Nilipofika kwa mara ya kwanza katika nchi ya taifa kubwa zaidi la kibepari duniani, nilishangazwa na nguvu ya tija ya ubepari katika Marekani ya Amerika. Nikiwa kijana mdogo chini ya miaka 16, niliona matrekta makubwa na mashine za kuvuna zikilima mamia ya ekari na kuzalisha tani nyingi za mahindi na punje za soya; yote yakiendeshwa na familia moja. Niliona mikono ya mkulima iliyokakamaa kwa ardhi anayolima na kulainishwa na fedha ambazo ardhi yake inazalisha. Sikuona wakati ule mikono isiyoonekana ya benki zilizofadhili uendeshaji wote ule. Sikuweza kuona dalili yoyote ya kushindwa wakati huo.

When I first arrived at the land of the largest capitalist nation in the world, I was amazed by the power of capitalism productivity in the United States of America. As a young teenager, less than 16 years old, I saw huge tractors and combines cultivating hundreds of acres and producing tons of corn and soybean grain; all operated by a single family. I saw the hands of a farmer hardened by the land he cultivates and softened by the money his land generates. I did not see then the invisible hands of the banks financing all that operation. I could not see any signs of failure then.

Mwaka mmoja baadaye, hatima yangu ya kielimu ilinipeleka upande wa pili kabisa. Nilifika katika nchi kubwa zaidi ya kisoshalisti duniani kusoma kwa miaka sita iliyofuata, huku nikishuhudia ujamaa katika Muungano wa Jamhuri za Kisoshalisti za Kisovieti (USSR). Nakumbuka mara nyingi nilivyolazimika kusimama kwenye foleni ili kununua bidhaa ya chakula, halafu kukatishwa tamaa saa moja baadaye kwa sababu bidhaa niliyokuwa nikiisubiri haikuwepo tena. Silika yangu ilinambia kwamba mfumo huo hautadumu; nilihisi kwamba hautadumu kwa muda mrefu.

A year later, my education fate flew me to the other extreme. I arrived at the land of the largest socialist nation in the world to spend the next 6 years studying while observing socialism in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). I recall how often I had to stand in line to buy a grocery product, only to be disappointed an hour later because the item I waited for is no longer available. That system would not last; my instincts told me. I recall having to buy a communist publication as a condition for buying a book of math or computer science. That system would not last for long; I felt it.

Nakumbuka nililazimika kukanyaga watu waliolala wamelewa kwenye safari yangu ya asubuhi kwenda shuleni na wakati wa kurudi. Nakumbuka wanafunzi wengi wakihitimu shule za udaktari, sheria na uhandisi bila kuhudhuria masomo; walikuwa wanaharakati wa kisiasa au wanafunzi tajiri wa kigeni. Nakumbuka watu wakilazimika kupitia upasuaji ili tu kutimiza mgawo wa daktari bingwa katika hospitali fulani. Nakumbuka redio ya zamani iliyowekwa ukutani mwa chumba changu cha bweni, ambayo lazima ilikuwa redio ya mawasiliano ya pande mbili. Kila nilipoizima redio, mafundi walikuja chumbani kwangu kuitengeneza; ingawa sikuwahi kuomba huduma hiyo. Nilijua kwamba mfumo huo haungedumu kwa muda mrefu. Hisia zangu za moyoni, silika yangu, na uchambuzi wangu rahisi viligeuka kuwa kweli miaka 10 tu baada ya kuhitimu. Ujamaa ulianguka, na Umoja wa Kisovieti ulivunjwa kufikia mwaka 1991.

I recall having to step over people laying drunk in my morning journey to school and on my way back. I recall scores of students graduating from medical, law, and engineering schools without attending classes; they were political activists or rich foreign students. I recall people having to go through surgery only to fulfill the quota plan for the surgeon at a given hospital. I recall the primitive radio fixed on the wall of my dorm room which must have been a two way radio. Every time I disabled the radio, technicians would show up at my room to fix it; although, I never asked for the service; that system could not last for long; I knew it. My guts feelings, my instincts, and simple analysis turned out to be true only 10 years after I graduated. Socialism collapsed and the Soviet Union was dismantled by 1991.

