Read the Friday Sermon Below:
Brexit & the Respect of Pacts
Today,
let’s talk about Brexit. What is Brexit? It is an English term which refers to the
“British Exit” from the European Union.
During
the referendum of 23 June 2016, the British population voted in favour of the
United Kingdom leaving the European Union by 51.9%. The withdrawal procedure,
under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, was triggered by the British
government on 29 March 2017.
The
European Union and the United Kingdom then engaged in negotiations aimed at
preparing the effective exit of the United Kingdom. They resulted in the signing
of an agreement which organises the effective withdrawal of the United Kingdom.
With
the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, the United Kingdom left the Union
in an orderly manner on 31 January 2020 at midnight. On this date, a so-called “transition”
period began, which ended on 31 December 2020. The United Kingdom, which was no
longer a member state of the European Union and the European Community of
energy, continued, until 31 December 2020, to respect European Union law and in
return retained its access to the internal market.
So
when the United Kingdom officially ceased to be a member of the European Union
on 31 December 2020, an agreement was signed between the two – between the
European Union and the United Kingdom – on 30 December 2020 to facilitate trade
and cooperation.
Thus,
since 01 January 2021, this agreement determines the rules applicable to
relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union in a certain number
of areas. European Union law ceased to apply to the United Kingdom on 31 December
2020 at midnight.
Although
an agreement has been concluded between the European Union and the United
Kingdom, customs formalities as well as sanitary and phytosanitary controls
[[relating to plant health, particularly with regard to international trade
requirements] have been re-established for the transport of goods. The free
movement of people is no longer applicable. Full migration controls have been
reinstated to and from the UK. From now on, European Union nationals wishing to
settle in the United Kingdom must, in most cases, apply for a visa, and vice
versa. Short stays (less than 3 months) are visa exempt.
Under
the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, no customs duties are applicable to trade
between the European Union and the United Kingdom. This agreement also defines
a privileged relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, in
commercial matters, but also for cooperation in certain areas (police and
judicial cooperation, social security coordination, transport, etc.).
However,
what complicates the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union is
their friction over Ireland. This island is divided into two, Northern Ireland
and Southern Ireland, one part of which is in favour of “Brexit”, and the other
part is against “Brexit”. Indeed, the border between the north and south of
Ireland is the only land crossing between these two jurisdictions. During the
transition phase of “Brexit”, goods and services were exchanged between the two
jurisdictions on the island of Ireland with very light restrictions, but
following the official departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union,
the situation has become more complicated.
By
the way, the island of Ireland was divided in 1921 as part of a peace agreement
between the British government and Irish rebels seeking independence. Under the
deal, Northern Ireland, where the population is predominantly Protestant,
remains part of the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland and Wales. The
predominantly Catholic southern part of the island became the Irish Free State
and gained full independence in 1948. For 30 years at the end of the 20th
century, Northern Ireland was ravaged by a bloody ethno-nationalist conflict
known as “Troubles”.
At
the heart of “Troubles” is the division of Northern Irish society. The majority
population of Northern Ireland – the unionist community – identifies as British
and wants Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom.
The
minority community – the nationalists – want Northern Ireland to be reunited
with the rest of Ireland, in an independent Irish Republic. The Belfast
Agreement – also known as the Good Friday Agreement, was signed on 10 April
1998 after intense negotiations between the British government, the Irish
government and the political parties of Northern Ireland – brought peace in
Northern Ireland and removed the need for border controls. It also established
North-South rules and institutions that helped solidify the peace process.
But
then, when “Brexit” happened, this situation ended up complicating everything!
Everything has been called into question.
It
was therefore necessary to include in the agreement Ireland’s rights regarding
their access to the United Kingdom and as well as their access to rights
regulated by the European Union. It was a hot topic.
Although
the EU and the UK reached an agreement on the protocol, problems arose when
applying the new rules.
Complicated
customs checks on goods imported from Britain but intended and destined to
remain in Northern Ireland caused frustration on the ground, and there were
problems over measures relating to agri-food, medicines, state aid and VAT.
However,
the Protocol was designed to be amendable so that unforeseen challenges to its
implementation could be addressed by the EU-UK Joint Committees.
This
enabled negotiations to continue between the EU and the UK, which led in March
2023 to the formal adoption of an agreement called the “Windsor Framework” which
addresses the practical difficulties linked to the implementation of certain
parts of the protocol – separation between the two.
So,
we find that people operate according to their needs to conquer their country
according to their rules and laws. Everyone makes their own law, and there is
free will, but there must be pacts for everything to work in order. In times of
discussion or war, there must be dialogue and respect for the rights of women,
children and the nature that Allah has created. When two countries decide to
separate, their rights must be respected, and if they want to unite, conditions
must be provided that must be respected. But if war breaks out, and we see here
how Ireland is subject to intense conflict, then we must respect each other. If
a country oversteps its bounds, as Israel did with Palestine, where it expelled
Palestinians from their homes, land and all their wealth and put them in open
prisons – where Palestinians are forced to poverty and are not allowed to
exercise their basic rights – and mutilates them in merciless wars, this is a WAR CRIME.
With
the recent Rafah attack, the cruel and thieving regime that calls itself the
State of Israel – the Zionists – has killed thousands of people, including
women and children by the thousands, children who represented the future of
Palestine. But Insha-Allah, the time of divine punishment on Israel will
not delay. The ‘Machine’ of Allah is in motion, and whoever commits crimes
against humanity, then, imagine their consequences before the God Who created
everything!
For
the right approach in transactions and to acquire respect, we need dialogue. It
is not good that there are a certain number of extremists, who are Zionists
[who dream of a Jewish state], coming to shed blood in a country where it is
God Himself Who expelled them from there, and established the true heirs of
Moses, and of David there, that is, the Muslims.
All
Muslims must be aware of their responsibility towards all Islamic nations and
must unite as one body. This responsibility falls on Muslims and all the
righteous peoples and righteous countries among all humanity. Don’t let your
humanity die. Do not follow in the footsteps of evil. You all have a
responsibility to bring peace to the world. I advise you all: Have the fear of God Almighty and reform yourselves before it is too late for you. Insha-Allah, Ameen.