By clicking here you can read the transcript of an audio commentary of Amir Sayfullah on some other details on how the declaration of the Caucasus Emirate was prepared.
Rejection of Taghut is the main victory of the Mujahideen in Caucasus
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, peace and blessings of Allah be upon the seal of Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad, upon his family and all his righteous companions! Whomever Allah guides, cannot be led astray and whomever Allah misguides, none can guide him. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, Who has no associates, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
To proceed...
Allah the Almighty says in the Quran:
Say: "The Truth has arrived, and Falsehood neither creates anything new, nor restores anything."
(Surat Saba, 34:49).
FOREWORD
Amir of Mujahideen Abu Usman (AKA Dokka Umarov) has made a statement, in which he rejected any manifestations of idolatry and established for his subordinates the Islamic system of governing. It means that he officially declared that he had nothing to do with the law of Taghut, the CRI (Chechen Republic of Ichkeria) constitution of 1992, the 2nd chapter of which states:
- "The people of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is the only source of all authority in the State. The people exert sovereign authority, belonging to them, directly and through the system of institutes of legislative, executive and judicial authorities created by them, and also by means of self-government institutes".
The statement of our Amir means that he considers Allah, the Most High, who sent down for us the best law and guidance through His Messenger Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, the only source of authority, and not the people. He also renounced terms contradicting Islam, such as: republic, parliament, president etc. His statement is the rejection of the democratic system of governing and pagan beliefs and doctrines associated with it. Mujahideen of Caucasus have nothing to do any more with all concepts incompatible with our Religion, such as human rights, international law, referendum, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and will of people.
Today some people are trying to convince us that this decision was taken by Amir Dokka spontaneously and unexpectedly. Someone even brought a version about the conspiracy of Russian secret services, who were able to sent to the Amir their hypnotist who forced him to "renounce Chechen statehood". It reminds me the words of pagans of Mecca, said against our Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Knowing his decency and honesty, they could not accuse him of lie, so they concluded that he was bewitched. They even named the sorcerer who allegedly compelled the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to confront his own people.
"And the Unbelievers say of the Truth when it comes to them, "This is nothing but evident magic!"
(Surat Saba', 34:43).
Of course, magic has nothing to do with it. And secret services of kuffar wanted exactly the opposite. They are controlled by Shaytan, who know that the main condition for the victory of Muslims is strict, rigorous observance of the Tawhid (Monotheism). Tawhid is the purpose of our life, we fight for it and are ready to die. The goal of kuffar and munafiqun is to deprive us of the true Faith and make infidels.
"They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they)"
(Surat The Women, 4:89).
"Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can."
(Surat The Cow, 2:217).
It is known that the governing system is the inseparable part of our Religion. It is also known that rejection of any part of the Religion means rejection of Islam as a whole. This is exactly what kuffar are trying to achieve today. They are trying to force us to reject the Islamic system of governing and they are propagating their own system, thus forcing us to disbelieve. We stood to defend our Faith and our Jihad long ago turned from the stage of defending our lives and property into the stage of elevating the word of Allah. We only needed to announce it openly.
"...so that those who were to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i. e. believers) might live after a clear evidence."
(Surat The Spoils of War, 8:42).
The Mujahideen have been coming to this decision since long ago. Below I will tell how the events unraveled and how the author of these lines participated in taking this decision.
A BRIEF PREHISTORY
The war against Russia has been going on more than 13 years. After the victory in the first war the strife happened, and its fire continues to smolder up to now. Few remaining alive participants of that strife still harbor mutual enmity up to now. It is practically impossible today to clear up who was right and who was wrong back then. One thing is obvious today: if we will not make right conclusions from passed events, everything can repeat again.
The question about what the Chechen state should be was raised more than once. Among the ranks of fighters there were proponents of a secular system of authority (a mix of Islam and national customs based on democracy) and proponents of the Sharia. The 2002 Majlis was an attempt to end disagreements among resistance members, but it resulted merely in formal unification of Mujahideen in Caucasus.
Some brothers admitted their past errors, but failed to come to a common opinion on many important questions. We found ourselves in a situation when we had only two choices, with each leading to an imminent disaster. The first was to cut the knot at once, without waiting for the end of the war. Nobody took the decision to make it, because it was clear that it would lead to a split within the Mujahideen ranks and could become a reason for defeat.
The alternative choice was to postpone the solving of the conflicting issues till the end of the war or till a truce. But everyone understood that if even war and the common enemy could not unify the Mujahideen, then it would be practically impossible to make it in peaceful conditions. The situation was aggravated by the lack of a man, among the participants of Jihad, who would be recognized as an unbiased judge by all Mujahideen, because all more or less authoritative umara (commanders) and muta‘allimun (experts in Sharia) participated in the post-war fitnah.
