Countering Narrative of Terrorists-1
Caliphate Through Terror
Introduction:
The Operation Zarb-e-Azib has been able to
weaken the terrorists but lack of political will has provided an opportunity to
the terrorists to raise their head. Recent wave of terror including a suicide
attack on police officers near Punjab Assembly on 13 February 2017 has shocked
the nation but it was not unexpected. Punjab remains free to serve as heaven
for safe area for terrorists. The operation has not been extended to the
largest province due to political considerations. The military action just one
part of war against terrorists. The ideological front remains untapped, except
occasional condemnation Fatwas by gatherings of Islamic Scholars. The
terrorists continue recruitment through their propaganda machine and twisted
interpretations of holy texts. The common terrorists, their sympathizers and supporters within
society are not interested in English media. There is very little in Urdu and
local language to confront and expose their false ideology. The rise of Islamophobia
plays into the narrative of ISIS or Daesh that's exactly what they want, for
some Muslims to feel that they are not part and parcel. People like Trump and
Modi in power with well known anti Muslim stand will provide more fuel to the
fire of terror.
The terrorist organizations like ISIS,
Al-Qaida, Taliban, Boko-Haram and many others claim the justification of their
struggle for establishment of a worldwide Caliphate. While these organization
and groups use terrorism as means there are many others who are restricted to
the political struggle but they do have sympathies for each other. This has
caused great loss to the Muslim world in term of loss of men and material
besides weakening them politically, economically and intellectually.
While great attention is paid to countering
the terrorists mainly via military power and kinetic force, scant attention is
given to the fact that much ground has been lost, particularly in tackling the
youth at the mental, emotional and intellectual planes. It is the youth which
provide foot soldiers and suicide bombers to achieve their heinous designs. In
this regard, hard and searching questions need to be asked, among them being:
●
When a youth is confronted
with the terrorists’ rhetoric and propaganda, does he possess the ability to
analyse critically the assumptions and presuppositions of the terrorists and is
he equipped to offer a counter to the narrative of violence subscribed to by
the terrorists?
●
Should not the authorities
have a more active role in challenging the myths of the terrorists?
● Do the current counter-terrorism efforts take into account the
need for developing a counter narrative to the terrorists?
Countering Narrative of Terrorists-1: Caliphate of Terrorists تکفیری خوارج کی دیشت گرد شیطان خلافت
Countering Narrative of Terrorists-2: Dogs of Hell خوارج جہنم کے کتے
Why blame Muslims & Islam for Wars and Terrorism?
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Read updated latest :
Countering Narrative of Terrorists-2: Dogs of Hell خوارج جہنم کے کتے
Why blame Muslims & Islam for Wars and Terrorism?
............................................................................................................
The Popular Arguments of the Terrorists:
The main rhetoric of terrorists comprises
of a simple three-step progression, as follows:
There are injustices occurring in many
parts of the world; There is a need to act; and Violence is the only possible
response.
These straightforward assumptions appeal to
idealistic and simplistic youths and have the added advantage of being
partially true. Firstly, it is reiterated and reinforced that there are
tremendous acts of injustice, cruelty and discrimination, causing incredible
misery, suffering and anguish to numerous innocent people all around the world.
Reports, images and life witness accounts all bear witness to this and it is
conveyed by the terrorists to any interested individual through any available
means.
Terrorists have been very successful in
capturing the hearts and minds of the young people. They have done so by
developing and disseminating rhetoric that depicts their cause as both
righteous and heroic against an adversary both evil and cruel. In this
particular aspect, the terrorists have seized the narrative by being able to
articulate and express their thoughts in a way that is far more appealing and
dynamic than that of the authorities. This calculated and deliberate move has
brought about great dividends in the form of a growing pool of recruits, mainly
consisting of young people. The terrorist’s deceptive and creative ability to
factor the premise of violence into their ideology needs to be taken into
account seriously when formulating counter terrorism strategies.
Countering terrorism without taking into
account the message of the terrorist and the nature of their potential audience
is both counterproductive and dangerous. It is significant to note that while
terrorists have developed a simple yet comprehensive three-step model that a)
describes the problem, bi) calls for action and c) provides the solution, i.e.
violence, the counter narrative by the authorities remains vague and the
response to the concerns of the youth feeble. Given this, it is imperative that the authorities rectify this concern
regarding susceptible youth by designing, developing and disseminating a
counter narrative with specific focus on the youth as the audience.
Some questions need to be raised: What are
you going to do about this? What is your response to this tragedy?
A very perceptive John F. Kennedy once
remarked that ‘A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.
Ideas have endurance without death’. Ironically, this is the strategic
reasoning that defines the thinking of the terrorist. Not only have they
understood the potential importance and significance of an idea but they have
also identified the best potential carrier of this message: the youth.
Hence, while the authorities are
concentrating mainly on identifying and stopping the terrorists, the terrorists
are focused both on countering the authorities and gaining the control of the
population (either through force or deception).
The Way of the Terrorist:
While much has been written on the use of
coercion by the terrorists to bend the will of the people, little has been said
on the use of deception on the part of the terrorists to target and win the
support of the people, in this case, the young people. In this context, the
terrorists have been most successful in glamorizing their struggle and painting
their cause as a righteous one, against tyranny and injustice. This has
purposely and deliberately been carried out to capture the ‘hearts and minds’
of the young people. Indeed, idealistic notions of a ‘just cause’, Jihad (holy struggle) against the ‘cruel and
dictatorial aggressors’, tools of foreign powers (West), adding Kafirs
(unbelievers, heathens) usually find resonance with the psyche of the young.
The US Drone attacks in FATA provided enough propaganda tool for fresh
recruitments for revenge. They use selected quotations form Holy scriptures
(usually out of context) to provide legitimacy to their terrorist activities.
After having captured their hearts, these
terrorist groups subsequently seek to indoctrinate their young minds with the
rhetoric of their struggle. This could perhaps explain why young people in
areas of conflict seem to have a very thorough knowledge of the ideology of the
often small and ill-equipped radical groups. Indeed, it is ironic that the
authorities, who in most cases control the media and dictate the national
agenda, are often well behind the fringe extremist groups in capturing the
emotions and feelings of the young. Thus, while the authorities may have the
necessary hardware, it is the terrorists that have proven to be more adept in
engaging, and responding to, the young people.
The Best Lie Always Contains some Component of Fact:
The terrorists have mastered the art of
deception and have done so by mixing in elements of both truth and lies into
their rhetoric and ideological arguments. They have ensured that areas which
are discernible to the youth in terms of comprehension and substantiation are
in most cases, truthful. This is done to showcase the perception that
injustices, discrimination and prejudices are very real and are causing
needless pain, suffering and misery to numerous groups of people whose only
fault was to belong to a particular ethnicity, religion or culture.
The tactic to justify the use of violence
is expounded at three levels:
Firstly, the conclusion is made that the
innocent have suffered tremendous pain and misery at the hands of the enemy and
retribution is but the only way to teach the ‘aggressors’ a lesson. Osama bin
Laden captured this thought when he argued, ‘But when the victim start to take
revenge for those innocent children in Palestine, Iraq, Southern Sudan,
Somalia, Kashmir and the Philippines, the ruler’s lama and the hypocrites come
to defend the clear blasphemy’.
Given this environment, anything short of
violence against the enemy is seen as treacherous and an insult to the memory
of those that have suffered and died under the hands of the ‘oppressor’. Hence,
violence becomes acceptable both to retract revenge and also to teach the enemy
a lesson in an environment that emphasizes the dictum of ‘an eye for an eye’.
Further compounding the problem is
the natural susceptibility that comes from being a young man or woman.
Emotional instability that is prevalent in some young people, with tribal
background, lack of education coupled with economic depravity, could mean that
they are easily controlled and manipulated. Weak impulse control and an
idealistic sense of how the world should be, could mean that they are more
prone to extremes and perceive the world from a binary viewpoint i.e. ‘us
versus them mentality’.
Fighting on Behalf of the People:
Besides making the point that they are
using violence as a tool of retribution, the terrorists are also attempting to
vindicate their violent actions by declaring they are doing it for the people they
claim to be fighting for. They have portrayed themselves as defenders of the
innocent against the ‘oppressors’ rulers, friends and puppets of unbelievers .
Hence, following their rhetoric, violence is not carried out as a tactic of the
terrorist group but rather it is the natural response on behalf of marginalized
people against an unjust authority.
Violence as the Only Alternative Available:
Finally, terrorists, who in most cases have
been the first to use the tactic of violence in their struggle, have justified
the use of violence by arguing strenuously that they have done so simply
because there are simply no other alternatives left. This ties in with their
justification that when dealing with this particular adversary, violence is the
only possible response. Hence, the statement, ‘we have no choice’ is often used
to give the impression that the situation has reached this stage not due to the
actions of the terrorists but because of the actions of the authorities.
To support this reasoning, the terrorists
go to great lengths to portray the enemy as one that does not understand any
language but the language of violence. Simply put, according to the terrorist,
brute force is the only way of dealing with the adversary as nothing else will
be accepted. They do this to ensure any plan of negotiating or compromising
with the enemy is simply a non-starter. This line of reasoning is extremely
significant for the terrorists simply because violence is very much their
primary currency. Should any other forms of dealings with the adversary be
considered, either in the form of compromise or negotiation, it would be
extremely difficult for them to continue with the use of violence, their
primary activity.
The terrorists therefore have ingeniously
portrayed themselves as victims of circumstances, whose resort to violence is
not intentional but simply due to the absence of any other alternative.
Victory – A Question of When and Not If:
Besides the emphasis on violence,
terrorists are also adept at giving the impression that it is simply a matter
of time before they attain victory for their struggles. While the reality on
the ground may be far different, the terrorists’ seek to convince the potential
youth that it is just a matter of time before they are victorious. They do so
through for two distinct purposes. Firstly, to showcase and exaggerate the
strength and advantages they have over the enemy, be it in terms of the
dedication and skill of their recruits, their brilliant and courageous leaders,
divine assistance, or the sheer potency of their tactical, operational and
strategic plans. They seek to convince the young people that though they may
appear to be the weaker party, they are in actual fact going to emerge
victorious. They quote and cite examples from early Islamic history when
relatively small forces were victorious due to divine help and interventions
(disregarding their noble case to defend themselves and presence of holy
personalities).
God, as the force behind the terrorist
organization, is also prominently highlighted. Divine intervention not only
gives credence and legitimacy to their struggle, but also provides reassurance
to the youth and instills perseverance when things are not going well for the
terrorist organization. Terrorists are also very well aware that including the
divine equation to young people not only increases their hope but ensures
loyalty, as the young individual is no longer fighting for just any group, but
for a group that is perceived to be carrying out the will of God. The leaders of
terrorist groups are also often highlighted as beacons of hope and inspiration.
Terrorist organisations constantly work on the image of such leaders making
them appear heroic and courageous legendary figures, so as to bring about awe
and devotion on the part of the followers, sympathy on the part of the
population and even fear on the part of the enemy. Stories are circulated on the brilliance of
the leadership in inflicting crushing defeats on the enemy and the sheer fear
on the part of the adversary when dealing with these leaders. All these efforts
are carefully designed to give the impression that despite what is being said
by the media or regardless of the situation on the ground, the terrorist
organisation is on the path to victory. . The media has been playing very
negative role by indirectly helping them by showing their video clips and
interviews. After National Action Plan, this has reduced.
The terrorists often seek to discredit the
authorities by painting them as being incompetent, corrupt and lacking the
mandate and goodwill of the population (which is mostly correct in most of the
cases in Muslim world). Hence, while possibly acknowledging the superiority of
the enemy in terms of strength of numbers and military might, terrorist
organisations constantly portray the enemy as being on the brink of collapse
due to the intrinsic and extrinsic problems that it is facing.
Countering Terrorist Narrative:
Pakistan’s national counterterrorism
narrative can best be described by answering three main questions: Why to
counter terrorism?, How to Counter Terrorism? and How to make counterterrorism
narrative acceptable and credible?
The best counter terrorism narrative is to
convince the people and take them into confidence on the question why is
Pakistan fighting terrorism? It can be explained to the people the war on
terror is a ‘Just War”. It is a war for our national survival: Terrorism is a
hindrance to Pakistan’s development and is the biggest threat to the economic,
social, political development of the country. The country has been mauled by
the marauding terrorism for well over a decade in which more than 50,000 people
both civilians and security personnel have been killed besides an economic loss
of US$ 100 billion. Therefore, there should be zero tolerance for terrorism
both at state and society level.