Miaka 6 niliyotumia katika Umoja wa Kisovieti ilinipa uzoefu wa maisha yangu yote. Kwanza kabisa, siwezi kuishi maisha chini ya ujamaa leo hata nikitaka. Muhimu zaidi, nilijifunza kanuni za uchumi, uchumi wa kisiasa, na muundo wa kijamii wa ujamaa na ubepari. Mafundisho ya Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin na Friedrich Engels yalikuwa sehemu muhimu ya mtaala kama ilivyokuwa masomo ya hesabu, fizikia na uhandisi. Nadharia ya uyakinifu wa kihistoria iliyoandaliwa na Marx na baadaye kuboreshwa na Lenin ilidokeza kwamba ubepari ungetoweka na kutoa nafasi kwa ujamaa. Mtazamo huo ulishindwa kabisa katika ulimwengu halisi pale ujamaa ulipoanguka kwanza. Nadharia ya Marx ya "thamani ya ziada" ilikuwa sahihi kwa maana moja tu: chini ya ubepari, utajiri huelekea kukusanyika mikononi mwa wachache. Lakini sehemu nyingine ya nadharia hiyo, kwamba tabaka maskini la wafanyakazi na wakulima lingeasi kudai haki zao za umiliki zilizoibiwa, halikutimia kamwe.

The 6 years I spent in the Soviet Union gave me an experience of a lifetime. For one thing, I can not experience the life under socialism today even if I want to. Most importantly, I learned the principles of economy, political economy, and social structure of both socialism and capitalism. The teachings of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Friedrich Engels were as important part of the curriculum as the subjects of math, physics, and engineering. The theory of historic materialism developed by Marx and later refined by Lenin suggested that capitalism would fade away only to give rise to socialism. That view was dead beaten in real world when socialism fell first. Marx’s theory of the “surplus value” was correct only in the sense that under capitalism the wealth tends to accumulate in the hands of the few. But the other part of the theory that the poorer classes of workers and farmers would revolt for their stolen rights of ownerships never materialized.

Nilipowasili katika nchi ya ubepari kwa mara ya pili, lakini kwa muda mrefu zaidi, niliona yale ambayo nisingeweza kuyaona wakati wa safari yangu ya kwanza, nilipokuwa mvulana mdogo. Shamba nililoishi wakati wa safari yangu ya kwanza halikuwa tena lilivyokuwa. Lilichukuliwa na benki ambayo, miaka michache iliyopita, ilikuwa imefadhili uzalishaji wake, badala ya madeni ambayo familia mwenyeji wangu ilishindwa kuyalipa. Mkulima huyu mchapakazi alipoteza ardhi yake pamoja na kampuni ya mbegu aliyomiliki pamoja na ndugu zake. Mfumo huu haungedumu; silika yangu ilinieleza hivyo.

When I arrived at the land of capitalism for the second but longer period of time, I observed what I could not have observed during my first trip when I was a young boy. The farm I lived in during my first trip was no longer the same. It was confiscated by the bank which, few years earlier had financed its production, in exchange of the debts which my host family failed to pay. The hard working farmer lost his land as well as the seed company he co-owned with his brothers. This system would not last; my instincts told me.

Monster hiyo hiyo, benki, ilimeza pia kiwanda cha mashine kilichomilikiwa na rafiki yangu mmoja katika mji wa Milwaukee, jimbo la Wisconsin. Nakumbuka jinsi rafiki yangu alivyosafiri hadi nchi yangu ya asili akijaribu kuanzisha kiwanda cha kusaidia kuendeleza viwanda katika nchi inayoendelea. Nakumbuka jinsi mmiliki (rafiki yangu) alivyokuwa na shauku ya kusaidia watu kupata ajira, kuunga mkono elimu, na jinsi alivyochukia sana kuwaondoa watu kazini. Kama biashara nyingine zote chini ya ubepari, yake ilimilikiwa na Benki. Kwa kawaida, biashara katika nchi za kibepari zina deni kwa benki moja au zaidi. Bado nakumbuka maneno ya mwakilishi wa benki ya uwekezaji kwa mmiliki wa kampuni ndogo ya teknolojia: "Huwezi kuwa katika biashara bila kuwa na deni." Rafiki yangu, mmiliki wa kiwanda cha mashine, alipoteza duka lake la mashine, lile lililozalisha bidhaa halisi hapa katika ardhi ya ubepari. Lilikuwa likitengeneza bidhaa na kuzalisha faida wakati lilipochukuliwa na benki. Kwa muda, benki zilikuwa zikifuatilia bima ya maisha ya rafiki yangu kama dhamana ya mali yao iliyodaiwa kupotea! Nilijua hapo kwamba mfumo huu haungedumu.

The same monster, the bank, swallowed the machine factory owned by one of my friends in the city of Milwaukee in Wisconsin. I recall how my friend traveled to my home country in attempt to setup a factory to help industrialize a developing country. I recall how the owner (my friend) was enthusiastic about helping people get jobs, supporting education, and how much he detested laying people off their jobs. Just like every other business under capitalism, his was owned by the Bank. Typically, businesses in capitalist countries are indebted to one or more banks. I still recall the words of an investing bank representative to the owner of a small technology company “you can not be in businesses without being in debt”. My machine factory owner friend lost his machine shop, the one that produced real products right here in the land of capitalism. It was making products and generating profit when it was confiscated by the bank. The banks for sometime were going after the life insurance policy of my friend as a guarantee for their supposedly lost wealth! I knew then that this system would not last.

Wakati wa kazi yangu katika mojawapo ya kampuni kubwa zaidi duniani (zikiwa na wafanyakazi zaidi ya 160,000 wakati huo), nilishuhudia jinsi wahandisi na mafundi bora wengi walivyotolewa nje ya jengo kwa kisingizio cha kupunguzwa kazi. Raundi ya kwanza ya kupunguza kazi, iliyoondoa zaidi ya nafasi 50,000 za kazi, ilifanyika wakati kampuni ilikuwa ikipata faida na kutengeneza pesa nyingi. Kupunguzwa kwa kazi huko kulikuwa muhimu ili kuongeza bei za hisa za kampuni, ambazo zilikuwa zimepanda sana.

During my tenure at one of the largest corporations in the world (more than 160000 employees at the time), I witnessed how scores of the best engineers and technicians were escorted out of the building under the auspices of layoff. The first round of layoffs which eliminated more than 50,000 jobs were done at a time when the company was profitable and making lots of money. The layoffs were necessary to boost the stock prices of the company which have soared over the roof.

Nakubali kwamba haya ni hadithi tu, silika, na hisia za moyoni. Basi ishara za kushindwa ziko wapi, ikiwa zipo? Baada ya yote, ubepari umepitia mizunguko kadhaa ya mdororo, msukosuko mkubwa, kushuka kwa uchumi, tija ndogo na kufilisika kwa makampuni huko nyuma. Daima umeibuka ukiwa imara, au hata imara zaidi. Kwa nini wakati huu ni tofauti?

I admit that these are just stories, instincts, and guts feelings. So where are the signs of failure if there are any? After all, capitalism has gone through several rounds of recessions, depressions, downturns, low productivity and corporate failures in the past. It has always emerged as strong or even stronger. Why is it different this time?

Sehemu ya kwanza ya kitabu hiki “The Fall of Capitalism” inashughulikia swali hili na kutoa uchambuzi wa kina wa kasoro zilizo ndani kabisa za nadharia ya msingi ya ubepari, na jinsi kasoro hizi zinavyoweza kusababisha kuanguka kabisa, ikiwa hazitadhibitiwa na kuondolewa ipasavyo.

The first part of this book “The Fall of Capitalism” addresses this question and provides a thorough analysis of the deeply rooted defects in the core theory of capitalism and how these defects can lead to a total collapse, if not properly contained and removed.

Miaka sita niliyotumia katika Umoja wa Kisovieti iliniongoza kuelekea mtazamo mwingine wa ulimwengu. Ilinisaidia kugundua nguvu ya dini ya Uislamu, ambayo hadi wakati huo nilikuwa sijui mengi kuhusu. Nilikua kama Mwislamu kwa sababu tu nilizaliwa katika familia ya Kiislamu. Sikuwa na chaguo la kuwa Mwislamu, Myahudi, Mkristo au mtu asiyeamini Mungu. Ujuzi wangu kuhusu Uislamu ulikuwa mdogo na ulihusu mafundisho na desturi za kila siku, ambazo nilijifunza shuleni au kuziona msikitini. Mara tu nilipokanyaga ardhi ya ukomunisti, nilihisi changamoto dhidi ya misingi ya imani yangu. Alama na kauli mbiu za kutokuamini Mungu zilionekana kila mahali. Kuamini Mungu kulichukuliwa kuwa desturi ya kurudi nyuma, na kwa wenyeji lilikuwa kinyume cha sheria.