As a result, the proponents of democracy and the proponents of Sharia came to the agreement about recognizing the authority of CRI president and introduced so called Sharia amendments to the constitution of the republic. Everybody realized that the agreement was formal and forced. Democrats, majority of whom resided abroad, claimed that the Sharia amendments did not have legal validity, because the constitution was adopted on the referendum, and thus, could be changed only through a public voting. They also said that although Majlis was given the right to re-elect the president, after the war only an "elected representative of the people" could be a legitimate head of state.
Proponents of the Sharia also did not consider CRI president as a legitimate Islamic ruler of the state. He was considered merely a general coordinator of military action. Many people hoped for negotiations with Russia and thought that in was necessary to preserve the post of president for concluding a truce. The fact that each group or Jamaah had their own independent sources of financing was the indicator that the unity was only formal. Some umara explained it by a military necessity, but the real reason was mutual distrust and lack of trust for authorities. Even after Sheikh Abdul-Khalim came to power, not all Mujahideen swore him an oath as an Islamic leader.
The question of authority in Ichkeria was raised again after the Mujahideen of Caucasus united in 2005 and the Caucasian Front was opened. I personally was present at the Military Majlis in Nalchik in the summer of 2005. Amir Abu Idris Abdullah Basayev (may Allah have mercy on him), Hanif Iless Gorchkhanov (may Allah have mercy on him) and Abu Muhammad Musa Mukozhev were dealing with the question of joining Jamaah of Ingushetia and Jamaah of Kabardino-Balkaria to the Caucasian Front. Abu Idris announced that the strife ended and the threat of a split was gone. Much have been cleared up during the recent years.
Many participants of the strife showed their real faces, going over to the enemy. Only the proponents of the Sharia were left among the Mujahideen, and merely terms and titles were left from the democracy. The threat of a split was gone and the decision about final transition to the Sharia system of governing was just a matter of time. Abdullah Basayev appealed to us to become citizens of the Islamic State of Ichkeria and form part of the Military Majlis of the Mujahideen in Caucasus, which was going to take a decision about full rejection of the pagan attributes in the State system.
We became subordinates to Abdul-Khalim with the condition that the question of Sharia legitimacy of the state authority in Ichkeria would be solved in the near time.
Because of the hard condition in the fronts of Jihad the Majlis did not take place. After Abdul-Khalim Sadullayev and Abu Idris Basayev (may Allah be merciful to them) were gone, we lost communication with the leadership for a long time.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH AMIR DOKKA UMAROV
On the first occasion I wrote a letter to Amir Abu Usman, calling on him to renounce the democracy and the law of Taghut, to raise purely Islamic banner, free from additions of shirk. I also wrote him that taking such decision does not require summoning the Majlis, because it is fully his sole responsibility. He is responsible in the first place for his soul and saving it in the Judgment Day, and only after that he is responsible for the lives of his subordinates and the military planning. He will have to answer for it before Allah, the Most High.
Fundamentals of the Religion of Allah are easily understood by any human. The Quran was sent on people who were not able to read and write. Therefore if we see clear proofs from the Quran and the Sunnah, we have no right to cite scholars who are trying to conceal the truth, manipulating with Sharia texts and misinterpreting their meaning for an imaginary benefit. In the Judgment Day, an Amir will not be able to justify himself, saying: "O my Lord, I wanted to rule by Your rules, but ulama (Islamic religious leaders) did not let me to do it".
Of course, we respect knowledgeable people, whose deeds match their words, but in the fundamental issues of the Aqidah (Usul al-Din) Taqlid (following an opinion) of scholars is not allowed. Before accepting and believing somebody's statement in the matters of the Creed, we must demand a clear Dalil (proof from authentic Sharia sources). Concerning Furu (branches, details) of the Sharia, then in this case we follow opinions of those who possess knowledge and we are not obliged to ask a Dalil on every issue.
It was also pointed out in the letter, that voting on this subject is intolerable, even if there is certainty that everybody will vote for the Sharia.
Allah, the Most High, says:
"It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path."
(Surat The Clans, 33:36).
Besides, I draw the Amir's attention to the fact that the principle "Amir has a single vote in Shura", that was the basis of our statehood in 2002, contradicted Islam and was an innovation borrowed from kuffar. If we will not put this and other serious deviation to an end, Allah, the Most High, will not give us victory over the enemy in this life, He can deprive us of the reward and subject to a punishment. Yes, there is a danger that such move can lead to a strife, but Allah, the Most High, will surely cause us to fall into strife and split, if we will be afraid of humans, transgressing boundaries of the lawful, set in the Sharia.
It is said in the Holy Quran:
"And let those beware who withstand the Messenger's order, lest some trial befall them, or a grievous penalty be inflicted on them."
(Surat The Light, 24:63).
Abdullah Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
- "...and if people will violate a command of Allah and command of His Messenger, then Allah will surely place them under the authority of external enemies, who will take away from them part of what they possess. And if their a'immah (rulers) will not rule in accordance with the Book of Allah and will choose [only what they like] from what Allah sent down, then He will surely cause them to fall into internal strife" (an excerpt from a good hadith, transmitted by Ibn Majah. Refer also: al-Albani, "al-Silsilah al-Sahihah" #106).
Abu Usman answered in a letter, that this issue was clear for him and that he did not have any doubts regarding what our state system should be. In previous letters he also emphasized that he fought for the sake of Allah, only for Islam and only for Sharia. Amir Dokka said that he already took a decision and was going to make a statement on this issue. He said that he was only expecting arrival of one of the old Mujahideen who should help him to compose the statement's text.
THE BANNER ISSUE
Despite Amir Abu Usman's determination to completely establish the Sharia, some Mujahideen still had doubts about necessity and timing of such move. In the beginning of October 2007 I received a letter from Amir Muhannad, naib (deputy) of Abu Usman. Muhannad wanted to know my opinion on the issue of fighting under a non-Islamic banner. The point was that in one of my articles he read that it was not allowed to fight under a non-Islamic (indistinct) banner. He said that there is a fatwa by Sheikh Ibn Uthaymin, according to which it was allowed to fight under jahalia (non-Islamic) banners in defensive Jihad. Under such banners the war was waged in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all scholars acknowledged that the fighting on Bosnian Muslims' side was Jihad for the sake of Allah.
I answered that, indeed, until now Jihad in Chechnya was waged under the banners of democracy and war of national liberation. Nevertheless, scholars all over the world considered this war Jihad, whose goal was protection of the Chechen people from genocide.
There is an indisputable moment in this issue: indeed, during defensive Jihad it is allowed to fight under national banners and even as a member of a gang of bandits. But there are also doubtful moments. For example, is it allowed to fight under banners of kufr (disbelief)? Some scholars think that it is allowed if there is a necessity while there is no other option to save Muslims from extermination.
Others think that venturing under a kafir banner means falling into disbelief through committing kufr wala, i. e. becoming a disbeliever through displaying of loyalty to kufr. Part of the Mujahideen accepted the first opinion and fought against the Serbs under Croatian banners, which had crosses on them. They also fought under Bosnian democratic banners and were subordinates of president Alija Izetbegovic.
There was another group of Mujahideen in Bosnia, who did not submit to the Bosnian government and fought only under the Islamic banner.
However, in our case it does not matter, which of the two opinions we accept, because this dispute has nothing to do with us. The point is that the scholars who talked about permissibility or prohibition of Jihad under banners of kufr, meant only those cases when leader of an army or a state, be he a president of a democratic republic or a Christian democrat, does not want to accept the truth and persists in his disbelief. Or there is no possibility to call him to the true path. But here we were talking about our brother! How could we say to Amir Dokka: "Brother, you must become a kafir (infidel) for some period of time. Or else it will be hard for us to defeat the enemy"!?
Somebody can raise an objection and say that we are forced to do it, pressured by circumstances and a need to deceive kuffar. I will answer: Don't play with Allah's Religion! If everybody will justify kufr by a military or a political necessity, then nothing will be left of our Religion. All scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah are unanimous that anyone who deliberately utters words of kufr while not being under duress, becomes a kafir, even if he hates that kufr in his heart (refer to al-Qahtani, "al-Wala wa-al-Bara", vol. 1, p. 60). It is also known, that not every threat is considered ikrah (duress) in the Sharia. Imam Ibn Hajar stated four conditions that are obligatory for a threat to be considered duress:
- A threatening person, who is forcing to commit a forbidden thing, must be able to carry out his threat. And a threatened person must not be able to protect himself or escape.
- The threatened person must be sure that if he refuses to comply, the threat will be carried out.
- The threat's implementation must be immediate or bound to the very near future. For example, if a person was threatened: "If you will not do it, tomorrow you will be beaten", then it is not considered a duress.
- The person under duress must not show by his behavior that he does it of his own free will (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, "Fath al-Bari", vol. 12, pp. 311-312).
These conditions apply to any kind of coercion, including, for example, coercion to conclude a trade deal. Regarding coercion to disbelief, then scholars say that a person can utter word of kufr only if he can't bear sufferings. For example, if enemies are going to kill him, beat him hard or cause severe pain with fire or anything similar. There exists ijma (unanimous opinion) among the scholars, that a person who is forced to utter words of kufr must evade words of clear kufr, trying to use expressions with ambiguous meaning (refer to: al-Khazin, Tafsir "Lubab al-Ta'wil", vol. 4, p. 117).
It is also known that a scout (intelligence gatherer) is considered to be under duress, he conceals his Islam and acts behind enemy lines appointed on a mission by a military Amir. His condition is similar to someone under duress, because if he will be exposed, he will surely be killed or tortured.
Nowhere it is said that an Amir, as an exception, has a right to commit deeds putting him out of the fold of Islam, for a common benefit.
