Transcript of Speech Delivered by the Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah of Sudan In the Press Conference regarding the Arrests of Members from the Ranks of Hizb ut Tahrir
(Translated)

Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah of Sudan held a press conference on Tuesday 24/9/2013 to illustrate its view on the increase in fuel prices, and on Wednesday 24/9/2013, the Hizb distributed leaflets entitled: "Removal of Subsidies on Fuel is Another Step in Crushing the Ordinary People and Increasing the Number of the Poor", the distribution was done openly in transportation stations, markets, and public places, where tens of thousands of this leaflet were distributed before protests broke out, in which a hired group interfered, synchronized with the complete absence of the services responsible for maintaining security, which led to the killings of people, looting, stealing, destruction, and burning that affected both public and private property, which allowed the government to benefit from this situation and begin the role of intimidation shifting from the role of the offender to the role of the victim, and filing reports against the innocent Hizb members at the police departments in Khartoum North and Kalakla, and even arresting some members in the offices of the Intelligence and Security Services.

The members of Hizb ut Tahrir were distributing a leaflet for Hizb ut Tahrir about the fuel prices from 8 AM on Wednesday 25/9/2013; i.e. they were expressing the Hizb's view in an Islamic civilized manner. However, the authority and its agencies that have lost their way, violating its own law which permits peaceful work, chose to criminalize those men from the da'wah carriers, so it used the law of repression and injustice, and it did not release the members through the social security law as its man-made laws stipulate, but it procrastinated for the purpose of punishment.

Based on this situation, Hizb ut Tahrir requested from the police on Sunday 29/9/2013, determined to organize a peaceful protest in front of the Security and Intelligence Services department, and the Khartoum North Police Station, as well as the Kalakla Police Station, and the Police verbally refused this request, and upon our request for a submitted written response, they differed on the terms and could not agree.
We in Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Sudan clarify that the Hizb was initially formed in response to the command of Allah (swt), and the Hizb does not take permission from anyone when partaking in any activity it wishes to perform.

On Tuesday 01/10/2013, the Hizb held its first protest in front of the National Intelligence Security Services Headquarters at 12PM, in which the Hizb members and its supporters stood in utmost organization and full discipline on the sidewalk opposite to the headquarters' building, carrying banners and raising the flags of Al-Uqab (the flag of Rasoolullah (saw)), and in spite of the security personnel provocative actions; such as snatching banners and flags from some of the members, as well as arresting the official spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil), and the member of the media office Abdul-Rahman Sa'ad, and the coordinator of the communications committee, Issam Ateem, whereas the Hizb continued their peaceful silent protest, completing it successfully.

The Hizb then moved to their next stop, in front of the Kalakla Police Station, also completing their stance there successfully. Returning to the buses, the intelligence and security services vehicles appeared, and as pirates do, they hijacked one of the buses next to the car of the coordinator of the Central Communications Committee Brother Nasser Ridha Mohammad Othman, and drove about 33 of Hizb ut Tahrir members to an unknown place, and still remain in custody.

These are the events that occurred since the government's decision to increase the fuel prices.
Hizb ut Tahrir would like through this press conference to clarify to the media - may Allah (swt) release them from their seizure - the following truths:

• The policy of silencing mouths, and not accepting advice and accounting, even if it were based on the Islamic Aqeedah, is a manifestation of the pharaohs, Allah (swt) says:

(قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ مَا أُرِيكُمْ إِلا مَا أَرَى وَمَا أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلا سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ )

"Pharaoh said: ‘I but point out to you that which I see (myself); Nor do I guide you but to the Path of Right!'" [TMQ 40:29]

• The government that uses its law for the purpose of machination; through filing reports and imprisoning innocent people with cases which are sooner or later written off, is a twisted government, unworthy of respect, and it is an obligation to change it because it is oppressive and oppression on earth is darkness on the Day of Judgment, it was reported by Abu Dharr that the Prophet (saw) reported that Allah (swt) said:

" يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلا تَظَالَمُوا "

"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another."

