Inclusion of Former Spokesperson of Al-Shabab into Democratic Government in Somalia

News:

Co-founder and former spokesperson of Al-Shabab Mujahideen movement, Mukthar Robow has been appointed as the Minister for Religious Affairs by the Prime Minister of Somalia. "We welcome his appointment. The move will advance reconciliation and will serve as a good example for more high level al-Shabab defections," said political analyst Mohamed Mohamud. [Reuters]

Comment:

The inclusion of the former spokesperson of Al-Shabab into the democratic government is a recent development in the political reality of Somalia. The West had its eye on Africa during the time of colonization and Somalia was not an exception due to its strategic location which is part of the Horn of Africa. America made its stronghold in this region through a military coup in 1969 by General Siad Barre. Clans came up, warlords came up, and militants all came up against the dictator, Siad Barre, and this land has become a war theatre since 1991. Then, the US sent its military under the pretext of humanitarian aid and formed a puppet transition government in 2004.

By the time, people of Somalia had gathered around the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). They saw the ICU as a remedy for their suffering. The ICU gained control of most of the Somalian territory in 2006. This time America used Ethiopia to wage war and broke down ICU into factions. Al-Shabab was formed from the factions of Djibouti and Asmara in 2006 with the pure intention of waging jihad against the US and establishing Sharia in Somalia. Mukhtar Roobow Abu Mansour, one of the founding members and the spokesperson of armed resistance movement named Al-Shabab, had a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head, then after his defection and house arrest, in June 2017, the United States withdrew its $5 million reward offer for the capture of Abu Mansour.

After defection, Mukhtar Roobow surrendered to a government force in 2017; he was kept in house arrest, and in 2022 he is now included into the ministry with position of religious minister. By this move, America and its puppet attempt to lure further defections from the movement has weakened the movement, and it attempts to dismantle it with an attack after weakening them. The lack of political understanding of the reality, plans and plots of the disbelievers, missing ideological understanding of Islam and unclear methodology to establish the sharia, would lead the leaders and movements to become victims to the monstrous plans of the disbelieving colonialists. Believers, when pulled into the system of West i.e. democracy, would never be able to achieve what Islam expects; rather the output that is achieved is limited outcomes permitted within the democratic framework.Mukthar Robow, who had an astonishing mujahid history by participating in wars in Afghanistan and against Ethiopia, is now used by the US by his Islamic face to take control of the land where he had his influence and this was through negotiations with him that made him sub-servient. There were several movements which rose up against oppression but couldn’t sustain on its road map; instead, they fell into the pressure and plots of the disbelievers.

Sheikh Taiquidin an-Nabhani (rh) mentions in the book “Structuring of the Party”, one of the factors which causes the movements not able to succeed in revival which is, “The movements were dependent upon individuals within whom the correct awareness (wa’ee) was incomplete and the correct will (iraadah) was not concentrated. Instead, the individuals had ambition and enthusiasm alone.” English edition- pg. no- 04.

Civil wars, land lords, skinny bodies and famine, these are the pictures that appear in our mind when we hear the name Somalia, but in fact this land has the vast marine resources and is very rich in uranium, natural gas and oil which are constantly being plundered by super powers. This is the land where Islam reached during the period of Prophet (saw); this is the land which catered the companions of Messenger of Allah who made first migration out of Mecca. Ibn Battuta mentioned in his book, “Mogadishu is exceedingly a large and an enormous city. Its inhabitants are rich merchants and they slaughter one hundred camels everyday”. This was the reputation that this place had in the history during rule of Islam. Only by establishing Shariah through Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood, every aspect of life in Somalia will be ruled by what Allah (swt) has revealed, and the past glory of Somalia will be restored and the lives of our brothers and sisters there will be valued.

Defection from the Islamic movement and aligning with the Western democratic system with a religious ministerial position shall never address the issues of the people and solve the issues of the society in an Islamic way; rather, they systematically emphasize on secularism and limit the role of Islam to mere individual rituals and moral practices and not beyond that. This is what the West wants from the believers as Allah Azza wa Jal cautions about them in this ayah.

[وَلَن تَرْضَى عَنكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُم بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ]

“And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say: Surely Allah's guidance is the (true) guidance. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 120]

May Allah (swt) guide this Ummah and keep it steadfast upon the Truth without compromise until His promise come true.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Muhammad ibn Shamsudeen