The liberal West considers its historical evolution as progress itself. The revival of ancient Greek philosophy, art and culture in the 14th and 15th centuries was called a renaissance. This led to the Reformation where the Church’s authority was challenged. Culminating in the Enlightenment which saw ‘reason’, individualism and science take centre stage. All of this led to the industrial era and modernity as we know it. Today we live in a postmodern world, we are led to believe.
During WW1, France, Britain and Russia were deciding amongst themselves how they should dismember the Muslim world and who should get which piece. What prospect the Khilafah had was put to rest by the 3rd of March 1924 when the Khaleef was expelled from Turkey. The Muslim world was dismembered, and new nations were created for the Muslims. The Muslims were told that Islam was holding them back and they needed to become like the West and embrace its values.
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and with it so did the communist ideology. Capitalism had triumphed and the development of ideas had come to an end, with the last remaining ideology standing supreme. Individualism, free markets, free trade, democracy, etc were the only way to progress and for happiness to be achieved.
Today, 95 years since the destruction of the Khilafah and a few decades since the fall of communism in the world, rather than being in a better situation, the world is in a state of apathy and despair, regardless of the type of regime people live under.
Tonight, over 3 billion people – half the world’s population – will have nothing to eat, as half the world’s population live under the poverty line. This takes place despite there being more wealth in the world than in the whole of human history.
The dominance of a small elite across the world has seen governments protect their interests at the expense of the masses and this has led many to turn to unconventional politics in the hope of bringing change. Despite capitalism having little competition, the frustration of people is growing faster than its hegemony.
The appetite for change can be seen through numerous examples. In the US, decades of neglect saw the US public turn to Donald Trump – who has never had any experience in public office – in the hope that ordinary people’s voices could be heard. The US establishment was forced to turn to such an unconventional person to maintain the mirage of change. In France, in 2017 Emmanuel Macron – who was not part of any political party – ran as an independent candidate to show he was not part of the establishment and a vote for him was a vote for change. Many in France also turned to the right-wing racist party of Marine Le Pen in the hope that their long forgotten voices could be heard. Were it not for France’s two round presidential electoral process (ostensibly designed to keep outsiders from winning), she would have won. France is now seeing in the Gilet Jaunes (yellow vests) protests against tax rises, further indicative of the appetite for change. In the UK, many never understood the implications of leaving the EU, but voted for Brexit in order to teach the establishment a lesson.
We see similar trends in the Muslim world with the electoral success of Imran Khan in Pakistan. Whilst many see the Arab Spring through the lens of Syria, the long-term dictators in Sudan and Algeria are struggling to maintain their positions as the masses have taken to the streets for change. In Egypt, the dismal years of Sisi have seen him attempting to change the countries constitutions in the hope of dealing with the opposition and remain in power for longer.
The appetite for change is rising because the ordinary person has not just been neglected but failed, by capitalism. In the economic crisis ten years ago the economic elites were bailed out and the public were forced to survive a decade of austerity. This discontent will only increase as the economic situation sets to worsen globally and the basic cost of living for many more becomes unachievable.
In the artificial nations created in the Muslim world after the destruction of the Khilafah, many remain unstable and the long-term needs of the masses continue to be neglected. In Egypt despite the growing population, the economic situation is worse today then it was under Hosni Mubarak. In Tunisia, the Muslims are back on the streets again as the government has failed to solve the challenges the masses face.
Across the world, wherever one looks – whether in the Muslim world or beyond – the appetite for change is sky high. Capitalism, after three decades of uncontested hegemony, has enriched a tiny few and failed the rest. The individualism of the liberal ideology has not only emancipated the masses but has also created loneliness, a mental health crisis, family breakdown and demographic decline. Despite such glaring failure, the elites in the West constantly attack Islam.
On this 95th anniversary, the Khilafah and Islam remain the only salvation, not just for Muslims but the whole world. A world in dire need of this Islamic system – one which puts needs before wants, the masses before the elite and humanity before economic gain. A system helmed by a just ruler who fears Allah (swt), implementing the rule of law instead of focusing on political point scoring and career advances. The Khilafah will see all of humanity as human beings who have needs and rights ordained for them, as opposed to creating nationalistic divisions and viewing humans as merely economic commodities. The imminent return of this Khilafah state is inevitable and will be the beacon of light today’s world is so desperately in need of.