The Political Framework Of Islam Essay, Research Paper

The political system of Islam is based

on the three principles of towhid (Oneness with Allah), risala ( Prophethood),

and khilifa ( Caliphate). Towhid means that one Allah alone

is the Creator, Sustainer, and Master of the universe and of all that exists

in it- organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or

forbid, and worship and obedience are due to him alone. The Islamics

believe that it is not for them to decide the aim or purpose of our existence

or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have

the rights to make these decisions for them. These rights rest only

with Allah. This principle of the Oneness with Allah makes meaningless

the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings.

No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah.

Allah alone is the ruler and his commandments constitute the law of Islam.

Risala is the medium in which Islamics receive the law of Allah.

They have received two things from this source: the Qur?an ( the book in

which Allah has expounded his law), and the authoritative interpretation

and exemplification of that book by the prophet Muhammad ( blessings of

Allah and peace be upon him), through word and dead, in his capacity as

the representative of Allah. The Qur?an laid down the broad principles

on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance

with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The

combination of these two elements is called the shari?a (law). Khilifa

means “representation” Man, according to Islam, is the representative of

Allah on earth. Khilifa also means that no individual or dynasty

or class can be the law: the authority of Khilfa is bestowed on the whole

of any community which is ready to fulfil the conditions of representation

after subscribing to the principles of Towhid and risala. Such a

society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one

of its individuals shares in it.

This is the point where democracy begins

in Islam. Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights

and powers of the caliphate of Allah and in this respect all individuals

are equal. No-one may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers.

The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement

with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an

extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to do it. Their

opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will

be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes. Whoever

gains their confidence will undertake the duties and obligations of the

caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have

to step down. In this respect, the political system of Islam is as

perfect a dorm of democracy as there can be. What distinguishes Islamic

democracy from Western democracy, therefor, is that the latter is based

on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle

of popular khilafa. In Western democracy, the people are sovereign;

in Islam sovereignty is vested in Allah and the people are his caliphs

or representatives. In the former the people make their own; in the

latter they have to follow and the laws given by Allah through his Prophet.

In one the government undertakes to fulfil the will of the people; in the

other the government and the people have to fulfil the will of Allah.

The Holy Qur?an clearly states that the

aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance, and development

of those virtues which the Creator wishes human life to be enriched by

and the prevention and eradication of those evils in human life which he

finds abhorrent. The Islamic state is intended neither solely as

an instrument of political administration nor for the fulfillment of the

collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a

high ideal before the state for the achievement of which it must use all

the means at its disposal. This ideal is that the qualities of purity,

beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity, which Allah wants to

flourish in the life of his people, should be engendered and developed

and that all kinds of exploitations, injustice and disorder which, in the

sight of Allah, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of

his creatures, should be suppressed and prevented. Islam gives us

a clear outline of its moral system by stating positively the desired virtues

and the undesired evils. Keeping this outline in view, the Islamic

state can plan its welfare program in every age and in any environment.

The constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must

be observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays

down as an unalterable policy that the state should base its policies

on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances,

to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative

or national expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers

and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other

states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty, and justice.

Islam imposes similar obligations on the state and the individual: to fulfill

all contracts and obligations; to have uniform standards in dealings; to

remember obligation along with rights and not to forget the rights of others

when expecting them to fulfil their obligations; to use power and authority

for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice;

to look upon duty as sacred obligation and to fulfil it scrupulously; and

to regard power as a trust from Allah to be used in the belief that one

has to render an account of one?s actions to him in the life hereafter.

The responsibility for the administration

of the government in an Islamic state is entrusted to an amir ( leader)

who may be compared to the president or the prime minister in a Western

democratic state. All adult men and women who subscribe to the fundamentals

of the constitution are entitled to vote for the election of the amir.

The basic qualifications for an amir are that he should command the confidence

if the majority in respect of his knowledge and grasp of the spirit of

Islam, that he should posses the Islamic quality of fear of Allah and that

he should be endowed with qualities of statesmanship. In short, he

should have both virtue and ability. A shoora (Advisory council)

is also elected by the people to assist and guide the amir. It is

incumbent of the amir to administer his country with the advice of this

shoora. The amir may retain office only so long as he enjoys the

confidence of the people and must relinquish it when he loses that confidence.

Every citizen has the right to criticize the amir and his government and

all reasonable means for the ventilation of public opinion must be available.

Legislation in an Islamic state is to be carried out within the limits

prescribed by the law of the shari?a. The injunctions of Allah and

his Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no legislative body may alter

or modify them or make any law contrary to them. Those commandments

which are liable to two or more interpretations are referred to a sub-committee

of the advisory council comprised of men taught in Islamic law.

Great scope remains for legislation on questions not covered by specific

injunctions of the shari?a and the advisory council or legislature is free

to legislate in regard to these matters. In Islam the judiciary is

not placed under the control of the executive. It derives its authority

directly from the shari?a and is answerable to Allah.