An Open Letter to Hizb-ut-Tahrir

Dear Hizb-ut-Tahrir

What do you really mean by the above statement on your website?

Are you talking about Jihad by Might (military) or by Knowledge (science & commonsense)?

What are you doing for either?

Where is the evidence that today's Muslims, no matter how pious (Muttaqui) personally, are on the average, individually or collectively, better than non-Muslims in these subjects?

Science
Medicine
Engineering
Mathematics
Politics
Economics
Finance & banking
Education
Information technology
Media & publishing
ART
MUSIC
SPORTS
Manufacturing
Business
Agriculture
Military
Civilian Infrastructure
Conflict resolution & Negotiation
International relations
Foreign service
Civil service
Effective Governance
etc.

Did you note the ones above in UPPERCASE? What does your concept of Islam say about excelling in these?

Try to name a single Muslim country in the entire World that designs & manufactures its own, any of the following items (needed for a truly successful Jihad by sword or by pen):

Motorcycle engine
Car engines
Truck engine
Aviation engine
Aeroplanes
Jets
Tanks
Jeeps
Trucks
Computers
Electronic components
Integrated circuits
Space rockets
Communication Satellites
Spy satellites

Until you commit yourself to training yourselves and your colleagues in your 'political party' to effectively creating and managing these resources before you have the political power, don't bother quoting the Quran or the Ahadith or the extremely bloody history of the internal fighting of Muslims. Your ideals are either in the books or in your heads. They are not real!

Was it non-Muslims who murdered the 3 out of first 4 Khalifas? Was it non-Muslims who killed supremely 'pious' personalities such as Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain and many other companions?

And the murderers were from among the companions or were close enough! Do you claim to know more? Do you claim to be more pious? More LOVING? More intelligent? More trustworthy? More competent? More educated? More in touch with God?

Do you honestly believe that your Khilafat today (or in the near future as you hope) would be any different or less blood thirsty? What evidence do you claim to have found since your foundation that makes you think that? Isn't it the height of arrogance that you claim to have a solution today (based on a 1300 years old wisdom) that the early Muslims of the time did not possess?

Humility is not something you seem to suffer from but can you find anyone in the history more humble than the Holy Prophet (PBUH)? Why aren't you prepared to admit that at least some of your ideas may yet be wrong? Since you can't have, neither believe in any kind of direct revelation after his time, you are left to your own interpretation or of those you consider as the last word in Wisdom. Are you or they more perfect than the Prophet?

I am afraid you do not yet qualify on the Holy Prophet's (PBUH) criteria of an Islamic party.

I will believe what you say when I will see again and again names of your party members in international publications and journals on the above subjects. When I see them educating themselves in the same Worldly subjects as the non-Muslims. When I see Muslim sportsmen and women beating the non-Muslims in International arenas. When I will see them winning Nobel prizes in above subjects because they are true Muslims, then I will believe you.

How many of you are in the world? How many of you are highly educated in the above subjects? The Holy Prophet was supremely successful though illiterate because he was given knowledge and wisdom by God and he used his commonsense too.

How is your knowledge, wisdom and common sense in comparison?

And don't forget to acknowledge at least ONE good thing about the 'Western infidels'. They give you the freedom to live among them and ultimately (if you get to know the way) to enjoy an opportunity to topple their system in a democratic manner. Yes the same democracy you won't believe in once you are in power!

Would you give them the same freedom once you are in power? The freedom to disagree with your own interpretation of reality. The freedom to be different in culture, religion, preaching and not be treated or taxed as second class citizens of your 'border-less' Islamic state?

"I beseech thee. Pray that you may be wrong!"

When you are in Rome, you should do better than the Romans! Are you people in your party doing better in everything?

Muslims blame infidels for all their ills. You blame them for their evil habits of eating pig, drinking alcohol, lack of morality and having been so clever and successful in conspiring against the Muslims. My question is: Is there an excuse for Muslims being STUPID? What has coddled the Muslim brain? Surely it can't be the in-breeding (marrying cousins)?

Developing 'Piety' as a personal attribute has definite merit. But is it sufficient? Surely developing one's competence in worldly affairs and a genuine LOVE and COMPASSION for mankind especially for the ignorant infidels is also worth cultivating. I am sure they are a part of Allah's creation to test your resolve.

Somehow I believe that the only way for you to win is to win their hearts. When the world will see you doing better in everything material AND spiritual they will want to be like you. You will not need to take up the sword or AK47 or the Nuclear bomb.

You will win by default. You will win by love.

That would surely be the Prophet's way.