Press Release
Fatwa Index Permits what Allah and His Messenger have Forbidden, and Fabricates Lie about Hizb ut Tahrir
(Translated)

In a statement issued by the Global Fatwa Index of the Egyptian Dar al-Ifta (Fatwa House), it analyzed the caricatures, which contained content on religious issues in general and fatwas in particular over a year. It concluded that 15% of the cartoons on websites, newspapers, communication websites and publications of what it called “terrorist” organizations has focused on religious issues in general and that 70% of them shed light directly on fatwas throughout the world.

The Fatwa Index pointed out that Hizb ut Tahrir ranked second in the use of caricature art by 30% among these organizations, noting that the Hizb devotes that art to distort the image of the Arab rulers and to promote the establishment of the alleged Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate). It also indicated that it (the Hizb) is based on a distinct andevident denial of the states and the borders between them, and that the whole land should be the cradle for the establishment of the Khilafah (Caliphate) State. Finally, the Strategic Studies Unit at the Egyptian Dar al-Ifta, which oversees the Index, recommended that fatwa’s institutions and authorities should exploit that art as a means of communicating with young people and citizens in instilling the correct concepts of the Islamic religion; to safeguard them from any extremist ideas and protect them from the “terrorism” threat.

In this statement, there are two parts that must be replied to primarily, although one denies the other. Their lie that Hizb ut Tahrir is communicating with people with its ideas through these drawings is denied by the fact that these cartoons are forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and it is not permissible for a Muslim and the carrier of the call for the establishment of the Khilafah, in particular, to do them, for it is not permissible to draw anything that has a spirit. It was narrated that Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.a) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying:

«كُلُّ مُصَوِّرٍ فِي النَّارِ، يَجْعَلُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ صُورَةٍ صَوَّرَهَا نَفْساً، فَتُعَذِّبُهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ»

"Every painter is in the Fire. For every drawing he drew, there will be created a soul to punish him in the Hellfire." He said:

«إنْ كُنْتَ لاَ بُدَّ فَاعِلاً فَاصْنَعِ الشَّجَرَ، وَمَا لاَ نَفْسَ لَهُ»

"So if you must do so, then make trees and that which has no soul (nafs)." (Narrated by Muslim). Hence, the view of the Jumhoor (the majority of the Scholars) was the forbiddance of drawing everything that has soul in it. And since Hizb ut Tahrir is a political party whose ideology is Islam and is based on Islam in all its issues, and undertakes its political work on the basis of Islam and does not use in its address to people what Allah forbids of styles and means, then the party is committed to refrain completely from the use of such cartoons, which the Fatwa Index is falsely accusing us with.

The second part is the recommendation of the Studies Unit to use these cartoons in addressing people. After our clarification of the ruling of its prohibition according to the Sharia, we are surprised by the recommendation of those who oversee the index to use them to instill the correct concepts as they claim! Although the wonder here is misplaced, for they themselves describe the Khilafah that Hizb ut Tahrir works for its establishment as the alleged Khilafah, despite the fact that it is the ruling system, which was clarified by the purified Sunnah, and which the Muslims ruled by it from the Messenger of Allah (saw), until the last Caliphs of Bani Ottoman. We do not distort the image of these rulers as they claim, but we show their true image to be seen by people, although people have known them all by now, and these revolutions are but a real expression of people's awareness that these rulers are agents of the colonial Kaffir West.

And yes, we deny the Sykes-Picot’s borders and the decrepit entities which are based on them and are falsely called states, which are only regions of influence of the Western colonial countries. While what it must be and what we are working to do is to break those borders and remove these entities from existence and unite the Ummah in the Khilafah Rashidah (righteous Caliphate) state on the method of the Prophethood. This is a duty upon all the Ummah, including you, and you are all accountable before Allah for your failure to work for it, in addition for your fighting of those who work to establish it and for working to delay its establishment, although its establishment is inevitably going to happen soon, with Allah’s permission, no matter what you try, for it is the promise of Allah (swt) and the glad tidings of His Messenger (saw), who gave us the glad tidings that the whole earth will be under the shade of the banner and justice of Islam in his (saw) saying:

«إِنَّ اللهَ زَوَى لِيَ الأَرْضَ فَرَأَيْتُ مَشَارِقَهَا وَمَغَارِبَهَا وَإِنَّ مُلْكَ أُمَّتِي سَيَبْلُغُ مَا زُوِيَ لِي مِنْهَا»

“Indeed, Allah (swt) folded for me the earth, so much so that I saw its easts and wests (i.e. the extremities). The kingdom of my Ummah will reach as far as the earth was folded for me.” This is the promise of Allah, and the return of Al-Aqsa once again to the authority of the Muslims and its liberation from the desecration of the Jews can not be achieved except by the Khilafah, which you claim to be alleged, and it is certainly going to return, with Allah’s permission, and will inevitably be established, and will not be delayed by your futility, nor by your master’s conspiracy.

Finally, we address you with the speech of the faithful advisor; to repent to Allah with sincere repentance and join our convoy,perhaps Allah accept from you. And do not stand the stance of the son of Noah, who said, I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me! For there is no protector from the decree of Allah (swt), and you will receive what your masters will get from Allah’s wrath and punishment but even more severe. We in Hizb ut Tahrir, by Allah, are to you of the sincere advisers, so stand for the sake of Allah, the stance of those who were certain in their faith in Allah and believed with Moses, and do not fear the oppression of Pharaoh, for he was in the peak of his power when Allah drowned him in the sea. And say, as they said, never will we prefer you, O the Pharaoh of this time, over what came to us from the Truth, so decree whatever you were to decree, you can only decree for this worldly life. And call upon the children of Egypt; the people and the army, to cut off all the ties that are between them and this system and its tools, and tie themto Allah and then to the sincere people who work for the establishment of the second Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood, the application of Islam and the fulfillment of Allah's promise to the Ummah of succession to authority, empowerment and security. Perhaps Allah may accept from you and forgive you for what has previously occurred, and you will remember what we now say to you, and we entrust our affair to Allah. Indeed, Allah is Seeing of His servants.

[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ]

“O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered” [Al-Anfal: 24].

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Egypt