On the 30th of January 2014, the Security General Directorate published the "2013 Turkey Drug Report", prepared by the Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiciton (TUBIM) with data obtained from a total of 30 different institutions and organizations. From research and reports from citizens, it is a well-known fact, that the age of drug abuse is decreasing and the spread of its use increasing day by day.

In 2012 in Turkey, almost 4 thousand children applied for treatment to 'treatment centers for substance abuse'; and close to 10 percent of the applicants were children between the ages of 12-14. According to official surveys, 20% use alcohol and an unofficial but actual data of 10% of young people use drugs. The youngest encountered age during the research was 11. It was found that pupils started with these bad habits at an average age of 13 and at school and due to their neighborhood environment.

According to the report, a total of 325 people died due to drugs. 1.2% of the deaths occurred under the age of 15, and 8% were specified between the ages 15-19. The significant increase in the number of drug deaths over the age of 65 in Turkey in recent years is another side of the sad reality.

In this 180-page report, the drug problem in Turkey emerges as a day by day growing health problem, causing medical, legal, social and security problems just like in other Western countries. Such reports have been published again and again for years. At the same time they are shared with The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and with all relevant national agencies and organizations, but do not contribute to inhibiting the growth of the problem. Furthermore, this report affirms that the state's struggle against drugs consists only of police measures.

Yet it is specified in the report, that a total of 83 thousand drug-related operations were performed and that more than 130 thousand people were detained across Turkey. There was a 23.9% increase in the number of operations and a 23.8% increase in the number of detained persons compared to the previous year. In 2013, more than 13 tons of heroin and more than 152 tons of marijuana, 225 kilos of cocaine, about 184 thousand tablets Captagon, and 223 thousand ecstasy tablets were seized in police operations. However, despite all this, such police measures have clearly not prevented the growth of drug addiction amongst the youth. Furthermore, due to the high cost of such substances, 46% of our young people falling into the trap of addiction used cheap chemicals like "bally" and thinner, and today's last poison fashion "Bonzai". The common information given by addicts was that they could easily reach any of these intoxicants within 24 hours.

Another reflection of the state's failure in this issue is that inspite of the day by day decreasing age of drug users, only 4 of the 21 treatment centres with a total capacity of 544 beds accept paediatric patients. Whereas last year, the number of applicants to these centres was over 5 thousand. The number of applications for outpatient treatment was almost 156 thousand. Alongside the insufficient number of treatment centres, their placement at only certain areas constitutes additional impediments for the accessibility and continuation of treatments. Additionally, the required re-treatment of nearly 47% of the 2 thousand inpatients already affected by drug abuse highlights that such medical measures, although helping some to recover from their addiction, are not the means to solving this problem.

Together with this report, proposals have also been made to determine the starting point in the fight against drugs. For example, a strategy to address the educational levels of addicts was suggested as it was found that 2.6% of the drug users had no education at all, 2.4% were primary school graduates, 3.2% secondary school graduates, 2.6% high school graduates and 3.1% university graduates. However, these figures show that the level of drug use rises together with the level of education. All this is further proof that the escalating drug problem in Turkey and all over the world arises directly from the values promoted to people by the system that is implemented within a state.

In short, the ever increasing level of a malady like drugs in a Muslim society does not only reflect the failure of the system implemented by the state to deal with the issue, rather the system is also the trigger for the problem. The Western capitalist system instils values that promote that the purpose of life is nothing more than the pursuit of happiness, having a good time and enjoying the maximum of pleasures. This is especially propagated through its media and television, its entertainment and night-life culture. Such materialistic values have created an anesthetized society that is unwilling to face the reality or unwilling to face sorrows or the challenges of life, only chasing for happiness it cannot even define, failing to understand the aim of life. And thus the very same capitalist system implemented in Turkey and across our Muslim lands which governments over generations have embraced in imitation of the West, have caused the youth of the Ummah to suffer the very same problems of youth in the West.

In secular and capitalist systems, the production and sale of other addictive substances such as alcohol is permitted and encouraged under liberal freedoms. As this product creates one of the largest tax resource of capitalist states, it is not a prohibited substance, regardless of the indisputable damage it causes to individuals and societies overall. Furthermore, Turkey's greatest basketball team has the name of and is owned by Turkey's largest alcohol producer. Tabloid newspapers and television programs glamourize the night-life, drunkenness and debauched behaviour of the most famous people in an entertaining and admirable way. Infact in August 2013, Istanbul's narcotic branch office detained 48 people of whom 26 were actors and singers during operations for drug use and dealing. However, instead of condemning and removing them from the eyes of the society for their deeds, they were presented as victims and still continue to be praised on television, in series, movies and concerts.