PLANS OF OUR ENEMIES
At first sight, the declaration of the Emirate of Caucasus seems to benefit Russia. But in reality our enemies long ago stopped worrying about resurfacing of democratic institutions in the Chechen Republic and (re)emergence of an independent Ichkeria. After Aslan Maskhadov, may Allah have mercy on him, was killed, the question about international recognition of CRI was closed. The West voiced some indignation and lapsed into silence. So only two issues were worrying Russian kuffar, and solving these issues should decide the outcome of the war in their favor: to completely deprive Jihad of financing and undermine its ideological base.
Kuffar knew that donations of Muslims in the Arabian peninsula were the main source for financing the Jihad in Chechnya. Our enemies thought that it would be enough to arrange an agreement with the authorities of the kingdom about disrupting the flow of help, and the Chechen problem would be solved. At first Russia concluded a treaty with the US about fighting the terrorism together. Then, king Abdullah arrived to Moscow (at the time he was a crown prince, but in fact he ruled the country) and signed an agreement with Russia. Abdullah promised Putin to cut off channels used to finance the Chechen Jihad. But lack of help from abroad did not stop the Mujahideen. Many units found their own sources of financing and became independent from foreign donations.
Kuffar realized that they could not defeat Muslims only with their force, and similarly to what they did during the times of the Crusades, they began to undermine the ideological base of the Mujahideen. They understood that the main supporters of Jihad were believing youth, whose number increases every day despite repressions. Orientalists and other specialists on Islam analyzed information they had and took notice that leaders of Jihad in their statements and appeals often cite opinions of famous Muslim scholars.
Mujahideen ask them for fatawa and their opinion has decisive significance. Russian authorities could not directly influence foreign scholars, so they enlisted support of countries of the Islamic world, with US assistance. Russia pretended to be a defender of the Islamic world. Russia condemned the Western coalition's invasion to Iraq, expressed desire to become a member of OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference).
The authorities in Kremlin even invited Hamas leaders to Moscow. Changes were also introduced in the internal policy, in order to create favorable conditions for deceiving Muslims. Prior to that, the main instruments in the fight against Islam were "religious authorities" and terror, now it was allowed to establish so called peaceful Jamaat acting under joint control of Russian intelligence agencies. The whole world was shown pictures of peaceful life in Chechnya, where an ex-Mujahid and ex-Mufti became a leader.
After aggravation of the situation in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria kuffar had to soften their stance towards Muslims in those regions. Up to now they have been trying to suggest to people that repressions in Dagestan and KBR were conducted exclusively on initiative of former leadership of those republics, allegedly without Moscow's knowledge.
In fact, persecutions of the believers were a result of the pressure on local authorities from the Kremlin administration. The Putin administration accused ex-presidents of arranging agreements with Mujahideen. Mosques in Nalchik were closed under pressure from Moscow. Minister Shogenov was just an executor of his bosses' will. According to the plan of Russian intelligence agencies, he had to play a "bad cop" role, and the new Russian chief, who came "to help" Muslims of Kabarda and Balkaria became, accordingly, a "good cop".
New presidents of Caucasian republics, appointed by Russian masters, opened the mosques and declared themselves as defenders of Muslim interests. A delegation of ulama from the Middle East was invited to Nalchik, and they instantly issued a fatwa according to which the local president was Amir of Muslims in Kabarda and Balkaria. I don't know whether similar measures were taken in Dagestan, but I think that the same scenario was used there.
All this steps taken by Russia, of course, had a certain effect, but it was not enough to deprive the Mujahideen of the religious motivation. It was necessary to substantiate the stopping of Jihad by means of Sharia arguments. And those arguments should not be said by pro-government ulama and muftis, but by respected scholars. They should be convinced that further resistance is pointless, that it only harms Muslims.
Russian orientalists and analysts took notice that despite Jihad going on in Iraq, many Muslim scholars forbid to conduct military actions in territories neighboring Iraq. And this despite the fact, that there are military bases of the Western coalition in those territories. So the similar variant is possible in Russia too. It means that it is possible to localize the war in the territory of Chechnya and foil the plans of Mujahideen leadership aimed at creating fronts in Caucasus and some other regions.
It is known that with growing ambitions of the US, the Islamic world is hoping for the restoration of Russia's former might. The main problem of the Islamic world is Palestine, and many Muslims naively hope for Russia's help in solving the Palestinian issue. Most of the known scholars in Arabia are hostile towards Israel and America. They are calling to helping Mujahideen in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. But many of them think that the Chechen problem hinders the solving of the Palestinian problem. They are, at least, advocates of localizing Jihad in the territory of Ichkeria.
Two times during Hajj, on the initiative of students studying in educational institutions of Saudi Arabia, scholars gathered pilgrims from different regions of Caucasus and Russia. Both times they tried to inspire the believers arrived for Hajj, that conducting military actions against Russia in those regions was illegitimate. Through the pilgrims the scholars appealed to Muslims living in Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Tatarstan and other regions, to give up opening fronts in those regions, while at the same time they said that they worried about brothers waging Jihad in Chechnya.
They also said that "you should help Chechens, but with a condition that it would not harm the process of the peaceful call to Islam in Muslim republics of Russia". In fact, it meant a complete refusal of helping the Mujahideen, because any such help is qualified as complicity in terrorism.
The problem with those ulama is that they believe Tawaghit who have authority in their countries, instead of renouncing them as it was already done by many righteous scholars. The Tawaghit are assuring the ulama that they are engaged in secret negotiations with Russia, which will soon gain strength and become a counterbalance to America. Below we will quote a dialog which will make clear what in fact is guiding some scholars in taking decisions regarding Jihad against Russia. Modern history knows the similar precedent: fatawa regarding Jihad in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They have roughly the same approach to our situation.
- Question: What happened in Chechnya? What was the reason for the Jihad? Or, more exactly, why was the war in Chechnya recognized as Jihad?
Answer: Chechnya was a democratic state, a republic which wished to separate from Russia. Russia did not agree with it and attempted to topple Ichkeria's government. When that attempt did not succeed, Russia invaded it with its troops and started to kill and rob Muslims in Chechnya. Muslims stood to protect their lives and property. That was Jihad.
Question: What is the situation in Chechnya today?
Answer: The threat of a physical extermination of the nation is gone. The new government established by Russia is consisting mostly of Chechens, among whom there are many former Mujahideen. Muslims can freely visit mosques, grow beards and travel for Hajj. Call to Islam is as free as in Saudi Arabia. But there still are people fighting against the present government of Chechnya. They are a few Mujahideen in mountains and former Chechen politicians who found refuge in European countries.
Question: What does the Chechen resistance aim at and fighting for? What political forces are standing behind them?
Answer: The Chechen resistance is aiming at international recognition of the democratic republic (CRI), which was declared during general Dudayev's rule. They are supported in the West and in Russia by forces which want to topple Putin and place Russia under Western rule again. Conclusion (fatwa): The situation in Chechnya has changed for the better. Lives of most Muslims are not threatened any more. The religion in Chechnya can be practiced openly. In such conditions Jihad should be stopped. But we can't forbid the fighting to the Mujahideen who are hiding in forests, because they have no other choice. There is no any sense or benefit in separating Chechnya from Russia in order to establish a democratic state there, which in fact will be under full influence by our main enemy, the US. We will persist in recommending the Mujahideen not to carry out military actions in Muslim republics of Russia, in order not to provoke the authorities to oppress the believers.
Question: We have received disturbing news from Caucasian republics and Tatarstan about emergence of field commanders there, who declared those republics military fronts. They are subordinates of the president of the unrecognized Chechen republic. In their articles posted on the internet, they are appealing to all Muslims living in Caucasus, Tatarstan and Russia to take up arms and go underground or join the Mujahideen units in mountains. Umara of those fronts are claiming that Muslims refusing to join the ranks of guerillas are impious and sinners (fussaq). They are basing it on the opinion that the war against Russia is an obligatory (fardayn) Jihad, and the fronts are established on the order of Chechnya's president, whom they consider their amir. What is the hukm (status) regarding these fronts?
Answer: Muslim republics (except Chechnya) are not a territory of war. They are a territory of a peace treaty and co-existence. Earlier, local authorities in some of these regions were oppressing Muslims. It was caused by the tense situation in Chechnya. Today, when the situation in Chechnya has stabilized, Russian authorities considerably softened their policy towards the Muslims living in these republics. Destabilizing the situation in these regions may greatly harm the peaceful call. Of course, Muslims living in Russia must help Chechen Mujahideen, but not in such form, as suggested by some brothers.
If there will not be enough men (Mujahideen) in Chechnya to confront Russians, then it will be obligatory for every Muslim to travel there and fight. But, as far as we know, there are enough volunteers in Chechnya, and they lack only weapons and money. Yes, they can experience hardships, but our Chechen brothers don't have a right to demand from Muslims living in Russia to open fronts there, because it can lead to repressions against weak Muslims. Regarding orders by the president of Chechnya, then it must be explained, that it is not obligatory for brothers living outside Chechnya to obey these orders, for two reasons.
Firstly: his authority is not considered legitimate according to the Sharia, because he is a democratic leader and can't be considered Wali al-Amr. Secondly: he can be considered a military leader that coordinates conducting of military actions, but his authority is limited by a given territory. He can be obeyed in the given territory, where Jihad is being waged, in order to achieve a military advantage, despite his fighting under a banner that is not purely Islamic. Proceeding from the aforementioned, we think that it is not allowed to open any fronts outside Chechnya.
So some of our ulama have such an interesting position. Of course, those people don't have a final say. There are other, not less knowledgeable men with the right Aqidah, and not ill with the defeatism. They are not playing in politics by rules of kuffar and don't consider it a victory of Islam when a democratic regime is restored in Chechnya or Hamas wins in election. They are strictly adhering to the Tawhid and don't sell their Religion for imaginary political gains.
We must follow those who bring clear proofs from the Quran and the Sunnah, those who rely only on Allah and follow the path of the saved sect and the victorious group. Then schemes of kuffar will fail and their plans will not be realized.
OUR CHOICE
Thus, we have understood that we were facing a choice: either to stop Jihad following fatawa of some ulama or declare the true goal of our Jihad. You see, if our goal in the war is to save the Chechen people from extermination, then that goal is already achieved. And if our goal is to protect the people against disbelief and deprive kufr of power, then let everybody know it. Every Mujahid must know what he is fighting for. Then kuffar's plan aimed at destroying what they call "ideological basis" or "religious motivation" of Jihad, will lose any sense.
I will mention an example from the Afghan Jihad. When America and Britain attacked Afghanistan, they met fierce resistance of Mujahideen. Afghans fortified one of the important sections of the front line, through which kuffar could not break even using their most advanced weapons. Generals of the enemy army arrived to the positions.
They could not understand what was happening, because according to all rules of the military science, their enemy should already be dead or run away. The commanders started to inquire what was the Afghans' motive, what did they fight for? Specialists answered that those people had the religious motive. Islam prescribes to protect your own life, lives of your loved ones and to protect your property.
This self-defense is a sacred duty of Muslims. The generals inquired whether people defending this section of the front have other motives? And they were answered "no", this section was occupied by residents of several Afghan villages, defending their homes. The Americans gave the Afghans an ultimatum: "You are fighting for your homes and your families. If you stop your resistance, we will not harm you and your villages. Otherwise, we will deprive you of what you are fighting for".
The Afghans responded that they would fight till the end. Then kuffar bombed one of the villages and again asked the Muslims to surrender. But it only made the Afghans more angry. Then the kuffar wiped out off the face of the earth another village, and said that they would not fight against the Mujahideen, but would only kill their women and children. Afghans are very courageous people, but now they realized that their resistance had no sense. Because their goal was to defend their homes, and exactly the opposite result was turning out.
Kuffar are doing exactly the same in Chechnya too. At first they were simply killing everyone, and today they are trying to blackmail the Mujahideen, abducting and killing their relatives. Those who fought for the homeland and saving the nation gave in to this blackmail and went over to the enemy. Because the family was more precious than a clan or the nation. For those who are fighting for the sake of Allah, in order to elevate His word above everything else, saving the Iman (belief) is more important than saving their own lives and lives of their loved ones.
Rejection of Taghut has put an end to the uncertainty that we had in everything. In strategy, in policy, in who we were in fact, and what we were trying to achieve. Many kuffar in the West were ready to help the Chechen resistance, but they also demanded that we, after all, find our position, on whose side we were in the global confrontation of disbelief and Islam. Those who aimed just at the material well-being of the people, suggested to the Amir Abu Usman to submit to Western kuffar and to renounce the display of devotion to Islam and Muslims. The Council of Caucasian ulama presented the Amir its conception titled "The Plan and the Program of Work by the CRI Leadership". Here is the choice that the authors of this conception offered to the Head of the State:
- "Thus, we have approached a situation, when we need to finally find our strategic goal, after finding which we can turn to the strategic planning. Taking into account all necessary features, we have deduced the final formulation of our goal at this stage:
We want to build an independent Chechen state with its cultures, traditions and religion. Before proceeding, let's try to answer a single question once and for all: "Should the Chechen and Caucasian nations have their statehood, and if yes, then should we preserve the statehood declared by the Chechen people and its structures?"
For reasonable people and those thinking soberly the answer is clear: YES without doubt!".
Here are some means that the Council of ulama is suggesting to use in the fight against the invaders:
- "...the state with all its attributes (flag, anthem, constitution, president, parliament, cabinet of ministers, court etc.); legitimacy of state institutions and their meeting the requirements of the international law; documentary recognition of our state's legitimacy by international legal organizations and by Russia; keeping abroad CRI statesmen experienced in military action and state-building".
The ulama naively think that the Jihad spread through entire Caucasus because Muslim people were dissatisfied with the Kremlin authority. Here is a quote from the conception:
- "Nations of Caucasus themselves are under conditions of the most cruel terror, oppression and violence. Any manifestations of the religion that are not approved by a puppet clergy are suppressed".
I want to inform authors of the conception that the people on the whole do not feel neither terror nor oppression nor violence. The puppet clergy approves any forms of the religion provided that there are no calls for Jihad against Russia.
Calling for Jihad against America or Britain is not forbidden. Even the deputy of the Mufti in Nalchik calls youth on Fridays for Jihad against American invaders. The people think that in October 2005 the Mujahideen attacked a peaceful city. When we say that we are solidary with our brothers in Chechnya and fight for the common goal, the people are perplexed: "What Chechnya has to do with it? How are we connected to what is happening there? It is not our concern. Nobody is oppressing and killing us, and those Wahhabis want to unleash war here. It is beneficial for America".
