بِسْمِ الله الرَّحمَنِ الرَحيم
Whilst the world searches for alternative and renewable energy and the Westerners benefit from the abundant, cheap oil and gas from the Muslim World, living in warm, lit houses for 24 hours a day, blissfully unaware of even the concept of energy shortages, the Muslims of Pakistan find themselves in darkness and severe cold.
From December 2007 until now, the Muslims of Pakistan began to suffer from severe electricity shortages, in the middle of winter, when electricity demand is at its lowest! Pakistan Electric Power Company (PepCo) enforced load shedding, thereby cutting off electricity for hours at a time, which crippled industry, business and daily life. Furthermore, the government first blamed low water supplies and then natural gas shortages for disrupting the generation of electricity.
The government tried partial solutions that failed. The local and foreign private companies were asked to increase their generation of electricity, which they were reluctant to do. This reluctance was inevitable because the private companies will always look at their profit, before the needs of the society as a whole. As for the water supply, as the government tried to increase the supply of water for electricity generation, it began a conflict with farmers over the need for water for irrigation.
And as well as contributing to the electricity crisis, gas shortages led to closure of industrial units and tremendous suffering in Balochistan, the very source of most of Pakistan’s gas, where children in large numbers died in below freezing temperatures, without heating.
So, whilst Western nations undertake difficult research for possible alternative energy, the current system failed to undertake already available measures for a crisis that was foreseen for many years before it happened:
1. The government has neglected to use coal as a cheap alternative to oil and gas. Throughout the world, including America and China, coal is still the most widely used fuel for electricity generation and with proper planning it can be used without harming the population through pollution. And Pakistan possesses the fifth largest coal field in the world, located in the Thar desert, Sindh province!
2. The government has neglected alternatives to dams for generation of electricity. The existing dams are used for both irrigation and electricity generation, leading to a conflict at critical times of the year. Were the government to use multiple “run of river” or “run of canal” projects this would produce more electricity for the national grid, without compromising irrigation. Also, had the government deserved to look after the Muslims affairs, it would have lengthened its vision to developing solar, wind and tidal generation of electricity, all of which have great potential in Pakistan, with its abundant sun, strong winds and long coastline.
3. The government has neglected implementing the Shari’ah rule with regards to gas and electricity. The present capitalist system allows the privatization of assets related to electricity and gas, allowing these public necessities to be run for the benefit of a small group of capitalists. Over twenty foreign and local companies are exploring for oil and gas. Local and foreign companies form the Independent Power Producers. These international and local companies are reluctant to compromise their profits for the sake of society, as occurred during the crisis. It is these companies that refuse to produce when it is not profitable and constantly demand higher utility prices to increase profit, despite all the damage it causes to industry, agriculture and households. RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى said,
الْمُسْلِمُونَ شُرَكَاءُ فِي ثَلَاثٍ الْمَاءِ وَالْكَلَإِ وَالنَّارِ
“The Muslims are partners in three things, waters, feeding pastures and fire” (Ahmad)
So, Islam has designated that oil, gas and electricity are neither private nor state property, but are a public property whose benefit is for the whole society. So, in the Khilafah these resources are to be administered to benefit the society as much as possible, with respect to both provision and cost.
O Muslims of Pakistan!
The current energy crisis is just another example of the failure of the present system, which neglects the affairs of Muslims and Islam. The non-implementation of Islam ensures that the Muslims will taste great suffering in this life. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
“Corruption has appeared on the lands and the sea, because of what man has done (in terms of evil.) Allah has made them taste a part of what they earned by their hands, so that they may return (to Him).” [Surah Ar-Rum 30:41]
And alas! Not only does life become miserable through neglecting Islam, what is worse is that the Muslims will face the wrath of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنْ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلاَ يَضِلُّ وَلاَ يَشْقَى وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى
“But if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from Me, whosoever follows My Guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment" [Surah Taha 20:123,124]
O Muslims of Pakistan!
How can any Muslim still consider that any good can come from the present system and any ruler that presides over it? Indeed, voting for any of those who stand within the current system, is like choosing the best criminal from amongst thieves. And how can any Muslim remain silent when all that results is that the rulers become harsher against the Muslims and Islam, especially when RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى made clear his hatred of the harsh ruler and love of the gentle ruler? Aisha رضي الله عنها narrated,
سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ فِي بَيْتِي هَذَا "اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاشْقُقْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَرَفَقَ بِهِمْ فَارْفُقْ بِهِ" (صحيح مسلم)
“I heard RasulAllah say in my house that, O Allah! Be harsh with the one who is charged with the affairs of the Muslims and is harsh on them, and Allah be gentle with the one who is charged with the affairs of the Muslims and is gentle on them.” [Sahih Muslim]
O Muslims of Pakistan!
Do you not yearn for a leadership that will rule you and govern you by the light of Islam, through the Khilafah state? The only way forward for you is rush forward and work with the sincere carriers of the Dawa and trustworthy politicians from the youth of Hizb ut-Tahrir, so to establish the Khilafah, which will implement Islam so that the Muslims can taste happiness, victory and the good pleasure of Allah in this life and the afterlife. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ
“O you who believe! When you help Allah’s cause, Allah will help you and cause your foothold to be firm.” [Surah Muhammad 47: 7]
Hizb ut-Tahrir - Wilayah Pakistan
27 Muharram 1429 AH
4 February 2008 CE
Source
Urdu version
Whilst the world searches for alternative and renewable energy and the Westerners benefit from the abundant, cheap oil and gas from the Muslim World, living in warm, lit houses for 24 hours a day, blissfully unaware of even the concept of energy shortages, the Muslims of Pakistan find themselves in darkness and severe cold.