In many liberal capitalist societies, the use of all kinds of drugs is being left to the preferences of individuals. Those who suffer health problems due to the consumption of such intoxicants are considered as those "who do not know how to use them" or as "ill", and are only provided with medical treatment opportunities. Furthermore, many Western countries even produce programs to ensure the safe use of drugs for the sake of generating revenue, rather than banning them and other addictive products. For example, cannabis in the Netherlands is sold freely in 'Coffee Shops' under the supervision of the state. This January, the US state of Colorado licensed the selling of marijuana in shops for recreational purposes. Registered heroin users are often provided safe syringes and environments to pursue their addiction. The focus of such capitalist states is 'Harm Reduction Programs' through controlling the quality and distribution of drugs, rather than full prevention of drug-taking. This has neither reduced the use of drugs nor the occurrence of crimes due to drug usage. According to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), more than 15 million Europeans have been determined as drug users in Europe. 11 states in the USA have decriminalized cannabis and introduced civil fines, drug education, or drug treatment in place of incarceration. In spite of this there has been a 45% increase in heroine-overdose deaths affecting all classes and backgrounds of families within the US society from 2006 to 2010 and the amount of heroine seized each year on the Mexican border has risen nearly four times from 2008 to 2012 (according to Joseph Moses, Spokesman for US Drug Enforcement Administration). At the moment in Turkey, Universities and NGOs are calling for the implementation of the so called ‘solutions' and model of the Netherlands and the USA in dealing with drugs.

However, with regards to Islam's view on this problem of drug-abuse, Allah (swt) sent His Messenger Muhammed (saw) with values and laws that protect mankind from such destructive behaviour and lifestyles. He (swt) says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأَنصَابُ وَالأَزْلاَمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ * إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاء فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاَةِ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ

"O you who believe! Intoxicants, and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abomination of Shaitan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Satan seeketh only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of intoxicants and gambling, and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from As-Salat. So will you not then abstain?" [Al-Maidah: 90-91]

Rasulillah (saw) says: «كل مسكر خمر، وكل مسكر حرام» "Every intoxicant is khamr (wine) and every intoxicant is haraam (unlawful)." When alcohol became prohibited in Madina al-Munawwara, it was narrated by the Sahaba that, "the streets almost became impassable from the wine that was spilled (i.e. thrown out)". This was the consequence of the shaping of the thoughts and inclination of the Muslims upon the Islamic beliefs and laws alone, such that they based their actions completely and immediately upon the Commands of their Creator, even though many would drink heavily before the revelation of this Order from Allah (swt). Thus, one of the main tasks of an Islamic system is to mould the thinking and inclinations of the youth upon Islam alone, and therefore to bring up personalities, just like the Companions and the Muslims of the past, who showed utmost attention and accuracy in abstaining from all kinds of evil!

Additionally Allah (swt) announced the goal of life to be based upon worshipping Him and seeking His Pleasure, warning that every soul will be held responsible for his or her deeds:

((الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا))

"Who created death and life that He might try you which of you is best in deeds." [al-Mulk: 2]

Therefore, under the Islamic system of the Khilafah "Caliphate", any kind of haram for the sake of profit or advantage, such as the selling of alcohol or drugs, be it for the state or the individuals, is impermissible. Something which is declared to be prohibited may not be shown to have a good advantage, nor is it left to the preferences of individuals, nor is its production or transportation or sale or use permitted. At the same time, anything which Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) have declared to be good and lawful will be taught as good and lawful through the means of schools and media and any educational tools; while anything haraam will be taught as haraam and detestable.

Alongside this, the Islamic concept of happiness is different from the concept of happiness in capitalism. While capitalism defines happiness through the satisfaction of organic needs and instincts to the maximum extent; Islam has organised those in a way that ensures the satisfaction of them all by a precise system which offers man delight and comfort while also protecting the individual, the community, and society from the harms that can result from allowing the free pursuit and satisfaction of these instincts and needs. Happiness in Islam is not defined as the fulfilment of personal desires but rather as attaining the Pleasure of Allah (swt) which is the ultimate bliss that will also secure unimaginable joys and pleasures in Jannah. Thus it becomes once again obvious that under the Islamic system, it is the state's duty to raise Islamic personalities who see themselves as servants to nobody else than Allah (swt) and to protect those personalities from anything that is declared as rotten by Allah (swt), including any form of intoxicant!

In addition, Islam's view of society is completely different from the individualistic view of capitalism. According to Islam, society is an indivisible whole, and it views the individual as an inseparable part of the community. This means the individual is viewed like a organ of the body. Thus, protecting the individual is the means to protecting the community, and protecting the community is the means to protecting the individual. Consequently, individuals are not allowed to simply pursue any lifestyle they desire regardless of the impact upon themselves or those around them. Indeed, Rasulillah (saw) said:

«مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا ، كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا ، فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنَ الْمَاءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ ، فَقَالُوا : لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا ، فَإِنْ يَتْرُكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا ، وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا وَنَجَوْا جَمِيعًا»

"The example of those who maintain Allah's limits (hudood) and those who surpass them is like the example of those who share a boat. Some would occupy its upper deck and some its lower deck. The occupants of the lower deck would have to go to the upper deck to have access to the water. If they said, why don't we drill a hole in our part (to directly access the water) and do not cause any inconvenience to those above us. If those on the upper deck let them do what they wanted then all of the passengers would sink. However, if they prevented them from doing so then all would be saved." ]Bukhari, K. Sharikat, 2313[

It is the full implementation of the Qur'an and Sunnah within the Khilafah "Caliphate" state that will protect our children from all forms of vice and harmful behaviour and influences. It is yet another vital reason why the Islamic obligation to establish this state upon our lands is one that should be viewed as an urgent matter - one that as Muslims we should rush to fulfil.

((أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ))

"Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith]." [Al-Maida: 50]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Umm Khalid

Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir