Press Release
Nationalism is a Treatment for Which it is the Disease And Islam is the Cure for the Diseases of Tribalism and Regionalism
(Translated)

In the eighth session and in its seventeenth meeting on 28 November 2013 CE, the legislative council of the state of Qadarif approved a law to prohibit any organizations established on the basis of tribalism in the state of Qadarif in 2013 CE, and it is stated in the law: "Abolishing the organizations that were formed on the basis of tribalism, and the prohibition of the establishment or register of any organizations on the basis of tribalism." And the explanatory memorandum that accompanied the law states: "We must raise the slogans of national unity, and stop all the practices that encourage tribalism and regionalism and prejudice, and entrench that citizenship is the basis of attaining rights and obligations."

We in Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Sudan with regards to this law clarify the following:

Firstly: The great ideology of Islam has ruled for the nullification of the ties of tribe and region and nation, and made the connection between people the connection of Islamic brotherhood:

(إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ)

"The believers are brothers" [al-Hujarat: 10]

(مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى)

"The believers, in their love, mutual kindness, and close ties, are like one body; when any part complains, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever"

And this association has fused and brought together nations and peoples form all over the world, and turned them into one nation, and created affection between them,

(هُوَ الَّذِي أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ لَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ)

"It is He who supported you with His aid, and with the believers. And He united their hearts. Had you spent everything on earth, you would not have united their hearts, but God united them together. He is Mighty and Wise." [al-Anfal: 62]

Secondly: The state in its caring for the affairs of the citizens considers all people equally without distinguishing between Muslims and non-Muslims, and all the more so between Muslims of various tribes, colors and ethnicities.

Thirdly: The basis of rights and obligations is the Islamic faith, and not nationalism, Allah (swt) says:

(فَلا وَرَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا)

"But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they call you to arbitrate in their disputes, and then find within themselves no resentment regarding your decisions, and submit themselves completely". [an-Nisa: 65]

Fourthly: It is the secular system that is implemented in Sudan that raised the flags of regionalism and tribalism, and kindled its fire, for on the basis of regionalism south Sudan was separated, and on the basis of tribalism they want to break up the remainder of Sudan. And this secular regime is what ordered the regional and tribal census, and made it the basis of assigning responsibility in the state, indeed even within the ruling party.

Fifthly: The eradication of our Jahiliyya prejudices of regionalism, tribalism and nationalism is only by the implementation of the system of Islam on the people, and making the Islamic belief the basis of rights and obligations, so that the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be pleased with us, not to address the tribalism, prejudice and regionalism with the disease of nationalism:

(أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ)

"Is it the laws of the time of ignorance that they desire? Who is better than God in judgment for people who are certain?" [al-Maidah: 50]

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