Press Release
MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HIZB UT-TAHRIR BEING ‘A POLITICAL PARTY'

Immediately after finishing the International Khilafah "Caliphate" Conference organized by Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa on 27th Rajab 1430 Hijri (19th July, 2009) at Kichangani Mosque, Magomeni, Dar es Salaam, a phenomenally successful conference that was attended by thousands of both genders, mixed feelings emerged especially with respect to misconceptions about the meaning of Hizb ut-Tahrir being a political party.

Due to this misconception we would like to clarify and explain the followings:

1.The word ‘Siyasah' is an Arabic term in origin and did not originate from the Bantu languages (languages with African roots). According to Islam, the word means to ‘supervise people and look after their affairs' including enjoining good and forbidding evil as well as guiding them on what they should and should not do according to the Islamic Shari'ah. Similarly this ‘Siyasah' is an Islamic obligation that binds every Muslim since it is flows naturally from the creed of Islam. In fact rejecting this concept of politics in Islam is similar to reject any other Islamic tenet such as prayer and fasting.

It is also important to understood that the concept of politics in Islam is radically different from the politics conducted by secular/democratic parties since the creed that Islam is built upon is entirely different from the secular democratic creed. Hence their understanding of politics is entirely different

1.Politics/siyasah which is looking after the affairs of the people is implemented in two ways according to Islam. Firstly, it is undertaken practically by the State via imposing specific policies upon the people, and secondly it is undertaken intellectually by non-State actors who are confined to enjoining good and forbidding evil and accounting the State, an aspect that can be undertaken by any individual, group or party. Hizb ut-Tahrir confines its politics to the second aspect only.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is an Islamic political party and all its thoughts are extracted from Islamic sources according to their evidences from the Qur'an and Sunnah. Those Islamic evidences forbid participation in the politics based on the democratic system which is built on secularism, a thought that directly contradicts Islam.

It is of paramount importance to be clearly understood that Hizb ut-Tahrir never uses any violence or material actions in its methodology of change. Moreover it does not even intend to establish the Islamic State in East Africa nor does it intend to engage in political struggle against the government. It strictly confines itself to calling to Islam through an intellectual struggle in the society. From this basis it is clear that there is no cause for a tug of war between it and the government.

Having said that and after clarifying the above, now when we say that Hizb ut-Tahrir is a political party we do not intend by ‘political party' a ‘democratic political party' represented by democratic politicians and governed by the statue related to registration of political parties. In fact politics from our perspective is something entirely different. Hence Hizb ut-Tahrir is a political party according to Islam that aims to look after affairs of the people intellectually outside of the scope of a democratic Parliament.

Futhermore, it would be a disastrous comedy of errors if we would on the one hand criticize democracy and yet, on the other hand, we want to be a stakeholder participating in democracy! The clear and doubtless corruption of democracy has been widely exposed in many Hizb ut-Tahrir writings including our booklet: "Democracy is Rule of Kufr" that was sold in hundreds on the day of the aforesaid conference.

In short, politics in Hizb ut-Tahrir's understanding is quite different from a democratic one that gives human being the ‘right' to legislating laws instead of Allah Ta'ala. From this basis, and this is the Islamic viewpoint, we are absolutely not allowed to either participate in democratic elections or affiliate with any democratic political party.

Regarding the nonsensical, shallow and hostile statements being made by some of the Christian leaders as quoted by some of the daily newspapers: One of them is Pastor Christopher Mtikila who was quoted by ‘Uhuru' of Tuesday 21st July, 2009 on page 3 as saying that: "All who have come forward to introduce this political party deserve to be arrested and prosecuted." Another was Archbishop Kilaini of Dar es Salaam who was quoted by ‘Habari Leo' of the same date on page 2 as inciting the government to take firm action on this particular issue.

We note that these church ‘leaders' are, to their great misfortune, talking nonsense and out of ignorance with the aim to instigate the government to ban Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa without any legal basis.

Without doubt, these statements are a clear indication of their hatred against Islam and Muslims and remind us of the words of truth from Allah Ta'ala:

[قَدْ بَدَتْ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمْ الآياتِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ]

"Rank hatred has already appeared in their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse indeed" [TMQ 3:118]

These church ‘leaders' are exploiting this issue apparently to achieve their narrow interests contrary to the rights of Muslims to propagate their deen of Islam, yet it is Muslims who are the clear majority of Tanzanian citizens!

Through this press statement, and as part of undertaking intellectual struggle, Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa openly challenges these two Christian leaders to participate in a public and open rational debate with us within the next two weeks, at a day and time of their choosing provided it is at an open and conducive venue for public audience. This debate will expose, in public, which thought is truthful between their opinions and our Islamic creed.

It is our hope that these leaders will not hesitate to respond this call of debate since it will solely rely on rational proofs and will benefit the whole society.

Masoud Msellem
Official Media Representative of the International Khilafah "Caliphate" Conference
Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa