HIZB UT-TAHRIR - AN OPEN LETTER TO CLARE SHORT MP

1 March 2006

Dear Clare Short,

I read with alarm that you are facilitating a meeting of the misogynistic, homophobic and anti-Semitic Muslim fundamentalist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir, at the House of Commons today, Wednesday 1 March, in Committee Room 17.

If this is true, I am very surprised. Perhaps you are not aware of the true nature of this group and its anti-democratic, anti-humanitarian goals, as enshrined in its constitution?

Please allow me to illuminate you concerning my own personal experiences with Hizb ut-Tahrir:

During the early to mid-1990s, Hizb ut-Tahrir distributed leaflets explicitly inciting the murder of homosexuals. Their members subjected me to repeated death threats because I spoke out in defence of gay and women Muslims who were being abused by members of their organisation.

Since this thuggery was exposed, Hizb ut-Tahrir has sought to project a less extreme public image. But I have no doubt that many of its members continue to hold, in private, violent homophobic and misogynistic views.

Hizb ut-Tahrir still endorses Sharia law, which stipulates the death penalty for gay and lesbian Muslims, apostates and unchaste women.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is no more appropriate to be hosted at the House of Commons than the BNP.

I strongly favour dialogue and solidarity with the Muslim community, but not with fundamentalists like Hizb ut-Tahrir who reject democracy and human rights as alien “unIslamic” concepts.

The extracts below, taken from Hizb ut-Tahrir's constitution, make it clear that the organisation has totalitarian, repressive aims and objectives:

http://www.hizb-ut-tahrir.info/english/constitution.htm

Instead of Hizb ut-Tahrir, please host a meeting of liberal, progressive Muslims such as Ziauddin Sardar, Sheikh Dr Muhammad Yusuf and Munira Mirza.

Although I oppose banning Hizb ut-Tahrir, I also oppose it being given a platform to promote its anti-democratic and anti-humanitarian agenda.

In light of this information, I hope you will cancel the invitation to Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Thanks and best wishes,

Peter Tatchell

Human rights campaigner

The following excerpts from Hizb ut-Tahrir's constitution show it is an Islamist supremacist movement that rejects democracy and human rights:
http://www.hizb-ut-tahrir.info/english/constitution.htm

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Those who are guilty of apostasy (murtadd) from Islam are to be executed according to the rule of apostasy, provided they have by themselves renounced Islam.

Any [political] party not established on the basis of Islam is prohibited.

Sovereignty belongs to the divine law (shara') and not to the people.

Every mature male and female Muslim, who is sane, has the right to participate in the election of the Khaleefah [head of state] and in giving him the pledge (ba'iah). Non-Muslims have no right in this regard.

Jihad is a compulsory duty (farD) on all Muslims. Military training is therefore compulsory. Thus, every male Muslim, fifteen years and over, is obliged to undergo military training in readiness for jihad.

Every citizen of the State has the right to become a member of the Majlis al-Ummah [Peoples' Representatives], provided he or she is both mature and sane. This applies to Muslim and non-Muslim. However, membership to non-Muslims is confined to their voicing of complaints in respect to unjust acts performed by the rulers or the misapplication of Islam upon them.

The primary role of a woman is that of a mother and wife. She is an honour ('ird)  that must be protected.

Segregation of the sexes is fundamental, they should not meet together except for a need that the shar' allows or for a purpose the shar' allows men and women to meet for, such as trading or pilgrimage (Hajj).

Women are not allowed to take charge of ruling, thus women cannot hold the positions of Khaleefah mu'aawin, waali, 'aamil nor to practice any actions of ruling. She is not allowed to be a chief judge, a judge in maHkaamat ul-MuDHalim nor ameer of Jihad.

Women live within a public and private life. Within their public life, they are allowed to live with other women, maHram males [males forbidden to them in marriage] and foreign men (whom they can marry) on condition that nothing of the women's body is revealed, apart from her face and hands, and that the clothing is not revealing nor her charms displayed. Within the private life she is not allowed to live except with women or her maHram ales and she is not allowed to live together with foreign men. In both cases she has to restrict herself with the rules of shara'.

Women are forbidden to be in private (khulwah) with any men they can marry, they are also forbidden to display their charms or to reveal their body in front of foreign men.

[Child CUstody:] If only one of the parents is Muslim, there is no choice for the child is to join the Muslim parent.

Jizyah (head-tax) is collected from the non-Muslims (dhimmis). It is to be taken from the mature men if they are financially capable of paying it. It is not taken from women or children.

The purpose of education is to form the Islamic personality in thought and behaviour. Therefore, all subjects in the curriculum must be chosen on this basis.

It is absolutely forbidden for any individual, party, group or association to have relations with a foreign state.

The political cause of the Ummah is Islam, in the might of the State, the improvement of the implementation of its rules, and continuity in its call (da'wah) to humankind.

The State is forbidden to belong to any organisation that is based on something other than Islam or which applies non-Islamic rules. This includes international organisations like the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and regional organisations like the Arab League.