Press Release
The Solution to the Economic Crisis Lies in the Economic System of Islam
(Translated)

As expected, the folly of the Second Economic Forum at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum, on the two days of 23-24/11/2013, convened by the Government of Sudan to resolve the severe economic crisis that hit the country and the people, was adjourned without a radical solution to the economic problem. The roots of the crisis were not even discussed. The emphasis of the dialogue focused on the results that emerged from reasons which they did not seek to understand, and therefore to be treated. The recommendations came without a solution, rather mere verbiage was produced in futile sentences, and the speech that came in all related forums and conferences was repeated.

We in Hizb ut Tahrir in the Wilayah of Sudan continue to say: The crisis that we are living, whether in the system of governance or the economy or the security or other fields, is caused by human transgression. It is due to man taking what he has no right to take: The legislation of the systems of life and leaving the legislation of the Lord of humans. He (swt) said:

(فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلا يَضِلُّ وَلا يَشْقَى +وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى)

"then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]. And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." [Ta-Ha: 123-4]

The solution to the economic crisis, just as every crisis experienced by the country, is caused by the existing system on the basis of capitalism. It is this system that caused and still causes crises even to its own people, and what is happening today in America and Europe bears witness to it. The solution is to establish the system of Islam, the system of the Khilafah "Caliphate" on the method of Prophethood, which resolves the crisis through the following:

1. The refusal to pay usurious interest to interest-based global institutions that drain the country's resources and benefitting from the money that will come to our hands for the service of the Ummah. It is already enough that all the money from the petroleum that transits the south, estimated at $2.2 billion, is used to pay off foreign debt according to a decision taken at the cabinet session on Thursday, 21/11/2013. This is the peak of usury! Usury is a war against Allah and His Messenger (saw). Allah Almighty says:

(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ+ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَإِنْ تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلا تُظْلَمُون)

"O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should be believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged." [Al-Baqarah: 278-9]

2. Allah has blessed this land with many resources, including gold. The state must convert its currency to it system, i.e. the system of gold and silver, and deal with it internally and externally. It must disconnect from the dollar or the Euro, which have no value to them, especially because Islam has made gold and silver the currencies relied upon, as the legal provisions of Islam are connected to them. Then there will be no effective decline in the country's currency, as is happening today for its connection to the dollar.

3. Directing attention to agriculture to provide sustenance, so we are no longer held hostage to the West. Rather we need to export what exceeds our need, especially because Sudan was blessed by Allah Almighty with vast plains of fertile land and abundant water. Also we have to pay attention to the industry, especially the heavy industry which needs to be employed in the service of the Ummah.

4. Minerals and petroleum are public property. Hence it is not permissible for the state to deal with them except in serving the Ummah, either by direct distribution or investing it into services, but not by giving the drilling companies a share. Those companies that have swelled their owner's pockets, and filled their bellies with the money the Ummah, should actually be hired companies that take their loan only in proportion to their work.

5. The state prevents anything that would cause the money to circulate among the rich only, as is the case today in the light of the rotten capitalist system. The Almighty says:

(كَيْ لا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنْكُمْ)

"so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you." [Al-Hashr: 7]

6. The Islamic State will not need this bulldozer army of officials and their followers. In Islam the administration is based on ease, simplicity, and efficiency by the ones who are assigned such work. This will save the Ummah billions to be spent in the care of its affairs.

If we apply this and other provisions of the Islamic Economic System, then it will be reflected in the well-being of the Ummah and  comfortable lives. Allah Almighty says:

(وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ)

"And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning." [Al-A'raf: 96]

Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil)

Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir

in the Wilayah of Sudan