Muslims in Kenya and in some countries across the world are in anguish due to the fact that their mosques were closed by the secular regimes in the pretext of protecting the Muslims from the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in places of worship. The paradox in Kenya is that the mosques were shut down when the number of infections were almost 100. Surprisingly after approximately four months later the number of infections stands at above 10,000+ and with a prevalence rate of infections of 200+ in a day i.e. it keeps increasing. Kenyan government on 6 July, 2020 sanctioned the so-called Interfaith Council chaired by Archbishop Anthony Muheria to give direction on the steps to be taken in readiness to open places of worship including mosques!
This situation has exposed the evil secular regimes that are ever plotting against Islam and the Muslim Ummah across the world. It is absurd to listen to the arguments and reasons used to justify the closure of mosques when everyone knows mosques are centers of cleanliness and a source of refuge whenever calamity strikes the society. The closure of mosques has made Muslims across the world to taste what our Muslim brothers and sisters feel and pass through whenever the Jewish entity barricade and annex the surroundings of our beloved First Qibla, Al-Aqsa Mosque for the Muslims not to pray in it including its latest onslaught where the Israeli court has issued a verdict that orders the closure of the Bab al-Rahma gate of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem! (menafn.com, 14 July 2020). The closure and destruction of above 200 mosques in Xinjiang and its cities being rebuilt into maximum surveillance by the Chinese regime (bitterwinter.org, 20 June 2018). In Central African Republic (CAR) almost all the 436 mosques were closed and destroyed. (www.ctvnews.ca, 17 March 2015)!
Indeed, Muslims are in dire need of their Islamic state of Khilafah (Caliphate) in order to take care and manage their affairs across world. It is an urgent demand that must be met since it is known that secular regimes are masters in taking advantage of situations and can exploit this dilemma of either continue closing or opening of mosques in Kenya to further their evil agenda of branding Muslims to be either radicals or moderates and final terrorists and end up causing further suffering!
The most appropriate approach is to seek the fundamental solution to the myriads of problems facing the Muslim Ummah and the world at large in all spheres of life from political, economic, social and education amongst others. That radical solution is none other than re-establishment of the time-tested Khilafah (Caliphate) that ruled the world for almost 14 centuries with mercy and acted as a custodian of peace globally. The Khilafah will ensure that religious places of worship including those of its non-Muslim citizens are kept open and protected at all times. In cases where diseases emerge its health department will ensure that citizens are well cushioned from the effects and severity of the said disease and sound policies will be put in place to ensure that the lives of the citizens are well protected.
Our procrastination in seeking the long term solution has led us into our current situation in this dilemma of either opening our mosques based on the secular governments’ conditions or continue to shut down! In either way none serves as the ultimate remedy to the problem. Furthermore, this confirms the saying of Allah (swt): وَمَنۡ أَعۡرَضَ عَن ذِڪۡرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُ ۥ مَعِيشَةً۬ ضَنكً۬ا “And whoever turns away from My remembrance –indeed, he will have a depressed life.” [Ta Ha: 124] In addition, the Prophet (saw) spoke about this situation: لَيُنْقَضَنَّ عُرَى الْإِسْلَامِ عُرْوَةً عُرْوَةً فَكُلَّمَا انْتَقَضَتْ عُرْوَةٌ تَشَبَّثَ النَّاسُ بِالَّتِي تَلِيهَا وَأَوَّلُهُنَّ نَقْضًا الْحُكْمُ وَآخِرُهُنَّ الصَّلَاةُ “The knots of Islam will be undone one by one, each time a knot is undone the next one will be grasped, the first to be undone will be the Rule (Caliphate) of Islam; and the last will be the Salah.” [Ahmad and Al-Hakim] We must hasten and join our efforts in delivering the urgently needed alternative Islamic ideology to take the place of the deceased secular capitalist ideology. «إِنَّمَا الإِمَامُ جُنَّةٌ يُقَاتَلُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ وَيُتَّقَى بِهِ» “The Imam (Khalifah) is a shield, behind whom you fight and protect yourself”
Ali Nassoro Ali
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir