Daily Times

Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and forgiveness. It is a complete code of life. It provides guidance in every walk of life. It has comprehensive political system.

The base of any good governance or political system is that where it functions, the subjects of that state must be literate. It enables the citizens to understand the affairs and exercise their will and wish in the best interest of the state. Islam requires all the Muslims to be literate.

First revelation sent by Allah Taala to His last prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) started with Read. The Holy Quran contains ayat 96 in Surah Al-Alaq which says Read in the name of your Lord Who created. . The prophet (SAW) of God was directed to read first before starting preaching Islam. Thus, it may be deduced that a religion which emphasis so much on Read cannot support the system of governance which may be enforced against its spirit.

Islam does not permit to impose any thing on the citizens of a state in any walk of life. Even religion may not be enforced forcibly. It is choice of a human being to embrace Islam.

The Holy Quran provides “And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers” (Yoonus 10:99). It means that disbeliever may enter the fold of Islam by choice not by force.  Ayat of surah albaqarah (2:256) says “There is no compulsion in Deen”.

A state or a ruler may not exercise any authority under compulsion as being witnessed today. Islam restrains a state or a ruler from doing it. If compulsion is made base of deciding the affairs of a state, anarchy and chaos will prevail which may lead a state to doom and destruction.

The above ayats also provide that extremism is intolerable in the religion. Moreover, fundamentalism is not allowed in Islam. The message contained in the said ayats is applicable to all departments of life including Political, Social and economic etc.

In Islamic political system, sovereignty belongs to Allah, the Creator. A human being of any stature either elected as a ruler or a member of the Electoral College etc can not be obeyed as soverign. The class of priests will not be sovereign.

The Holy Quran contains All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifieth Allah, the Sovereign Lord (Al Malik), the Holy One (Al Qudus), the Mighty, the Wise (Al Aziz).”(62:1). The Khalifa or Ruler of Islamic State can not introduce ones laws or policies contrary to the spirit of the Islamic law. All affairs of the state will be run in the light of orders and directions given by Allah Taala.

In Islamic political system, sovereignty belongs to Allah, the Creator. A human being of any stature either elected as a ruler or a member of the Electoral College etc can not be obeyed as soverign. The class of priests will not be sovereign

The Muslim subjects of an Islamic State are required to stand for Justice and give witness even it is against themselves or their parents. They are to go for just and right. Islamic doctrines do not expect from the followers to differentiate between poor and rich while standing for justice. The Muslim has to imagine that when any one raises ones standard for right, Allah Taala witness the mankind. “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) (hawa) lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.(HQ: 4:135)

Islam emphasizes on consultaion. The holy Quran provides “Who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation (Shura-38).The affairs of the state are to be required to run through consultation. However, this ayat is not only confined for conducting affairs of a state through consultation but it is required to be applied in every department and section of life. Even some family matters need consultation of family members. Consultation will yield good solution to a problem.

The aforementioned ayats clearly open the avenue for running the affairs of an Islamic state through consultation. Class of priests will not dominate the affairs of state. Their sayings and orders will not be termed as law. They themselves will be obedient to the law of God. The mankind has been deputed as vicegenret of God on the earth. The holy Quran says It is He Who has made you (His) vicegerents, inheritors of the earth (Quran 6:165).

Islam gives comprehensive sketch of political system of a state. A state where the subjects will not be ruled by man made laws or the will and wish of a Ruler. The Ruler will exercise ones authority as a sacred trust (Amanat) of Allah Taala.

The writer is an author and has a doctorate in Political Science

Published in Daily Times, November  4^th 2018.