Syria, Muslims, and imperialism

We all witnessed Netanyahu, who orchestrated a massive massacre in Gaza, rejoicing at the fall of the administration in Syria. It was such a joy that he described the new Syria as a “historic day.” Furthermore, he said, “we created this end.” Subsequently, despite there being no war in Syria, we witnessed airstrikes carried out by Israel. Israel sought to effectively collapse the country's military infrastructure and seized the Golan Heights. And finally, we saw the Israeli flag on Syrian soil.

While all this was happening, Jolani did not say a word; similarly, those who characterized the events in Syria as a Revolution did not see Netanyahu. Even the Muslims who died in Gaza were ignored during this process. News bulletins fell silent, commentators fell silent, and most importantly, the segment we can call political Islamists fell silent. As if there were a tacit agreement, they chose to rejoice alongside Israel. Time was witnessing another historic moment; we took note.

Our testimony was not limited to this alone. Those in the US, Netanyahu's greatest supporter, were also among those rejoicing at this process. So much so that they even sent their famous channel, CNN, to Syria. A channel from a country notorious for its cruelty was supposedly going to record the “oppressions” in Syria. Yet, if CNN had turned its lens toward its own country, it could have found material to recount the history of oppression in a series. Because we had found the traces of those bloody hands in the US, from Vietnam to Iraq, from Libya to Syria. There is more to it, of course; in the end, “the US means nuclear, mass-destruction weapons.” We are talking about a country that is a threat to the world on its own. Despite all this, CNN came to Syria, and Muslims spoke into those microphones. They supposedly described the oppression into those blood-stained microphones. The “revolution supporters” watching those moments saw no harm in these scenes. That is how the world turns; as if it has lost its consciousness, its principles, and its direction. It is hard to understand, difficult to explain, and painful to endure.

Speaking of difficulty in explanation, it came to my mind: unfortunately, the pages of history are full of such examples for Muslims as well. In this respect, it is as if we are facing an unnamed destiny. Namely, even while the grandchildren of the Prophet of Islam were being slaughtered, some were rejoicing as “Muslims,” and some wanted to go to Yazid as soon as possible to receive a reward for the murder they committed. The reward was the severed head of Hussein... That is how the pages of history read. And again, some were busy explaining why it was permissible to kill Hussein in those days. “It was necessary to obey the state,” “It was not right to rebel against the Caliph,” “The unity of the Ummah was important.” As if there were an Ummah or a state left. They kept talking as if Yazid were not the new king of the sultanate mentality. Of course, we must not forget that this mentality was inherited from the era of the old King Muawiyah.

Did some not want to create King Muawiyah in the name of Islam at Siffin in those days? Did they not attach pages of the Quran to the tips of their spears for that reason? That Siffin, where the blood of thousands of Muslims, primarily the companions of the Prophet, was shed. The Ummah was torn apart there, rights and justice were lost there. In the end, they even had an arbitration committee formed; the results are known to us all.

Returning to Syria, all imperialist countries, led by Europe and the US, welcomed the new administration with joy. Britain, for instance, suddenly remembered humanity and said it would send 50 million pounds to Syria. When we look at the whole picture, not only political Islamists but also imperialists were in a state of joy. At that point, the perpetrators of the victory were clear.

Administrations come and go; everyone struggles against those they see as opponents in their own way, takes a stance, and exhibits political practice. However, what is important here are the principles, values, and the test of truth that are embraced. When these are lost, what meaning can any “victory” or “triumph” have? World history is full of tragic answers given to this question; history says, “a victory won by imperialists is the defeat of the peoples.” To not hear this, one must be either blindly ignorant or bigoted and ideologically obsessed. There is nothing beyond that.

When we voice all these realities, a “sectarian” weapon is brought against us. Yet, it is as clear as day that we are talking entirely about facts and pointing to the reality of imperialism. When they cannot answer what is in plain sight, they want to drag people into their own darkness. And within this darkness, words like “one cannot be a Muslim without loving Muawiyah” greet you. Someone even wrote the following response after a post: “May God have mercy on Hz. Muawiyah and his son Hz. Yazid, may their graves be filled with light, God willing.” This is the kind of process we are going through...

Of course, we will not bow to this manipulation and certain dirty propaganda carried out by the media and politics, and we will not shout victory slogans in the same ranks as the imperialists. We will not be a decorative border to that darkness. We will defend equal, honorable, democratic, secular, and participatory democracy in all countries, including Syria, but we will also shout that this cannot be built with an imperialist mentality. This is our historical responsibility as well as our humanitarian and moral obligation. Let it be recorded.