Islamic Ruling System

Political Systems :

Narrowly defined, a political system is the set of the formal legal institutions that constitute a government or a state.

The classification schemes in the West have never proven to be an adequate nor accurate measure of the Islamic political system. Some mistakenly and others intentionally from amongst the historians, sociologists, political scientists have erred greatly in their representation of Islam.

Before exploring the political system of Islam, it is necessary to summarise the various Eastern and Western political models. In particular to refute them and show their contradiction to minds defeated by colonialism and blindly following systems of kufr.

Empires:

All empires, since they are composed of people of different cultures and backgrounds, are ultimately held together by coercion and the threat of forcible reconquest. They are characterised by the centralisation of power and the absence of representation of their component parts as well as the distribution of wealth, where the centre receives the bulk of the wealth. 'Colonial Empires' such as the British Empire, were far short lived than the ancient empires because they lacked the military and economic strength to continue their rule over the restive colonialisation populations. Many have described incorrectly the Islamic Khilafah / Imamah as an empire.

Confederations

Confederations are voluntary associations of independent states that to secure some common purpose (Bond of interests), agree to certain limitations on their freedom of actions and establish some joint machinery of consultation or deliberation. Confederations usually fail to provide for an effective executive authority and lack viable central governments.

Federation

The term Federation is used to refer to a grouping of states, often on a regional basis, that establish central executive machinery to implement policies or to supervise joint activities. In such cases, such groupings are motivated primarily by political or economic concerns, in others military objectives are paramount. e.g. NATO.

The Islamic Ruling System

This does not fall under any of the above categories. For example, people of different ‘ethnic’ background who have the same culture ( actions emanating from the same view point in life ) are bonded together based on the aqueeda of Islam, unlike an empire where coercions used to keep the people united. This is evident from looking at the Islamic ruling system when it existed, that the vast majority of the Arabs who worshipped idols, the Persians who worshipped the sun, the Christians and Jews of Sham, became Muslims and remained united under the Islamic State. Those who did not become Muslims willingly accepted to be ruled by the Islamic state.

The Islamic ruling system consists of Wilayat which are not independent, and therefore, it cannot be compared to a confederation. Unlike a Federation, the Wilayat in the Islamic system are centralised under the authority of the Khalifah / Imam.

Feudalism

This was a political and legal structure regulating the relations among the various levels of nobility, and its structure stopped above the level of the peasant. Early Feudalism revolved around freely chosen, non-heritable relations.

Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned. Business organisations produce goods for a market guided by the forces of supply and demand. Capitalism requires a financial system that enables business firms to borrow large sums of money, or capital, to maintain and expand production. Underlying capitalism is the presumption that private enterprise is the most efficient way to organise economic activity. Adam Smith expressed this idea in his ‘Wealth of Nations’ (1776), extolling the free market in which the businessman is ‘ led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.’

The economic system is based upon political economy. Therefore, in their thinking, those who control the economy determine the political landscape. The prominent feature of this ruling system is Democracy and economic structure is capitalism. But capitalism in its ideal sense cannot be found any where in the world, what exists is 'free' competition and governmental control.

Communism

Communism, as envisaged by Marx, is the final stage of an evolving economic organisation. From feudalism to a workers’ state that withers away to an efficient productive society where the resources are employed to their maximum for the good of all as a result of an advanced technology. Thus ownership becomes a collective issue and individual competition is eliminated.

In their communist Manifesto (1848), Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels applied the term communism to a final stage of socialism in which all class differences would disappear and humankind would live in harmony. Marx and Engels claimed to have discovered a scientific approach to socialism based on the laws of history. They declared that the course of history was determined by the clash of opposing forces rooted in the economic system and ownership of property. Just as Feudalism had given way to Capitalism, so in their time capitalism would give way to socialism. There would be a class struggle between the employers and workers ending in the socialist revolution and the attainment of full communism.

Lesson

The Islamic Ruling system is different to all the other KUFR systems mentioned above. It does not have any similarities to all of the above man made systems nor is it in need to compromise with any of them nor in need of kufr system in order to solve the problems of the whole of humanity. Rather is despises all kufr ideas such as freedom, democracy, socialism, feudalism, imperialism, dictatorship and seeks to replace them with Islamic systems in all walks of life including the political sphere following the example of the Messenger (SAW).

As Muslims it is part of our belief that Islam is a complete way of life which provides systems to govern each and every aspect of a human beings life, be they Muslims or non-Muslims. Unfortunately, nowadays, due to the infiltration of certain corrupt ideas, the Muslims have started to question and even ignore the fact that Islam has provided a Ruling system applicable on the whole of the world.

In this section after looking at the principles of the Islamic Ruling system, We shall refute all contrary systems and ideas with evidences and show their contradiction to the Islamic system. In particular the 'false gods/idols' of today, namely democracy and freedom.

The Principles of the Islamic Ruling System

Sovereignty Belongs to the Shariah

An individual does not run the Ummah (Nation) or another individual as he pleases; nor can the Ummah run her affairs as she pleases. The individual’s and the Ummah’s actions are subject to the commands and prohibitions. Thus, the sovereignty belongs to the Shari’ah i.e. Qur’an and Sunnah and not to the Ummah. In other words, no Human being has the right to legislate in Islam. Consequently no law making body exists in the Islamic ruling system.

Evidence from the Quran

"The rule is to none but Allah" [ An’am :57]

"If anyone rules by other than what Allah has revealed they are kafiroon (disbelievers)." [ Maida : 44]

"But no by the Rabb they will not believe (truly) until they make you judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decide and submit with full submission." [ Nisa : 65]

Evidence from the Sunnah

'No one among you becomes a believer until his feelings are in harmony with what I have brought.’ {Muslim}

The actions of the Messenger (SAW) from the day he was sent to his death demonstrate the supremacy is to the Shari’ah of Allah (SWT).

The evidence from Ijma of Sahaba

The actions of the Kulafah Rashideen have indicated that the supremacy is to the Shari’ah and not the people. The ruler is given the pledge by the Ummah to execute the rules of Al Quran and the Sunnah and not what people want. If the people deviated he, the ruler should fight them until they repented.

 

Further Reading

The Vital Issue for the Muslims

In the month of Rabi al-Awwal, 13 AH, the Islamic State centred at Medina was plunged into the most serious crisis since its establishment…the death of the Prophet (saw). Having conquered the forces of Kufr, subjugated the elements of shirk and established a governing state; the Prophet (saw) passed away having completed his mission. The news of his death quickly spread to all parts of the city. On hearing it, some wept, some were dumbstruck and others refused to believe that the Messenger of Allah (saw) had died.[Read]