On 15th Rabee' Awwal 1433 - 07/02/2012, one hundred and seven Muslim Scholars issued a statement regarding what is going on in Syria, in which they included fatwas of the sanctity of Muslim blood and other rights; that it is not permissible for the Syrian army and the security recruits to kill anybody (of the citizens), nor to continue in their jobs. They called for the support of the Free Army. They also called upon the Arab and Islamic countries to take serious positions towards the Syrian regime and the countries that support it like Russia and China. They called as well for the unification of the ranks of the opposition in order to build their state on the basis of justice, preservation of rights, establishment of liberties and the establishment of the institutions that preserve the unity and interests of the country. They declared their support for every effort that protects the blood of the Syrian people, leading to free elections that ensure fair rotation of authority and compensation the victims.

It is good to issue a statement by scholars from various Muslim countries, so bypassing borders; a matter that confirms the issues of Muslims are one.

But it is deplorable that the statement did not mention any Islamic solution, seemingly meaning to please parties that Allah (swt) disapproves of: the infidel capitalist West and the regimes that do not govern with the revelation of Allah.

A statement of Muslim scholars is supposed to be specific, explicit and bold, where it pronounces matters unequivocally. So, it should express the real Islamic position towards what is going on in Syria and all other Muslim countries. They should have sent in it a sincere call to all Muslims to take a vigil and sincere stance with their Lord, and their deen. They should have declared that the Islamic Ummah is unified over her issues, her peace and her war; that she is not divided by barriers or frontiers, and nor by regimes that divide them for the interests of Western countries, which struggle with each other over you as the wolves do over sheep.

We in Hizb ut-Tahrir - Syria turn to the scholars reminding them, firstly, that they are the heirs of the Prophet (saw) and the custodians of His deen. Allah has taken their covenant that they must explain the Truth to the people and not hide it. We remind them that Allah sees them and hears them. These are some of the definite (qat'ee) divine rules, over which Muslim scholars would be sinful if they hid them and did not explain them:

• It is a legal duty upon Muslim scholars to declare clearly and unequivocally that it is legally required of Muslims in Syria to overthrow the Syrian regime because it is first and foremost a system that does not rule by Islam.

• It is a legal duty upon Muslim scholars to show that the method of change must be according to the method of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and that the change must be pure and achieved by all of Muslims, including their scholars, their leaders, their common folk and the influential people amongst them. They should make this change with their own hands, for they are the ones that have the real and actual forces of change in the country.

• It is a legal duty upon Muslim scholars to explain to the influential people in Syria that they have two legitimate obligations: to protect their families and support their deen in order to establish the Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" as the Ansar of Allah and His Messenger and the believers did in Medina.

• It is a legal duty upon Muslim scholars to explain that demanding of a civil State or a secular atheistic State is false because the systems of such a State are illegal and are prohibited to adopt, implement or call for.

• It is a legal duty upon Muslim scholars to explain the prohibition of foreign intervention in Muslim countries; whether they were America and European countries who claim hypocritically they support the people of Syria, or they were Russia and China, which express their open hostility against them. All of these countries are unanimous in their hostility towards Islam and on their fight against it - though each has its own way.

• It is a legal duty upon Muslim scholars to explain the prohibition of demanding the intervention of the UN Security Council for securing international protection; because its laws are kufr laws, and its objectives are linked to the objectives of the super powers, led by America.

Therefore, if Muslim scholars wish to be righteous, they have to declare that the issue of Muslims in all of their countries is one; the legal solution of it is one; and that the tyrant regimes that govern Muslims with other than the revelation of Allah must be overthrown; and that an Islamic State must be established in its place.

O Dear Distinguished Scholars in all Muslim countries:

It is time that you say the word of Truth after long silence, and that you would work to establish the promised second guided Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" after a long wait. We wish Ash-Sham, which Allah has blessed, be the heart of its land. So, give yourselves an opportunity at this critical moment of this labour that awaits the birth of the Islamic State. He says:

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الأرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate any with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. (24: 55)

"...the UN emerged chiefly as a result of an agreement among the great powers led at that time by Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. They concluded that the founding of a world organization was in the interests of their respective states. One should ask why they concluded this and then set those reasons alongside the idealism." Mark Mazower

The recent double veto by Russia and China against the UN resolution calling for Assad's removal has attracted much international criticism and has again exposed the role of the UN as a colonial tool for helping major powers to protect their interests in the Muslim world. The latest tussle at the UN is in many ways, a re-run of the Iraq vote in 2003 and demonstrates vividly the division of major powers on safeguarding their material interests in Syria. Back then, Russia and France vetoed Anglo-American efforts to seek international legitimacy for their invasion of Iraq and the toppling of Saddam's regime.