Many people are afraid that we will ban drinking alcohol and debauchery, and will deprive them of pleasures. Regarding the Caucasian Diaspora, it is satisfied by the current state of affairs in their historical homeland. In any case, national leaders are claiming so. They called us more than once to stop the war in Western Caucasus and not prevent local puppet presidents from working for the well-being of Adyghe (Circassian) and Alan (Karachay and Balkar) peoples.
We are supported today only by those who are convinced in necessity of fighting against disbelief and its fruits. Intelligent people see what do all-permissibility and Western mass culture lead to. Freedom of religion, to which kuffar call, is a freedom of disbelief. From earliest childhood, fornication and shamelessness are inculcated into our children, democracy, Christianity, Darwinism and other pernicious teachings are propagated in schools. The least thing they are trying to teach Muslims to is the tolerance to evil and to disbelief. What will the ulama do if majority of people would vote for legalizing the sale of alcohol, prostitution, drug addiction? Many people in Europe don't like debauchery and alcohol drinking too, but they are forced to submit to the majority.
The ulama can claim that they are supporting a gradual introduction of the Sharia, but they are forgetting that the Sharia is the Tawhid in the first place, and only then it is hudud (lit.: boundaries; the system of punishments for crimes), mu‘amalat (interrelation: marriage, divorce, trade etc.) etc. There is no sense in implementing a gradual transition to the system of Sharia punishments, while it is allowed (in accordance with the declaration of human rights) in the country to call to disbelief and mock the Religion of Allah.
While the country is ruled by a democratic regime, which gives the crowd a right to make laws and makes kuffar and Muslims equal in their rights, giving them equal voting rights, it is useless to talk about a gradual introduction of the Sharia. First we must say "no" to kufr, and only then "yes" to the Sharia.
WHAT WE HAVE LOST AND WHAT WE HAVE GAINED
Some people claim that openly declaring about the creation of the Emirate of Caucasus, we have lost much. (Saying "we", I mean the Mujahideen fighting for the sake of Allah, in order to elevate His Word above everything else. Regarding supporters of democracy, everything is clear about them, they have lost everything). At first sight, taking such decision, we put ourselves in a difficult position. But if putting into practice the words "None has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone" would be as easy as uttering them, majority of the people would enter the Paradise. But we know that the majority will enter the Hell, may Allah protect us from the punishment in the Fire.
Tawhid is a great responsibility and a heavy burden, about which Allah, the Most High, says in the Quran:
"We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it;- He was indeed unjust and foolish."
(Surat The Clans, 33:72).
This is the purpose of our life and it is our test. In a well-known hadith related by al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban, the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, told us the story of Prophet Musa, may peace be upon him.
- Musa said: "O my Lord! Teach me how to remember You and supplicate to You".
Allah, the Most High, said: "O Musa! Say: "La ilaha illa Allah".
Musa said: "O my Lord! But all Your slaves say that".
Allah, the Omnipotent, said: "O Musa! Even if the seven skies and all what they contain except Me, and the seven earths also, would be placed on a scale, and the words "La ilaha illa Allah" would be placed on another scale, then this phrase would outweigh".
We think that we have gained the most important: Tawhid and help from Allah, the Most High. With His help we will get over all difficulties, we serve only Him and rely only on Him.
First, let us consider what we have lost:
- Support of the West
A number of questions arise in this regard. First: Did that support exist at all? If it did, then it was very insignificant and formal. Second: If the West is in fact at odds with Russia and wants to put pressure on it, then our statement about the declaration of the Emirate of Caucasus should not prevent it from supporting the Mujahideen. Even if we will threaten America and Europe every day, it will be clear for anyone who knows about politics, that we do not have a real clash of interests.
The White House knows perfectly well that now we can't care about America. And if Western politicians, for example, will be really interested in overthrowing Putin, they would use all available means, including "anti-democratic" forces. The whole world is talking about the policy of double standards, used by US and a number of European countries. US, for example, almost makes no secret about its support for Mujahideen in Eastern Turkestan against China.
When American instructors at the Guantanamo base recruited Uighur brothers captured in Afghanistan, they told that they were not going to keep them in prison. On the contrary, they offered them to undergo special training and return to their homeland to wage Jihad against China. The Americans told that they did not care what banner the Uyghurs will choose for the fighting: "Build there a Caliphate, the Sharia, whatever, if you wish, just fight against the Chinese, and we will help you".
The same US is maintaining friendly relations with Saudi Arabia, despite the absence of anything similar to democracy there (no elections, criminals are punished by the Sharia, for example, hands of thieves are publicly cut off). In fact, the West does not care about democracy. They care mainly about installing their puppet regime in a country, place their military bases there and seize resources.
