Principles of Islamic politics



Principles of Islamic politics

By

Sary Farah

The study of various Islamic scriptures and historical sources indicates that politics play a major role in Islam. The Qur'an, the Sunnah (prophetic tradition), and the Seerah (prophet's biography) provide us with principles and details of the Islamic political system. The main principles consist of:

1- The concept of loyalty being only due to Allah, the one and only God, and that there is nothing worthy of worship (absolute love and obedience) save Allah. It is derived from the core belief in Islam, that is: there is nothing worthy of worship (absolute love and obedience) except Allah, the One and Only God.

2- Divine legislation is the code of life, not replaceable by any man-made legislation:

{Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance? but who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah?}[i]

The absolute reference in all matters and in case of disputes is the Qur'an and the Sunnah:

{O ye who believe! obey Allah, and obey the messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and his messenger, if ye do believe in Allah and the last day: that is best, and most suitable for final determination.}[ii]

3- Muslim rulers do not legislate, they rather implement the Divine commandments

{And this (He commands): judge thou between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires…}[iii].

As for issues that are not related to Divine rulings (such as battle strategies, some internal affairs concerning social services... ) then shura or consultation is required and binding

{... and consult them in affairs (of moment).}[iv].

4- Therefore, a Muslim ruler cannot be a dictator, for his actions and decisions are judged according to the shari'ah (Islamic law)[v]. Plus, rulers are accountable before the ummah: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"The best jihad is a word of haqq (truth) to an unjust ruler.."[vi]

And in another hadith:

"The master of the martyrs is Hamzah ibn Abdil Muttalib and a man who stood up to an unjust ruler, commanded him (to do the good and refrain from evil) and so he (the ruler) killed him."

This is the most profound form of expression: urging the endurance of harm to the point of death, in accounting the rulers and struggling against the tyrant rulers.

Most importantly, the main aims of an Islamic state are: enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and spreading the Islamic da'wa (invitation to Islam) to the various parts of the world:

{Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: they are the ones to attain felicity}[vii]

Bernard Lewis said that:

"Islam is a powerful but still an undirected force in politics...(despite all) this leaves the possibility of a more convincing leadership, and there is ample evidence in virtually all Muslim countries of the deep yearning for such a leadership and a readiness to respond to it. The lack of an educated leadership has so far restricted the scope of Islam and inhibited religious movements from being serious contenders for power... How this new religious leadership will force-in exercising and retaining political power remains to be seen."[viii]

Can we deduce which party or group could possibly lead those eager Muslims with wisdom? With many Islamic movements working on the ground, we need to have a closer look in order to make a precise judgment or at least a better view of the current leading Muslim forces.

Non-Muslims in an Islamic state

Non-Muslims living in an Islamic state are not to be discriminated against before the law. The laws derived from the Qur'an and the Sunnah guarantee their protection and rights.

{O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-Acquainted with all that ye do.}[ix]

Another verse states that Muslims should rule justly among people, and not exclusively among themselves:

{Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between people that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which he giveth you! for Allah is he who heareth and seeth all things.}[x]

In an Islamic constitution derived from legislative sources, the laws concerning non-Muslims are the following:

Article 6

All citizens of the State shall be treated equally regardless of religion, race, color or any other matter. The State is forbidden to discriminate among its citizens in all matters, be it ruling or judicial, or caring of affairs.

Article 7

The State implements the Islamic law on all citizens who hold citizenship of the Islamic State, whether Muslims or not, in the following manner:

a. The Islamic law is implemented in its entirety, without exception, on all Muslims;

b. Non-Muslims are allowed to follow their own beliefs and worships.

…

d. In matters of food and clothing the non-Muslims are treated according to their religions within the limits allowed by ahkam shar’iah (Islamic rulings).

e. Marital affairs, including divorce, among non-Muslims are settled in accordance with their religions, but between non-Muslims and Muslims they are settled according to the divine law.

f. All the remaining shar'iah matters and rules, such as: the application of transactions, punishments and evidences (at court), the system of ruling and economics are implemented by the State upon everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. This includes the people of treaties (muâaahid), the protected subjects (ahlu zimmah) and all who submit to the authority of Islam. The implementation on these people is the same as the implementation on the subjects of the State.[xi]

A good historical example would be the following message reported by Philip Mansel in his book "Constantinople":

"Here in the land of the Turks we have nothing to complain of. We possess great fortunes; much gold and silver are in our hands. We are not oppressed by heavy taxes and our commerce is free and unhindered. Rich are the fruits of the earth. Everything is cheap and each one of us lives in freedom. Here a Jew is not compelled to wear a yellow star as a badge of shame as is the case in Germany where even wealth and great fortune is a curse for a Jew because he therewith arouses jealousy among the Christians and they devise all kinds of slander against him to rob him of his gold. Arise my brethren, gird up your loins, collect up your forces and come to us." Jewish Rabbi in Turkey writing to his brethren in Europe where they were facing increasing persecution after 1453.

-----------------------

[i] Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, English Translation of Meanings and Commentary, Islamic Computing Centre, London, 1999, 5:50.

[ii] The Qur'an 4: 59

[iii] The Qur'an 5: 49

[iv] The Qur'an 3: 159

[v] The scriptural sources of the Islamic law (shari'a) are: the Qur'an (God's word), and the prophetic tradition (sunnah). In addition to the scriptures, there are two agreed upon derived sources of Shariah: scholarly consensus (ijma`) and legal analogy (qiyas).

[vi] Narrated by Abou-Daoud:4344, and At-Tirmidhi: 2175

[vii] The Qur'an 3: 104

[viii] Bernard Lewis, Islam and the West, p.154.

[ix] The Qur'an [5: 8], see also [60: 7 – 9]

[x] The Qur'an [4: 58], (emphasis added)

[xi] Taqiuddin an-Nabahani, The System of Islam (Translated from the Arabic edition: Nidham ul Islam), Al-Khilafah Publications, London, 2002, p. 116, 117. (with slight modification)

Feel free to contact me at saryfarah@

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