Press Release
The Aqaba Incident and the Loss of Innocent Lives is the responsibility of the ruling regime first
(Translated)

The day before yesterday, the Jordanian Minister of Interior announced the results of the investigation into the Aqaba incident, where 13 people died, last Monday, June 27, 2022, as a result of the leakage of toxic chlorine gas after a tanker fell in one of the ports of Aqaba and exploded, and dozens were injured, and said that the report proved that the necessary precautions for public safety were not taken in handling such dangerous materials, and he said: "The investigation proved the responsibility of the General Manager of Aqaba Ports Management and Operation Company, the director of the operations department in the company, the head of the unloading and loading department, and the head of the unloading and loading shift, the ship’s chief at the time of the accident, and others.” Subsequently, the Council of Ministers agreed to terminate the services of the Director General of the Jordanian Maritime Authority, the Director General of the Aqaba Ports Management and Operation Company, and a number of officials in the company.

It is not the first incident that causes the death of innocent lives. These incidents and negligence in the care of people’s affairs have been repeated over and over again. The Dead Sea incident and the Salt Hospital incident are not far away as examples and not limited to them. Then the investigation committees comes out to us in throwing the responsibility and placing the punishment upon those who are on the lower ladder from administrative welfare and responsibility, even though they are not free from responsibility, and those who are at the highest levels of governance and administration, i.e. the system of governance and its direct institutions for the care of people affairs are spared from interrogation accountability and punishment.

Administrative corruption across governments has spread and reached its climax with the recognition of the regime itself when it says: “We want administrative reform that its effects can be sensed by the citizen” and the Prime Minister affirmed “the need for an administrative revolution in administrative reform”, but he does not seek the roots and causes of this corruption because it directly affects the system and the system of government, where the corrupt capitalist system is applied in governance and administration in the country, whether in current or distorted democratic legislation, on top of its corruption with the comprehensiveness of the rule and its protection from all liability, responsibility and accountability. Heads of governments and their ministers and directors of government departments, departments and institutions revolve in the orbit of this system first and foremost, and their priority is not to take care of people’s affairs and ensure their human rights of living in terms of food, clothing, housing, health, education and security, on top of which is the preservation of human life, safety and security. How can then any impartial investigation reach them with accountability and punishment? and it is an obligation.

The rampant administrative slack is primarily political, and it is far from the slightest concept of taking care of people’s affairs in the administration. According to the deputy head of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, the Aqaba Port has 2,370 workers, while it does not need more than 700-800 workers from a commercial point of view. And this applies to many state institutions, and these exaggerated appointments are a means taken by successive governments to silence dissenting voices, instead of exercising their alleged role by reducing unemployment in real jobs, or subsidizing those who do not have them and enabling them to live. As for the higher ranks in positions of responsibility, especially the subtle and most dangerous of them is not sufficiency that is the first criterion, but loyalty, so what is prohibited and what is forbidden occurs, and there is nothing wrong with these being scapegoats in the event of disasters.

The policy of managing interests in the Islamic state is based on simplicity in the system, speedy completion of work, and adequacy of those who take over the administration. This is taken from the reality of achieving the interest, so the person with the interest wants to quickly achieve it and achieve it in the most complete manner, and the Messenger (saw) says:

«إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ»…

“Verily Allah has prescribed ihsan (proficiency, perfection) in all things. So if you kill then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well.” Proficiency in the conduct of interests is enjoined by the Sharia, and in order to achieve this proficiency in the completing the interests, there must be three qualities in the administration: One of them: simplicity in order; because it leads to ease, and complexity creates difficulty. The second: speeding up the completion of transactions; because it makes it easier for the one with the interest. And the third: the ability and sufficiency of the one to whom the work is entrusted, and this necessitates doing good work, as it requires doing the work itself.

When Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, May Allah be pleased with him, assumed the Khilafah (Caliphate), what came in his sermon was: "أيها الناس، قد وليت عليكم ولست بخيركم، أطيعوني ما أطعت الله فيكم فإن عصيته فلا طاعة لي عليكم. القوي فيكم ضعيف عندي حتى آخذ الحق منه، والضعيف فيكم قوي عندي حتى آخذ الحق له"" “O people, I have been appointed over you and I am not the best of you. Obey me as long as I obey God in you, and if I disobey Him, there is no obedience to me upon you. The strong among you is weak to me until I take the right from him, and the weak among you is strong with me until I take the right for him.” And it was stated in the narration that the Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, May Allah be pleased with him, said: "لو ماتت شاة على شط الفرات ضائعة لظننت أن الله تعالى سائلي عنها يوم القيامة" “If a sheep died on the Euphrates and lost, I would have thought that Allah Almighty would ask me about it on the Day of Resurrection.” As for the Commander of the Faithful, Omar bin Abdul Aziz, May Allah have mercy on him, he said: ""انثروا القمح على قمم الجبال حتى لا يُقال جاع طير في بلاد المسلمين“Spread wheat on the tops of the mountains so that it is not said that a bird is hungry in Muslim countries ” And these images are only to realize the meaning of the real care and responsibility that was embodied in the practical aspect of the saying of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, with these Khulafaa' (Caliphs):

«أَلَا كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ؛ فَالْإِمَامُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ...»

“Surely! Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges: The Imam (ruler) of the people is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects…” Because they considered themselves at the head of the responsibility for their subjects and that they are accountable for it, and upon the basis of that, the rulers are held accountable in Islam.

O Muslims:

The corruption of the capitalist ideology and its view of administration and governance has become apparent to every person with insight and sight. The establishment of the existing states in Islamic countries upon the corrupt capitalist thought and the corruption and slack we see, whether in administration or governance, is an inevitable result of the corruption of the origin upon which these systems were built. And the reform of the Muslim countries, and indeed of all humanity, can only be achieved by Islam in its belief and law.By making allegiance purely to Allah, His Messenger (saw), and the believers, the Khalifah (Caliph) is the ruler whose eyes do not fall asleep, and his mind does not calm down, except that his subjects are safe from any threat or danger, and he is the one who takes care of his subjects, defends them, and spares their blood, they are secure under his shade, and they trust him with themselves, their money and their honour. And he believes them and they believe him, and he is the one who is a shield for them by which they are protected and fight behind him, and he pushes away every wrongdoer and aggressor. And to that we invite you; Khilafah (Caliphate) upon the method of prophethood as promised by the master of creation, Muhammad, peace be upon him who said:

«مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ ‌يَسْتَرْعِيهِ اللهُ رَعِيَّةً، يَمُوتُ يَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَهُوَ غَاشٌّ لِرَعِيَّتِهِ، إِلَّا حَرَّمَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ»

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “Any governor in charge of Muslim subjects who dies while acting dishonestly towards them will be excluded by Allah from Paradise.” (Agreed upon).

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Jordan