MUSTAPHA JA’AFAR UMAR, 400 LEVEL STUDENT OF LANGUAGE ARTS, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY (ABU) ZARIA. (jaafaribnumar@gmail) M.U. Ndagi, in his column of 5th July, 2014, Weekly Trust, mentioned that because Allah would not descend unto the earth and lead His Creatures Himself, he appointed man to do that on His behalf. That is why Ndagi referred to man as political animal. This can be said to have been seconded by Q (2:30) in which Allah says “Behold, your lord said to the angels; “I will create a vicegerent on earth…”. Concise English Dictionary defines “vicegerent” as somebody “having or exercising delegated power. We (Muslims) are more conversant with its Arabic equivalent known as chalipha. Can we imagine a society without a leader? A popular Arabic poem loosely translated as: A people will never stabilize leaderless# They are also rudderless if led by their ignorant conveys the message better. Therefore, Islam never leaves any stone unturned in a bid to show the indispensability of leadership. Our five daily mandatory prayers are never possible without leader (Imam). Q(4:34) appoints males as leaders of their females counterpart. In the same chapter, verse 59, we are urged to always obey our leaders except in disobedience to Allah (S.W.A.). In a nutshell, our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) is reported to have said that any body who unnecessarily withdraws his allegiance from a leader, the withdrawal is tantamount to becoming a disbeliever. However, Islam started not as a state. The persecution and prosecution suffered by our prophet’s companions under pagans of Mecca have become common knowledge. Allah (S.W.A.) gave Islam statehood after migration to Medina. With time this statehood covered a large geographical area of the globe. Yet even the prophet (S.A.W.) before his demise prophesized that it would last for only thirty six years and what follows would be monarchy. And this, it really did. The meaning of this prophesy is that the farther away a period is from our prophet’s time, the less qualitative, effective and efficient the caliphatehood becomes. Therefore, “the deterioration of the rightly guided caliphate system into monarchy” is inescapable because he who “does not say of his own desire except an inspiration sent down to him” Q (53:3 – 4) foresaw and prophesied it. This prophetic prophesy is enough evidence that in Islam there would never be a specific way of choosing a leader, apart from people’s consent which is the most important element of democracy. Before I mention the best Islamic stand on democracy and therefore recommend it as the best alternative way that remains for the Muslims to choose their leaders, I love to etymologically, literally and technically define what democracy is for clearer understanding of the discourse. The word democracy is derived from the Greek terms “demos” and “kratos”. The former means people; while the latter refers to power or force. Therefore, literally democracy means the power or force of the people. Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines the concept democracy as “ a system of government in which the people vote in elections to choose the people who will govern them”. Fahd bn Salih bn Abdul aziz Al’ajalani in his book Elections and Their Positions in Islamic Jurisprudence reveals that Islamic scholars disagree on the legality or otherwise of modern way of voting in which the right to vote is granted to all or majority of the people. These scholars grouped themselves into proponents and detractors of the system. In the following, I will do my best to clear the main misconceptions of the detractors. 1. LACK OF PROOF: They claim that such a system lacks proof in Islam. If it had any usefulness, the prophet’s companions would not have left it. CLARIFICATION: These scholars need to be reminded that, in Islam, anything that is worldly or part of social life is lawful. And before you forbid it, you are required to bring forth a verse or hadith that nullifies it. I am quite sure the incident of artificial pollination (Ta’abir) is fresh in the scholars’ memory. 2. BASIS OF MAJORITY: Another misconception of theirs is that one of the bases of democracy is “majority carry the board”, a principle that is incompatible with Islam. And they quote “If you follow the common run of those on earth, they will lead you away from the way of Allah. They follow nothing but conjecture: they do nothing but lie” Q (6:116). CLARIFICATION: These scholars need to be enlightened that elections are run in only issues that are optional. In issues you can choose from. They are not conducted in issues that are absolutely true or false. Also, during the allegiance of The Chosen (Nuqaba), people from Medina payed allegiance to the prophet (S.A.W) that they would protect him as they would protect their children and wives. In response, the prophet asked them to produce twelve people as their representatives in affairs that concern them”. The point of view is the prophet did not care how they did the choosing and whether the masses were involved in the process. This hadith is found with Ahmad and Tabari and it was authenticated by Hakim. 