1 . The issue of the Muslims in Rohingya is a matter of the highest importance and priority for this Ummah. It is matter of life and death. Therefore every believer should be concerned and work to resolving this issue and the same is true of the other conflicts in the Muslims world today (Palestine, Kashmir, Yemen, Syria, Central Africa etc).
لَزَوَالُ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ قَتْلِ مُؤْمِنٍ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ.
It was narrated from Bara’ bin Azib that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If this world were to be destroyed, that would be less significant before Allah (SWT) than the unlawful killing of a believer.” [Ibn Majah]
2. As is the case with the most of the conflicts and killing of Muslims around the world is a direct result of the colonization and today we are paying the price of western colonization. In the case of Rohingya Muslims, it is a result of British colonization of the subcontinent and subsequent ‘independence’ left the weak Muslim minority in Burma subject to the brutality of the successive Burmese regimes (Dictatorship and Democracy ) since the independence of Burma in 1948.
3. Burma has been and is subject to political struggles between powerful states (China, UK, and the USA) to control resources and strategic locations to further national interests at the expense of Muslim blood and honor. International powers has no regards to ‘human rights’ or any such hollow statements when it gets in the way of their national interests. That’s is why there is no serious political or military actions directed towards the Burmese state.
4. For Muslims to really solve this issue must be politically astute and realize that security of Muslim lives can’t be trusted in the hands of these murderous colonialists powers and institutions. We should learn from our previous reliance on the colonialist’s powers to provide security to the Muslims.
لاَ يُلْدَغُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مِنْ جُحْرٍ وَاحِدٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A believer is not stung twice (by something) out of one and the same hole.” [Muslim]
5. The ones who are really responsible for the security and the protection of Muslims are the ‘Muslim’ rulers. They are the ones who have the wealth and the armies of at their disposal to protect Muslims but our armies are used to fight for the colonialist Kuffar. Once again they have shown their true colors with their inaction and hollow condemnations. Even worse is that some of the regimes are actively and openly co-operate with Burmese regime (Bangladesh, Pakistan, and others). These agent rulers don’t have any concern for Muslims at all, they are only concerned with their thrones and pleasing their western backers. They only issue hollow statements and make ‘Islamic’ gestures to deceive the Muslims only.
مَا مِنْ وَالٍ يَلِي رَعِيَّةً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَيَمُوتُ وَهْوَ غَاشٌّ لَهُمْ، إِلاَّ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ
Narrated Ma’qil: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If any ruler having the authority to rule Muslim subjects dies while he is deceiving them, Allah will forbid Paradise for him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
6. It is obvious that solution to the plight of Rohingya Muslims is not to rely on the colonial powers to solve nor can we trust the ‘Muslim’ rulers to solve it since they don’t have the political will to act.
The only solution is for Muslims to establish on the ruins of the corrupt regime an Independent Islamic state that will make protecting the blood of Muslims its number one priority. This state is the Khilafah state that will unite the Muslims lands so that it becomes a state to be reckoned with. It is that state that will act as the guardian and protector of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
الإِمَامُ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ
“The Imam is a guardian and he is responsible for his subjects.” [Muslim and Al-Bukhari]
7. Once again we are witnessing the ugly head of nationalism and racism in action, where a vulnerable minority is persecuted because of their color, race, and religion. Nationalism and all its extreme effects have turned this world into a world of chaos and bloodshed. This disease of nationalism which has become the basis of national sovereignty and right of citizens. The political and economic elites have always exploited this to deflect problems on the ‘other’, creating misery and divisions in society. It is only Islam that has successfully treated this disease where people are not judged and afforded rights and obligations based on race and color. In fact, Islamic history is a testimony to the fact the Islam created harmonious societies among people of all backgrounds and races where non-Muslims were protected like Muslims.
مَنْ قَتَلَ مُعَاهَدًا لَمْ يَرَحْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا تُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ أَرْبَعِينَ عَامًا
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years.” [Al-Bukhari]
وَأُوصِيهِ بِذِمَّةِ اللَّهِ وَذِمَّةِ رَسُولِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُوفَى لَهُمْ بِعَهْدِهِمْ، وَأَنْ يُقَاتَلَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ، وَأَنْ لاَ يُكَلَّفُوا فَوْقَ طَاقَتِهِمْ
Umar Bin Al-Khattab (ra) who counseled his successor at the time of his death:.. and enjoin him that by the covenant of Allah and His Messenger, he should fulfill their covenant, fight behind them and not force them to work beyond their capacity. [Al-Bukhari]
8. In addition to making Dua’a and giving charity, we have the responsibility to call for the return of the Islamic Ruling (system) – Al Khilafah – by working with those who are working for it. Not only because it is the practical necessity but as an Islamic obligation. It is only by the re-establishment of the Khilafah can the Muslims really deal with the plight of the Rohingya and othe crisis by undertaking the necessary political, diplomatic, economic and military actions. We should not be waiting for Khilafah but actually working for it now.
وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّـهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَـٰذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّـهِ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ
And strive hard in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving as is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you a hardship in religion; the faith of your father Ibrahim; He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of witness to the people; therefore keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper! [Al-Haj 22:78]