Answer
Salam Dear Brother,
Thank you for your questions and for contacting Ask About Islam.
As a comprehensive system for human life in all its varied aspects, Islam views politics as an important part of it. By this Islam aims at the establishment and maintenance of a just sociopolitical order, where there is equity and fairness in the affairs of men.
Indeed, the very backbone of the whole act of divine creation itself is justice. The balance and the due proportion evident in the heavens and the earth is a manifestation of Allah’s justice; which makes it necessary that we human beings too should strive for justice:
{Glorify the name of your Guardian Most High [Allah], Who has created and further given order and due proportion; Who has ordained laws and granted guidance} (Quran 87:1-3)
{And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice), in order that you may not transgress (due) balance. So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance.} (Quran 55:7-9)
{O you who believe, stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to justice, and let not the hatred of a people cause you to swerve from justice; be just; that is the closest to piety.} (Quran 5:8)
From the Islamic viewpoint, the aim and purpose of political activity – as in the case of other activities too – is the development and maintenance of those qualities that Allah Almighty wants to be in humanity; namely qualities like goodness, sympathy, justice and mercy.
This means that the prime objective of Islamic politics is not only to prevent all kinds of exploitation, injustice and disorder, but also to see that the principles of morality are observed in all walks of human life.
In fact the politics of Islam has always to stand by the principles laid down in the Quran, and therefore it cannot under any circumstances tolerate fraud, falsehood, and injustice for the sake of economic, administrative, or national expediency. Hence Islam has made it mandatory for the ruler or the government to follow certain fundamental norms such as:
1. To use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; because power is 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 hereafter.
2. To fulfill all commitments and obligations explicitly or implicitly entailed by the person or persons occupying the seats of authority and to maintain fair and equitable standards in dealing with different persons or between different groups of people.
3. To honor the rights of the ruled and to strive for their welfare; as well as to see that human rights in general are not violated.
I hope the foregoing gives you some idea of the principles that should guide any person active in Islamic politics.
Now, in a country where the people are oppressed and human rights are blatantly violated, Muslims have a duty to voice their fundamental rights (that are God-given) and demand a redress of the situation. That is what justice too demands.
This might cause more severe repression and persecution generating general turmoil. But obviously the Muslims are not to be blamed for the violence thus precipitated. And no one can say that this is a failure of Islamic politics either, though in a worldly sense they might not have succeeded in immediately achieving what they strove for.
In a democratic country – or a country where some kind of multi-party system prevails – there may be several political parties pursuing their respective agendas. India is such an example, where Muslims are a minority. In such a country, Muslims can have a political party of their own, based on their own beliefs. There is the view that it is better for Muslims not to have a party of their own, but work with other parties.
The problem is that these other parties may have agendas that Muslims cannot support. In such cases, the only thing they can do is not to take any interest in politics at all. This in itself would be a political stand which generates its own consequences.
Instead, it would be better to have a separate party for Muslims (however weak it may be) that works towards the noble goals of Islam to the extent possible. And it is worth emphasizing that the failure of such a party offers no justification at all for an outburst of violence – not at all.
Another important point to be made here is: There is a great difference between a war and people’s resistance to a dictator or invader. A war is declared by a country or its ruler against another country. A revolt is a natural resistance to unjust oppression by a dictator or to an occupation by a foreign power.
From the Islamic point of view the legitimacy of a ruler or government is derived mainly from the acceptance of it by the people. In other words, no ruler who doesn’t have the consent of the majority of the people under him can be legitimate.
Islam does not accept any form of dictatorship or military rule. And Islam does not approve of violence; indeed it is a religion of peace. But it permits fighting as a last resort when all other options are exhausted. And as every sensible person will agree, it is a paradox of life that often we need to fight for the establishment of peace with justice. Indeed all religions have acknowledged this fact.
You have expressed doubt as to whether Muslims qualify for politics! Do you think that Muslims are not humans like others who are capable of all activities including political activities? And do you imagine that politics as practiced by non-Muslims does not involve any kind of conflict leading to violence?
I am afraid that the idea of considering Muslims to be disqualified for political activities comes from vested interests who wish to impose upon them their version of politics. It smacks of the colonialist idea of “civilizing the heathen” by invading them, occupying their lands and plundering their resources.
Contrary to the idea of Muslims not being qualified for politics as you have said, Islam teaches that the entire human race should be regarded as representatives of God on earth; and thus all humans are by birth qualified for all activities aimed at the betterment of the human condition, including political activities.
I hope this helps answer your questions.
Salam and please keep in touch.