Press Release
If the Fall of the ‘Republic’ Did NOT Lead to the Establishment of the Caliphate, It Must Serve as a Transitional Stage towards a Rightly-Guided Caliphate
(Translated)

The collapse of the Republic regime in Afghanistan marks one of the most pivotal developments for the people of Afghanistan and the broader Muslim Ummah in the 21st century. This regime not only lacked any roots in the Islamic creed, but was a product of neo-colonial design – an imported system constructed to institutionalize corruption, dependency, and injustice. Its downfall was the natural and inevitable end of a system that, from its inception, was alien to the Muslim identity and at odds with the values of Islam.

The Republic, as imposed in Afghanistan, was a failed and illegitimate model – a regime of taghut in nature – devoid of Islamic legitimacy, and ultimately collapsed under the pressure of the Muslim’s resistance, the sincerity of the Mujahedeen, and the vigilance of Dawah carriers. We congratulate the Muslim people of Afghanistan, the truthful Mujahedeen, the preachers of truth, and the Islamic Ummah as a whole on this momentous and blessed transformation. We consider it a critical turning point, an awakening, and a return to Islamic sovereignty.

However, both Republic and Democracy are not limited to a name or a set of symbols or prefixes that vanish with the fall of a regime, they represent a comprehensive ideological and political framework, governed by specific principles for internal administration and foreign policy. Therefore, despite talk of the “collapse of the republic,” its intellectual foundation, i.e. its political institutions, legal codes, policies, and worldview, remains largely intact.

Unfortunately, today’s rulers, while occasionally drawing from Afghan traditions, continue to adopt key elements of political realism, capitalistic pragmatism, and tribal nationalism, hallmarks of the Republic model they claim to have replaced. A clear example is the ongoing emphasis on ‘national interest’ and efforts to align with the secular global order. Thus, the mere change of leadership or the dismantling of a dysfunctional administrative apparatus does not amount to a full eradication of the Republic order.

One of Afghanistan’s enduring problems has been the chronic instability of its governments. While foreign interference has played a role, the deeper issue lies in the lack of a real, organic connection between rulers and the people. Successive regimes have failed to establish a shared identity with the population or secure broad public legitimacy. Unsurprisingly, such systems have collapsed, whether through internal disintegration or external imposition.

If the current regime seeks genuine stability and lasting legitimacy, it must recognize that political authority originates from the Muslim Ummah. It must institutionalize Islamic solutions within society and commit, in both domestic and foreign policy, to Islam alone. In the Islamic worldview, power is derived from the Muslim community, not from appeals to the international system or its institutions. Legitimacy in Islam is not granted through international recognition, but through Bay’ah, a lawful pledge of allegiance from the believers.

Therefore, the very foundation of governance in Islam must be built upon Islamic creed (‘aqeedah), Islamic politics, and Islamic mission. This mission liberates the ruler from the limitations of nationalism, economic expediency, and neutrality, and instead binds him to the duty of proclaiming and establishing the supremacy of Islam through Dawah and Jihad.

Finally, it must be stressed that the current rulers of Afghanistan are undergoing a significant Ibtila (affliction) and trial from Allah, Exalted is He. After the political shift and assumption of power, it was incumbent upon them to show gratitude to Allah (swt) not just in words, but through full, all-encompassing implementation of Islam. This includes: Continuing the Jihad beyond artificial nation-state borders; uprooting all non-Islamic values, ideologies, and systems; and laying the groundwork for the re-establishment of the Caliphate (Khilafah) and the factual establishment of it as soon as possible.

If they choose instead to reposition themselves as participants within the secular international order; if they seek recognition from colonial powers and their institutions; if the spirit of Jihad fades among them; and if Islam is applied selectively and partially, then the warning of Allah (swt) will soon come into effect:

[وَإِنْ تَتَوَلَّوْا يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَكُمْ]

“And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.” [Surah Muhammad 47:38].

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Afghanistan