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Sunday, 17 May 2009
Islamic Politics - The way forward for the Muslim Ummah
The MPs’ expenses scandal exposes corruption of democracy
The serialization of how British MP’s have been playing the system and exploiting the taxpayer has exposed the systemic corruption within the capitalist democratic system. Like the big bankers before them, MPs have been busy serving themselves rather than serving the people. These events should serve as a reminder to us in the West that entering this corrupt political system is not the way forward for the community. Rather the Muslim community should engage with the wider society with a view to carrying the Dawah of Islam.
The crisis in confidence in the political system is not an isolated problem. It is coupled to a wider collapse in confidence in the west’s ideology – Capitalism. The economic crisis and collapse of the financial system, Britain’s broken society, wider social breakdown, and human rights abuses committed as part of the war on terror are also symptoms of this ideological decay – they are all linked to the values of capitalism: excess, greed, individualism and materialism.
So what should the Muslim community do?
Firstly, we must look beyond this failed model instead of blindly following it. If once naive people saw some benefit in it they must now realize that it is not only fundamentally defective but it corrupts those who work within the system. We must abandon calls to participate in this political system.
Secondly, we must look at this situation and reflect upon what Allah (swt) has commanded and prohibited us in political life. To join or support secular political parties – whether they are nationalistic, socialist, communist, Baathist, Liberal, Labour or Conservative - is forbidden by Islam. To support a law making process outside of the Shariah of Allah (swt) is prohibited. This is in regards to man-made laws generally but especially in the capitalist system that has taken money as its criteria for deciding what is right and wrong – lawful and unlawful.
“The hukm rests with none but Allah.” [Translated meaning of Quran Surah 12:40]
إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ لِلّهِ
“Those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed, then they are the fasiqoon (wrongdoers)” [Translated meaning of Quran Surah 5:47]
وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
This means we should support the call for a radical alternative in the Muslim world. The rulers in our countries have for decades emulated these Western politicians. Have we seen anything other than corruption, exploitation and treachery from such rulers? The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Every traitor will have a flag on the Day of Judgement that will be raised as high as his treachery. There is no treachery greater than that of the leader of the masses”.
The Muslim world now needs a new politics and new leadership based on the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam). This is the politics of the Khilafah State:
1. Where laws are from the Shariah and so cannot be manipulated by the rulers
2. Where authority is with the people who elect the ruler
3. Where there are defined structures of accountability
4. Where politics is considered worship to Allah (swt) by serving the people, not exploiting the people, which is the bedrock of politics and economics in the West.
Furthermore in the West, instead of foolishly following this failed system we have to find ways to build our communities and engage with society independent of these corrupt politicians and parties – not voting for them or becoming part of them. A united community, that is not dependent on them for handouts, can engage and present its ideas and viewpoints to all of society with more credibility and effectiveness.
We must work to prevent our own community becoming engulfed by the secular capitalist values that promote individualism, greed and excess. Instead, we must actively promote the noble Islamic values – including consciousness of Allah (swt), decent morals and strong families and communities - amongst ourselves, and to the wider society.
For now, more than ever, the world is looking for an alternative to the disaster of Capitalism’s economic, political and social system. It is the Muslim community that needs to show them this alternative, and invite people to this.
“Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way.” [Translated meaning of the Quran Surah 16:125]
ادْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
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