بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Western Delegations Flock to Ash-Sham to Reproduce the Rule of the Defunct Regime
(Translated)
By Ustadh Nasser Sheikh Abdul-Hay
More than a month has passed since the fall of the Assad regime. It is a month was full of official international delegations flocking to Syria. It is accompanied by a series of international meetings and gatherings in Jordan, Italy and elsewhere, to discuss the latest developments in the Syrian theatre, with varying goals, results and promises, some of which reached the level of blatant dictates from those who appointed themselves guardians of the government in Syria, especially the delegations of America, France and Germany.
Below we review some of the actions and the humiliating dictates and conditions issued in exchange for the West’s approval; on 15 December 2024, there was a visit by the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, who said that “And we need to make sure that ... we don’t see any revenge.”
On 10 December 2024, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stipulated that the new Syrian government must adhere to four main principles in order to recognize it. He said in a statement, “This transition process should lead to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance that meets international standards of transparency and accountability, consistent with the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254.” He added that the new government “must also uphold clear commitments to fully respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance to all in need, prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that any chemical or biological weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed.”
On 3 January 2025, there was a joint visit by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot to Damascus. After the meeting, Baerbock said that she informed the leader of the new Syrian administration that, “Europe is prepared to offer support but Europe will not be a sponsor of new Islamist structures.” She added, “This requires a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups.” She stressed the need for reliable security guarantees for the Kurds, and that lifting sanctions depends on moving forward with the political process. She said “But of course we, as Europe, will not be a financier for the Islamization of a society.” Germany and France plan to offer technical help and advice to Syria as it drafts a new constitution, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters, saying hope for a democratic transition was “fragile but real” and asserted that they will work with the Syrians and help them chart their new future.
The Dutch foreign minister, Caspar Veldkamp, said, “Promoting stability in Syria also serves the Netherlands' interests, for instance, in regard to counterterrorism and the return of refugees.” The Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, also said, “We share a 375km [230-mile] border with Syria. We want that border to be stable, free from terrorist organisations,”
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also visited Damascus, and stated before the Italian Chamber of Deputies that, “it is necessary to preserve the integrity of Syrian territory and prevent its territory from being exploited by terrorist organizations and hostile parties.” This visit was followed by a visit by Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, preceded by visits by Arab delegations from Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, whose delegation discussed “the new administration's implementation of what it says,” in reference to promises to “dissolve armed factions and prevent Syria from posing a threat to its neighbors.” Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign minister said that “the new Syrian administration has shown flexibility in accepting reasonable demands from the international community.”
Last Thursday, the foreign ministers of the United States, Germany, France, Britain, and Italy, along with the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas, discussed ways to establish stability and prevent the outbreak of conflict in Syria during a meeting in Rome. The US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, “Those principles include that the transition process should be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned and produce an inclusive and representative government; that the rights of all Syrians, including women and minorities, should be respected; that humanitarian aid should be able to reach people who need it; that Syria should not be used as a base of- for terrorist groups and should have peaceful relations with its neighbours... In a joint statement issued after the meeting of foreign ministers that the Secretary attended in Aqaba, Jordan on Saturday, those principles were endorsed by a number of our partners in the region as well as a number of countries in Europe and the European Union.”
The discussions also touched on the issue of easing sanctions imposed on Damascus. Meanwhile, the commander of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, indicated an agreement with the new authority in Damascus to reject, “any division projects” that threaten Syria’s unity, noting that the meeting that brought together the leaderships of the two parties at the end of last month was “positive.” In an interview with BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen from Damascus, Ahmed al-Sharaa had previously called for lifting the sanctions imposed on Syria, adding that, “Syria is exhausted from the war regardless of whether 'Israel' is strong or not. Syria needs to get stronger and more developed. We don't have any plans of aggression against ‘Israel.’ Syria will not be a threat to ‘Israel’ or anyone.” He said HTS should be de-listed as a terrorist organisation. It is designated as one by the UN, US, EU and UK, among many others, as it started as a splinter group of al-Qaeda, which it broke away from in 2016. In a special interview with Al-Hadath, he said, “Saudi Arabia seeks stability in Syria... and the revolution is over for us and we will not work to export it.” As for the infiltration of Jews into Syria, he said that the new administration is not “in the process of entering into a conflict with ‘Israel’, but the ‘Israeli’ side has violated the 1974 ceasefire agreement.”