The six years I spent in the Soviet Union helped shape my world view in another direction. They helped me to discover the power of the religion of Islam, which until that time I knew very little about. I grew up as a Muslim by the virtue of being born to a Muslim family. I had no choice to be a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian or an atheist. My knowledge of Islam was limited to the teachings and daily rituals, which I learned in school or observed in mosques. The moment I stepped foot in the land of communism, I felt the challenge against the core of my beliefs. Signs and slogans of atheism were displayed all over the place. To believe in God was considered a reactionary practice, and for locals was against the law.

Kwa mara ya kwanza maishani mwangu, ilinibidi kukabiliana na swali kama "Mungu" ni uhalisia au hadithi ya kubuni. Kanuni za ukafiri na ukomunisti, mantiki ya mabishano (dayalektiki) na uyakinifu wa kihistoria, pamoja na uchumi wa kisiasa wa kikomunisti, vyote vilikuwa sehemu ya usafishaji wa akili uliopangwa kwa utaratibu, ambao nilipaswa kukabiliana nao katika kipindi chote cha kukaa kwangu huko. Hali hii iliweka shinikizo kubwa sana juu ya hisia zangu za ndani pamoja na imani yangu niliyorithi. Punde niligundua kwamba hisia pekee, zikiambatana na upendo kwa urithi wangu, haziwezi kuendeleza imani yangu. Nilikuwa na chaguo mojawapo kati ya mawili: either kuacha imani yangu au kuthibitisha kuwa ni sahihi. Nilichagua chaguo la pili.

For the first time in my life, I had to face the question whether “God” was a reality or a fiction. The principles of atheism and communism, the dialectic and historic materialism, and the communist political economy all were part of a systematic mind cleansing I had to face for the whole period of my stay. This had placed a tremendous pressure on my inner feelings as well as on my inherited belief. I soon discovered that feelings alone coupled with the love for heritage can not sustain my belief. I had one of two options: either surrender my faith or prove it correct. I took the second option.

Uchunguzi wangu wa mawazo ya msingi yanayounda imani ya dini yangu uliniletea imani thabiti zaidi, iliyoungwa mkono si tu na hisia bali pia na akili na mantiki. Nilichokigundua katika safari yangu ya kutafuta ushahidi ni kwamba Uislamu si tu unatoa msingi imara kwa imani, bali, jambo muhimu zaidi, unatoa muundo kamili wa maisha. Nikiwa na hoja, ushahidi na maarifa, niliweza kufanya mazungumzo na mijadala na maprofesa wangu wa kikomunisti. Kufikia mwisho wa kukaa kwangu Umoja wa Kisovieti, na kupitia usomaji mpana na mijadala, nilikuwa nimeunda taswira kamili ya itikadi ya Uislamu akilini mwangu.

My investigation of the core ideas underlying the belief in my religion created in me a stronger belief, supported not only be feelings but also by reason and rational. What I discovered through my journey looking for proofs is that Islam not only provides a solid foundation for faith, but most importantly it provides a complete structure for life. Equipped with proofs, evidences, and knowledge I was able to conduct dialogue and debate with my communist professors. By the end of my stay in the Soviet Union, and through extensive readings and arguments, I had convoluted in my own mind the full image of the ideology of Islam.

Baada ya kurudi kutoka Umoja wa Kisovieti kwenda nchi yangu, nilitambua na kugundua ukweli wa pili mkubwa kuhusu Uislamu. Ukweli huo ni kwamba Uislamu kama itikadi unaishi tu katika vitabu vya urithi au katika akili za watu wachache waliojitolea muda, juhudi na changamoto ya kugundua uhalisia wa Uislamu. Tangu wakati huo, nimeshiriki katika maelfu ya matukio, mihadhara, makongamano na semina duniani kote, nikitetea haja ya kufufua muundo wa kiitikadi wa Uislamu na kuutekeleza katika ulimwengu halisi.

