Taliban’s victory: the beginning of a new Islamic era

Dr. Firoz Mahboob Kamal

A real joy of victory after hundreds of years

Taliban’s victory in August 2021, is the most significant event in several hundred years of the Muslim history. After a long agony of terrible pains, deaths, destruction, exploitation, and torture at the hands of the imperialists, at least the Muslims got some moments of real joy. It is indeed a huge victory to celebrate. It shows a ray of new hope in a dark tunnel of abysmal decline. The Taliban could defeat the most powerful country in the world and its 50 plus partners. It is a huge milestone in the annals of mankind. No other country could achieve such a crushing victory over such a giant World Power. Since Muslims are a single body of an Islamic ummah, the joy of one part sends a wave of joy all over other parts –as pain in one part gives pain to the whole body of ummah. So every Muslim in all corners of the world now share Taliban’s joy. Even thousand years later, this victory will shine in history and even then the Muslims will feel proud of it.

The Taliban has caused a distinct watershed in the modern history of mankind. Here the ultimate collapse of the US Empire cum the western dominance starts and the era of Islamic resurgence begins. In the past, the Islamic civilizational World Power didn’t take its birth in a populous wealthy metropolis, but in a small village town of Medina. In a short period of time, the poor fighters of that small Islamic state dismantled two largest contemporary World Powers: the Roman and the Persian Empires. Thus Islam proved to be the destroyers of Empires since its first days of emergence. It is a part of pure history. Afghanistan ratified the same truth by defeating three most modern and most prominent World Powers: the British in the mid-nineteenth century, the Soviet Union in the eighties and the USA in 2021. This is why the panic of Taliban phobia runs very high in the Hindutva media in India and the Indian ruling circle.        

The Taliban could fully dismantle a myth that the USA is invincible. Before the Taliban victory, challenging the USA looked impossible. The US and its allies exerted their full military might for 20 years in subduing Afghans, but failed badly. Taliban proved that it is quite doable to defeat the US and its allies. Thus, Taliban could raise a huge hope and confidence in Muslims and among others in the Third World. In an inundated World with a tsunami of US-phobia, it is a highly significant achievement. In 2001, even a nuclear power like Pakistan succumbed to the US demand like a powerless slave to be a partner in the occupation, death, destruction and torture in Afghanistan. Cajoling the arrogant USA received such a high priority in Pakistan that it’s Army and intelligence services handed over hundreds of innocent Islamists to the CIA to be tortured in the prisons of Guantanamo Bay. Thus, Pakistan –a country created in the name of Islam became complicit in explicit war crimes against the fellow Afghan Muslims. Because of the same US phobia, Turkey –a country proud of its Islamic heritage joined the US occupation.

Because of the US phobia, the ulama, the imams, the newspaper columnists, and the so-called scholars of the Muslim countries dropped the most fundamental Islamic concepts like jihad, shariah, hudud, rule of shura, pan-Islamic Muslim brotherhood, and Islamic state from their usual sermons and discourses. They considered such narratives as the symbols of Islamic extremism and feared the US wrath. So they voluntarily distanced from those Islamic vocabularies. Even Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and others brought changes in the school curriculum to drop or restrict education on indispensable Qur’anic concepts of Islam. Thus, the fear of the US retaliation became more pronounced in the circles of Muslim elites than the fear of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala and the fear of eternal punishment.

Shock waves over the imperialist world

Taliban victory also sent huge shock waves all over the non-Muslim World –especially in the western countries. These countries couldn’t think of such a humiliating defeat by the hand of mere 70,000 ill-equipped Taliban forces. The UK’s ruling Conservative Party’s MP Tobias Ellwood summarises the western humiliation in his ‘Times Radio’s interview: “This is completely humiliating for the west. We assembled the most incredible, technologically advanced alliance the world has ever seen and we are being defeated by an insurgency that’s armed with AK47s and RPGs”.

The USA spent 2.2 trillion of US dollars in Afghanistan and raised an Army of 300, 000 to fight against the Taliban. The USA and its allies had huge expectations from these mercenaries. They got such high expectations from their past colonial experience. The Muslim counties during the colonial rule proved to be the fertile breeding grounds to grow the most servile mercenaries. The mercenaries were ready to die for the imperialists’ cause. More than one million Arab joined the British and French Armies to fight for the imperialists’ cause in the First and Second World Wars. When the British Army fought against the Osmania Caliphate’s Army in Palestine and Iraq, most of the soldiers were non-British. More than 200, 000 Indian Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder with the British in the First World War. After the Second World War, in the fifties, thousands of Muslims from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Senegal joined the French Army to fight against the communists in Vietnam. Significant to note, the top military icons of Pakistan like General Ayyub Khan, General Yahiya Khan, General Tikka Khan and many more belong to this mercenary class. Later on, these mercenaries –the hard core secularists, proved to be instrumental in dismantling 1947’s Pakistan. Therefore, the US and its imperialist allies thought that the Army of 300, 000 Afghans, too, will do the same to serve the US agenda.

For 20 years, the USA and its allies did a lot of cultural, intellectual and political engineering to create a class of mercenaries in Afghanistan. These collaborators could be seen in huge numbers in Kabul Airport trying to flee from Afghanistan after the Taliban victory. The US and its allies were heavily shocked when the native Afghans refused to fight the imperialists’ war against Taliban. They left the Army barracks without putting up any real resistance. The credit goes to the Afghan soldiers that they didn’t follow the footsteps of mercenaries of Arab and Indian brands. The US and its allies consider it a betrayal of their cause. The US President Joe Biden mourned by saying, “We gave 300, 000 Afghans soldiers weapons, training and salary but could’t give them the wish to fight.” President Biden’s expectation was unrealistic. He doesn’t know that a Muslim’s wish must be the expression of his Islamic faith. This is why a Muslim with an iota of iman can’t be a mercenary cum collaborator of the imperialist enemies. Since colonialism with its ideological cum cultural engineering didn’t go that deeper in the Afghan psyche as it did in India, Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and other colonial lands, the Afghan soldiers could easily save themselves from committing the crime against their fellow countrymen as mercenaries. 

Taliban phobia and the denial of recognition

Since 9/11, the enemies of Islam were seen very busy in spreading Islamophobia all over the world. Now a new factor is added to their propaganda. After the victory of Taliban, they are now spreading Taliban phobia. Such Taliban phobia runs not only in the non-Muslim World, but also in the Muslim World. The secular Muslims show equal Islamophobia like the non-Muslims. They are now raising hue and cry over human rights, women rights and children rights under the Taliban rule. But while Afghanistan was being bombed and innocent men, women and children were killed, the same people kept silent. The worst violation of human rights occurred during the US occupation. But no Muslim country denied the recognition of the Afghan regime under the brutal occupation. Israel’s horrendous violation of human rights is known to everybody. But no western country withholds its recognition of Israel. Now it is clear, Muslims should focus on seeking recognition from Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala. And if Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala gives the recognition, none can do any harm. In the name of inclusive government, the enemies are putting pressure to include enemies inside the government. None of the governments on the earth is inclusive; enemies are never included in running a state. This is indeed an enemy ploy to dismantle the Islamisation project of the Taliban.  

Now all the anti-Islamic countries and their media spread lies and hide the truth. They hide the most glaring truth that the take-over of the capital city of Kabul didn’t cause even a single death and a single arrest. It is very uncommon in the whole of human history. Such a thing happened only twice: firstly, at the time of victory of Makkah under the leadership of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), secondly, at the time of takeover of Jerusalem under the leadership of Caliph Omar (ra).  They also hide the truth that robbery, thievery and mugging have become almost non-existent within weeks of Taliban rule. Security to the business people, entrepreneurs and women has been fully ensured. Not a single woman is reported to be raped. What the US and its allies couldn’t do in 20 years, the Taliban did it in weeks.

The Taliban’s victory exposed other realities. The USA and its allies are not the only enemy of Taliban rule; most of the 57 Muslim countries also long for immediate failure of the Taliban rule. They fear that the wave of Islamic resurgence that has started in Afghanistan can also engulf their non-Islamic secular rule. The rulers of these counties have no love for Islam or for any Islamic state. If they had any love for Islam or desire to add any glory to Muslim ummah, they would have implemented the obligatory Islamic principles in their own countries. It is an ugly reality that Prophet (peace be upon him)’s Islam that comprises Islamic state, Quranic literacy, sharia, hudud, jihad, Islamic state and many other Islamic fundamentals doesn’t survive in these states. The ruling elites of these so-called Muslim states prefer to live without Prophet (peace be upon him)’s Islam.