The main arguments that can be included in
our counter terrorism narrative are:
1)
Resurrecting the historic concept
of Khilafat, which according to many scholars is not a mandatory religious
obligation, is not required in the present global political, social and
economic environments. Even if someone feel its usefulness, political, social
struggle is the legitimate answer not through terrorism.
2)
Terrorists’ arguments regarding
implantation of Islam and Shariah are against essence of Islam. They want to
impose their brand of Sharia which is certainly not in line with what is given
in Quran and taught by the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Their brand of Shariah is
against the Muslim majority consensus (ijmaa) and rejected by all scholars of
repute the world over.
3)
They are not following true
teachings of Islam. Their killing of security forces and innocent masses mainly
through suicide bombings are un-Islamic. On several occasions they have
violated a ceasefire that compelled the government to launch a full-scale
military operation.
4)
They are misguiding local elements
by promoting “Takfiri’ thought. They are being used by the enemies of Pakistan
and Islam to achieve their strategic objectives creating instability in
Pakistan specially to show the world that Pakistan is a failed state and its
nuclear assets are unsafe.
5)
Terrorists are tarnishing the
image of Islam and have created a gulf between the Muslims countries on
sectarian basis.
6)
The terrorists are
anti-development and are posing the biggest threat to the economic, social,
political development of the country through anarchy and instability. The fate
of Libya, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan are eye opener. Pakistan has
lost over 70000 people. Turkey is also being destabilized, Yemen is in turmoil.
Zionists are happy that Palestine issue is no more in focus. Kashmir is
struggling for freedom but world response is cool. Burma is oppressing its
Muslim population.
How to Counter Terrorism? is the second
important question relating to counter terrorism strategy .The terrorism can
best be tackled by undertaking some critical measures that may include:
addressing the root causes and sources of terrorism.; highlighting the
importance of civil society and public support for counter-terrorism.; critical
role of media in fighting terrorists’ ideology; creating Sectarian and ethnic
harmony by involving religious scholars and community leaders;. stressing the
importance of reforming education system including registration and regulation
of Madrassa.; highlighting that terrorism is being used as policy tool by
various powers to damage the image of Islam and to create instability in
Pakistan; and creating awareness among the masses about the funding and
supporting terrorism and that people should be careful while giving donations
to charities linked with terrorist organizations.
The National Action Plan is silent on
counter-radicalisation to stop more people from joining militant groups.
Counter-terrorism is not effective without corresponding counter-radicalisation
efforts. A broad based policy to change the extremist mindset and to address
the structural factors responsible for expansion of militancy should be
formulated. Extensive use of media in local language of terrorists supply zones
will help. The use of military force should not be considered the only solution
to counter terrorism; it is just a short term measure. There is also a need to
focus on political, technical and economic policy approaches to curb terrorism.
Now let’s be specific to the topic of Khiafat (Caliphate).
Khilafat, through Terrorism:
In order to understand ISIS's idea of
caliphate (including many other terrorists organizations), and why it should
prove relevant and important to many, we have to understand its roots deep in
the Muslim tradition. ISIS has made the revival of the caliphate a keystone of
its project for Islamic renewal, and the response this has generated shows the
potency of the idea almost 14 centuries since it first emerged. For modern
Islamists searching for a basis to construct a viable political vision for the
revival of the Muslim Ummah, the events of the four centuries between the
passing away of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in 632 C.E and the coming of the
Crusaders to the Middle East in 1097 are at once an inspiration and a
justification.
Hugh Kennedy, a professor of Arabic at
SOAS, University of London, in his book ‘How ISIS Twisted the Meaning of
'Caliphate' has tried to address the questions like; What is caliphate? What
does it mean? What is its history? Is it an antiqued idea irrelevant now, or
its only fascinating as a voice from a past that is consigned to history? Or is
it a viable concept that can be applied and used in the present time? This
introduction includes some excerpts.
The concept of caliphate has had many
different interpretations and realizations through the centuries, but
fundamental to them all is that it offers an idea of leadership which is about
the just ordering of Muslim society according to the will of God. Some have
argued that the caliph is the shadow of God on earth, a man whose authority is
semi-divine and whose conduct is without blame; many more would accept that the
caliph was, so to speak, the chief executive of the Ummah (Muslim community),
an ordinary human with worldly powers, and there is a wide spectrum of ideas in
between. All are informed by the desire to see God’s will worked out among all
Muslims.
These events continue to be an inspiration
partly because they recall a world in which the caliphate was the most powerful
and advanced polity in the whole of western Eurasia, when Baghdad had a
population of some half a million while London and Paris could only boast a few
thousand inhabitants, when the caliphate administered huge areas with a
standing army and a literate and numerate bureaucracy and Baghdad and Cairo
were huge centers of trade and culture. To anyone within the Muslim tradition
and knowledge of the history of this period can encourage that cultural
self-confidence which is essential to any civilization if it is to live at
peace with itself and with its neighbors.
But it goes further than that. For some
Muslims, the history of the caliphate points to a time when Muslims were
God-fearing and devout, puritanical and self-disciplined, and always willing to
sacrifice their lives in the path of Allah. This vision is not simply a
nostalgic memory. To a degree not found in any other contemporary political
discourse, this ancient past justifies the present for certain Islamist groups.
Reading such contemporary propaganda as the ISIS periodical Dabīq, it is
impossible not to be struck by the constant references to the acts of the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the Sahāba who were his companions and disciples, and
the early caliphs. If they did something, the argument goes, then we should
follow their example (disregarding authenticity of such acts, the background
and context). No further justification is needed, and even the most apparently
cruel and barbaric actions require no further legitimization if they can be
shown to be following the examples of such great heroes. We cannot understand
what these loud and insistent voices are saying, still less argue against them,
unless we too go down the road into the ancient past.
History has a power for this tradition
which we do not find elsewhere. No one in Britain looks to the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, a work that dates from the same centuries as the early Arabic
sources, and uses it as a way of justifying political behaviour today. It may
intrigue the Britons, it may give important insights into the ways of their
ancestors conducted themselves and the deeds of great Kings like Alfred may
even, in a general way, be inspirational, but they will not be normative, nor
will they provide instructions or excuses for today’s and tomorrow’s behaviour.
Many
Muslims have embraced the argument that such an institution is the best way of
ordering human society, but caliphate is a many-splendored thing. There is no
one way, no single template or legal framework which defines caliphate. History
tells us that there have been caliphs of many different sorts, warrior caliphs,
pious caliphs, intellectual caliphs, pleasure-loving caliphs, incompetent
caliphs, cruel and tyrannical caliphs. They are all part of the Caliphal
tradition. There has never been one generally agreed view of what powers the
office should have, who is qualified to be caliph and how caliphs should be
chosen. Perhaps it is this flexibility, even uncertainty, which has enabled the
idea to survive so long and have traction in so many different Muslim
societies.
Anyone can choose what he want to take from
this tradition, but the choice is theirs. If one want a caliphate which is
aggressive and fiercely controlling of the Muslim population, he can find
precedents in the vast historical records. If you want a caliphate which is
generous and open to different ideas and customs while, of course, remaining
true to its vision of God’s will and purpose, then you can find that in the
historical tradition too. The past bears
many different messages.
There
are those who see caliphate as a vehicle for imposing their particular and
often very narrow view of Islam on the Ummah; there are others who see
caliphate as a justification for aiming at world conquest; but there are
equally those who see caliphate as simply providing a framework in which
Muslims can strive to live a Godly life and make up their own minds about the
best way to this. There are those who have looked to the caliph as God’s
representative on earth with semi-divine powers; others who have seen his role
as protecting the Muslim community from its enemies by collecting taxes and
raising armies. And we should not forget those who remember with pride the
open, broad-minded and inclusive societies presided over by the great Abbasid
and Fatimid caliphs and the superb intellectual and artistic achievements they
encouraged.
The history of the caliphate, and Islamic
history more generally, must not be the possession of one interpretation or one
narrow view, rather we should all, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, rejoice in the
richness and variety of the experience of caliphate through the ages.
System of Government and Rule:
Over the periods a variety of concepts of
government were developed, which have been practiced by diverse societies in
different times. Islam, encompass all aspects of physical and spiritual life of
its followers, where state and religion are not separate entity. Hence Islam
laid down the guiding principles to run the affairs of Islamic state, in line
with Shari’a (Islamic law). The first four successors to the Prophet (Khalifah,
Caliphs) provided the role model of Islamic rule, which the later Muslim rulers
tried to emulate, at least in name known as Khilafat (Caliphate), the last one
abolished in 1924 in Turkey with the end of Ottomans.
The civilized communities aspire to live in
an environment of peace, justice, security and freedom to prosper. Hence people
form geopolitical units, having sovereignty with in defined boundaries,
commonly called ‘state’. The state is run through political organization, body
politic, or, more narrowly, the institutions of government. The state is
distinguished from other social groups by its purpose (establishment of order
and security), methods (its laws and their enforcement), territory (its area of
jurisdiction), and sovereignty. The states are managed by the governments,
established through the political system by which the group of people is
administered and regulated. Most governments exercise executive, legislative,
and judicial powers and split or combine them in various ways. Some also
control the religious affairs of their people; others avoid any involvement
with religion.
The
Western colonial rule of Muslim world ended in last century leaving its legacy
in the form of oppressive, corrupt and inefficient governments to serve their
interests. The reaction coupled with the desire for renaissance and to regain
the lost glorious past, establishment of Caliphate has become a buzzword among
Muslim youth and extremists. It is advocated that the re-establishment of
the Caliphate should be the primary cause of all Muslims, and that without it
nothing is proper or right. This has alarmed the oppressive corrupt Muslim
regimes as well as their neocolonial masters.
While the viability of establishment of
system of Caliphate in some form is yet a distant dream, there is a need to
look in to this concept in political, economic, geographical, historic and
religious perspective. This paper briefly discusses the religio-political
aspects of concept of Khilafat (Caliphate) with in historic milieu.
Prevalent Political Concepts:
Broadly the forms of governments may be
classified in to three general categories; democratic, non-democratic and
religious biased, the fourth could be suitable combinations of three concepts.
Democratic:
The democratic form of government, most popular among developed and
developing countries, the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised
by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually
involving periodic free elections.
Non
Democratic: Historically ‘monarchy’ was prevalent form of government, which
is undivided sovereignty or rule by a single person, who is the permanent head
of state. Oligarchy is the rule by the few, often seen as having self-serving
ends. Most classic oligarchies have resulted when governing elites were
recruited exclusively from a ruling class, which tends to exercise power in its
own interest. The government based on dictatorship is run by one person or an
oligarchy possesses absolute power without effective constitutional checks.
Modern dictators usually use force or fraud to gain power and then keep it
through intimidation, terror, suppression of civil liberties, and control of
the mass media. In postcolonial Africa and Asia, dictators have often retained
power by establishing one-party rule after a military takeover. The
dictatorship may take the form of ‘totalitarianism’ that subordinates all
aspects of its citizens' lives to the authority of the state, with a single
charismatic leader as the ultimate authority. The government based upon fascism
philosophy stresses the primacy and glory of the state, unquestioning obedience
to its leader, subordination of the individual will to the state's authority,
and harsh suppression of dissent.
Theocracy: The governments
which base their legitimacy through religion are known as ‘Theocracy’ i.e.
Government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely
guided. In many theocracies, government leaders are members of the clergy, and
the state's legal system is based on religious law. Theocratic rule was typical
of early civilizations. The Enlightenment marked the end of theocracy in most
Western countries. Contemporary examples of theocracies include Saudi Arabia,
Iran, and the Vatican.
The relationship between (any) religious
and secular authority in society is termed as ‘Church and State’ (‘Church’, a Christian term, is used here in
generic sense). In most ancient civilizations the separation of religious and
political orders was not clearly defined. With the advent of Christianity, the
idea of two separate orders emerged, based on command of Jesus to; “Render unto
Caesar what are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's” (Mark;12:17).
In the early Middle Ages secular rulers claimed to rule by the grace of God,
and later in the Middle Ages Popes and emperors competed for universal
dominion. Later ‘Papal Monarchy’ was developed. The Reformation greatly
undermined papal authority, and the pendulum swung toward the state, with many
monarchs claiming to rule church and state by divine right. The concept of
secular government, as evinced in the U.S. and post-revolutionary France, was
influenced by Enlightenment thinkers. In Western Europe today all states
protect freedom of worship and maintain a distinction between civil and
religious authority. The legal systems of some modern Islamic countries are
based on Shari’a . In the U.S. the separation of church and state has been
tested in the arena of public education by controversies over issues such as school
prayer, public funding of parochial schools, and the teaching of creationism.
Lastly the combinations of various forms of democratic or non democratic
governments with religious inclination.
The Political Philosophy of Islam:
In
the traditional democracies where Sovereignty belongs to the people, exercised
thorough their elected representatives, in Islam the Sovereignty belongs to
Allah, the power is exercised by the ruler, elected or chosen by Muslims
through consultation (Shura) as
representative (Khalifah) through
Shari’a [Islamic law]. Islamic philosophy is based on the belief that all
spheres of life (including hereafter), spiritual, social, political, and
economic form an indivisible unity that must be thoroughly imbued with Islamic
values. This ideal forms such concepts as "Islamic law" (Shari’a) and
the "Islamic state" and accounts for Islam's strong emphasis on
social & spiritual life and duties in society. Even the cardinal religious
duties prescribed in the five pillars of Islam have clear social implications
therefore; religious authorities have had considerable political influence in
the Muslim societies.
Shari’a (Islamic law):
Shari’a (Islamic law) is the main pillar of
Islamic state. It rests on four bases: the Qur’an; the Sunnah, as recorded in
the Hadith; ijma, consensus among
scholars; and qiyas, or analogical
reasoning. The Shari’a fundamentally
differs from Western law in that it purports to be grounded in divine
revelation. Thus the Shari’a is
not merely a system of law, but a comprehensive code of behavior that embraces
both private and public activities. By contrast in the Western Law, it is the
society that moulds and fashions the law thus consumption of alcohol,
homosexuality, gay marriages (not permitted in Bible) have been made legal, on
the desire and public support of the Western Society, where as in Shari’a, it is not possible to
make such laws which are unnatural and clearly against the Divine Will,
manifested in Qur’an and Sunnah.
The Islamic Government:
The Islamic system
of government is based on consultation, equal justice, freedom of expression,
and serving the interest of the community. A government that does not try its
best to serve and protect the interests of the community is not Islamic even if
it professes to believe in Islam and its system and values. In fact the aim of
all Islamic legislation is to serve the interests of the community and to
protect every individual - his self, mind, offspring, property and religion, as
these are the five essentials of a human being. Islam does not lay down any
rigid form of Islamic government, leaving this to every Muslim community to
determine within the outlined guiding principles. Islamic government is a
consultative one. While talking about consultative government, Islam does not
lay down any form for how the consultation is to be made. Every Muslim
community may decide what institutions to establish in order to achieve the
requirement of consultation. If it opts for a democratic system of the type
which prevails in Europe, then that system can certainly be accommodated within
an Islamic government. In a different set up, a Muslim country may decide to
choose its overall leader by elections or by a referendum or by some other
means, which ensures that the feelings of the Muslim community are determined.
Any of these methods is acceptable.
We cannot equate
this process of consultation (Shura)
with any particular type of democracy, but we say at the same time that a
democratic government could be an Islamic government if it resolves to
implement Islamic law, because by definition a democratic government provides a
process of consultation. If such consultation is genuine and the law to be
implemented is Islamic. It must also guarantee freedom of expression and
equality of all people before the law. Secularism is incompatible with the
Islamic system, because secularism allows no position for religion in the
system of government. But if we take the aspect of equality of all people which
secularism advocates, then this concept of secularism is compatible with Islam.
What is most important to remember is that an Islamic government is an
ideological government. It believes in the Islamic faith and it seeks to
implement the laws of Islam, sparing no effort for the achievement of that
goal.
A
country is Islamic if it declares that it wants to conduct its affairs in line
with the code of living God revealed in the Qur’an and explained by Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him). This means that any law or regulation a country
adopts will be in line with the message of Islam. If it is found that there is
a contradiction between any part of a law in force in that country and Islamic
teachings, then that law will be considered null and void while Islamic
teachings will be implemented. Take, for example, a country, which declares
itself Islamic, but the law in force permits usury, use of intoxicants,
narcotics, gambling, fornication and, homosexuality, such country can not be
called Islamic.
The Creator and Creatures:
Clearly comprehension of relationship
between Creator and creatures would facilitate in understanding the meanings
and role of ‘Khilafat’, the institution to rule the Islamic state. All the
creatures obey their Lord; men enjoy special status as a rational creature. The
creature can operate and work with in the framework or design of the Creator.
God, being the Creator, Lord and Sustainer, of the world’s, grants sustenance
to all His creatures, including humanity as a gift; hence they should in
reverence be obeying their Lord:
“There
is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance depends on Allah:”
(Qur’an;11:6).“You (O; God) provide sustenance for anyone You wish without
measure.”(Qur’an;3:27)
“Allah
has made some of you excel in sustenance over the others;” (Qur’an;16:71)
“Had
Allah bestowed abundance upon (all) His servants, they would have transgressed
beyond bounds in the earth; that's why He sends down in due measure as He
pleases; He is well aware and observant of His servants.” (Qur’an;42:27)
“Say:
who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He hath produced for
His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He hath provided) for
sustenance? say: They are, (lawful) in the life of This world, for those who
believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment. Thus do we explain the
Signs In detail for those who understand.”(Qur’an;7:32)
“Those
who desire the life of the present and its glitter, to them we shall pay (the
price of) their deeds therein, without diminution. They are the ones who will
have nothing in the hereafter except Hellfire. There they shall come to know
that their deeds were fruitless and their actions were worthless.”(Qur’an;
11:15-16 - similarly also;17:18, 42:20).
“But
there are among them such (believers) as pray, "O our Sustainer! Grant us
good in this world and good in the life to come, and keep us safe from
suffering through the fire. Such people shall have their due share in both
worlds according to what they have earned, Allah is swift in settling the
accounts"(Qur’an;2:201-202) .
“Surely
your LORD gives abundantly to whom He pleases and sparingly to whom He wills,
for He is aware of the condition of His servants and observes them closely.
(Qur’an;17:30).
Similarly
it is also mentioned in Bible:
“The
LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his
works.”(Psalms;145:9)
“He
makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just
and on the unjust.” (Matthew;5:45).
Allah, in His infinite mercy, has given man
the faculty to subdue the forces of nature and to penetrate through high
mysteries with his powers of reason and insight:
“Do
you not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things In the heavens
and on earth, and has made His bounties flow to you In exceeding measure,
(Both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah,
without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them!
(Qur’an;31:20).
Man can only do so, because (1) he has got
these gifts from Allah, and (2) Allah has fixed definite laws in nature, of
which he can take advantage by Allah's command and permission. Man has been
made Vicegerent on earth (Qur’an;2: 30); Allah commanded the highest creatures
to bow down to Adam (Qur’an;2:34). Man (believer or non believer, pious or
sinner), by Allah's command, can use rain to produce food; make ships to sail
the seas; use rivers as highways, and cut canals for traffic and irrigation.
Not only this, but even the heavenly bodies can (by Allah's command) contribute
to his needs. Humanity must realize that behind all human strength, skill, and intelligence
there is the power and goodness of Allah, Who gave them all these things. This
aspect has been repeatedly highlighted in Qur’an;14:32, 33, 16:12,14, 22:65,
44:12,13, 31:29, 35:13, 67:15, 2:164, 45:12.
In His Universal Plan, all are safeguarded.
But man's destiny, as far as we can see, is noble to the highest degree.
Allah's grace and bounties work at all times, but Spiritual blessings are for
the believers, who willingly obey the God. In things which we can apprehend
with our senses, we can see Allah's grace, but even in them; sometimes it works
beyond the sphere of our knowledge, sometimes we perceive through senses, and
sometimes we do not. In the inner or spiritual world, sometimes, when our
vision is clear, we can see it working, and often we are not conscious of it.
But it works all the same. Consequently man should be grateful to Allah and
obey Him, but there are some who lack knowledge, as they make no use of their
intellects but are swayed by their passions & evil impulses; they lack
guidance, as they are impatient of control; and the fruits of revelation, or
spiritual insight, do not penetrate their hearts, as they reject Faith and
Revelation.
All the creatures obey and glorify Allah:
“The
seven heavens extol His limitless glory, and the earth, and all that they
contain; and there is not a single thing but extols His limitless glory and
praise: but you [O men] fail to grasp the manner of their glorifying Him!”
(Qur’an;17:44)
“Whatever
beings there are in the heavens and the earth do prostrate themselves to Allah
(Acknowledging subjection), with good-will or in spite of themselves: so do
their shadows in the morning and evenings.”(Qur’an;13:15).
“Are
you not aware that before God prostrate themselves all [things and beings] that
are in the heavens and all that are on earth - the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the
trees, and the beasts? And many human beings (submit to God consciously], whereas many [others, having defied
Him,] will inevitably have to suffer [in the life to come]; and he whom God shall scorn [on Resurrection Day] will have none
who could bestow honour on him: for, verily, God does what He wills.”
(Qur’an;22:18).
Those who submit to God willingly (i.e.,
consciously) are the angels and the believers, whereas the deniers of the
truth, who are "not willing" to submit to Him, are nevertheless,
without being conscious of it, subject to His will and laws. It also includes
all other physical objects, whether animate or inanimate. Except humanity and
Jinns [invisible beings] who have been granted intellect and limited free moral
will to choose between right and wrong, all the other creatures glorify and
obey the Lord. Those people who willingly obey and glorify their Lord are
entitled for reward in the eternal life, while the abode of transgressors is
hell fire.
Concept of Khilafat; Through Holy Texts:
Khilafat is a very important concept having
significant political, spiritual, sentimental and symbolic implications of
unity of Ummah in the history of Islam. The Arabic is a very rich language, one
word at times is used to express a variety of meanings, similarly the word ‘Khalifah’ and ‘Istikhlaf’ has been used in Qur’an in the meanings of
‘representatives’, ‘vicegerency’ and ‘successorship’, the context determines in
which particular meaning it has been used in a particular place in Qur’an as
explained here.
Collective Responsibility to Sustainer as Representatives of Allah:
In the moral and spiritual sense, Khilafat
as applicable to the humanity means that all human beings are 'Khalifah of
Allah' or ‘representatives’ (successor) of Allah on earth:
“Behold,
Thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a Khalifah on
earth…”(Qur’an;2:30).
Even according to Bible God created man in
‘His own image’, with general dominion
of human over creatures and resources on the earth, sea and air so as to subdue
them (Bible Genesis;1:26-30). ‘His own image’ is a parable of man to be like
his Creator, a rational spirit, exercising dominion because of His attributes
because it is written: “I am God, and there is none like me.”(Isaiah;46:9),
None like to Him (Exodus;9:14; Deutronomy;33:26; 2Samuel;7:22; Isaiah;46:5,9),
Infinite (Psalms;147:5; Beyond human comprehension (Psalms;139:6), Invisible
(Job;23:8-9). Thus man as God's representative is clothed with authority and
rule as visible head and monarch of the world. Just consider a simple example;
man is not stronger than an elephant but by using his intellect he can lift
much heavier weight by using a simple lever or machine like fork lifter.
The authority is not without
responsibility, fair use of authority is the trial. Many of human being misuse
the free moral will granted by God, they fail in trial by committing sins and
not acting like Khalifah:
“It
is He who hath made you (His) Khalif (plural of Khalifah) (agents, inheritors
of the earth): He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try
you in the gifts He hath given you: for Thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He
is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”(Qur’an; 6:165).
“Or,
who listens to the (soul) distressed when it calls on him, and who relieves its
suffering, and makes you (mankind) inheritors of the earth? (can there be
another) god besides Allah. Little it is that ye heed!”(Qur’an;27:62).
“He it is that has made you Khulufa
(inheritors) in the earth: if, then, any do reject (Allah), their rejection
(works) against themselves: their rejection but adds to the odium for the
unbelievers in the sight of their Lord: their rejection but adds to (Their own)
undoing.”(Qur’an; 35:39).
In this sense only a pious and righteous
believer can be a Khalifah, because
he alone can discharge the responsibilities of Khilafat truly. On the other hand, a disbeliever and sinner cannot
be Khalifah: he is rather a rebel
against Allah, because he abuses the power and authority delegated by Allah in
disobedience to Him in the land bestowed by Him.
Messengers, Prophets are Designated Vicegerents of Allah on Earth:
These verses also indicate that a vicegerent
(first human and Prophet Adam, peace be upon him) was appointed to keep order
on the earth and to promulgate divine laws. From here we learn the basic
principles for the governance of men on the earth. The ultimate sovereignty in
the universe belongs to Allah Himself, as is explicitly stated in many verses
of Qur’an:
“Sovereignty
of the skies and the earth belongs to Him alone" (Qur’an;9:116)
"Verily,
His is the Creation and the Command." (Qur’an;7:54).
"Judgment
belongs to Allah alone" (Qur’an;6:57).
“Allah grants kingship
to whom He pleases."(Qur’an;2:247)
Besides granting intellect and knowledge to
differentiate the good from evil to humanity in general, God, in His wisdom,
has chosen to send His special vicegerents with additional wisdom and knowledge
to the earth for maintaining spiritual and temporal order. Their function is to
announce and promulgate divine commandments, to teach men how to abide by these
laws, and sometimes even to exercise temporal power as well as spiritual
authority under divine guidance. This special appointment is made directly by Allah
Himself, and is in no sense a reward for the good deeds or the spiritual effort
of the individual concerned. There is a total consensus of all the authentic
scholars of the Islamic Ummah on the doctrine that prophethood is not a thing
which one can attain through one's personal effort or on the merit of one's
good deeds, but that Allah Himself, in His supreme knowledge and wisdom,
chooses certain individuals for acting as His messengers, prophets and
vicegerents. The Holy Qur'an has explicitly declared it in several verses:
"Allah
chooses His messengers from among the angels and from among men; surely Allah
is All-Hearing, All-Seeing" (Qur’an;22:75)
"Allah
knows best whom to entrust with His messages (Qur’an;16:124).
“For
we Assuredly sent amongst every people an apostle, (with the Command), Serve
Allah, and eschew Evil;” (Qur’an;16:36).
“To
every people (was sent) an apostle: ”(Qur’an;10:47).
These chosen vicegerents received divine
commandments directly from Allah, and then promulgated them in the world.
Sovereignty to Allah, Delegated Powers be used As per His Laws:
The sovereignty belongs to Allah; His
delegated powers should be used by representatives within the bounds of His
Law. Some prophets were also rulers of their communities, while others
exercised spiritual and moral authority only. The chain of vicegerents began
with Adam (peace be upon him) and continued in the same way through many
prophets and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the last Messenger
blessed with spiritual, moral and
political authority to rule according Shari’a (Law). Prophet David
(peace be upon him) who also ruled Israelites as king, has been addressed as
Khalifah, in Qur’an, to do justice and follow path of Allah: “O David! we did indeed make Thee
khalifa-fil-ardh [a vicegerent on earth]: so judge Thou between men In truth
(and justice): nor follow Thou the lusts (of Thy heart), for They will mislead
Thee from the path of Allah for those who wander astray from the path of Allah,
is a penalty grievous, for that They forget the Day of account.”(Qur’an;38:26).
[Unlike scandalous narratives of Bible, the
Muslim idea of David is that of a man just and upright, endowed with all the
virtues, in whom even the least thought of self-elation has to be washed off by
repentance and forgiveness.]
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the last Caliph of Allah:
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came
to the world as the last Khalifah (vicegerent), the last Messenger (Rasool) and
the last prophet (Nabi) of Allah; writes Moulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi in “Muarif-ul-Qur’an”, [Volume.1,
page,125-128]. He further explains that a hadith
of the Sahih of Muslim reports
the Prophet (peace be upon him) as having said that he had been made superior
to all other prophets in six things, some are:
● The first of these is, of course, the universality of his
Prophethood. Each of the earlier prophets was sent for the guidance of
particular people or area, and his authority was limited to his jurisdiction
alone, - for example, Moses and Jesus Christ (peace be upon them) were sent to
the Israelites. But the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been sent for
the guidance of the humanity and also ruled according to Shari’a (Law) granted
to him by Allah. The Holy Qur’an has declared the universality of his
prophethood in these words: "Say: 0
mankind, I am the messenger of Allah to you all, of Him to whom belongs the
sovereignty of the skies and of the earth" (Qur’an;7:158).
● Just as the vicegerency and prophethood of all the earlier
prophets was limited to particular peoples and areas, in the same way it was
also limited to specific periods; when the age of one prophet was over, another
prophet would come to take his place as the new vicegerent. On the contrary,
the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has been sent by Allah as the last of
all prophets; his prophethood is not circumscribed within a specific period or
people, but shall last for the humanity till the end of time.
● It has so happened that the teachings and the Law (Shari’a) of
each of the earlier Messengers would remain intact for a time, but then
gradually people would start deviating and distort the scriptures; then Allah
would send a new prophet with a new Law or to revive the original Law. But the
Law (Shari’a) granted to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to remain
intact in its original form up to the end of the time. Allah has taken up to
Himself the responsibility of protecting the Holy Qur’an: "It is We who have sent down the Remembrance (i.e. the Holy
Qur’an) and We are its Protector" (Qur’an;15:9). Similarly, He has
made a special provision for the preservation of the Hadith which contains the
teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that is to say, in spite of all
the vicissitudes of time there shall remain till the Last Day a group of people
who will preserve these teachings and transmit them accurately to others, they
shall receive help and protection from Allah Himself. Since Allah has ordained
the survival of the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith, there is obviously no need for
a new prophet, messenger or vicegerent and hence no room for a new Law
(Shari’a).
● Since the Prophethood and vicegerency of the last Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), is universal, hence those who succeed him for the
preservation of spiritual and temporal order in the world, are to be, not the
vicegerents of Allah, but the vicegerents of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) and his deputies. According to a hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim
both says:
"The
Israelis used to be politically ruled and governed by prophets: Whenever a
Prophet died, another would take over his place. There will be no prophet after
me, but there will be Caliphs who will increase in number."[Extract from
Sahih Bukhari volume.4, Number.661].
● The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Allah will not
cause my Ummah – or the Ummah of Muhammad (pbuh) – to agree on misguidance.”
(At-Tirmidhi-2167, narrated from Ibn ‘Umar)
● Allah has ordained that after him, his Ummah, or the Islamic
community, shall as a body enjoys the special privilege. That is to say, the
Ummah as a collective body under the special protection of Allah shall not
agree to evil in religion as community.
● Allah has bestowed great responsibility and honor upon this
Ummah: “We have given the Book as an
inheritance to those of Our servants (Muslims) whom We have chosen, among them
there are some who wrong their own souls, some follow a middle course and some,
by Allah's leave, excel in good deeds; which is the supreme virtue.”
(Qur’an;35:32). “We have made you a moderate Ummah (nation) so that you may
testify against mankind and that your own Messenger may testify against
you.”(Qur’an;21:143).
The Succession of Nation and People:
The word khalafa has also been used to mention the ‘Succession’ of nation
and people believers or unbelievers:
“And
they have been succeeded [khalafa] by (new) generations who – (in spite of)
having inherited the divine writ – clutch but at the fleeting good of this
lower world(Qur’an;7:169).
“But
after them there followed a posterity [fa- khalafa min badi -him khalf] who
missed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will They face
Destruction,”(Qur’an;19:59)
The verses (Qur’an;2:30) which tell us of
how Allah informed the angels about his intention to send a vicegerent to the
earth provide us with some of the fundamental principles of the governance of
man, which may be summarized as follows:
(a)
The sovereignty of the skies and
of the earth belongs to Allah Himself. The function of promulgating the
Commandments of Allah on the earth is performed by a vicegerent who is at the
same time a messenger of Allah and His Prophet.
(b)
The chain of such vicegerents ends
with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for he is the last messenger and
Prophet.
(c)
Now the function of vicegerency is
performed by the deputies of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
(d)
Such a deputy (Khalifah) is to be
chosen by the Ummah or Islamic community.
Khilafat- Historic Overview:
A caliphate is the traditional Islamic form
of government, headed by a Khalifah (Caliph), either appointed or elected,
who is considered the political leader of all Muslims. The caliphate also
incorporates a shura, a body
similar to a parliament that represents the will of the people and may elect
and advise the caliph. Though originally, and ideally according to some, a
caliphate is a unique entity that unites
all Muslims under its rule, there have been concurrent and even competing
caliphates at some points in history. The caliphate began after the death of
Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
The first four successors to that office were chosen by consensus of the
Muslim community’s elders and were known as leaders of the believers. After
them the caliphate became hereditary. Two principle dynasties, the Umayyads and
Abbasids, dominated the caliphate until destruction by Mongols in 1258. The
Mamluk sultanate kept members of the Abbasid family as titular caliphs in Cairo
until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517. Ottoman sultans were then widely
recognized as caliphs till abolition of the caliphate by Atatürk in 1924 on
establishment of republic of Turkey.
While the majorities of caliphates have
been centered in the Middle East and exercised authority over Muslims around
the world, a notable exception is the Caliphate of Cordoba [Spain] that ruled
the Iberian Peninsula during the 10th and 11th centuries. The Iberian Peninsula
became part of the Islamic Empire during the 8th century, when the Umayyad
Caliphate ruled out of Damascus. In 750, the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyads in
the Middle East, marking the beginning of a five-century dynasty. However,
descendents of the Umayyads remained in control of Spain, eventually setting up
a caliphate there. Many of Spain's most famous and beautiful buildings date
from the period of the caliphate, including the Great Mosque of
Córdoba (Qurtaba).
It
should be noted that:
●
Although the office of the caliph (Khalifah,
one who is successor to the Prophet, pbuh in rule) is not a spiritual
office [First Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, may be an exception being very close
pious companions of Prophet (pbuh), directly taught and groomed by him], but
the institution was imbued with political and religious symbolism, particularly
regarding the unity of the Muslim community hence traditionally many Muslim
rulers symbolically bore allegiance to the Caliph.
●
The caliph held temporal
and sometimes a degree of spiritual authority this does not imply any functions
comparable to those of the Roman Catholic Pope. The caliph has no authority
either to define dogma or, indeed, even to legislate. He is the chief executive
of a community based upon religion, and his primary function is to implement
the sacred law and work in the general interests of the community.
●
The Caliph himself is not
above the law and if necessary can even be deposed, at least in theory. The
ruler could not become absolute because a basic restraint was placed upon him
by the Shari’a law under which he held his authority and which he dutifully was
bound to execute and defend.
●
When, in the latter half of
the 16th century, the Mughal emperor Akbar in India wanted to arrogate
to himself the right of administrative-legal absolutism, the strong reaction of
the orthodox thwarted his attempt. In general, the 'ulama` (religious
scholars) jealously upheld the sovereign position of the Shari’a against
the political authority.
The effective shift of power from the
caliph to the sultan was, again, reflected in the redefinition of the functions
of the caliph. It was conceded that, if the caliph administered through wazirs (viziers or ministers) or
subordinate rulers (amirs), it
was not necessary for him to embody all the physical, moral, and intellectual
virtues theoretically insisted upon earlier. In practice, however, the caliph was no more than a titular head from
the middle of the 10th century onward, when real power passed to self-made and
adventurous amirs and sultans, who
merely used the caliph's name for legitimacy.
In the early 20th century as a result of
Muslim fears for the integrity of Islam, the Khilafat
movement arose in India . These fears were aroused by Italian (1911) and
Balkan (1912-13) attacks on Turkey, whose ruler (sultan), as caliph, was
respected as the symbol of the unity for worldwide Muslim community and by
Turkish defeats in World War I. They were intensified by the Treaty
of Sèvres (August 1920), which not only detached all non-Turkish regions from
the empire but also gave parts of the Turkish homeland to Greece and other
non-Muslim powers. A campaign in defense of the caliph was launched, led in
India by the brothers Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali and by Abul Kalam Azad. The
leaders joined forces with Gandhi's non-cooperation campaign for Indian
freedom, promising nonviolence in return for his support of the ‘Khilafat movement’. It was further undermined
when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk drove the Greeks from western Asia Minor, deposed
the Turkish sultan and finally
abolishing the caliphate altogether in 1924.
Caliphate-As a Political Concept:
One group of thinkers considers that the
concept of Caliphate as a political concept does not rely on any clear evidence
from the Sunnah. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) established a state at
Medina comprising believers and non believers, he did mention about his
successors in rule (Khalifah).
Narrated Abu Huraira; The Prophet (peace be
upon him) said, "The Israelis used to be politically ruled and governed by
prophets: Whenever a Prophet died, another would take over his place. There
will be no prophet after me, but there will be Caliphs who will increase in
number."[Extract from Sahih Bukhari volume.4, Number.661].
Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah; The Prophet
(peace be upon him)said: “The Islamic religion will continue until the Hour has
been established, or you have been ruled by twelve Caliphs [continuity or chain
in succession not mentioned], all of them being from the Quraish. I also heard
him say: A small force of the Muslims will capture the white palace, the palace
of the Persian Emperor or his descendants. I also heard him say: Before the Day
of Judgment there will appear (a number of) imposters. You are to guard against
them.”[Extract from Sahih Muslim Hadith Number. 841]
The
Prophet (peace be upon him) however did not specifically advocate any form of
government, or the political entity. This is the reason why the choice of the
first five caliphs in Islam took five different procedures. All of them
meet the general principle that Islamic government is consultative (shura), practice justice, and establish
system of Prayer (Salah) and Zakah (alms, obligatory charity),
enjoining good, forbidding evil in line with Qur’anic injunctions at 42:38,
3:159 and 22:41.
Khilafat-e-Rashida [Rightly Guided Caliphs]
The era of first four caliphs is considered
as an era of Khilafat-e-Rashida
[Rightly Guided Caliphs]. The individual character, personalities of first four
caliphs and their strict adherence to the tenets of Islam being close associate
of Prophet (peace be upon him) made them a role model for others to follow.
However no Muslim ruler could ever reach closer to the high standards of ‘Khilafat-e-Rashida’ except Caliph Umar
bin Abdul Aziz (682-720), [also called Umar-II]. He was a pious and respected
caliph who attempted to preserve the integrity of the Muslim Umayyad caliphate
(661-750) by emphasizing religion and a return to the original principles of
the Islamic faith. He created a consultative body of pious men to aid him in
his rule; dismissed unpopular governors, reformed the taxation system, and
granted the Mawali (non Arab Muslims) the same fiscal rights as Arab Muslims.
The other rulers in Muslim history, who declared to be Caliph, were hereditary
kings, using ‘Khalifah’ as title to claim some legitimacy and religious
support.
Allah Grants, Kingship, Rule and Authority on Land:
God is not bound to grant Kingship and Rule
on the land to some specific people only; it is totally at His discretion.
Hence high status wealth and honor is not symbol of closeness to Allah. He
grants rule and authority on land to unbelievers as well as believers (pious
and sinners) according to His Wisdom and Plan:
“Say:
"O Allah! Maalik al-Mulk [Lord of power and Rule] , You give power to whom
You please and strip off power from whomsoever You please; You give honor to
whom You please and disgrace to whom You please; all the good is in Your hand;
surely You have power over everything.”(Qur’an;3:26).
He may grant Authority & Rule to His
believing servants to check mischief on land:
“By
Allah's will they routed them: and David slew Goliath; and Allah gave him power
(al-Mulk) and wisdom and taught him whatever (else) He willed. And did not
Allah check one set of people by means of another the earth would indeed be
full of mischief but Allah is full of bounty to all the worlds.”(Qur’an;2:251).
“Had
not Allah repelled some people by the might of others, the monasteries,
churches, synagogues, and mosques in which Allah's praise is daily celebrated,
would have been utterly demolished. Allah will certainly help those who help
His cause; most surely Allah is Mighty, Powerful.”(Qur’an;22:40).
Keeping civil society together, and protect
innocent, punishments prescribe in Shari’a law which can be implemented through
legitimate authority, however doors of repentance remain open:
“Don't
you know that Allah has sovereignty (Mulk) over the heavens and the earth? He
may punish whom He pleases and forgive whom He pleases. Allah has power over
everything.”(Qur’an;5:40)
“To
Allah belongs the kingdom (Mulk) of the heavens and the earth: He forgives whom
He pleases and He punishes whom He wills. Allah is All-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.”(Qur’an;48:14).
If believers as a community desert the
cause of Allah and deviate from the straight path, He may punish them and
replace with better people, it happened in destruction of Abbasids Arabs rulers
through Mongols, who later converted to Islam, afterward Ottoman Turks took
over the rule. Occupation of their lands, exploitation of resources and
oppression of Muslims at Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya,
Philippines and wave of terrorism in Muslim world, especially Pakistan warrants
repentance and reversion to the true path, lest He may bring in other people:
“If
ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people;
then they would not be like you!”(Qur’an;47:38).
“If
He will, He can remove you, O people, and produce others (in your stead). Allah
is Able to do that.”(Qur’an;4:133).
“We
have the power (qaadiron) to destroy them and replace them with others better
than them, and nothing can hinder Us from doing so.”(Qur’an;70:40-41)
“O
mankind! It is you who stands in need of Allah, and it is Allah Who is Free of
all wants, Worthy of all praise. If He wants, He can destroy you and replace
you with a new creation;”(Qur’an;35:15-16)
“Therefore
I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”(Matthew;21:43) [Jesus Christ
warned Jews, It was the death-knell of the Jewish nation with their hopes of
political and religious world leadership, ultimately transferred to the
Children of Ishmael (Arabs & Muslims)]
Rule and Power is not the sole domain of
believers, it is also granted to Un-Believers:
“Remember
that he made you successors (Khulafa) after the people of Noh and gave you a
tall stature as compared to other people. Therefore, remember the favors that
you have received from Allah, so that you may prosper. They replied: "Have
you come to us with the demand that we should worship Allah Alone and give up
those whom our forefathers used to worship? Well, bring us what you are
threatening us with if what you say is true!"”(Qur’an;7:69-70).
“Remember
how you were made successors (Khulafa) after 'Ad and settled in the land,
capable of building mansions in the valleys and carving out homes in the
mountains. Therefore, remember the favors of Allah and do not spread mischief
in the land. The arrogant leaders from his nation asked the oppressed among
them who have believed: "Do you really believe that Salih is a Messenger
from his Lord?" They replied: "We do indeed believe in the revelation
which he has been sent."”(Qur’an;7:74-75).
Allah in His Mercy, grants prosperity and
wealth to humanity as a whole. It is trial to check their gratefulness to God
through obedience:
“That
it is He Who gives wealth and satisfaction ;”(Qur’an;53:48)
“When
they neglected the warning they had received, then, instead of punishment, We
opened the gates of every kind of prosperity for them; but just as they were
rejoicing in what they were given, We suddenly seized them; lo! They were
plunged into despair! ;”(Qur’an;6:44
also 7:95 17:18, 21.35, 18:7).
Allah bestows His grace freely, but He
never withdraws it arbitrarily. Before He changes their state and circumstances,
an actual state of rebellion and contumacy has arisen in their own souls, which
brings about its inevitable punishment:
“Allah has never changed the blessings which
He has bestowed on a people until they themselves changed the condition of their
souls; verily Allah hears all and knows all.”(Qur’an;8:53)
“Allah
never changes the condition of a people until they intend to change it
themselves.”(Qur’an;13:11)
Allah is not intent on punishment. He
created man virtuous and pure; he gave him intelligence and knowledge; he
surrounded him with all sorts of instruments of His grace and mercy. If, in
spite of all this, man distorts his own will and goes against Allah's Will, yet
is Allah's forgiveness open to him if he will take it. It is only when he has made
his own self blind and changed his own nature or soul away from the beautiful
mould in which Allah formed it, that Allah's Wrath will descend on him and the
favorable position in which Allah placed him will be changed. When once the
punishment comes, there is no turning it back. None of the things which he
relied upon- other than Allah-can possibly protect him.
Ayah Ishtikhlaf
The concept of Khilafat is has been adopted
as a maxim by some organizations and groups in Muslim countries to seek support
form the masses to gain power. Some of them believe in peaceful struggle while
the extremist justify use of violence and terrorism to get in to power. It is
claimed that through establishment of Khilafat they will be able to implement
Shari’a, get rid of corrupt rulers, provide quick justice, end oppression of
Muslims and exploitation of their resource by super powers. Hence they will
regain the lost glory of Muslim Ummah by uniting them under a Khalifah. They
derive support form verse 55, of Surah Nur (24), commonly known as ‘Ayah Ishtikhlaf’ [The Verse for
Khilafat]:
“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), (yasta-khlif-anna -hum fe-al-'ard) 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 (lived), 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.”(Qur’an;24:55).
Instead of taking this one verse in
isolation, it may be appropriate that it may be read and interpreted against
the background of the Qur'an as a whole. The general divine policy for grant of
Khilafat in the sense of power, rule, and kingship has been outlined in the
verses of Qur’an mentioned above.[Qur’an;3:26, 2:251, 22:40, 5:40, 48:14.
47:38, 4:133, 70:40-41, 35:15-16, 7:69, 7:74, 8:53, 13:11].
Majority of scholars including Syed Abul
Ala Moududi and Moulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi through Ibn Kathir, agree that the
direct addressees of this promise of Allah, were the Muslims living in the time
of the Prophet (peace be upon him). However indirectly it may also apply to the
future generations of Muslims under identical conditions. The promise of Allah
for bestowal of successorship (Khalifah)
in the land is ONLY for those believers, who are true in faith, pious
in character, sincere in devotion and who follow Allah's religion
in letter and spirit eschewing every tinge of shirk (polytheism).
Allah warn the hypocrites that this promise is not meant for those
people who are Muslims in name only, lacking above mentioned qualities
and pay mere lip service to Islam, they are neither worthy of this
promise nor its addressees. Therefore they should entertain no hope of
having any share in Khalifah
(successorship) in the land.
Background of This Revelation:
Qurtubi has reported on authority of Abul
'Aliyah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stayed in Makkah for ten years
after commencement of revelation and declaration of prophethood, during this
period they remained under fear due to persistent threat to their life from the
infidels and disbelievers. Then after the Migration (Hijrah) to Medina there was also ceaseless danger of attacks from
the disbelievers. So, someone asked the Holy Prophet: "Would a time come
to us when we will be able to live in peace without wearing our weaponry?' The
Prophet (peace be upon him) replied 'Yes, the time is coming very soon'. On
that occasion these verses were revealed. (Qurtubi and Bahr). Allah had made
three promises to the Prophet (peace be upon him), that 1) his Ummah will be
made His vicegerent on earth and will rule over it, and 2) His favorite
religion Islam will be made victorious, and 3)Muslims will be given so much
power and grandeur that they will not fear to face any threat.
Allah fulfilled His promise by conferring
conquest over Makkah, Khyber, Bahrain, and the whole of Yemen and the entire
peninsula of Arabia even during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon
him). Also he received jizyah, (poll
tax) from the Zoroastrians of Hajar and some Syrian territories. The kings and
rulers of Rome, Egypt, Alexandria, Oman and Ethiopia sent gifts to the Prophet
(peace be upon him), and gave him honour and respect. Then during his caliphate
Abu Bakr crushed all the menacing uprisings. He also sent out Islamic armies to
Persia, Syria and Egypt. Busra and Damascus fell to Islamic State during this
time. Just before his death, Abu Bakr in
his wisdom nominated Umar Ibn Khattab as his successor. The period of Caliphate
of 'Umar Ibn Khattab was golden period of good governance. During his caliphate
the entire land of Syria and Egypt and major part of Persia were overpowered.
It was during his time that the myth of grandeur of Byzantine and Persian
empires was shattered. After that period, during the caliphate of Uthman the
Islamic influence extended from the East to the Al-Maghrib (West) North Africa.
In the west up to Cyprus, and in the east up to China. Besides, 'Iraq, Khorasan
and Ahwaz (now in Iran) all fell to
Islamic State during the time of third Caliph. What the Prophet (peace be upon
him) has said according to a Sahih Hadith that he was shown the entire east and
west of the earth by bringing them together, and that the rule of his Ummah
will extend up to all those places which have been shown to him; this promise
was fulfilled by Allah even during the time of caliphate 'Uthman. Once Adi Bin
Hatim came to the Prophet in a delegation, the Prophet told him that this Din
Al-Islam will extend all over and such peace will be established that a women
shall travel alone without guards and return back to Hera after
circumambulating Kab’a, she will have no fear. Adi Bin Hatim added that now
women travel without any fear. (Extract
from Ibn Kathir)
According to another hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said that caliphate will
last for thirty years after him, then there will be callous rule. Here, the
word caliphate means the Rightly Guided caliphate (Al-Khalifah Rashidun), which
was run on the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It lasted up to
the time of 4th Khalifah Ali. At this point Ibn Kathir has also
reported a hadith from Sahih Muslim,
that Jabir Ibn Samurah has said that he had heard the Prophet (peace be upon
him) saying that his Ummah will continue ruling until the twelve caliphs last.
After narrating this Ibn Kathir has commented that this hadith is pointing that there will be twelve upright caliphs in the
Muslim Ummah, which is bound to happen. However, it is not necessary that all
twelve come one after the other and there is no gap in between, rather it is
more likely that they turn up with an interval of time. Out of this lot, four
Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafa) had appeared one after the other immediately
after the Prophet (peace be upon him) Umar Ibn 'Abdul Aziz who came after a gap
of some time. A few others also
appeared in different times after him and will continue to come until the last
caliph Mahdi (Guided one) comes. There is no mention in the hadith of those twelve caliphs which the
Shiites have determined. Rather some of them are those who have no connection
with the caliphate at all. It is also not necessary that all of them would be
of the same status, and during their time there would be complete peace and
tranquility. This promise is related to rectitude and firmness of faith, the
righteous deeds and total obedience, and any difference in their degree will
naturally make difference in the power and control of authority. Islamic
history spread over a period of 1400 years is a witness that in different times
and different, countries whenever and wherever there was a just and righteous
ruler, he has received his share from this promise of Allah based or, the
extent of righteous deeds he has performed. At another place, the Qur’an says
that: ““for, all who ally themselves with
God and His Apostle and those who have attained to faith - behold, it is they,
the partisans of God, who shall prevail!”(Qur’an;5:56).
Proof of Divine Approval of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs:
This verse (24:55) is also a proof of the prophethood
of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), because the forecast he had made
came true exactly in the manner he had predicted. The same way it is also a
proof of acceptance and approval of the caliphate of Khulafa Rashidun in the sight of Allah. It is for the simple reason
that the promise Allah had made with His Messenger and his Ummah was completely
fulfilled during the lifetime of the four Companions of Prophet. The address of
Hadrat 'AIi in ‘Nahjal Balaghah’,
which was meant to dissuade 2nd Caliph 'Umar from going personally
to tight against the Persians further elucidate the same, he said:
"Our success in this work is not
dependent on numerical strength; it is the religion of Allah for which He
Himself has opened ways. We are grateful to Him for His help and succour which
has enabled us to serve its cause till it has been raised to its present glory
Allah Himself has said: `Allah has
promised to those among you, who believe and do righteous deeds that He will
make them successors in the land(Qur’an;24:55). Allah will certainly fulfill this promise and
will help the armies of Islam. The position of the Caliph in Islam is like that of the string in a necklace of pearls.
If the string breaks, the pearls scatter away and the order is destroyed. Once
scattered and dispersed, it becomes difficult to collect them again. No doubt
the Arabs are small in number, but they have been increased by Islam and
strengthened by unity. You should therefore stick to Medina like the pivot and
make the grindstone of Arabia rotate about you and guide the war-machine from
here. Once you leave this place, your entire organization will begin to
crumble, and then you will start feeling more worried about the dangers behind
than the enemies in front. Moreover, the Persians will concentrate their whole
attention on you, and will like to exterminate you, taking you as the main and
only hurdle in their way to victory. As for your apprehension that they have
come out in much greater strength, I would say that hitherto we have been
fighting them not merely on the strength of numbers, but have been putting them
to rout on the strength of Allah's help and succor."
Any discerning reader can see for himself
as to which side is being held by Hadrat `Ali as worthy of Allah's promise with
regard to successor ship in the land. If the caliphate of the earlier
caliphs is not regarded legitimate and true, as claimed by some, then the
Qur’anic promise has not been fulfilled as yet. Then the argument put forward
by them that the Qur’anic promise will be fulfilled during the life of Mehdi is
absurd, as it will amount to saying that for hundreds of years (exact timings
know to Allah alone) the 'Ummah will live in disgrace and misery, and nearing
the Dooms Day when Mehdi will get the rule, only that period is referred by
this promise. The fact of the matter is that the conditions of faith and
righteous deeds, on which this promise was made by Allah, were present in these
four Companions (Sahabah) to the
perfection and in totality. In reality Allah's promise was fulfilled in
totality in their lifetime only. After that neither the degree of faith and
deeds was maintained at that level, nor the dignity of caliphate and governance
could be retained.
Imamate:
The Shiite Muslims follow the doctrine of Imamate,
according to this doctrine there must be an infallible, divinely appointed
guide, in every place and time, which preserves the religion exactly as it was
revealed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The person who bears the
duty of guarding and preserving the Divine message after it is revealed and is
chosen by God for this function is called the Imam, in the same way that the
person who bears the prophetic spirit and has the function of receiving Divine
injunctions and laws from God is called the Prophet. It is possible for the
Imamate and Prophecy (Nubuwwat) either to be joined in one
person or to be separate. The twelve Imams consist of Ali ibn Abi Talib (R.A)
and his eleven descendants who were chosen to the Imamate one after another. They
being chosen and from the household of Prophet (peace be upon him) are
considered as infallible.
The Best Ruler:
Whatever
procedure of consultation (Shura) for
selection of ruler is adopted by the Muslims, he should be the most righteous
(49:13). The objective should be good governance through implementation of
Islamic Shari’a (3:85), establish system of Salah and Zakah, enjoin good,
justice and forbid evil (22:41, 3:110, 7:33), not betray trust (8:27), prepare
well for defence be ready for peace (8:60-91). Obedience to ruler
conditional to obedience to Allah and His Messenger (4:59). Narrated Awf ibn
Malik; The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, who
invoke God's blessings upon you and you invoke His blessings upon them. And the
worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you and whom you
curse and who curse you. It was asked (by those present): Shouldn't we overthrow them with the help of
the sword? He said: No, as long as they establish prayer among you. If you then
find anything detestable in them, you should hate their administration, but do
not withdraw yourselves from their obedience.”(Sahih Muslim Hadith number 861).
It is narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri; The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The
best fighting (jihad) in the path of Allah is (to speak) a word of justice to
an oppressive ruler.”(Sunan of Abu Dawood No.2040). It is evident that instead
of using force and violence against Muslim rulers, the use of words, advice and
peaceful protest is the preferable option.
Misconceptions:
Is Every Human Khalifah?
Under the influence of Western Humanism,
and specially in their indifference to doctrinal matters, the Modernists have
come to identify the prophet and the father of mankind, Adam, to tally with the
biological species called 'man', and have made out as if every individual
member of this species, unconditionally and without any qualifications, is born
to be a vicegerent of Allah. The error has been promoted by a thoughtless
misreading of Sufi metaphysical texts
and Sufi poetry. What our Modernists
have never cared to learn is the concept of degrees and their distinctions. The
Sufis, no doubt, often speak of 'man' as being the vicegerent of Allah, but
what they are actually referring to is not a biological organism or species,
but 'Al-Insan Al-Kimil', 'the
Universal Man' - a term which the orientalists have wrongly rendered as 'the
perfect man', thus introducing ethical implications in the sphere of pure
metaphysics. In the writings of the Sufis, prose and poetry both, 'Man' also
stands for 'the Total and Essential Reality of man' (Al-Haqiqah al-Jami'ah al-Insiiniyyah). Now, the Universal Man par
excellence is the Prophet this is the first degree of "manhood" to
which belong the Aulia' (Men of Allah
or the great saints) and those rulers who delivered justice according to the Shari’a. Then, there are lower degrees
pertaining to the pious and the virtuous Muslims down to the lowest degree
where stand people who are sinful, yet, being Muslims, can hope for salvation.
Allah alone knows best as to who belongs to which degree; below the degree of
the blessed Companions one can never speak with certitude. If we allow
ourselves to associate vicegerency with an ordinary Muslim, it would only be
vicegerency, so to say, by reflection just as the 'Iman’ (Faith, Beleif) of every Muslim is only a reflection of the 'Iman’ of the Prophet (peace be upon
him). Any way, the necessary condition of receiving even a faint reflection of
vicegerency and "Manhood" is that one should be a Muslim (submit to
the will of God), for, as Qur’an has explicitly declared: “The Religion before
Allah is Islam (submission to His will):” Qur’an;3:19);”If anyone desires a
Religion other than Islam (submission to Allah.), never will it be accepted of
him; and In the Hereafter He will be In the ranks of those who have lost (All
spiritual good)”. Qur’an;3:85).
As for attributing vicegerency of
"Manhood" to common man as such is concerned, it can at best only be
vicegerency, to use Aristotelian terms, in potency and not in act - it cannot
be effective unless it is actualized through a total submission to the Shari’a
and a strenuous spiritual effort and waiting upon the grace of Allah. In fact,
the highest excellence open to man now is to be in word and deed and thought a perfect
follower of the Sunnah, the way of
the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Khilafat - Political Power and Authority:
Some people interpret Khalifah (successorship in the land) in restricted sense to mean
‘political power and authority’ and conversely conclude that whosoever
possesses power and authority in the land is necessarily a true believer and a
follower of Allah's approved religion and His devotee, free from all traces of
polytheism. Then in order to get support for their wrong conclusion, they even
change the very meanings of Faith, virtue, Divine Creed, Allah's worship,
idolatry, etc. to suit their interpretation. This is the worst distortion of
the meaning of the Qur'an, even worse than what the Jews and Christians did
with their Scriptures. This interpretation of the verse tends to destroy the
very message of the Qur'an. If `successorship in the land' (Khalifah) were to mean mere power and
authority in the land; then all those people who wielded power and authority in
the world, or wield it today, would fit in with the description contained in
the verse, even if they denied existence of Allah, Revelations, Prophethood,
life in the Hereafter, and were involved in all kinds of major sins like usury,
adultery, drinking and gambling. If all such people are regarded as pious
believers and considered worthy of holding the high offices because of their
qualities as such, then `Faith' would imply simple obedience to physical laws
and `Virtue' would mean making use of those laws effectively and successfully.
Allah's approved religion would mean making maximum progress -in the fields of
industry and trade, commerce and politics by achieving excellence in the
physical sciences; devotion to Allah would mean abiding by the rules and
procedures which are naturally useful and essential for success in individual
and collective enterprises; and shirk would mean adopting a few harmful methods
also along with the useful procedures and rules. But the question is: Would a
person who has studied the Qur'an with an open heart and mind, ever believe
that the terms `Faith', 'Righteous deeds', `True Religion', `Devotion to
Allah', Tawhid [monotheism] and Shirk
as used in the Qur'an really mean this ?
As a matter of fact, such a meaning can be
understood either by the one who has never made an intelligent study of the
Qur'an as a whole, writes Syed AbulAl’a Moududi; the people who pick up verses
from here and there and give them their own biased meaning according to
preconceived notions and theories: By the one who has read the Qur'an through
but has all along been holding all those verses as wrong and absurd, which
invite people to accept Allah as the One and only Lord, His Revelations as the
only source of Guidance, His Messengers as the only true Guides worthy of
absolute obedience, and which demand not only belief in the life-after-death,
but also state that the people who would consider success in the worldly life
as their sole and ultimate objective, without any idea of their accountability
in the Hereafter, would be deprived of real success. The Qur'an has repeated
these themes so frequently in diverse ways and in such clear and plain language
that it is difficult to believe that anybody who studies it honestly can ever
be involved in those misunderstandings in which the modern interpreters of this
verse have been involved. The fact is that they have misconstrued Khilafat and Istikhlaf (successorship) after their own notions, which cannot be
held as correct by anybody who has some knowledge of the Qur'an.
The word Khilafat is used here to mean vicegerency or successorship. Both
these meanings of Khilafat are well
known and recognized in the Arabic lexicon. Now anybody who reads this
verse (Qur’an;24:55) in this context cannot have any doubt that the word Khilafat has been used here for the
government which discharges the responsibilities of Allah's Vicegerency
strictly in accordance with Allah's Law, and not in accordance with mere
physical laws of the world. That is why, not to speak of the disbelievers, even
the hypocrites, who professed faith in Islam, are being excluded from the
purview of Allah's promise. That is why it is being stated that true and
righteous believers only are worthy of this promise. That is why it is being
averred that the establishment of Khilafat
will result in the establishment of Islam, Allah's approved religion, on strong
foundations; and that is why the condition being put forward for earning this
favour is that the believers should remain steadfast in their faith and
devotion to Allah avoiding every tinge of shirk
(polytheism). To remove this promise from its right context and apply it on
the international scene to the case of USA and Russia, or any other super power
that be, is sheer absurdity and nonsense.
Is Caliphate Still Relevant?
Many people think that in modern era there
is no room for a primitive concept like Khilafat, while others think that it is
the only solution to the problems faced by Muslims. These two are extreme
positions. As mentioned earlier, after Prophet (peace be upon him), his Ummah,
or the Islamic community, shall as a body enjoys the special privilege. That is
to say, the Ummah as a collective body, is under the special protection of
Allah so that it will never unanimously agree upon a doctrinal error or a
deviation, and hence any decision which has been arrived at in religious
matters through the consensus of the Ummah is to be honored. That is why Ijma (consensus) of the Ummah has been
accepted as the third source of the Shari’a, the first two being Qur'an and the
Sunnah (Hadith). Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar; Allah's Messenger (peace be upon
him) said: Verily my Ummah, or the Ummah of Muhammad, will not agree on error
and the hand of Allah is upon the community; he who sets himself apart from it
will be set apart in Hell Fire. [Al-Tirmidh Hadith.57]. In another hadith
narrated Thawban: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: A group of
people from my Ummah will always remain triumphant on the right path and
continue to be triumphant (against their opponents). He who deserts them shall
not be able to do them any harm. They will remain in this position until
Allah's Command is executed (i.e. Day of Judgment is established) [Sahih Muslim
Hadith.895].
It is well known that whenever some evil
people tried to incorporate some new ideas and concepts which were in conflict
with fundamentals of Islam and faith, they were rejected by majority. Such
mischievous evil elements were isolated, marginalized and finally expelled from
the Muslim community. Since it has been ordained that the Islamic Ummah on the
whole as a body shall never arrive at wrong doctrines (in religious maters),
the responsibility of choosing a deputy to the Prophet (peace be upon him) has
also fall upon it. The legitimate way is that the Ummah through consensus should
evolve the system to build the institution of Khilafat for the maintenance of
spiritual and temporal order. The first to succeed the Prophet (peace be upon
him) as his deputies were Khulafa al-Rashidun (or the rightly-guided ones), and
the Khilafat order functioned according to the proper principles up to the end
of their time (about thirty years). Due to their high spiritual, moral and
political stature being close companions of Prophet (peace be upon them), their
decisions are not merely temporary judgments, but have a permanent legislative
value, and carry an authority in their own degree, for the Prophet (peace be
upon him) has said: 'Follow my way steadfastly, and the way of the
rightly-guided Khalifah.' After the period of the rightly-guided Khulafa,
different rulers appeared in different regions, but none of them can be
described as a Khalifah of the whole Islamic community in the proper sense of
the term, though they may be called the Amir of particular regions. When it
became practically impossible for all the Muslims of the world to agree upon
one man as their Khalifah, and it became customary to have a separate Amir for
each region, people accepted the principle that the man who had been chosen or
acknowledged by the majority of the Muslims in a country, should be called the
Amir of that country. The basis for this procedure has been provided by the
Holy Qur'an itself: "And they conduct their affairs by mutual
consultation" (Qur’an;42:38).
The modern legislative assemblies are a
form of mutual consultation, with the difference that they are quite free to
make whatever laws they like according to their own opinion, while an Islamic
legislative assembly, its members and their Amir all shall be bound by the law
which Allah has sent through His last Prophet (peace be upon him). There are
certain specific conditions for the membership of an Islamic assembly as well
as for the choice of an Amir, and, most important of all, laws must be made
within the bounds of the basic principles laid down by the Qur’an and Sunnah,
which the assembly cannot have the right to question.
If one looks at the present democratic
‘Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ [known as 1973 Constitution], it
is found that no law can be made repugnant to Qur’an and Sunnah. The article 62
lays down strict Islamic criteria for eligibility of representatives to contest
elections. If the laws are implemented Pakistan can revive the golden era of
Caliphate. Mere laws are not enough; the society has to be prepared to
implement the laws. It is known that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
implemented Shari’a at Medina once the people were motivated, were strong in
faith (eman) and prepared to accept
and implement the law whole heartedly. There are examples of persons who
committed sins like adultery themselves came to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
and his companions to seek punishment (Rajam,
death by stoning) [Al-Muwatta Hadith, 41.2]. They believed that the punishment
of Rajam was nothing to the
punishment of Hell fire in hereafter.
Shari’a
is not restricted to executing the punishments only, there is much more to done
at individual and collective level. As a first step the enthusiasts of Khilafat
should make endeavors to reformation society in line with spiritual and ethical
tenets of Islam. This reformation should be through peaceful preaching, self
example and patience, demonstrated through the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him), a living model of Qur’an (see Al-Asr,103:1-3). Since Islam
is the faith of “Peace”, the early Muslim community was urged to conduct the
Bigger Jihad (Jihad Kabira), through
Qur’an, i.e. Preaching of Allah’s message. Allah says in Qur’an: “therefore, do
not yield to the unbelievers, and make Jihad (strive) against them with this
(Qur'an), a mighty Jihad.”(Qur’an;25:52). Preaching and violence are
incompatible.
The modern philosopher and political
theorist, Rousseau (1712-78 C.E) admits, the practicability of the Islamic
polity and records in ‘Social Contract’, that: ‘Muhammad held very sane views,
and linked his political system well together; and as long as the form of his
government continued under the Caliphs, who succeeded him, the government was
indeed on and so far good’.
The prospects of revival of Khilafat in
some form for the Muslims of whole world though appears to be a remote
possibility but the likelihood cannot be totally ruled out, the institution did
exist though in symbolic form just 90 years back. The reality of ‘European
Union’, has been a distant dream for centuries. Who could have imagined the
universal organization like UNO, a century and half ago. The modern Caliphate may not be a highly centralized single political
entity but a ‘Common Wealth’, may lead to Confederation or groups of
Confederations to start with. Already many countries are cooperating under
regional organizations like Arab League, RCD etc. OIC [Organization of Islamic
Conference, [Arabic Munazamat Al-Mu`Tamir
Al-Islami] with more than 57 countries as members can act as spring board.
OIC aims at promoting Islamic solidarity by coordinating social, economic,
scientific, and cultural activities. Under the banner of strengthening the
struggle of Muslims, the conference pledges to eliminate racial segregation and
discrimination, it provide political and moral support to Muslims under
oppression in Kashmir, Palestine and elsewhere. Projects include the
International Islamic News Agency, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic
Solidarity Fund, and the World Centre for Islamic Education. There is room to
add more like ‘Islamic Shari’a Court’[Like International Court of Justice] etc.
This process is long but first the Muslims have to put their own house in
order. The Islamic ethics, morality and values have to be revived and practiced
willingly by the Muslims; it does not require a Caliph but dedicated preachers
of Islam (Da’ee) who can build the
base for Khilafat. There are many selfless Muslims working peacefully at
individual and collective level.
The history of the caliphate, and Islamic
history more generally, must not be the possession of one interpretation or one
narrow view, rather we should all, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, rejoice in the
richness and variety of the experience of caliphate through the ages.
Conclusion:
Islamic philosophy
is based on the belief that all spheres of life (including hereafter),
spiritual, social, political, and economic form an indivisible unity that must
be thoroughly imbued with Islamic values. This ideal forms such concepts as
"Islamic law" (Shari’a) and the "Islamic state" and
accounts for Islam's strong emphasis on social life and social duties. In
western political philosophy, there is general agreement on the finer
application of the concept of representation in government: “one (legal) person
acting on behalf of a group of people”. The conceptual basis of the Khalifah is
also considered one of representation, though the logic by which the concept
arises is different to the path taken by Thomas Hobbes. Hobbes's representative
derives authority from an assumed human state of nature to become an absolute
sovereign who predates law. The Khalifah is considered a representative of the
people in the sense of implementing pre-existing societal rules that were
addressed to the society through the revelations to the Messenger (peace be
upon him) as a collective whole, but require embodiment in an authority tasked
with implementation of these laws
(Shari’a). The Khalifah is appointed to his position according to the will of
the people. The consultative assembly (majlis
al-shura ) is equivalence of ‘parliament’ or ‘house of representative’
in Western democracies.
The system of government in an ideal
Islamic society it to be based on justice and consultation (shura), the democratic way spelled out
by Qur’an fourteen centuries ago. Obedience to authority with in bounds of law
(Shari’a) is important for stability and to avoid anarchy. The model Islamic
state is headed by a Caliph (khalifah, "successor"
to the Prophet), who hold temporal and sometimes a degree of spiritual
authority. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was succeeded in rule by rightly
guided successors among his blessed companions, who followed his footsteps (Sunnah) to the best of their abilities,
in spreading knowledge, preaching Islam, and effectively managing the affairs
of Islamic State with justice according to the law (Shari’a).
The system of Caliphate effectively
continued for 30 years after death of Prophet (peace be upon him). Thereafter
it became hereditary rule of Umayyads, followed by Abbasids who were destroyed
by the Tartar hordes in mid 13th century. Later they converted to
Islam; the Caliphate got new impetus through Ottoman Turks, though a hereditary
empire using the title of Khalifah symbolically. Shari’a remained the dominant
law among them, it was abolished in 1924. Modern Muslim militants consider the
abolition of the caliphate a catastrophic event, and its return has been a
central pillar of their political program.
Last five hundred years witnessed gradual
decline of Muslim empires and colonization of their lands by Christians from
the West. Though most of Muslims got independence but the legacy continues in
the form of neocolonialism. The nostalgia of Caliphate lingers on the collective
memory of Muslims as a symbol of unity in the glorious past. The urge for
revival of splendor and dignity has turned some to make efforts for revival of
the Caliphate, as a quick fix to the complex problems of lost identify and
grandeur but they lack mass support. Keeping in view the success of European
Union model, it may not be rejected altogether. There are many other forums for
regional cooperation in the new world which is a global village now. The
high-tech communications, advancement in science and technology has brought
people together. Hence a distant dream may come true in future. The OIC may act
as spring board. Islamic Republic of Pakistan was made after a lot of struggle
on the name of Islam for the Muslims of subcontinent South-Asia. Its Constitutions
has Islamic provisions. The government has been elected through so called
popular vote, but the majority of rulers are not only far from Islam but many
severely lack even in normal ethics and human values. Corruption, cheating
(fake graduation degrees, purchasing votes, especially for Senate seats,
stealing, bribes, bank frauds), mismanagement, nepotism, disrespect to
judiciary, disregard of law, breach of written agreements, deceit, alleged
murder, swindling state money and so on, the list is in too long, not to
mention the moral aspects. We are reminded of a verse from Qur’an and Hadith:
It has been narrated Abu Huraira; The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three:
Whenever he speaks he tells a lie; whenever he is entrusted he proves
dishonest; whenever he promises he breaks his promise."[Shaih Al-Bukhar
Hdith, Vilume.4, Number.12].
Allah says: “And there are people who say, "We do believe in God and the Last
Day," the while they do not [really] believe. They would deceive God and
those who have attained to faith - the while they deceive none but themselves,
and perceive it not. In their hearts is disease, and so God lets their disease
increase; and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent lying
And when they are told, "Do not spread corruption on earth," they
answer, "We are but improving things!" Oh, verily, it is they, they
who are spreading corruption - but they perceive it not?”(Qur’an;2:8-11)
How these people claim to represent the
will of people? Do people want robbers to rule them to add to their miseries?
The simple masses are deceived repeatedly by successive gangsters, sometimes
clad in uniform and sometimes in civvies, supported by ever compliant some
religio-political parties and groups. The present political system does not
allow election of genuinely God fearing, public representatives (Shura) having strong character and high
morals, with some exceptions. Proper implementation of Constitution and Law is
in the hands of those who make mockery of it. Presently, ‘We are chasing an
Islamic order stripped of its humanism, aesthetics, intellectual quests and
spiritual devotions…. concerned with power not with the soul, with the
mobilization of people for political purposes rather than with sharing and
alleviating their sufferings and aspirations.’ [Eqbal Ahmad]. The system requires major fix up.
