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Compiled by: Azeem Ayub |
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Reflections | |
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In the Name of Allah, |
The Political System of Pakistan: Points to Ponder
In
compliance with the Qur’ānic injunction ‘أَمْرُهُمْ
شُورَى بَيْنَهُمْ’
(their system is based on their consultation), the Sunnah decreed by the
Prophet (sws) is based on two principles: First, Muslims shall be consulted
in the affairs of state through their leaders in whom they profess
confidence. Second, among the various parties or groups present in an
Islamic State, only that party shall assume its political authority which
enjoys the confidence of the majority.
It is
evident from the above two principles that the real essence of democracy
definitely exists in an Islamic Political System, however, there are certain
evils present in the prevailing system of democracy of Pakistan, which are
contrary to the teachings of Islam. Some of the important ones are listed
below.
The
first evil is that greed for an office in government has become so desirable
a trait that even the pious feel no aversion to it. It has now become a
tradition for people to come forward and present their names for various
posts, go about proclaiming their qualities and services in streets and
employ other means to allure the public. In Islamic ethics, this shameless
attitude is not permissible at all. The Prophet (sws) is said to have said: إِنَّا وَاللَّهِ لَا نُوَلِّي عَلَى هَذَا الْعَمَلِ أَحَدًا سَأَلَهُ وَلَا أَحَدًا حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ (مسلم: رقم ١٧٣٣)
By God!
We shall not grant any person a post in this system who asks for it and
covets it. (Muslim: No. 1733) The second evil is that people are generally encouraged to vote for whatever is in the party’s interest, even if their conscience considers it against the truth. Quite evidently, this attitude cannot be tolerated by the adherents of a religion whose followers have pledged a covenant at the hands of the Prophet (sws) that they would always say what is right disregarding ‘the reproaches of a one who reproaches’.
The third evil is that money has become the decisive factor in this system’s election campaigns. Therefore, only people who are able to spend lavishly in these campaigns, however little they might know about politics, however much they may lack in wisdom and intellect and however low they may be in character, reach parliament. Islam on the contrary, as every one knows, stresses that only people who are pious and noble, worthy and competent should assume political authority. It totally disapproves that money should rule the realm of politics in place of intellect and morality. These are some of the evils which plague the democratic order of Pakistan whenever it is allowed to flourish. In their presence, it cannot be expected to function in accordance with the guidance provided by Islam. The whole set-up must be reformed and rehabilitated to harmonize it with the spirit of Islam’s political directives.
(Adapted from Ghamidi’s ‘Burhān’)
Author: Shehzad Saleem
Topic URL: http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=467
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In this Issue | ||
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Reflections | ||
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Read & Reflect
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Debate & Discuss * Discussion Forum: Understanding Islamic Political Directives | ||
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* General Discussion Forum: Arguments regarding the Existence of God | ||
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Pause & Ponder
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Successful
Recent Additions
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The Phases and Abodes of the Day of Judgement
Author Javed Ahmad Ghamidi (Tr. by Shehzad Saleem)
The phases through which a person passes and the abodes in which he is lodged during his journey to meet his Lord are also mentioned in the Qur’ān. Slowly but surely, he is moving to encounter his Lord. The first phase of this journey is death. After a short stay in this world, every single person passes through this phase. There is no escape from it. The Almighty has said: كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ المَوْت (٣: ١٨٥) (Every person shall taste death, (3:185)). It can come in the morning and it can come in the evening; one may taste it even before one’s birth or right after birth. It can come in childhood, in youth or in old age at any time and every person has to submit to it whether he likes it or not. According to the Qur’ān, at death, the real personality of a person which is called the soul by the Qur’ān and which is independent of his body is separated from his mortal being. The Almighty has told us that initially also it was given to man at the culmination of his mortal being which took place after passing through various phases and today also it is given to it once about 120 days elapse on the embryo.1 Death is the name of separating this personality of a person from his body. A specific angel – who has a whole staff of angels – is deputed for this task.2 He formally comes and collects a person’s soul just as a government official entrusted for collecting something discharges his responsibility:
قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ (١١:٣٢) Tell them: “The angel of death deputed over you shall claim your souls. Then to your Lord shall you be returned.” (32:11)
At this instance, what happens to a person is also depicted in the Qur’ān. The souls of people who have deliberately rejected their prophets even after being convinced of their veracity are claimed by the angels whilst they hit and strike these disbelievers and at this very juncture of death they inform them that a terrible torment awaits them because of their evil deeds:
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الْمَلآئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ وَذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ ذَلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلاَّمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ (٨: ٥٠-٥١) And if you could see the angels when they take away the souls of these disbelievers whilst striking them on their faces and their backs and [say:] “Taste now the torment of the fire! This is the punishment for the deeds you committed with your own hands and [you should know that] God does not do the slightest of injustice to His servants.” (8:50-51)
Read URL: http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=719
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Discussion Forum:
Understanding Islamic Political Directives
Siddiq
Bukhary(Moderator)
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General Discussion Forum:
aijaz47 Dear Mr. Hanif
Existence does not necessarily have to be physical. As regards Mermaids, their existence is imaginary or fictional. Thus if it has a name it exists.
Secondly, denial does not mean that that particular thing does not exist. One shall have to provide the prove for the denial. Physical existence is an attribute. So far it seems Mermaids do not have that attribute. Their existence is fictional. Can you deny the fictional existence of Mermaids?
Thirdly, Allah is The Creator of Universe and Claims to be so. I have not heard of anyone claiming to be the creator of The Creator. Answer shall be provided when the question arises.
student1 This is your reply to Mr. Hanif but I would like to present my comments on your reply and I hope you wont mind.
quote:
Dear Mr. Hanif
aijaz47
So you agree that
denial does not mean that a particular thing does not exist. Thanks for
accepting my point.
aijaz47
aijaz47
This is in reply to
your question "who created Allah?"
aijaz47 Kindly go to Forums> History of Quran> Collection under Abu Bakar ( may Allah be pleased with him).
Jhangeer Hanif (modeator)
I think you want to
say that existence does not have to be 'actual'. Because we know that
mermaids do not actually exist; they are fictitious in contrast to
reality. We are not taking about the nature of God's existence -
spirirtual or physical; we are talking about whether it is actual or not.
Hence when we talk about mermaids, we know that their existence is not
actual or real. Is this the case with God?
In the second
response, you are again confusing 'actual or real' with 'physical'. I am
not talking about the nature of existence. I am talking about whether
something really exists? Hence the stress is on real. I had written
Comments:
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Status of Dictatorship in Islam
Question asked by
B. A. Malik.
Question Please tell me what is the stand of Islam on military rule. Is army rule in Pakistan Islamic or unislamic?
Answer: Dictatorship of any kind is not allowed in Islam. Islam requires from the believers that their political affairs be run on the basis of consultation between the masses. Only that person is eligible to rule who commands the confidence of the majority. You may also refer to the following articles regarding the basic Islamic teachings in this regard:
Democracy and Islam and The State System .
Regards,
Tariq Mahmood Hashmi Research Assistant, Studying Islam
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