After reviewing the previous statements, it is necessary to emphasize the following:
Firstly: All of the above confirms the extent of the international cunning led by America, and the consensus of the enemies of Islam in plotting against Ash-Sham and their fear of things getting out of hand, with the transformation of ash-Sham into a launching point for the Khilafah (Caliphate). They realize that the reality of the conflict in Syria is between the Islamic Ummah and the kafir colonialist. The consensus of the conspirators on the secularism of the state, the call to “fight terrorism,” the call to consolidate the nationalistic borders and the nationalistic bond, and the participation of all sects in government, all are nothing but evidence of that.
Secondly: Our enemies want to reproduce the new regime in a new guise that does not depart from the limitations and controls of the previous regime, which adheres to Western standards of governance. America wants a secular, liberal state with an Islamic tinge, similar to the Turkish regime. The extent of the brazen interference of America and Europe in the issue of determining the form of government in Syria, and excluding anything that mentions Islam from it, confirms the West’s hatred of Islam, and their keenness to fill the political vacuum with what does not pose a threat to the West’s vision, interests, and renewed colonialist aspirations.
Thirdly: There is an emergence of a tone of arrogance, imposition of conditions, dictates, and dirty, cheap political blackmail by these countries. There is an exchange of lifting sanctions for financial support, in exchange for submitting to Western conditions in determining the form of the new government, in its most minute of details. This is so that it would be purely secular, devoid of any elements of true Islamic power, to the point it fights every sincere Dawah to implement Shariah law.
Fourthly: Insisting on keeping the Ummah torn apart through division by nationalistic borders, which was confirmed by the regimes of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, under the pretext of preventing smuggling operations across those borders. This is so that Muslims do not feel that they are the sons of one, single Ummah, and that it is their Shariah obligation to remove those nationalistic borders, in order to live under one state.
Fifthly: The rampage of the Jewish entity does not deserve messages of reassurance and leniency. Instead it must invite a strong, honorable stance on the basis of the Islamic aqeedah, which highlights the dignity of Islam and the strength of Muslims, and that the Jewish entity is a cancerous tumour that must be eradicated.
Sixthly: Western powers use small religious and ethnic minorities as a pretext to achieve their goals in fighting Islam. They want to attract them to strike the Islamic project from within, knowing that there is no term of “minorities” in the Islamic state. Instead, there are only subjects of the state, who have their rights preserved within the general administration of the state.
Seventhly: The policy of political blackmail and dictates practiced by the West cannot be met with acquiescence, flattery, messages of reassurance and appeasement, or an appearance of moderation, and non-interference in the affairs of others. Trying to please the West will be of no use. Those in charge of the current administration must follow their Deen. The slogans of the civil state, and the state of Western rights and justice, are nothing but ornate slogans to decorate falsehood. Their Creator, Allah (swt), knows them better than we do. He described them by saying,
[وَلَنْ تَرْضَى عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلا النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ]
“And never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you, unless you follow their religion.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:120]
Indeed, the Almighty warned us against relying on them even a little,
[وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّنْ دُونِ اللهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُونَ]
“And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allah any protectors; then you would not be helped.” [TMQ Surah Hud 11:113]. There is no statement after the Speech of Allah (swt). There is no ijtihaad after the divine text which is definite (qat’i) in its evidencing (dalalah).
In conclusion: Our true gratitude to Allah (swt) for honoring us by overthrowing the tyrant’s regime is by making Ash-Sham a launching point for the Khilafah State, without appeasement, apology or compromise. The One (swt) Who helped us to overthrow Assad’s rule is able to support us by establishing our state if we support Him (swt).
* Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Syria