Some pieces from the works of the Greek
philosopher Plato (378 BC), who tried to find
remedies for prevalent political injustice and decline in his famous book; The Republic may be relevant:
‘Though
his rulers would be form elite, but he is also an anatomist of the evils of
unbridled appetite and political corruption and insists on the need to use
public power to moral ends. In democracy, in which the poor get the upper hand,
demagogues [A leader who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to
the emotions and prejudices of the populace.] distribute "a peculiar kind of equality to equals and unequals
impartially," and the old flatter the young, fawning on their juniors to
avoid the appearance of being sour, tyrant ruler. The leaders plunder the
propertied classes and divide the spoils among themselves and the people until
confusion and corruption lead to tyranny, a worse form of government. For the tyrant
becomes a wolf instead of a man and "lops off" potential rivals and
starts wars to distract the people from their discontent. "Then, the
public learns what a monster they have begotten." concludes Plato. He mentions that the state should aim at promoting the good life
and social harmony and the rule of law, since no man can be trusted with
unbridled power.’
This
sham democracy is only to look after the interests of elite class through
exploitation and oppression of masses. Only rich and influential can contest
elections, politics has become a family enterprise for powers and wealth:
“Corruption
has appeared on land and in the sea as an outcome of what men's hands have
wrought: [Since they have become oblivious of God] and so He will let them taste [the evil of]
some of their doings, so that they might return (to the right path]”(Qur’an;30:41).
Any system of rule is bound to fail as
‘powerful mafia’ would mould it to their benefit through their strong grip at
the centers of power. They are fully backed by the foreign powers as some of
them willingly serve their interests. The looted money is parked in foreign
banks and invested there. Most of the religious political parties are no
different; some of them are always more than willing to join hands with any
government. The religious extremists [sectarians and so called Jihadis] are
also on killing spree, thorough suicide bombing and explosions at public
places; their soft target is innocent unprotected masses. The elite enjoy
foolproof security at state’s expense. Which is this Islam which sanctions
killing of innocent Muslims and non Muslims? How the people who have no regards
to the clear commandments of Qur’an will establish Khilafat? The Muslims and
common citizens are like a sheep encircled by wolfs on one side and wild dogs
on the other side.
What should be done in such a situation? Many
options remain under discussion, we should do this, we should do that, but the
point is who will do it? Who shall bell the cat? Should Muslims wait for
Messiah, or reformer to come from heaven and solve their problems? The Mehdi
and Messiah shall come at their appointed time; When? only Allah knows. The
people have to do some thing themselves:
“Allah never changes the condition of a people
until they intend to change it themselves.”(Qur’an;13:11).
“If
you turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people;
then they would not be like you!”(Qur’an;47:38).
Reformation
of society is the only option, go back to the basics of Islam. The Sunnah
of Prophet (peace be upon him) is the guide line because the Messenger (peace
be upon him) practically lead the life according to Qur’an, Allah says: “..We have sent down the reminder (Qur’an)
to you (O Muhammad), so that you may explain clearly to mankind as to what was
sent to them so that they may think about it”(Qur’an 16:44). The state of Muslim
deprivation in knowledge, morality, ethics and lack of practice of tenets of
Islam demands the mighty effort like Jihad Kabira, through Qur’an. Preaching
(Dawah) to fellow brothers and sisters (in addition to non Muslims). The Ulema
(religious scholars) should abandon the power politics, so as to lead and play
their role in this primary responsibility. The history shows that most of the
great scholars of Islam like Ibne Abbas, Abu Huraira, Abdullah ibn Masud,
Abdullah bin Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar and later Imam Abu Hanifa, took no direct
part in court politics or power struggles. Imam Abu Hanifa steadfastly refused
to be Chief Justice consequently suffered severe persecution Once Ulema indulge
in power politics they are doing it at the cost of their main role. The
declining society in dire need of ‘men of knowledge’; will be deprived, further
hastening the decline and degeneration. Power politics involves a lot of mud
slugging and controversies which damages the credibility of Ulema. The scholars
though knowledgeable but lacking in credibility become laughing stock. Ulema
should lead in teaching and preaching din
Al-Islam (Dawah), but if they
don’t, everyone should come forward to perform his/her moral duty as inheritors
of Qur’an (Refer to Qur’an; 35:32,103:3). No special expertise is required to
preach normal human ethics, values, good
deeds [amal-e-saleh] so much
emphasized by Islam, many people are already doing it. While calling brothers
deeply entangled in sins, we must not forget the universal principal of Dawah, i.e. use of wisdom, kind
arguments, patience (Qur’an;6:125-126,3:103).
The intelligentsia, media, civil society,
good political leaders, workers and common citizens [irrespective of caste,
creed, age and gender] should come forward to create awareness.
Muslim unity as Ummah:
First step is to create unity among Muslims
(Ummah) on the basis of Quran, Allah says:
“You shall hold fast, all of you together, to
the rope of Allah (Quran) and be not divided among yourselves” (Quran;3:103)
Secondly, by discarding the additional
labels (sects) by only calling themselves Muslims, the name chosen by Allah:
“It
is He Who has named you Muslims in
the bygone days and now in this Revelation (Quran). That the Messenger may be a
witness for you, and you be witnesses for all mankind! (Quran;22:78, also see
7:126, 5:3)
And the believers, men and women, are
protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong,
and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and
His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is
Mighty, Wise. (Quran;9:71)
Just by following these 3 clear
commandments of Allah, Muslims will take first step towards the path of unity
and Muslim brotherhood (Ummah). Sectarianism, one of the basic pillar of
disunity and source of infighting will get reduced if not totally eliminated.
‘Peaceful Movement for Ethics’ [PME]
As
part of ‘Peaceful Movement for Ethics’ [PME]. Local ‘Peaceful Pressure Groups’
[PPG] may be formed by good citizens, which should gradually build up to upper
levels, to keep the spread of evil and corruption under check and let the
justice to prevail. Any PEACEFUL METHODOLOGY should be adopted, with in the
norms and parameters of civilized people. A word of caution, PPG should not
behave as ‘Morality Enforcement Police’ [Khudai
Faujdar, Danda Brigades], the PEACE must not be compromised, and
law of the land must not be violated at all. Spreading anarchy and corruption
are major crimes warranting exemplary punishment, by the competent authorities
in Shari’a:
“It
is but a just recompense for those who make war on God and His apostle, and
endeavour to spread corruption (fasad) on earth, that they are being slain in
great numbers, or crucified in great numbers, or have, in result of their
perverseness, their hands and feet cut off in great numbers, or are being [entirely] banished from
[the face of] the earth: such is their ignominy in this world But
in the life to come [yet more] awesome suffering awaits them -save for such [of
them] as repent ere you [O believers] become more powerful than they: for you must know that God is
much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.”(Qur’an;5: 33-34)
The silent majority will also come forward.
No one should wait for an announcement or call; every one must start to play
his/her role to the best of abilities and resources. PME shall gain its own
momentum to become credible PPG. The honest leadership will emerge form the
masses. Through reformation of society, the Khilafat in some form will appear,
to achieve the desired effects. If we fail in our collective responsibility
then we are heading for more troubles. Many thinkers in United States and
Europe are against the idea of the caliphate, which they perceive to be a
threat to the Capitalism and their way of life. These misconceptions are
unfounded, their apprehensions and concerns will be addresses with emergence of
democratic (Shura), equitable,
peaceful and strong Muslim Ummah.
Good Governance, Stable Political System, Justice and Economic Development:
The rulers of Muslim countries have to
change their despotic attitude, improve governance, develop economy, reduce
corruption and create balanced society based on justice and fairness. Once the
objectives of Khilafat achieved, terrorists will be deprived of this great
propaganda and recruitment tool. It will be beginning of their demise. Ideology
is to be countered with batter ideology and concrete actions.
International Cooperation:
It is well known that the present terrorist
groups were nourished, trained and financed by USA and her allies in 80s to
defeat USSAR in Afghanistan. After break up of USSR, Mujahdeen were abandoned,
they worked out their own agenda. The super power involvement and international
cooperation is required to eliminate this Frankenstein, they created. This is
not solely Muslim issue, its international problem.
Countering Islamophobia:
It refers to fear, prejudice, hatred
or dislike directed against Islam or Muslims, or towards Islamic politics or
culture. The causes and characteristics of Islamophobia are still debated. Some
commentators have posited an increase in Islamophobia resulting from the 9/11
attacks, while others have associated it with the increased presence of Muslims
in the United States and in the European Union. Some people also question the
validity of the term. Some academics maintain that Islamophobia is a response
to the emergence of a distinct Muslim public identity globally, the presence of
Muslims is in itself not an indicator of the degree of Islamophobia in a
society. There are societies where virtually no Muslims live but many
institutionalized forms of Islamophobia still exist in them. According to
an other report: “Hostility towards
Islam and Muslims has been a feature of European societies since the eighth
century of the Common Era. It has taken different forms, however, at different
times and has fulfilled a variety of functions. For example, the hostility in
Spain in the fifteenth century was not the same as the hostility that had been
expressed and mobilised in the Crusades. Nor was the hostility during the time
of the Ottoman Empire or that which was prevalent throughout the age of empires
and colonialism. It may be more apt to speak of ‘Islamophobias’ rather than of
a single phenomenon. Each version of Islamophobia has its own features as well
as similarities with, and borrowings from, other versions.”
A more accurate expression would be
‘anti-Islamic racism’ for it combines the elements of dislike of a religion and
active discrimination against the people belonging to that religion. The
discrimination is racist because it is based on the belief that no matter what
such a person does s/he will never be an acceptable to or in the West. But if
there is still little awareness of and sensitivity to ‘Islamophobia’ then
‘anti-Islamic racism’ stands even less of a chance of widespread usage and
acceptance in the mainstream media and among politicians. But the struggle is
as much over discourse as over actual experience and therefore no effort should
be spared to focus on every aspect of what some may call Islamophobia and
others anti-Islamic racism.
Muslims have to be more tolerant and
must show enough flexibility to adjust in the multicultural environments of
Europe without compromising on the core Islamic values. They must come forward
in the fight against terrorists in ideological and physical front. The Muslim
youth must be educated in Islamic teachings so that they cannot be misguided by
radicals.
The recent Trump ban of Muslims from
7 countries is another expression of Islamopjobia, which will help terrorist
organizations like ISIS to recruit more foot soldiers. There has to be
narrative and plan to counter Islamophobia as counter terror policy.
A very perceptive John F. Kennedy once
remarked that ‘A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.
Ideas have endurance without death’. Ironically, this is the strategic
reasoning that defines the thinking of the terrorist. Not only have they
understood the potential importance and significance of an idea but they have
also identified the best potential carrier of this message: the youth. We must
use all our energies and resources to counter the ideology of terror: “Religion
doesn't make people bigots. People are bigots and they use religion to justify
their ideology”. (Reza Aslan)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
References
1) The Holy Qur’an, translation and
commentary by; Abdullah Yousaf Ali,. The Message of Qur’an by Muhammad Asad.
‘Are We Muslims?’ [hal nahn-o Muslemoon]
by Sayyid Qutb.‘Tafheem ul Qur’an’ by Syed Abul ala Moududi. ‘Mu’arif Qura’n’
by Muhammad Shafi. Tafseer Ibn Kathir.
‘Qur’anic Prism’, The index of subjects in Qur’an by Engineer Abudl Hakim
Malik. Sahih Bukhari Hadith. Alim by ISL
Software Corp. USA. Shi’aism; by Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai,
Translated By Sayyid Husayn Nasr. Our Dialogue: Adil Salahi, Arab News Jeddah,
apkar-pk, Muhammad Arif. Encyclopedia Britannica. The Oxford Dictionary of
Islam, by John Espostto.
4) How ISIS Twisted the Meaning of
'Caliphate' by Hugh Kennedy: http://time.com/4471463/caliphate-history/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related :
Countering Narrative of Terrorists-2: The Dogs of Hell: http://takfiritaliban.blogspot.com/2017/03/dogs-of-hell.html
Jihad, Extremism
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Read updated latest :
- Countering Narrative of Terrorists-1: Caliphate of Terrorists تکفیری خوارج کی دیشت گرد شیطان خلافت
- Countering Narrative of Terrorists-2: Dogs of Hell خوارج جہنم کے کتے
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