of Allah سبحانه وتعالى because He سبحانه وتعالى has given victory and strengthened His سبحانه وتعالى soldier. Today I remind you that you are part of an Islamic Ummah and so do not be separated from her. The Ummah's issue is your issue and her call is your call. So carry the call wherever you are, for you are the part of the Ummah at the forefront in the Western lands. And tomorrow the Messenger of the Khaleefah will remind you that you are the eyes of the Ummah over her enemies. And you are at the forefront of the Ummah in carrying her banner and the vanguards of victory in the near future.

O Muslims gathered in the Western lands:

Hold tightly together and raise your heads high for you are from a great Ummah, an Ummah brought forth for mankind. Make your Takbeer together and raise your voices together.

وَاللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ وَلَن يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ
"Allah is with you and He will never decrease the reward of your good deeds." [TMQ Muhammad:35]

Wassalamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu,

Your brother,

Ata Abu Rashta
Ameer Hizb ut-Tahrir
September 2003