Following the statement by William Lukuvi (Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office for Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs) recently issued in the Methodist Church in Dodoma and confidently confirmed in the Constitutional Assembly that people of Zanzibar are fighting for a three tier form of government in the union i.e. the government of Tanganyika, the government of Zanzibar and the Union Government so as to proclaim Zanzibar as an Islamic state. We in Hizb state that the statement by the Minister reveals lies and deceit but also some truths.

On the issue of lies in the statement, it is the linking of CUF party as the one with the intention of turning Zanzibar into an Islamic state which is an open lie. CUF is a secular party, which adheres to and defends all principles of secularism. Is Minister Lukuvi unaware that CUF cooperates with his CCM party in the Government of National Unity in Zanzibar?

On the issue of deceit, it is his saying that Zanzibar wants to be turned into an Islamic state. There is no doubt that it is an obligation for Muslims to be ruled by Islam. However, an Islamic state is established at a place with specific qualifications and criterion based on Islam. Zanzibar lacks the qualifications and criterion according to Islamic jurisprudence. Therefore, it cannot be the establishing point of such a state even if the majority of residents are Muslims. The Prophet (saw) established the Islamic state after considering and keenly analyzing whether those offering help (nusrah) to establish the state had the strength to defend and protect his state internally and externally. The Prophet (saw) refused to consider establishing the state from all those who had no substantial power even though some tribes were ready to offer complete support. This concept of power in our times has widened in consideration of several aspects concerning the land which is earmarked as the starting point of the state. On this basis, the Islamic state cannot be established in any place but is established in major Islamic states that own material power starting from those offering ruling support to the characteristics of the concerned country. This implies that it is only a few Muslim countries that can attain such qualifications and criterion.

On the issue of truth in the Lukuvi statement, it is the exhibition of his enmity against Islam and its ruling system of Khilafah "Caliphate". This is a matter expected from politicians and governments of developing countries due to pressure from America and dirty propaganda against Islam, Muslims and all their systems. On the other side, it is an exhibition of entrenching the environment of hatred and enmity between Muslims and Christians. That is why Lukuvi issued the statement inside a church.

In conclusion, Lukuvi and all democratic politicians in developing countries who have been fed with hate and enmity propaganda against Islam need to understand that the Islamic ruling system of Khilafah "Caliphate" will return soon Inshaa Allah and none can prevent it.

((وَقَدْ مَكَرُوا مَكْرَهُمْ وَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَكْرُهُمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ))

"Indeed, they planned their plot, and their plot was with Allah, though their plot was not such as to remove mountains from their places." [Ibrahim: 46]

Masoud Msellem
Deputy Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir
in East Africa