Many of these so-called Muslim countries are desperate to recognise the illegal and usurper state of Israel but not Taliban ruled Afghanistan. Turkey, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan are the examples of such states that recognised Israel. If Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala had sent back His Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) today to this world, his Islamic state would have been denied the recognition exactly on the same ground as used against Taliban. The Jews did the same with the Prophet (peace be upon him)’s state. They didn’t recognise his Islamic state. The Jews claimed to be monotheistic, but made a coalition with the Arab idolaters to dismantle the nascent Islamic state headed by a Divine Prophet (peace be upon him). The secular rulers of the Muslim countries consider recognition of Taliban as recognition not only of the state of Afghanistan, but also recognition of jihad, Islamic state, sharia and hudud, pan-Islamic Muslim unity and Quranic literacy. These Islamic fundamentals are almost banned or restricted in the 56 non-Taliban Muslim countries. Since they prefer to live without Prophet (peace be upon him)’s Islam, deeply detest recognition of Taliban-lead Afghanistan.

Islamic state and jihad are twined together

Both the Muslim and the non-Muslim Worlds have exposed their enmity against Prophet (peace be upon him)’s Islam. Whoever stands for an Islamic State will face the same world-wide opposition as the Taliban are facing now. The enemies have no problems with millions of mosques or religious seminaries. But they are not ready to tolerate even a single Islamic state. There are some discernible reasons for such enmity from the enemy perspectives. They clearly understand that mosques in millions don’t help Muslims to rise as a World Power cum civilizational power. These are only prayer houses. These millions of mosques don’t showcase Islam’s beauties that impress people. Therefore the enemies have no problem with mosques. Islam attract people in millions only when its beauties like its social policy, welfare policy, economic policy, justice system, and prescriptions for other problems are displayed in public. This can be done only by an Islamic state. The rapid spread of Islam in early days owes to the Islamic state that was established by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Only an Islamic state provides the necessary political cum social premise for the Muslims to present an alternative way of life to the people of the world and help stand up as a competitor of the non-Islamic civilization. This is why the western countries give lands to build mosques but do everything to foil any attempt for building an Islamic state. They are even ready to launch a bloody war to dismantle such a state. The western leaders never hide such an intention against an Islamic state. This way a defensive jihad is imposed on the Muslims.

The main reason for the US’s war against the Taliban in 2001 was to dismantle an emerging Islamic state. The western world considered it a treat to its hegemony. The case of Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda were used as a façade to cover up their main agenda. This is why even after the killing of Bin Laden, their aggression continued for more than a decade. Even Russia, India, and other anti-Islamic countries cooperated with the US in that war against the Taliban. Because, there was a convergence of their common agenda in dismantling an Islamic state. So, there remains no doubt that building an Islamic State and jihad intertwined; these two go together. There is no jihad-free way of building an Islamic state. Those who strongly desire to pay the price of paradise before death, they can only join such a holy enterprise. The Prophet (peace be upon him) failed in a peaceful way, no one in any part of the world can succeed in that way either. The enemies of Islam never leave such a peaceful mean for the Islamists. This is why the peaceful means of Ikhwan ul Muslims of Egypt and the Islamists of Algeria awfully failed.

Lessons from Taliban victory.

Those who can give blood can only change history. So, the coward has no role in the making of history. The glorious success story of the early Muslims owes to the huge sacrifices made by the companions of the prophet (peace be upon him). More than half of the companions became Shaheed. The US lost the war against the Taliban because their soldiers were not ready to die for their cause. The US needed to spend one million dollar per soldier per year to keep him or her in Afghanistan. Where a Muslim join jihad with his own money, and don’t expect any salary. He invests his money and life to please his Almighty Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala and to get a direct entry to paradise. The ownership of jihad belongs to All-Powerful Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala. Since He is invincible, jihad is also invincible. Therefore wherever jihad starts, it never gets defeated. Jihad may lose some battles, but ultimately wins the war. The Taliban proved that.

