Syria and the Façade of Peace
The Western colonial powers are busy working to create a “political solution” to the Syrian uprising. On Feb 1, the UN’s Staffan De Mistura announced the beginning of yet another peace conference in Geneva that was aimed at bringing together members of the Syrian opposition and the Syrian regime. The conference was supported by the United States, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The members of the “opposition” were those factions that were funded by the Saudis, Qatar, or others, and are therefore deemed “moderates.” Those who were not on the payroll were deliberately excluded from this political process.
After just two days following the announcement the talks were cancelled, with the opposition claiming that Russian pro-regime airstrikes caused them to lose their confidence in the process.
What can be learned about the true intent of the colonial powers from these events? And what can be ascertained about their commitment to peace and justice for the Syrian people?
The Façade of Peace
The purpose of these talks has not been to find a solution to the Syrian situation – political or otherwise. The goal has been to legitimize the rapist, murderous regime of Assad by strong-arming members of his opposition to sit next to him as peers.
It is instructive to note here that peace cannot be defined as the absence of violence; rather it is defined as the establishment of justice. Peace cannot be achieved through merely demilitarizing the oppressed; rather it is essential to strike at the root of the oppression. But the colonial powers have no interest in such lofty ideals.
Instead, the US spent the early days of the revolution supporting Assad and merely calling for reforms, while Assad continued to conduct a campaign of mass murder against his own people. When Assad’s campaign of violence proved futile – as the brave people of Syria continued to call for the downfall of the secular regime – the US scrambled to find another puppet in the region, hoping this would allow them to nominally oppose Assad while still ensuring the continuation of their control of the Syrian government. In this way, they created the Syrian National Coalition – a group of Syrian expats that were well-adjusted to colonial interests – as an example.
They continued to allow the Syrian regime to murder its own people; what’s more is they befriended the allies of Assad, warming relations with Iran and allowing NATO to coordinate with Russia, as long as these regimes continued to assist Assad in his brutal crackdown of the Syrian people. Essentially, the US supported the beating down of the Syrian people in order for them to submit to the idea of compromising with their murderer, Assad.
In keeping with this plan, they used their colonial appendage in the area, Saudi Arabia, to pressure the less ideologically disciplined members of the opposition into participating in this façade of a peace process.
Why Is Syria Important?
On any given day, millions of people suffer brutality at the hands of murderous regimes, inhumane corporate powers, and unjust economic conditions, in every corner of the world. As Muslims, it is part of our Deen to be sensitive to the cries of all these people. But the Capitalist nations are very selective with whom they choose to focus on. So, why has the US been working so tirelessly to suppress the political ambitions of the Syrian people? Why have they exhausted everything in their power to facilitate a campaign of brutal suppression, with intent to coerce a bloody compromise?
It is because Syria is different. The Arab Spring gave cause for concern for many regimes in the Muslim lands as well as the colonial powers directly. However, unlike the other nations that were affected by the Arab Spring, the call for Islam has been clear and pure in Syria, and has remained free from slogans through which the Western colonial powers could quickly co-opt and impose their secular agenda. The people of Syria have not been fighting simply for a change in leadership or for empty slogans of freedom, rather it is clear that the demands of the Muslims of Syria stems from their Islamic Aqeedah and high political awareness. They realized that the root cause of the problem began when the Capitalist colonial powers imposed their way of life on the Muslim lands after World War One, and all the calamities that have befallen the Muslims since then have merely been symptoms of the greater problem. They also realized that only through Islam could they find the true solution to their crisis. Hence, numerous protests across Syria called for the restoration of the Khilafah – from Deraa in the south, to the capital Damascus, to Homs in the west, to Aleppo and Idlib in the north, and Al-Raqqa in the east. Indeed this was the first time since the destruction of the Islamic Khilafah in 1924 that the masses in the Muslim world rallied in the tens of thousands demanding the return of the Khilafah.
Compromise: A Colonial Trap
What the colonial powers ultimately hope to achieve is to bomb, starve, and hamstring the Syrian people to the point where the situation becomes so unbearable for them that they give up the call for Islam and choose to compromise with Assad’s regime. After they have achieved this, it is inconsequential to them whether Bashar Al-Assad himself stays in power or not, as long as they have neutralized any threat to the existing status quo.
