Tufail Ahmad writes at MEMRI:

Introduction

Hizb Al-Tahrir America, which is a branch of Hizb Al-Tahrir Al-Islami, an international Islamist group that advocates the message of jihad in order to re-establish a Khilafah Rashida (a righteous caliphate), has scheduled a June 17, 2012 conference in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. This raises concerns about its ideological campaign in the U.S., especially among American Muslims.[1]

Hizb Al-Tahrir advocates radical political change and officially acknowledges that it is an Islamist party. In a statement dated May 31, 2012 about its Tunisia branch, it described itself as "a legally unrecognized Islamist party in Tunisia."[2] The views espoused by Hizb Al-Tahrir regarding non-Muslims and secular Muslims are no different from those advocated by Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Islamist organizations across the world.

On May 27, 2012, Hizb Al-Tahrir America noted in its announcement of the June 17 Illinois conference: "With the blessings of Allah (swt) Hizb ut-Tahrir America will inshaAllah [Allah Willing] be hosting a Khilafah Conference, entitled 'Revolution: Liberation by Revelation – Muslims Marching Toward Victory' on Sunday, June 17^th 2012."[3] Although the conference is expected to focus heavily on events in Syria, it is also expected to discuss the question of what forms of government are desirable for Muslims: Islamic state, secular state, or democracy. Details of the day-long conference – date, venue and subjects to be discussed – are outlined on its website:[4]

The conference announcement attracted attention in the U.S. media. As a result, Hizb Al-Tahrir America announced that the venue would be moved elsewhere in the "Chicagoland area" but that the date and time would remain the same. It added: "Other details concerning the circumstances leading to the change in venue will be updated at a later date."[5]

Hizb Al-Tahrir America – Global Ideological Background

Hizb Al-Tahrir, or the Islamic Party, is an international Islamist organization that has been proactively working for the re-establishment of a global Islamic caliphate, to be governed as per the teachings of the Koran and the Sunnah (the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad). In recent years, it has called for military coups in Islamic countries.

The group has branches in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, Palestinian territories, etc. In Islamic countries, it has sought to recruit top military officers to its ideological fold in the hope of carrying out a military coup to usher in an era of Islamic rule. In Pakistan, it has strived to bring about an Islamic revolution, hoping to transform Pakistan into an ideal Islamic state that could lead the Ummah (the global Muslim nation). In recent years, several top Pakistani Army officers were discovered to have links with Hizb Al-Tahrir Pakistan, and were suspended.[6]

Hizb Al-Tahrir's international network is well organized, and has a strong presence in non-Islamic countries such as the U.K., Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Australia, and the U.S. In non-Islamic countries, it advances its campaign to recruit Muslims to its ideological goals through a variety of tactics, such as lectures, public protests designed to attract publicity, verbal and symbolic attacks aimed at undermining Western symbols, messages designed to unify Muslims across the world on international issues, and more.

Like Al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups, Hizb Al-Tahrir America hopes that the downfall of autocratic regimes in Arab countries will usher in an era of Islamic government. A video accompanying the June 17 conference announcement includes quotes from the Koran and from Islamist leaders of the Arab Spring. Images in the video show the ideological message conveyed by Hizb Al-Tahrir America to its audiences among American Muslims, with one cleric cited in the video calling upon Muslims, in the context of political changes in Egypt, to work for Islamic rule even "at the expense of your lives."[7]

In the above image from the video, Hizb Al-Tahrir America quotes Egyptian cleric Shaykh Al-Zaghby as issuing a clarion call to Muslims: "Oh Muslims! Rise up to aid and support the call for Khilafah even if it is at the expense of your lives."

Hizb Al-Tahrir America Online – Domain Registration Details

In the U.S., Hizb Al-Tahrir America formalized its online presence in 2009, with its website, Hizb-america.org. Over the past few years, the website has published numerous statements and videos of events and conferences in the U.S. and other countries. The website also regularly publishes e-books, audio lectures, and articles, justifying jihad and conveying calls for Islamic rule worldwide.

