Exploiting Refugees... Are We Better Than Them?
Double Standards and Exploiting the Weak
Peace be upon you. Europe opened its arms to Ukrainian refugees, and Muslims focused on the double standards in dealing with and statements that demean Muslims compared to European Ukrainians. However, brothers, there is more to the story; even Ukrainian refugees are not honored, as their women and children are often subjected to vile exploitation due to their needs and difficult circumstances.
In Germany, the German police receive reports of harassment of young Ukrainian women, and Ukrainian women are warned not to ride with those who pretend to be volunteers. In Poland, a forty-year-old man pretends to be merciful to a Ukrainian refugee and then rapes her as soon as she enters his home.
In Brazil, media outlets leak statements from a Brazilian parliamentarian in a call with a friend, where he says about Ukrainian women that they are "beautiful and poor and easy to exploit," while this parliamentarian pretends to the public that he is seeking to aid Ukrainians for humanitarian reasons! The newspaper "France 24" headlines: "Concern is growing about traders targeting vulnerable Ukrainian refugees," and if you read the article, you find that these vulnerable people are specifically women and children.
The problem is not just with criminals; Al Jazeera conducted an interview with a spokesperson from Amnesty International about human trafficking networks targeting Ukrainian refugees, and the spokesperson said that European countries are falling short in taking necessary measures to protect refugees.
Why Criticize the Western System?
Here, brothers, as usual, someone jumps in and says, "Okay, why are you talking about the West? We also have cases of exploiting the needy and refugees."
Brothers, many people confuse several things. Why do we generally talk about the atrocity of the Western system and its abysmal failure in achieving justice, happiness, and human rights? Are we to say that the alternative that should be supported and promoted to humanity is the systems ruling Muslims today? Or are we to say that the reality of Muslims is the model required to be generalized to humanity? Of course not, no and a thousand times no.
Rather, we say to Muslims and to humanity behind them: Do you see this global system that attacks Islam and its laws and mocks us with some of its verses? And says to us, "You Muslims have jihad," and says, "Your Quran contains what your right hands possess, these are outdated beliefs that do not suit humanity, we are in the era of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations, citizenship that has made everyone equal in rights regardless of religion," and so on from these worn-out records.
So when we talk about the scandals of the international system and the misery of humanity living under its shadow, the goal is to say to Muslims themselves: Return to your religion and be proud of it, and know your need and humanity's need for it. The goal is not to compare our current situation with theirs, for our situation does not represent Islam.
Islam Against Modern Jahiliyyah
The real comparison is between Islam as a preserved religion on one hand, and modern jahiliyyah on the other; the failed jahiliyyah in terms of theory and application. It is not, as some say, that their laws are correct and beautiful, but the problem is only in the application, never!
For the modern jahiliyyah represented by international law and its institutions and products has not submitted to the rule of Allah the Almighty, and even if these 51% are capitalist beneficiaries who distort facts, fornicators, and drinkers of alcohol, there is no reference to revelation in it, nor is there justice for the truth and nullification of falsehood, the reference is the majority no matter how crooked.
Modern jahiliyyah is a failure from the beginning because it does not ensure people's commitment to moral virtues, because it does not raise them on the fear of Allah the Almighty and what results from internal self-discipline, nor was it based on His saying: {And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.} (Al-Baqarah 2:281) But modern jahiliyyah is based on the crooked law that is drafted by humans ruled by interests and desires, and people escape the grip of this law, so the modern jahiliyyah, like the ancient one, is doomed to failure.
Compare that with the great Islam that links people's actions to reward, punishment, and the Hereafter, and in it are great models, ancient and modern, of people {who love those who emigrate to them and find in their breasts no need for what has been given to them, and they prefer [the emigrants] over themselves, even though they are in need.} (Al-Hashr 59:9)
Response to "Self-Flagellation" and Misconceptions
I wish those who, whenever we talk about the failure of the international system's jahiliyyah, say to us, "Okay, we Muslims also have corruption and exploitation," would understand this. They think that by saying this, they have delivered the knockout blow and embarrassed you! You say this to me and to other reformers when we are participants in corruption and exploitation, or when we are satisfied with our reality as Muslims. But rather, you find in the reality of Muslims - by the grace of Allah - those who give from their wealth to the needy, refugees, and others.
Then another comes out and says, "You talk about the West, open your countries to them as the West has opened its countries." Open your countries? Who are you addressing? Are you addressing me and others like me among the callers and reformers? Are we the ones who stand at the borders to prevent refugees? Am I or other callers who speak on this topic satisfied with any discrimination in dealing with Muslims based on their nationalities? Or is any of us satisfied with the artificial borders between Muslims in the first place? Or do we call for one nation, support the issues of our nation, and bear the harm for that? So what have we done to be flogged for the sins of others?
Therefore, I return and say, brothers: The focus on models of failure under the international system aims to combat the complex of admiration for the West, to reveal the truth about those who attack our religion, change the curricula of our children, and fund channels that make our youth doubt their religion, and to reveal our need and humanity's need for the religion of Allah the Almighty that we call to. And our goal is not to praise the reality of Muslims, although we - despite our weakness and distance from our religion - see many good models in us that are remnants of our adherence to our religion.
And I have a request for you, honored ones: Whenever you see someone say, "We also have what they have," and play this record, whether in the comments on my brother's platform or anywhere else, I wish you would help by putting this clip, keeping it with you, and putting it for those who comment with such comments to awaken them from their heedlessness. And do not wait for my brother to follow all the comments and respond to all the mistakes of thinking, for this distracts him from what is more important and more beneficial.
May Allah bless you and accept from us and from you, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.