The Role of Government in Family Values

Today family values are widely discussed. Politicians, academics and journalists of all persuasions claim to champion family values. In the Islamic world the policies of choice often contradict the correct values. The governments promote tourism, consumerism, and the wholesale importation of the ubiquitous Euro-American popular culture. They have adopted education curricula that are Xerox copies of those from the West. The current corrupt governments have been the main instigators of the breakdown of correct family structures.
 

Politics and the Family: an Overview

Families come packaged with certain attitudes and values. These are what define the character of families. These attitudes or ‘family values’ are moulded, developed and effected by numerous factors. Environmental, social and governmental factors all contribute to the shaping of family values.

A major part of any political system deals with issues of family structure, law and attitudes. These may be economical (ensuring food shelter and clothing for the families of the state), legal (laws concerning marriage and divorce), social (responsibilities of the family members) and educational.

The State’s citizens must acquire some basal knowledge of family rules. To develop the correct attitudes we must first have knowledge with regards to family law in Islam. Therefore, the education system plays a key role in establishing this communal basal knowledge. The atmosphere must be such that the individual feels the need and desire to learn his or her duties towards the family. The State will have the media, education system, Imams and Mosques at its disposal for this task of inducing the correct atmosphere.

The Islamic Government Protects the Family Values

Many Islamic laws are implemented by the family but enforced by the Islamic government. Rasool Allah (saw) delivered a call to humankind and lived as a living example to all generations. In this capacity he (saw) was a judge, a commander of the army and a head of state. Moreover, he (saw) was an example for all who come to rule Muslims, from the time of the Sahaba (ra) till the Day of Judgement.

“But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith until they make you judge in all disputes between them.” [ 4:65]

The first Islamic state was a source of authority that regulated aspects related to the family. Many ahadith were spoken in response to questions asked of Rasool Allah (saw) in his (saw) capacity as a ruler and a judge. For subjects such as divorce and inheritance this is clear. However, even some of the more general issues related to the family were covered in this light. The Islamic laws related to the family obviously originate in the Qur’an and Sunnah. What is also outlined in the revealed text is a series of attitudes and values. We as Muslims should adopt these attitudes. The state should also create a climate in which these general attitudes may flourish.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that a man named al-Aqra ibn Habis visited the Prophet and was surprised to see him kiss his grandsons, Hasan and Husayn. “Do you kiss your children?” he asked, adding that he had ten children and had never kissed one of them. “(That shows) you have no mercy and tenderness at all. Those who do not show mercy to others will not have Allah’s mercy shown on them,” commented the Prophet (saw). (Bukhari)

It is bemusing today to imagine a powerful head of state kissing his grandchildren in the middle of state affairs. This was the case then, as is seen from the response of the visitor. However this incident really describes the unique character of Islam. It is intriguing that this same head of state (saw) gave comment, advice and judgement on plain ordinary family relationships.

A man once came to Rasul-Allah (saw) and said that he had carried his mother on his own shoulders single handed through out all the rites and rituals of Hajj. He went on to ask if by doing this, he had repaid his mother for the kindness she had shown him as a child. Rasul-Allah (saw) replied by saying that all he had done had not paid back for one single contraction of the womb during labour when his mother bore him.

Even to foreign heads of state the same issues were conveyed. This was as a matter of describing the family values of the Islamic State.

Abu Sufyan relates that in the course of his meeting with Hiraclius, the latter asked him, “What does this Prophet teach you?” Abu Sufyan replied, “He tells us to worship Allah, the One, and not to associate anything with Him, to discard what our ancestors said, and to perform the Salat, tell the truth, keep chaste and exercise benevolence towards children.”

Prophethood ended with the death of Rasul-Allah (saw) but the functions of head of state continued with the rightly guided Khulafa’a.

“Oh you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you.” [ 4:59]

These Khulafa’a were not merely good men that were prominent within a good system during a good period of our history. These were the implementers of Allah’s (swt) law and a model for later generations. They ruled the state with justice on the model revealed to Rasul-Allah (saw). In the same manner that Rasul-Allah was approached, so were the Khulafa’a after his (saw) death. For example a man once came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Khaleefah of Islam, complaining of his son’s disobedience to him. ‘Umar summoned the boy and spoke of his disobedience to his father and his neglect of his rights. The boy replied, “O Amir al Muminin! Hasn't a child rights over his father?” “Certainly,” replied ‘Umar. “What are they, Amir al-Mu’mineen?” “That he should choose his mother well, giving him a good name, and teach him the Book (Qur’an).” “O Amir al-Mu’mineen! My father did nothing of this. My mother was a Magian (fire worshipper). He gave me the name Ju‘alaan (meaning dung beetle) and he did not teach me a single letter of the Qur’an.” Turning to the father, ‘Umar said, “You have come to me complaining about the disobedience of your son. You have failed in your duty to him before he failed in his duty to you, you have wronged him before he has wronged you.”

The Government's Control of Popular Culture

Capitalists have particular attitudes to love, relationships mixing and responsibilities to kith and kin. The nature of Capitalism has resulted in excessive social freedoms. These freedoms have opened a Pandora’s box of ills that de-stabilise families. Mind numbing soap operas, love songs, cable music TV stations, and glossy magazines are the class room for educating their youth about relationships.

The actual reality is just as horrific as the virtual reality of the media. In Britain, it seems that it is common for children to be born out of wedlock. Free market economies have exploited sex-to-sell. Popular culture glamorises and even idolises dysfunctional families. George Bush, whilst President once said “I want the average American family to be more like the Waltons and less like the Simpsons.” President Bush realised the monster that the system he was head of had created. This is an example of one of the contradictions of Capitalism. Culture, be it popular or highbrow, has a major influence on family values. Culture in turn is highly affected by the ruling system.

In the Islamic regions of the world the same culture is promoted. The greatest corruption is always to be found in the urban areas. It is not a coincidence that these are the main areas that where the government has the greatest influence on the minds of the people. Rural parts of the Islamic lands are the main places where the remnants of the Islamic social characteristics are to be found.

In the Islamic State every effort must be made to produce a climate fertile for Islamic family values. Our popular culture would come from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Our attitudes will come from Islam. Our entertainment will come only from those things that are allowed or encouraged in Islam. The Khilafah would not import foreign culture into the state. Muslims would find no place for cheap plastic Mickey Mouse American pop culture. The average Muslim family should be nothing like the Waltons and the antithesis of the Simpsons.

The Prophet (saw) Established that the Government is Responsible for the Correct Family Values

Ibn ‘Umar narrated, Rasul-Allah (saw) said, “Each of you is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects. So the Imam who rules the peole is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects. And the husband is the guardian of the family and is responsible for his subjects. And the wife is the guardian of the house of her husband and of his children and is responsible for them.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The above illustrates that the ruler is responsible for the citizens of the Islamic State and the husband is responsible for the family. What this actually entails is elucidated in other evidences (i.e. that the husband should maintain and provide for the family etc.) Similarly the wife is responsible for the children, again the details of this are outlined through other evidences. There are many parties responsible for generating an atmosphere to ensure the correct family values. These may involve the family members, Imams, teachers and judges and most importantly, the media. All of which are directly and indirectly effected by the government.

Today's Governments in Islamic Lands Undermine Family Values

Governments use the issue of family values when and where it pleases them. Western capitalist systems are riddled with contradictions almost by definition. The confused chaotic hybrid systems that prevail in Islamic lands have a thousand fold more contradictions than those of the West. These systems are merely impracticable perplexities. This is clearly seen in their social systems.

Tourism is one of the main industries of many Islamic Countries. These governments put efforts into building tourism rather than building a manufacturing base. Tourism brings with it vice and corruption of immeasurable proportions. King Hasan and Dr. Mahathir all give lip service to the family. Yet they are the first to welcome with open arms the traveller’s-cheque laden, modern marauders.

Many Japanese and Western companies have invested heavily in Malaysia. With these investments came foreign work ethics. Woman work long hours in factories whilst strangers are left to raise their children. In the name of progress and vision Mahathir is prepared to sacrifice the structure of the family. To fulfil this vision he also imported the Western culture. This was seen with the recent Miss Malaysia beauty pageant fiasco and the furore that ensued in its wake.

 

Further Reading

Reductionism