Press Release
Are Oil Facilities More Valuable and of Greater Status than People?!
(Translated)

It was reported in the news that the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces began deploying to secure the Heglig Oil Field following a trilateral agreement between the Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The Chief of Staff of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, Paul Nang, explained in press statements from inside the Heglig oil field that the agreement stipulated the withdrawal of the army and the exit of the Rapid Support Forces from the area, and he confirmed that the objective of the agreement was to ensure that no sabotage occurs to the oil facilities!!

The question that strongly arises is: which is more deserving of agreements for its protection, the human being for whose sake these oil facilities were established, or the oil facilities themselves?! Or has the blood of the Muslim human being in Sudan become cheaper than oil facilities?! Then why did al-Burhan not meet with Hemedti to protect civilians in Geneina, El-Fasher, Al-Jazirah, Bara, Kalogi, Babnusa, and other areas that were violated by the RSF, who killed thousands of innocent unarmed people, violated honor, and looted wealth so long as there is the possibility of sitting and reaching an agreement?!

Indeed, Islam has honored the human being, whoever s/he may be. Allah (swt) says:

[وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلاً]

“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.” [Al-Isra’:70]. And Allah made the killing of a soul without right among the gravest of major sins. Allah (swt) says:

[مَن قَتَلَ نَفْساً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً]

“Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land—it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.” [Al-Ma’idah:32].

So how then if that soul is a Muslim soul? The prohibition is more severe and the sanctity greater. Allah Almighty says:

[وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِناً مُّتَعَمِّداً فَجَزَآؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَاباً عَظِيماً]

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally—his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.” [An-Nisa’:93].

And the Prophet (saw) said: «لَزَوَالُ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ قَتْلِ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ» “The destruction of the world is lighter to Allah than the killing of a Muslim man.” And he (swt) said:

«لَهَدْمُ الْكَعْبَةِ حَجَراً حَجَراً أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ قَتْلِ الْمُسْلِمِ» “The demolition of the Ka‘bah stone by stone is lighter to Allah than the killing of a Muslim.”

Thus, the believing soul has always been more valuable than everything on earth, no matter how great its value. But under these man-made regimes that are agents of the disbelieving colonial West, the blood of the Muslim human being has become cheaper than the blood of a sparrow!

Therefore, the people of Sudan must have a state that makes their blood more valuable than oil facilities and others, and provides them with a dignified life under obedience to Allah. This state is the one that Islam determined to be the state: the Khilafah Rashidah (Rightly Guided Caliphate) on the method of Prophethood which restores our status, preserves our blood, protects our honor, safeguards our property, and enslaves us to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, so that we may be among the successful in this world and the Hereafter.

[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ]

“O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” [Al-Anfal:24]

Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil)
Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Sudan