It is essential for the Ummah to recognize this trap, and not say or do anything that feeds into the mentality of compromise. As Muslims, it is unacceptable for us to legitimize tyrants as “the lesser of two evils,” and it is intolerable for us to imagine that we can hope for true success in this life, or in the Akhirah, by abandoning the rule of Allah (swt) and accepting the rule of man. And no amount of hardship, brutality, or oppression should change this standard.
Consider the life of the best of examples: the Messenger of Allah (saw). When he (saw) carried the message of Islam, he challenged the political status quo. He recited verse after verse from the Quran that called out the injustice and tyranny of Quraysh, and confronted their corrupt practices. For example, he (saw) condemned his own uncle, Abu Lahab, by name.
One tactic used by Quraysh was to bribe the Messenger (saw) in an attempt to silence him. When this strategy failed, Quraysh resorted to a compromise; they offered to share power with him, even proposing that he be made their king – a position that had not even existed in Makkah until then. We must reflect on the nature of this compromise: Are its terms not far more advantageous than any terms that have been offered by the US and their allies to the groups that have called for Islam thus far? Yet, the very notion of legitimizing a system of Kufr is incompatible with the Islamic Aqeedah, as it compromises the belief that only Allah (swt) is the Sovereign Legislator. His (swt) system is the only legitimate answer to humanity’s individual and collective problems. And, therefore, the Prophet (saw) rejected Quraysh’s offer.
It is also instructive to note that, at the time of the Prophet’s (saw) rejection of this offer of compromise, Muslims had no power in society, and were being tortured and killed. Yet neither of these calamities influenced the Prophet’s (saw) decision. His ability to remain steadfast to the Haqq (truth), despite the pressure that Quraysh placed on him demonstrates that this was not a mere political calculation; rather, his refusal was based on him following the command of Allah (swt) – a command that is repeated many times in the Quran.
Why the Syrian Uprising Matters to Muslims in Canada
The Muslims in Canada are not unaware of the situation in Syria. We have prayed for our oppressed brothers and sisters, raised money for relief, and recently been eager to welcome Syrian refugees into our communities, Masaajid, and homes.
However, our unity to the people of Syria must surpass humanitarian efforts and sincere Du’as. We must follow these actions up with careful political analysis of the situation in Syria, and do everything in our ability to support and encourage the brave brothers and sisters who are striving to establish the Islamic way of life in the blessed land of Al-Sham.
This is because the Syrian uprising is not simply a local or regional issue; rather it is another chapter in a broad struggle that is as old as humanity – the struggle between truth and falsehood. The Ummah in Syria did not rebel against its regime only for an improved standard of living, or a healthier economy; rather, they rose up to demand the implementation of the Islamic political system, which ultimately results in justice, dignity, and protection for all people. So, as long as the people of Syria are engaged in this blessed struggle, then their struggle is ours as well.
How Can Muslims In Canada Help?
We must demand that the leadership in our communities do the following:
1) Be vocal in their solidarity with the Syrian uprising, and be quick to speak out against anyone that promotes a compromise solution.
2) Not be fooled by any political entity that falsely claims to represent the political system of Islam that fails to meet the standards of Islam and actively works to brutalize Muslims. This applies equally to Saudi Arabia, as well as the so-called Islamic Republic of Iran, and includes the erroneously named “Islamic State” or ISIS.
3) Draw attention to the two-faced crimes of the Capitalist colonial nations – who point fingers at Muslims with accusations of violent behaviour while committing the most vicious crimes around the world against millions –and our leaders must be quick to refute the secularist ideology’s claim to hold the answers for humanity. It is ultimately the Capitalist colonial nations that have been working with Bashar and his father, for decades, to oppress the people of Syria, and this fact must be exposed and highlighted.
And finally, we must remain steadfast in our prayers and Du’a for the people of Syria, as they bravely continue to show patience and speak the truth in the face of the world’s biggest tyrants.
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