News Right Now: A Homecoming?

Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s recent visit to New York has shown just how far the Syrian revolutionary movement has drifted from its early purpose! Once known as a voice for the people’s uprising, Al-Sharaa’s appearance among Western politicians and diplomats in this visit revealed the huge shift towards seeking approval from those who long opposed the revolution. His meetings, the polite smiles, and the careful political language all carried the look of acceptance and respectability, but at the cost of sincerity. What began as a struggle for freedom from oppression and independence from the Assad tyranny has resembled the blatant effort to win recognition from the very powers that helped crush that dream!

This shift became even clearer when recalling Abu Muhammad al-Jolani’s meeting with former CIA director David Petraeus; a meeting full of smiles, laughter, and peace greetings between a general, a former captor, and a once-pursued militant. Petraeus, who had been the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq when al-Jolani was detained by American forces, had once placed a $10 million bounty on his head. Jolani spent several years in the infamous Camp Bucca prison between 2006 and 2011, only gaining release after Petraeus had left Iraq. The same detention system that produced many figures later involved in violent conflicts, including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of ISIS. The irony of the moment was striking: Petraeus, the man under whose command Jolani had been imprisoned, reportedly expressed admiration for him, calling him a capable leader. Even more revealing was Jolani’s own behavior — warm, deferential, and disturbingly comfortable in the presence of his former jailer. To underline the political role now assigned to him, Jolani spoke about Syria’s potential relations with the Jewish entity occupying Palestine, responsible for massacres and repeated attacks on Syrian soil, including the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon. Yet despite these crimes, he suggested that a security agreement with the occupier could be possible and did not rule out full normalization. It was not diplomacy, but disgrace. A scene that laid bare how a man once seen as a revolutionary now served to advance the very agendas the revolution had risen against Jolani’s transformation from a revolutionary leader into a tool of counter-revolution raises serious questions about what went wrong. His change was not just personal; it symbolized the way the revolution itself was stripped of its purpose when its leaders abandoned Islam and her principles for worldly gains. The West, as it always does, deceitfully took advantage of this weakness, turning former symbols of resistance into partners for control. What was once a call for liberation and justice became an effort to manage and contain the revolution, making it safe for those who feared true change. Without a clear Islamic vision, even the strongest of movements can be diverted and defeated let alone passionate individuals.

For us watching these events unfold, the message should be clear: we are not to put our trust in individuals, no matter how inspiring they seem. Time and time again, leaders have risen and fallen because their goals were not built on a firm Islamic foundation. True success lies not in the promises of men, but in the political obligation that Allah and His Messenger (saw) have outlined — the re-establishment of the Khilafah (Caliphate) upon the method of the Prophet (saw). This system alone can unite the Muslim Ummah, protect its dignity, and free it from dependence on foreign powers once and for all.

Allah (swt) says:

[وَلَا تَرۡكَنُوۡۤا اِلَى الَّذِيۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُۙ وَمَا لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ اَوۡلِيَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنۡصَرُوۡنَ]

“And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would have no protectors other than Allah, nor would you be helped.” [Surah Hud verse 113]

Seeking the approval or partnership of oppressors and those who oppose the truth has always been a clear warning for us. It’s a reminder that safety and victory come only from Allah (swt), not through alliances or recognition from worldly powers. Therefore, our trust and loyalty must rest solely with the divine system of Islam — the Khilafah — and not with individuals who bend their principles to win favor from those who oppose it. May Allah (swt) grant us this victory!

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