After returning from the Soviet Union to my home country, I realized and discovered the second major fact about Islam. That was the fact that Islam as an ideology lives only in the heritage books or in the minds of few people who took the time, effort and challenge to discover the reality of Islam. Since then, I participated in thousands of events, lectures, conferences, and seminars worldwide advocating the need to revive the ideological structure of Islam and to install it in the real world.

Miaka thelathini baada ya kuhitimu katika Umoja wa Kisovieti, na miaka ishirini baada ya kuanguka kwa ujamaa wa Kisovieti, tukio la kihistoria limejitokeza katika mambo ya dunia; nalo ni tukio la "kuibuka kwa Uislamu" ili kurejesha nafasi yake kama itikadi ya kimataifa. Sehemu ya pili ya kitabu hiki "Kuibuka kwa Uislamu" imejitolea kujadili na kuchambua tukio hili.

Thirty years after graduating from the Soviet Union, and twenty years after the collapse of the Soviet socialism, a historical phenomenon has been depicted in the world affairs; that is the phenomenon of the “rise of Islam” to resume its role as a universal ideology. The second part of this book “The Rise of Islam” is devoted to the discussion and analysis of this phenomenon.

Pamoja na kuongezeka kwa mwamko wa Uislamu, dhana ya ugaidi imeufunika anga la Uislamu na harakati ya kihistoria ya kuufufua. Nilipoombwa kuzungumza katika kongamano moja mjini London mwaka 1994 kuhusu kuibuka kwa Uislamu, ilinilazimu kushughulikia wasiwasi ambao watu wanaweza kuwa nao kuhusu viungo kati ya Uislamu na ugaidi. Jaribio la kwanza la kulipua Kituo cha Biashara cha Dunia mwaka 1993 liliunganishwa na Waislamu. Mlipuko wa jengo la serikali kuu huko Oklahoma ulihusishwa kwanza na gaidi Mwislamu kabla ya Timothy McVeigh kuhukumiwa. Kisha tukio la kigaidi la janga la tarehe 11/9/2001 lilichochea hofu kubwa zaidi kuwahi kutokea dhidi ya Uislamu na uwezekano wa kuibuka kwa Uislamu. Hotuba yangu ya kwanza ya hadharani baada ya mashambulizi ya 9/11 ilikuwa na kichwa “Mtazamo wa Kiislamu kuhusu Ugaidi,” ambamo nilijaribu kuthibitisha kwamba Uislamu kama itikadi si wa kulaumiwa kwa ugaidi; kinyume chake, Uislamu ni sehemu ya suluhisho la tatizo hili la kuchukiza na la kutisha. Sehemu ya tatu ya kitabu hiki “Je, Uislamu ni Tishio au Faida” inatoa ushahidi kwamba utekelezaji wa Uislamu ni kwa manufaa ya watu, na hofu dhidi ya itikadi ya Kiislamu haina msingi.

Along with the rising Islam trend, the notion of terrorism had clouded the atmosphere of Islam and the historical movement for its revival. When I was asked to speak at a conference in London in 1994 about the rise of Islam, I had to address the concern people may have regarding the links between Islam and terrorism. The first attempt to blow the world trade center in 1993 had been connected to Muslims. The bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma was first attributed to a Muslim terrorist before Timothy McVeigh was convicted. Then the catastrophic terrorist event of 9/11/2001 spurred the most serious fear ever towards Islam and the potential rise of Islam. My first public lecture after the 9-11 attacks was under the title “The Islamic Perspective on Terrorism,” where I tried to prove that Islam as an ideology is not responsible for terrorism; on the contrary, Islam is part of the solution to this outrageous and horrific problem. The third part of this book “Is Islam a Threat or Benefit” provides evidence that the implementation of Islam is in the benefit of people, and the fear from the Islamic ideology is unfounded.

"Kuanguka kwa ubepari na kupanda kwa Uislamu" ni rekodi ya kihistoria ya matukio mawili makubwa na ya kuvutia, yanayojitokeza mbele yetu leo, na yanaweza kuwa na athari kubwa zaidi katika maisha ya watu na mataifa duniani kote.

“The Fall of capitalism and the Rise of Islam” is a historical record of two major and massive historical events, which are unfolding in front of us today, and may have the greatest impact on the life of peoples and nations around the world.