On the origins and aims of Hizb-e Tahrir:
Hizb-e Tahrir was formed in Saudi Arabia in the 1950's and at that time we had a united plan with the Wahhabi movement. But we soon developed differences and split. Hizb-e Tahrir wanted to work with people in each country on a separate basis and bring about Sharia (Islamic law) in a peaceful manner while the Wahhabis were extremists who wanted guerrilla war and the creation of an Islamic army. Hizb-e Tahrir 's plan was based on the Jadid movement (Islamic modernizers in Central Asia during Tsarist Russia) in the 19th century who had a plan to bring the whole Muslim world under one Caliphate. Hizb-e Tahrir was underground during Soviet times and many members were in Soviet prisons. But today we have tens of thousands of members across Central Asia (60,000 members in Tashkent, 20,000 in Kodjent) and we are very strong in the Ferghana Valley. But the party remains underground. From Uzbekistan it has spread to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. We want to make a Caliphate that will reunite all the Central Asian states. Hizb-e Tahrir wants a peaceful jihad that will be spread by explanation and conversion not by war. But ultimately there will be war because the repression of the Central Asian states is so strong.
On its relations with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and other Islamic movements in Central Asia:
The IMU is a separate movement but among them there are many tendencies and many conflicts. Because of state repression in Central Asia, it is impossible to know which party is more popular - Hizb-e Tahrir or the IMU. The aims of Hizb-e Tahrir and IMU are for the Caliphate in Central Asia, but the ways to achieve a Caliphate are different just as one doctor might use surgery while another uses herbs. Unfortunately, some elements in the IMU are being used by Russia for its aims in Central Asia. There are also many smugglers of drugs and weapons within the IMU, giving them a bad reputation. The IMU says it is fighting only to overthrow (President) Karimov and bring Islam to Uzbekistan but that is only the first part of their plan. They have other aims for the whole of Central Asia. The leaders of IMU like Yuldeshev and Namangani are very well known and very popular in Central Asia. But the leaders of Hizb-e Tahrir remain underground so nobody knows their names and the governments cannot find us to eliminate us. The Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Mohammed) says that when the world ends there will be 73 Islamic movements and only one of them will be correct. Only Allah knows which movement will be the correct one. In the Ferghana Valley there is also a very secretive Wahhabi movement, the Hezbollah who get a lot of money from Saudi Arabia.
On HT’s stance on Islamic issues:
We are not opposed to Sufism but we are not supportive of it either. Hizb-e Tahrir believes that women must work and be educated but they must wear the hejab (covering of the head but not the face), not the burkha (full body-face covering). We are very much against Shias and Shiism which is not the Islamic way. Hizb-e Tahrir supports the Taliban movement in Afghanistan and many Hizb-e Tahrir members have fled to safety in Afghanistan to escape the crackdown in Central Asia. The Taliban have some good ideas. They want a pure Islamic state. But the difference between us is that Hizb-e Tahrir wants a modern life here on earth, to create a heaven on earth and also to prepare people to go to heaven (janat) in the afterlife. The Taliban want a life of poverty and all their preparation is only to enable them to reach heaven. Hizb-e Tahrir wants heaven both here and in the afterlife. We have no special relationship with Osama bin Laden, but he supports all Islamic movements in Central Asia and he is very famous here for doing so. We are very much opposed to the Jews and Israel. We don't want to kill the Jews but they must leave Central Asia. The United States is the enemy of Islam with the Jews.
On relations between Russia and Central Asia and Hizb-e Tahrir’s attitude toward President Karimov:
Karimov is stuck between trying to please the Russians and the Islamic movement. Karimov must choose between the Russians and Islam and he will have to choose Islam to keep the Russians out. But if Russian troops do come to Uzbekistan, it will be very good for Hizb-e Tahrir because it will expose everybody, force polarization and the war will begin. Karimov has no future here. There is too much corruption and bad policies. There are no jobs, the economy is very bad, rich men don't help the poor as in Islam and the government gives nothing to the poor so there is a lot of anger among the people. However, there are many people in Karimov's government who are good people so it's a good time to break the government from the inside as some are certain to join us. But who knows the plans of Allah?
INTERVIEWER BIO: Ahmed Rashid is the Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review and the Daily Telegraph. He is the author of The Resurgence of Central Asia: Islam or Nationlism?, as well as the recently published Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia (Yale, 2000).
Copyright 2000 The Analyst All rights reserved
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