In recent years, the website has regularly published articles on topics such as "The Shari'ah and the rule of law – Islamic governance for the 21st century," "Raising Children in Islam," "The role of the political woman in the shade of the Khilafah," "All 'Thanksgiving' is to Allah(swt) alone," "Hajj Season: the Spiritual and Political Ascent," and so on.

(...)

The Jihadi/Ideological Basis of Hizb Al-Tahrir America: "Currently, The Whole World Is Dar Al-Kufr, As No Country Matches The Criterion For An Islamic State"

A map on its website shows Hizb Al-Tahrir's presence worldwide 

In a recent article on the Hizb Al-Tahrir America website, an Islamic scholar analyzed distinctions between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Kufr (the Land of Islam and the Land of Infidels, respectively), arguing that even a Muslim-majority country can be Dar al-Kufr if it is not governed by the laws of Islam.[9] According to Hizb Al- Tahrir America, only Islamic law will protect Muslims, even in countries where non-Muslims are in the majority. Under this definition, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia – or for that matter Syria, as it is ruled by an autocrat, or Iran, which does not implement the rule of the Righteous Islamic Caliphs – qualify as Dar al-Kufr (the Land of Infidels).

The article, by Abu Ismael al-Beirawi, stated: "According to Shariah terminology, Dar al-Islam is defined as the land which is governed by the laws of Islam and whose security (Aman) is maintained by the security of Islam, i.e. by the authority and protection of Muslims inside and outside the land, even if the majority of its inhabitants are non-Muslims.

"Dar al-Kufr is the land which is governed by the laws of Kufr [unbelief], and whose security is not maintained by the security (Aman) of Islam, i.e. by other than the authority and security of Muslims, even if the majority of its inhabitants are Muslims. So what matters in determining whether the land is Dar al-Islam or Dar al-Kufr is neither the land itself nor its inhabitants, rather it is the laws and the security."[10]

It is evident that Hizb Al-Tahrir views the entire world as Dar al-Kufr, i.e. the land where there is an urgent need for the enforcement of Islamic rule as practiced during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the four Righteous Caliphs who ruled after him. Hizb Al-Tahrir America also holds the view that a Muslim country becomes Dar al-Kufr by joining the United Nations. The article stated:

"• Being members of the United Nations Organization, every member of which has to agree with international law set by human beings above the laws of Allah… Instead of being ashamed of this, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia proudly highlights this relationship on the website of its Permanent Mission to the UN… In fact it was among the first 50 nations to sign the UN Charter in 1945 in San Francisco.

"• Both Iran and Saudi Arabia cannot argue that they only say they accept international law as some form of deception as they are both modern non-expansionist nation states which means the abandonment of the definitive obligation of Jihad (an obligation stipulated in multiple verses of the Quran [Koran]).

• Both have legalized Riba (usury) based banking. The Arab Monetary Fund, based in Abu Dhabi, is a huge Riba institution that was established by an agreement on 4/7/76 in Morocco. Saudi [Arabia] is the biggest share holder in it; it receives, as everyone else in the fund, riba on its shares. Iran and Saudi [Arabia] are also part of the riba based International Monetary Fund.

"The hypocrisy of these regimes is plain for everyone to see. Saudi's overt alliance with America and Iran's warm relations with the Kafir Alawite [i.e. infidel Shi'ite leader], Bashar al-Assad of Syria who has the blood of thousands on his hands are glaring examples of this.

"Therefore, it is clear that currently the whole world is Dar al-Kufr, as no country matches the criterion for an Islamic state. Thus we see the laws of Allah… abandoned as if they were worth nothing, the Sunnah of the Prophet… betrayed and the example of the Sahaba [Companions of Prophet Muhammad] ignored by the rulers of our countries. It is as [Islamic theologian] Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, 'The Fitna (mischief and tribulations) occurs when there is no Imam established over the affairs of the people.'

"Contrary to wishes of the enemies of Islam and their modernist defenders it is paramount for us to work to re-establish Dar al-Islam, the Islamic Khilafah state. Let us take heed in the warning of our Messenger …. [Prophet Muhammad said:] 'My Ummah will be divided into seventy-something divisions, of them, the greatest Fitna (trial) upon my Ummah are a people who measure matters with their opinion, so they make the forbidden permissible and the permissible forbidden.'"...