And, finally, whose support is important for us, support of the West and support of Allah? I think the answer is obvious.
- Statehood and legitimacy in the eyes of the world community and from the point of view of the international law. It will deprive us of a possibility to stop the war and to negotiate with the mediation of international organizations like UN and OSCE.
Firstly: we did not have much to choose from: either legitimacy according to a law of Taghut called "the international law", or legitimacy according to the law of Allah, the Sharia. We chose the second.
Secondly: we did not lose the statehood, but quite the contrary, we re-gained it and restored the legitimate Islamic authority. The statehood, loss of which is regretted by the democrats, was based on the law of Taghut, the CRI constitution of 1992. Nobody from the Muslims who have faith in Allah Alone, will not regret the loss of such statehood.
Thirdly: any sensible person understands that all these talk about statehood and legitimacy is just a question of Russian and Western interests. They play their politics and want us to play with them by their rules. And the only difference between Ichkerian democrats living in Europe and present-day puppets of Kremlin in Chechnya is that former ones want to live under protection of the West, and the latter ones want to live under protection of Russia. Both are actively trying to exploit the so called Islamic factor.
In other words, they are trying to use Muslims in their dirty game. Both are claiming to care for the people's well-being, though in fact they care only for their own welfare.
- Support of some representatives abroad
We lost their support, to say the least. Rather, we acquired new enemies in their persons. They openly rebelled against the legitimate Amir and declared about their desire to remove him from power.
Allah says:
They say, "If we return to Medina, surely the more honourable (element) will expel therefrom the meaner." But honour belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers; but the Hypocrites know not."
(Surat The Hypocrites, 63:8).
In fact we did not lose those people, but got rid of them. Few of them are participating in the war today. And if they would participate, they would just cause more problems.
Allah says:
"If they had come out with you, they would not have added to your (strength) but only (made for) disorder, hurrying to and fro in your midst and sowing sedition among you, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. But Allah knoweth well those who do wrong. Indeed they had plotted sedition before, and upset matters for thee, until,- the Truth arrived, and the Decree of Allah became manifest much to their disgust."
(Surat The Repentance, 9:47-48).
And if a truce will be declared between us and kuffar, then they will quickly arrive and will talk about their achievements.
Allah says:
"(These are) the ones who wait and watch about you: if ye do gain a victory from Allah, they say: "Were we not with you?"- but if the unbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): "Did we not gain an advantage over you, and did we not guard you from the believers?" but Allah will judge betwixt you on the Day of Judgment. And never will Allah grant to the unbelievers a way (to triumphs) over the believers".
(Surat The Women, 4:141).
They will deliver beautiful speeches and show off their knowledge of international laws and world politics. They will bring to Caucasus their European and American friends and will boast of their ties with "powerful patrons in the West". And they will say to the Mujahideen: "You don't understand anything about politics! It is a very complicated thing. We did not interfere in your military operations when you were fighting. You know good about the war, and we know about politics, and everyone must be of benefit in a field where he is competent".
They will quickly establish ties with scholars in Arab countries, and those will issue fatawa, politically beneficial for Muslims. Similar to that which they issued for Muslims in America, calling them to vote for Bush, in order to "prevent Gore, a Jew, from coming to power".
But praise be to Allah, who got us rid of those munafiqun.
This is what we have lost, and now let's see what we have gained.
- The Sharia legitimacy of our actions
We already talked about it earlier and there is no need for a repetition.
- A clear and well-defined goal
Even if we will think only logically, without taking into account the factor of miracle from Allah, we should understand that the war is impossible without such things as motivation and discipline.
Games in democracy almost led to stopping of the Jihad in Caucasus. We just did not have an answer for ordinary Mujahideen. We just promised them that the issue of the banner of Jihad would be solved soon. But it could not last forever.
If we would not care about under what banner to fight, we would not accept Abdul-Khalim's proposition, but would accept a proposition from other people, who offered us big money and international support, if we raise the people under banners of an orange democratic revolution with elements of Adyg patriotism. But we do not sell our Religion.
We did not have discipline either. Until now many Mujahideen were saying: "Who is this president? I know only Amir of my group (Jamaah)". There was no any respect for rulers and no discipline. Now, when the Amir's authority has become completely legitimate, we have a right to hold responsible anyone who will disobey an order.
CONCLUSION
The topic which we have raised is very important and needs a deeper studying. One of our brothers, who was martyred this year, prepared a good article on this topic. We are planning to publish it with some additions.
All brothers, who are working for the sake of Allah in the territory of our Wilayah, were very glad when they heard the statement of the Amir Abu Usman (Dokka Umarov). We have been waiting for this event for a long time., and Allah, the Most High, granted us this victory.
I thank Allah, who gave our Amir steadfastness, made him firm and inspired him with confidence in this crucial choice.
Amir Sayfullah, the city of Nalchik, 11 November 2007
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