News:

While Uzbekistan is a land with a long Islamic history which has produced great figures who have made amazing contributions to our Deen, the current leader, Islam Karimov's current legacy is one of ongoing and unspeakable oppression. His regime continues to jail those calling for Islam from various groups. Scholars who oppose the regime are jailed or assassinated, and thousands of dawah carriers have been tortured and martyred in the jails with reports of some being purposely infected with diseases to increase their suffering. Many people suffer poor living conditions and live in fear of the regime's police and security forces.

Comment:

News of Muslims facing sever oppression and enduring unimaginable suffering tears our hearts. How do they manage? How do they stand firm on their Deen? Where does the strength come from?

It is hard to sometimes understand how people survive such oppression. In the case of Uzbekistan, after prison sentences, the regime sometimes demands that Islamic dawah carriers must pledge not to return to calling people to live by Islam. Many refuse preferring to stand in obedience to Allah (swt) and seeking His Pleasure. This reminds us of the story of Yusuf (as) and the beautiful patience that his father endured after his brothers returned without the young Yusuf (as). His father was distraught and grief stricken but relied on Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) provided a happy outcome for him in the end. It is the reading and remembrance of such stories of endurance in the Qur'an and Seerah of the Prophet (saw) which helps the believers suffering the most unimaginable oppression to endure - knowing the that Allah (swt) will deliver them and make His Deen victorious long after Karimov and his like are confined to the dustbin of history. May we continue to raise awareness and make dua for an end to the oppression of our brothers and sisters in Uzbekistan, Syria, Central African Republic and other such places.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Taji Mustafa

Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Britain