This time, China and Russia have joined forces to secure their strategic interests through the prolongation of Assad's regime, while America, France and Britain are indeferent mood. Both camps are exploiting ‘humanitarian' language to conceal their ulterior motives and justify their respective positions at the UN. However, the saddest aspect to this continuing saga is the unstinting support offered to the undemocratic UN by the rulers of the Muslim world. Somehow these rulers believe that by seeking UN legitimacy and by beseeching major powers, the problems of the Muslim Ummah (nation) can be resolved. Yet, history teaches us the exact opposite.

Since the birth of the UN in 1945, it has been used by the great powers to cement their hegemony all over the world. No people have suffered more at the hands of the UN than the Muslim Ummah. The West have used the UN to divide the Muslim lands such as the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan, dismemberment of Bosnia and the separation of East Timor from Indonesia. Furthermore, the UN is used by the America to plunge a dagger deep into the heart of the Ummah by creating Israel in 1948, and supporting its existence by issuing 58 vetoes since 1972.

On the behest of Western powers, the UN has played a pivotal role in isolating Muslims from each other. In the 1990s severe sanctions were imposed against Iraq, Sudan, Iran and Afghanistan. These sanctions led to the death of millions of Muslims. When asked on 60minutes about the death of half a million Iraqi children. The US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said," I think this is a very hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it." Furthermore, the West used the UN to justify the invasion of Somalia, and the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Other major powers possess a notorious record of killing Muslims by making a mockery of the UN. The UN has done little to stop the killing fields of Chechnya, or the indiscriminate massacre of Muslims in East Turkmenistan (Xinjiang province in China). Both Russia and China have repeatedly prevented the UN from investigating such atrocities. Clearly then the major powers are doing their utmost to suppress Islam and Muslims. Allah says: "Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light (by blowing) with their mouths, but Allah will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)." [TMQ As-Saff: 08-09)

Given the UN's criminal record against the Muslim world, its hostile efforts to suppress Muslim unity and its inability to restrain American hegemony, it is unimaginable why the rulers of the Muslim world blindly submit to the UN and hold it in such great esteem. Such leaders have truly betrayed Allah (SWT) and the Messenger of Allah (saw). Allah says: "O you who believe! Betray not Allah and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly your Amanat (things entrusted to you and all the duties which Allah has ordained for you)."[TMQ: Al Anfal:27]

Any sane ruler with a modicum of common sense should have realised by now that severing ties with the UN would give them a better chance of fighting imperialism and protecting the honour of the Muslim Ummah.

As for the ordinary Muslims who cling on to faint ray of hope that the UN will rescue them from their predicament, should take heed in the ayah: "And do not incline to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you; and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall you be helped." (TMQ Hud: 113)

Today, the bitter irony is that while the rulers of the Muslim world pledge their loyalty to the UN, major powers realise UN's limitations and still pursue their nefarious agenda to subdue the global Islamic revival. In the case of Syria - America and Britain (just as they did in 2003 in Iraq) are exploring alternative means of bringing down Assad's regime. They have solicited the support of Qatar and Turkey to protect their interests in Syria.

The only source of protection from the aggression of major powers and their instrument of international tyranny- the UN-is in the emergence of a powerful Islamic State. In actual fact, it was the Ottoman Caliphate's march towards Europe that spurred European nations to conclude the Treaty of Westphalia and international law was born. The Ottoman Caliphate stood firm against international law with such resoluteness, that for many years it was able to demand warring countries to sign up to peace treaties on its terms and without surrendering the Ummah's resources, or compromising Islamic values.

Muslims must no seek help from the UN, but redouble their efforts to re-establish the Caliphate and given bayah to the Caliph who will protect them from the onslaught of the major powers. Muslim narrated on the authority of al-A'araj, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind whom the people fight and by whom they protect themselves."

Abed Mustapha