By Majed Iqbal- National press, News stations, World Leaders, Blogs, websites; Hardly a day goes by without any reference being made to Caliphate. Worldwide, a serious attention is being given to this concept. It is being debated in Political and Academic circles; both from the West to the East.
British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and his new cabinet have also entertained the discussion already. So what is the whole debate about? Why is this word on the tongues of politicians? Does it deserve any merit? Why the current infatuation with it? The Brown government re-defined its approach in tackling 'extremism' in Britain in reaction to the unfortunate Glasgow events. It dropped the labels of 'War on Terror' and abstained from using 'Islam' and 'Muslim' in the public domain in making any reference to tackling 'extremism' and ''terrorism'. The rhetoric continued, however, with a new array of words utilised with similar implications. In an interview with BBC’s Andrew Marr on the Sunday AM show (Sunday 1/7/2007), Gordon Brown stated:
“The terrorist threat we're dealing with is about a long term and sustained attack on the values that we represent...... And that's why the cultural effort, almost similar to what happened during the Cold War in the nineteen forties, fifties and sixties when we had to mount a propaganda effort, if you like, to explain to people that our values represented the best of commitments to individual dignity, to liberty and to human life being taken seriously. And I think that's what we are going to have to talk about in the next few years"
Hence, Gordon brown, interestingly began to allude that there is battle of ideas which need to be won and made some comparisons with Britain's experience in tackling the 'red threat' in the past. No differently now, with the emergence in popularity for the caliphate in the Muslim world, Political Islam, which is the call to re-define the political landscape in the Muslim world for islamic Rule is now being maligned.Tony Blair, the outgoing PM made reference to it as an ‘evil Ideology’ whilst Brown is now equating the desire for Shariah as non-negotiable under the auspices of subscribing to global values. Moving over to America, which has had a key foothold in the Muslim word for decades, it has also recognised Caliphate as a key issue deserving attention. On December 5th 2005, the then US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld in remarks pertaining to the future of Iraq at John Hopkins University said
"Iraq would serve as the base of a new Islamic Caliphate to extend throughout the Middle East and which would threaten the legitimate governments in Europe, Africa, and Asia. This is their plan. They have said so. We make a terrible mistake if we fail to listen and learn"
Furthermore, The National Intelligence Council of the CIA issued a planning report in December 2004 setting out options for a resurgent China and a potentially strong Caliphate by the year 2020; a clear indication as to the seriousness by which America takes the re-establishment of the Khilafah.
The call for the implementation of the Islamic Shariah in the Muslim world has been on an increasing rise. A recent poll carried out by Maryland University , USA found that 70% of those polled favoured the implementation of Sharia in their lands.
After experimenting with a range of political models to try and answer many of the dire issues of poverty, corruption, illegal occupation, un-elected rulers, unaccountable governments, rule of law, debt, lack of economic progression, subjugation to international institutions, victims of foreign aggression; Muslims throughout the world are re-opening the debate to restore the Noble Khilafah (caliphate) as a model of governance which will put back on route our societies which have been de-railed through colonial designs and domination.Now can there be anything wrong in defining your own political futures or are people stepping on the toes of some who have too many interests at stake if the caliphate re-emerges in those areas where oil, gas, minerals, gold, diamonds and water is in abundance?
Lets Bring Islam BACK!!!!!!
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