From December 2007 until now, the Muslims of Pakistan began to suffer from severe electricity shortages, in the middle of winter, when electricity demand is at its lowest! Pakistan Electric Power Company (PepCo) enforced load shedding, thereby cutting off electricity for hours at a time, which crippled industry, business and daily life. Furthermore, the government first blamed low water supplies and then natural gas shortages for disrupting the generation of electricity.
The government tried partial solutions that failed. The local and foreign private companies were asked to increase their generation of electricity, which they were reluctant to do. This reluctance was inevitable because the private companies will always look at their profit, before the needs of the society as a whole. As for the water supply, as the government tried to increase the supply of water for electricity generation, it began a conflict with farmers over the need for water for irrigation.
And as well as contributing to the electricity crisis, gas shortages led to closure of industrial units and tremendous suffering in Balochistan, the very source of most of Pakistan’s gas, where children in large numbers died in below freezing temperatures, without heating.
So, whilst Western nations undertake difficult research for possible alternative energy, the current system failed to undertake already available measures for a crisis that was foreseen for many years before it happened:
1. The government has neglected to use coal as a cheap alternative to oil and gas. Throughout the world, including America and China, coal is still the most widely used fuel for electricity generation and with proper planning it can be used without harming the population through pollution. And Pakistan possesses the fifth largest coal field in the world, located in the Thar desert, Sindh province!
2. The government has neglected alternatives to dams for generation of electricity. The existing dams are used for both irrigation and electricity generation, leading to a conflict at critical times of the year. Were the government to use multiple “run of river” or “run of canal” projects this would produce more electricity for the national grid, without compromising irrigation. Also, had the government deserved to look after the Muslims affairs, it would have lengthened its vision to developing solar, wind and tidal generation of electricity, all of which have great potential in Pakistan, with its abundant sun, strong winds and long coastline.
3. The government has neglected implementing the Shari’ah rule with regards to gas and electricity. The present capitalist system allows the privatization of assets related to electricity and gas, allowing these public necessities to be run for the benefit of a small group of capitalists. Over twenty foreign and local companies are exploring for oil and gas. Local and foreign companies form the Independent Power Producers. These international and local companies are reluctant to compromise their profits for the sake of society, as occurred during the crisis. It is these companies that refuse to produce when it is not profitable and constantly demand higher utility prices to increase profit, despite all the damage it causes to industry, agriculture and households. RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى said,
الْمُسْلِمُونَ شُرَكَاءُ فِي ثَلَاثٍ الْمَاءِ وَالْكَلَإِ وَالنَّارِ
“The Muslims are partners in three things, waters, feeding pastures and fire” (Ahmad)
So, Islam has designated that oil, gas and electricity are neither private nor state property, but are a public property whose benefit is for the whole society. So, in the Khilafah these resources are to be administered to benefit the society as much as possible, with respect to both provision and cost.
O Muslims of Pakistan!
The current energy crisis is just another example of the failure of the present system, which neglects the affairs of Muslims and Islam. The non-implementation of Islam ensures that the Muslims will taste great suffering in this life. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
“Corruption has appeared on the lands and the sea, because of what man has done (in terms of evil.) Allah has made them taste a part of what they earned by their hands, so that they may return (to Him).” [Surah Ar-Rum 30:41]
And alas! Not only does life become miserable through neglecting Islam, what is worse is that the Muslims will face the wrath of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنْ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلاَ يَضِلُّ وَلاَ يَشْقَى وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى
“But if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from Me, whosoever follows My Guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment" [Surah Taha 20:123,124]
O Muslims of Pakistan!
How can any Muslim still consider that any good can come from the present system and any ruler that presides over it? Indeed, voting for any of those who stand within the current system, is like choosing the best criminal from amongst thieves. And how can any Muslim remain silent when all that results is that the rulers become harsher against the Muslims and Islam, especially when RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى made clear his hatred of the harsh ruler and love of the gentle ruler? Aisha رضي الله عنها narrated,
سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ فِي بَيْتِي هَذَا "اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاشْقُقْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَرَفَقَ بِهِمْ فَارْفُقْ بِهِ" (صحيح مسلم)
“I heard RasulAllah say in my house that, O Allah! Be harsh with the one who is charged with the affairs of the Muslims and is harsh on them, and Allah be gentle with the one who is charged with the affairs of the Muslims and is gentle on them.” [Sahih Muslim]
O Muslims of Pakistan!
Do you not yearn for a leadership that will rule you and govern you by the light of Islam, through the Khilafah state? The only way forward for you is rush forward and work with the sincere carriers of the Dawa and trustworthy politicians from the youth of Hizb ut-Tahrir, so to establish the Khilafah, which will implement Islam so that the Muslims can taste happiness, victory and the good pleasure of Allah in this life and the afterlife. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ
“O you who believe! When you help Allah’s cause, Allah will help you and cause your foothold to be firm.” [Surah Muhammad 47: 7]
Hizb ut-Tahrir - Wilayah Pakistan
27 Muharram 1429 AH
4 February 2008 CE
Source
Urdu version
Comments