Ideological straight talking is crucial to establish clarity on the agenda of Islam. There is no place of ambiguity in Islam. The enemies of Islam fight their war in the intellectual arena of the Muslims. In that war, secularism works as a mischievous tool for corrupting Muslims’ faith and ideology. It is true that those stay with the roots of Islam are radicals or fundamentalists. And those who stay away from the roots are labelled as moderates, liberals or seculars. Secularism doesn’t allow any space for Islam or any other religion in politics, education, judiciary, warfare and state-building or state-running affairs. Islamisation of a war is called jihad. And its secularisation makes it merely a war and obstructs the gateway of Allah Sub’hana Ta’ala’s blessing. The case of Palestinians gives ample evidence on that. PLO’s movement is the most secularised war in Muslims’ history. Every day, they are competing to be more secular, hence racing for more disgraceful defeat. They stand 180 degrees opposite to the Taliban. They made their war a tribal war against the tribe of Jews. They are seeking support and sympathy of the western secularists and neglecting Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala’s help and blessing.

Jihad is the only Islamic instrument of societal challenge; there exists no other prescription. In the Holy Qur’an and Prophetic traditions, there is no mention of movement, tahreek, herak, or harakah. Those who adhere to the roots of Islam, they get jihad in their life. Secularisation of thought has led to abandoning jihad and to adapt movement, tahreek, herak and harakah in their politics. This is why the secularised people love political movement, and not jihad. Nationalism, nation states and national movement are indeed the other manifestations of secularisation of Muslims’ thought. As a result of such secularisation, the concept of Muslim ummah became non-existent in the midst of 57 nation states. Taliban could save themselves from such intellectual corruption. They practiced jihad as jihad, hence qualified for help from Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala. As a result, they also qualified for victory. On the other hand, the secularised Islamic movement is breeding failures after failures.          

Taliban victory also exposed the hypocrisy of those who run various brands of Islam like Shia brand, Salafi brand, Tablighi brand, Sufi brand and many others. Those who have already jumped into a wrong train and got seated there, hesitate to come out of that to enter into the right one entering into the station. In this regard, those who wait for the right train in the station do better. This is why the people like Abu Bakar (ra), Ali bin Abu Taleb (ra), Zaid in Hares (ra) and many others who abstained from the contemporary corruption in the name of religion could quickly embrace Islam. Whereas the Jews of Medina missed the right train of monotheism when it came to Medina under the prophethood of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). This is why Taliban’s victory was denied recognition or appreciation by the stakeholders of different brands of Islam.

Taliban has shown the path of success through unity, jihad, perseverance and sacrifices. The Taliban rightly understood the importance of Islamisation of state. Since there exists no match of a state’s power in doing good deeds for the people and Islam, engaging Islamisation of state is the greatest good deed on earth. Shockingly, very few Islamists of the Muslim World understand the importance of Islamisation of state as Taliban did. Most Islamists consider Islam as Islam-e akhlaqia -aimed only at moral cum behavioural purification. They seldom mention that Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) spent a large part of his life as a state-builder. He did the job of state-building as the head of the state for the last ten years of his life in Medina. More than half of his companions sacrificed their lives not to build mosques and madrasas, but to build and defend the Prophet (peace be upon him)’s Islamic state.  

Challenges for the Taliban

Expectation from the Taliban is very high. But the Taliban have limitations as well as severe hurdles. They have to build an effective infrastructure of administration, education, training and judiciary all over the country. It takes time. If a tree gets 20 years, its roots go deep down into the ground. To grow another tree in its place takes time. It needs to uproot the roots of the previous tree. Any Islamic project is the project of the whole ummah. Any success of the Taliban will be the success of the whole ummah. And any failure of the Taliban will be the failure of the whole ummah. So, every believer has a duty to support the cause of Taliban and pray to the All-Merciful Almighty for His blessing. The military war of the USA and its allies has ended but their cold war cum intellectual war is intensified. Every Muslim with the intellectual ability must join this jihad against the enemies.    

All the capitalists, socialists, Zionists and even homosexuals have a global coalition. But awfully, Muslims are sinking down in the quagmire of localism. Racial, linguistic and geographic identity getting preference over Muslim identity. In Islam, no Muslim is alien or foreign to another Muslim. It is haram to think like that. It is the gross violation of Almighty Allah-given identity of a Muslim. A Muslim has been described as a brother of another Muslim. Hence how a Taliban can be ignored as an Afghan or alien. It is the betrayal of faith. Such betrayal can only please Shaitan and invite the wrath of Allah Sub’hana wa Ta’ala. 20/10/2021