• The regime that imprisons people under a penalty that does not exist in the judicial system, in search for its lost authority because of its reckless policies, is a failed system that does not look like the best nation ever sent to mankind.

• The rulers who are not lenient to their citizens, loading them more than they can bear, taking them with suspicions, imprisoning them and renewing their imprisonment as a way of rancor, these rulers are not part of the citizens and are not worthy of ruling them.

The righteous Khilafah "Caliphate" state which Hizb ut Tahrir works within the Ummah and with it to re-establish it. It is an ideological state, based on the Islamic Aqeedah, and Islam has made it obligatory upon the Ummah to account the ruler and advice him. Allah (swt) said:

(كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ)

"You are indeed the best Ummah that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in Allah." [TMQ 3:110]

And He (swt) said:

(وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ)

"Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones who are successful." [TMQ 3:104].

The Prophet (saw) said:

" سَتَكُونُ أُمَرَاءُ فَتَعْرِفُونَ وَتُنْكِرُونَ فَمَنْ عَرَفَ بَرِئَ وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ سَلِمَ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ رَضِيَ وَتَابَعَ "

"In the near future there will be Amirs (rulers) and you will like their good deeds and dislike their bad deeds. One who sees through their bad deeds (and tries to prevent their repetition by his hand or through his speech), is absolved from blame, but one who hates their bad deeds (in the heart of his heart, being unable to prevent their recurrence by his hand or his tongue), is (also) safe (so far as Allah's wrath is concerned). But one who approves of their bad deeds and imitates them is ruined."

The Prophet (saw) considered the one who does not denounce the rulers as their partner in sin when he (saw) said: (من رضي) "he who approves" i.e. of what they have committed of evils, and(وتابع) "imitates", i.e. imitates them in their acts and did not denounce them, he will neither be absolved nor safe of sin.

Islam also forbids being suspicious of people, it was reported by Al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad and Abu Umamah that the Prophet (saw) said:

«إِنَّ الأَمِيرَ إِذَا ابْتَغَى الرِّيبَةَ فِي النَّاسِ أَفْسَدَهُمْ »

"If the Ameer seeks to create suspicion in people, he will corrupt them."

Islam also forbids causing harm to people, he (saw) said: «لا ضرر ولا ضرار» "There is not to be any causing of harm nor is there to be any reciprocating of harm."

Islam forbids that any punishment is executed except after a court's verdict and in the judicial council, as it is a condition for the legitimacy of the judicial system. Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr said:

«قضى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن الخصمين يقعدان بين يدي الحاكم»

"that Messenger of Allah (saw) ruled between two rivals at the hands of a ruler."

As for the ruler, Islam made part of his characteristics: strength, Taqwah (God-consciousness) and forbearing to his citizens, it was reported by Ai'sha who said: I heard the Prophet (saw) say in this house of mine,

اللهم من ولي من أمر أمتي شيئاً فشق عليهم، فاشقق عليه، ومن ولي من أمر أمتي شيئاً فرفق بهم فارفق به

"O Allah! Treat harshly those who rule over my Ummah with harshness, and treat gently those who rule over my Ummah with gentleness." [Narrated by Muslim]

The Prophet (saw) also ordered that the ruler should be favorable not repellent. Abu Musa said: whenever the Prophet (saw) sent one of his Sahaba to perform some of his activities, he would say to them:

«بشروا ولا تنفروا ويسروا ولا تعسروا»

"Be favorable, not repellent, and make things easy not difficult." [Narrated by Muslim]

In conclusion we say: Hizb ut Tahrir has held its determination, and pledged to Allah (swt) to work for changing the oppressive capitalist man-made systems, and establish the system which Allah (swt) has obliged; the system of Islam, through the establishment of the righteous Khilafah "Caliphate" on the method of Prophethood, and the arresting, imprisonment, or torturing of its members, even if it led to their martyrdom, will not paralyze the Hizb from this work, because we have sold ourselves cheap for the sake of Allah, Allah (swt) said:

... (وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُمْ بِهِ وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ)

"...and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah. then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme" [TMQ 9:111]

Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil)
Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir
Wilayah of Sudan