The success of the Syrian revolution and the establishment of freedom is a long-awaited ray of hope and a historic opportunity for the peoples of our region.
The restoration of human value and dignity is the first duty of the revolution when it seeks to repair the immense cultural destruction.
The burdens placed on the shoulders of the revolution are great, as it must maintain the sovereignty of the homeland in the face of division.
Syria today needs the solidarity of its people, the lifting of the embargo, and the fulfillment of the responsibilities of international institutions.
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The success of the Syrian revolution in overthrowing the sectarian regime of the Al-Assad dynasty and establishing freedom for the Syrian people represents a long-awaited glimmer of hope and a historical opportunity for the peoples of our region to achieve success amid the rubble of failure and a history of oppression and tyranny. Therefore, striving to ensure the success of the Syrian revolution is a duty of the time for all those devoted to their religion and nation.
Human Value: Restoring Ambition and Hope
The greatest crime of the fallen regime in Syria was the attempt to destroy the human being, robbing him of any ambition for change, and trapping him in an overwhelming despair with no hope, in a miserable present with no future, which contradicts God's will for His creation. Accordingly, restoring the value and status of the human being is the first duty of the revolution when it seeks to repair the immense cultural destruction that the Assad regime and its supporters from colonial powers and oppression have caused.
Reviving Religious Awareness and Mosques
First and foremost, it is necessary to regain awareness of the truths of the doctrine and its comprehensiveness, after the sectarian regime launched its assaults against it, whether by rendering vast sectors of the population ignorant of their doctrine, undermining their connection in their hearts, or distorting the splendor of this religion and its vast horizons, along with its noble cultural and humanitarian frameworks. It is time for the beloved mosques of Syria to resonate with the call of truth, to be filled with those who bow and prostrate, to gather for circles of remembrance and recitation, and to be filled with knowledge and its scholars and students. From the mosques, the anticipated awakening shall emerge, frequented by the pure hands that build the nation and remove the harm that has afflicted its cherished face.
Educational Revival: Regaining Scholarly Excellence
For centuries, the Levant has produced towering figures of scholarly excellence, whose divine knowledge has enriched the libraries of the Islamic world. Generations of rightful heirs and those who strive in the path of truth have been nurtured by their teachings. It is high time for this blessed land to regain its pioneering role after decades of darkness, during which sectarianism dominated schools and universities in terms of educational curricula, management, and educational systems and controls.
Political Propaganda and Repression in Education
The Ba'ath Party was the only one capable of political propaganda within universities, and more than half of the teachers, school principals, and university professors were Alawites. Among them, about 95% of the state's scholarship recipients for studying abroad came from this group. Other university professors faced severe repression, being forced to aid the oppressors in their oppression and to spy on their colleagues in an atmosphere of suffocating surveillance. Security reports began to track anyone who had the faintest scent of religiosity and righteousness, leading them to the prisons of the tyrants.
Fair Punishment: Addressing the Atrocities
What the world has witnessed in terms of the tragedies unveiled by Assad's prisons will remain pages of shame, and nothing lessens the impact of this than holding the criminals accountable and seeking retribution against them—a retribution that establishes justice, rather than one driven by vengeance and retaliation, and that does not deviate towards destroying what remains of the possibilities for coexistence and citizenship. This horrific reality, which is almost beyond belief, represents a profound condemnation of the world that has observed and known, yet remained silent about the tragedy of a nation, and even provided support to the tyrants, under the misguided assumption that this would delay the awakening of Islam in the Levant and the region—an awakening they fear. And Allah Almighty has said: (And We wished to be Gracious to those who were being depressed in the land, to make them leaders (in Faith) and make them heirs,(5) To establish a firm place for them in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Haman, and their hosts, at their hands, the very things against which they were taking precautions.) (Al-Qasas)
Presenting Islam: A Call for Guidance and Righteousness
It is time for us to present to the world Islam; a call for guidance and righteousness, a religion of mercy and justice, which does not accept oppression from anyone and does not tolerate injustice toward anyone. Omar ibn Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, used to say: "I admire a man who, when he is subjected to oppression, says 'no' with all his might. And Allah, the Exalted, said: (So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith.) (Al-Imran:139)
Challenges and Priorities of the Revolution
The burdens placed on the revolution today are great, as it must maintain the sovereignty of the homeland in the face of the danger of division and Bernard Lewis's plan. The Assad family's regime has made every effort to humiliate the people and has fostered hatred and vendettas among them, which requires significant effort to heal the wounded revolutionary society. And the revolution is to complete the liberation of the homeland, according to clear priorities. The country has become insignificant under the rule of Assad, who has widened the space for the enemies of the nation to set up military bases, making it a pasture for sectarian factions and racist militias, while bowing his head before the Zionist enemy, having not fired a single bullet to liberate the Golan, nor to support the cause for the past 50 years. He has not moved a muscle to repel the enemy's aggression that has ravaged his country, violated its skies and land, while unleashed his armies and bombardiers to crush his people’s protests, bombing their cities and villages, both in the urban areas and the desert.
Restoration of Civilization
As for the crushed material civilization in Syria, repairing the damage it has suffered requires the solidarity of its people and wise leaders. The fallen regime, in its frenzy and hatreds, did not value the ancient civilization of its country, which is considered an open museum for successive civilizations throughout the ages. In its wars against its opponents, it did not account for the responsibility of this great cultural heritage, as its bombardment affected cities and destroyed monuments. Emma Cunliffe, the author of the book "On the Impact of War on Archaeological Sites in Syria," confirms that all archaeological sites in the country, without exception, have been damaged, and that what she managed to document about the destruction filled 200 pages!
Impact on Homs and Aleppo
In the city of Homs alone, the castle of "Krak des Chevaliers," which dates back to the era of the Crusades, has been subjected to shelling by artillery and air strikes. The former UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, stated in a published report that mosques, churches, and important ancient markets in Homs have turned into ruins. The destruction has affected the "Khalid ibn al-Walid" mosque, which contains the tomb of the great leader. The "Um al-Zunar" cathedral, which dates back to the dawn of Christianity in 59 AD, has also suffered significant destruction. In 2012, an attack by the Syrian regime destroyed the "Talbiseh" castle north of Homs.
Impact on Aleppo and Palmyra
And if this is some of what happened in Homs, a similar situation occurred in Aleppo, where the "Umayyad Mosque" suffered severe damage and is now filled with rubble. Its minaret, dating back to the 11th century, was destroyed, as was the historic "Aleppo Citadel," which has been built upon by ancient civilizations from the Greeks and Byzantines to the Mamluks and Ayyubids. As for the "Old Aleppo Souk," which represents one of the oldest markets in the world, it has now been completely destroyed, not to mention the destruction of the ruins of the city of Palmyra, which date back over two thousand years.
Looting and Trade of Antiquities
In all of this, the excavation of antiquities and trade in them was ongoing at full pace, carried out by adventurers and high-ranking officials in a country where the system and values had collapsed. Some reports indicate that the trade in antiquities has exceeded two billion dollars, and UNESCO confirms that some archaeological sites have been completely looted, describing these excavation operations as extremely dangerous and destructive.
Conclusion: Solidarity and International Responsibility
Syria today needs the solidarity of its people, the lifting of the siege against it, and the international institutions to fulfill their duties towards a great nation that has been neglected for too long and has even contributed to creating its tragedy.
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