3. ORIGIN: The scholars misled that this system originates from the disbelievers. Fahd bn Salih bn Abdul aziz Al – ajlani in his thesis titled Elections and their positions in Islamic Jurisprudence says the same thing. In page 20 of the thesis, he mentioned England as the first nation that voted representatives to decide on their affairs – on their behalf. CLARIFICATION: Our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) is reported to have said that wisdom is the lost property of the believer wherever he finds it he picks and uses it. Moreover, Allah says “The unbelievers are protectors, one of another; unless you do this (protect each other) there would be tumult and oppression on earth, and great mischief” Q (8:73). Look at how the Qur’an categorically urges us to copy the unbelievers in their being their brothers’ keepers. 4. REFERENCE: They rhetorically ask “why not refer ourselves to how our ancestors (Sahabah) chose their leaders?”. They even emphasize the role of Ahlulhalli Wannaqd (the equivalent of today’s kingmakers; though their role was broader). CLARIFICATION: The question we should ask them is “which of the “hows”?. Abubakar (R.A.) was chosen by Ahlussaqifah. Yet it was not without conflict among them. Additionally, if Islam had a fixed and specific way of choosing leader they would not have had conflict. Even at that, the masses did not revolt; a sign that they paid allegiance. Umar (R.A.) was enthroned by Abubakar himself. Usman (R.A.) got it through a committee of six people set up by Umar. Sheikh Sa’ad Al – Ubaisi in his book The Methods of Electing the Rightly Guided Caliphs mentioned that Aliyu (R.A.) ascended unto the mantle of power through the allegiance of the majority of Muslims – Ahlulhalli Wannaqd inclusive. Ahmad bn Hambal in The Virtues of the Companions said that Aliyu refused to accept allegiance except openly in the mosque and when the masses are included. Therefore, these scholars should remember to also refer us to democracy when encouraging us to imitate our ancestors (Sahabah). 5. AHLULHALLI WANNAQD: In his book Students’ Garden, Imam Annawawi defines Ahlulhalli Wannaqd as people having characteristics of leadership and then sense of direction on behalf of the society. On the other hand, Ibn Jama’ah in his From The Foundations of Islamic Political Thinking says that they are called like that because they have the liberty of paying allegiance to a potential leader or withdrawing it. The misunderstanding surrounding such a people is that they must always be around to choose a leader for the people. CLARIFICATION: In the foregoing, we have already established that there is no clear evidence from the Qur’an or Sunna supporting this their stand. After all, what assurance do we have that some members of the Ahlulhalli Wannaqd will not deceive us when in Nigerian context all categories of people deceived us including scholars. If we narrow down the topic to Nigerian situation, it has some peculiarities which may demand adding a dimension to above – mentioned approach. So far we have not talked about when Muslims find themselves co – habiting a society with adherents of another religion. Nevertheless, going by the principle of majority carry the board democracy is the best alternative for Nigerian muslims to choose a leader. A columnist in person of Muhammad Haruna wrote a series of articles titled Nigerian Censuses and Their Discontents on 16th and 23rd of April 2014 respectively in Daily Trust. He revealed that in the history of censuses in Nigeria from pre – independence to date there is no census that did not show the Muslims as majority in this country. There are grave repercussions should Nigerian Muslims abstain from democracy. Muslims of Cameroon did not abstain, yet they have drastically been subdued politically. It is better you remain standing when somebody wants to kill you than lie down for him to effortlessly do that. We Muslims all over the world should know that the west understand we have recognized the importance of democracy. That is why they ironically destabilize any country where political Islam rises to the mantle of power through their advertized democracy. Egypt and her Muslim Brotherhood is a typical example where the west went to the extent of facilitating the overthrow of a legitimate government. A Turkish intellectual, reformist, and revolutionary in the name of Fathullah Kolan (writer of Everlasting Light; Muhammad, the Pride of Mankind) was asked about the compatibility of Islam and democracy in a magazine he named Hira Magazine. In No.42 copy, page 117 of the magazine, he responded by saying “… it is possible to say that democracy tallies most with the Islamic political principles because it allows electorates to hold their elected leaders accountable and query them. It also contradicts dictatorship, a political system condemned by Islam …”. This copy was published in May, 2014. Under the auspices of kolan and likes, today Turkey is led by political Islam through democracy; hence the attempt by west to destabilize Turkey. Kolan is believed to have been the one behind revival of Islam after it was almost done away with by Kamal Mustapha Aturtuk. In conclusion, I recommend that, as a way out, Muslims should perpetually remain faithful and righteous. These two qualities are the only requirements for them to lead the world through whatever means. Allah (S.W.T) says it all in Q (24:55) where He says “Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (live), to one of security and peace: They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. If any do reject faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked”. Marks: 50+25+23 = 98% ***
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 10:50:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015