Islamic politics
A) Introduction
Islamic politics are frequently described as in some way combining "religion and politics". In the words of modern Islamic movements, Islam is ‘din wa dawla’, that is " religion and state ". To many scholars, Muslim and Non – Muslim, and also to the Muslim on the streets, understand Islam as a comprehensive way of life, encompassing every virtues and needs of Man in society. The uniqueness and beauty of Islam is that, unlike Christianity, it note the absence of ordained priesthoods and the formal institutions of a "church". The position of ‘ulamas’ or religious scholars are of a distinctive group in the Islamic society, and their involvement in the establishment of the Islamic law in a way independent of government control became an important parts of the early Islamic experience.
Many different kinds of political system existed within the Muslim world through the time. Some of the largest states were ruled by Sultans and great commanders such as the Ottoman Empire in Europe and the Middle East and the Mogul Empire in India. In Shii Iran, the rulers were shahs, and the smaller principalities ruled by local notables such as Imam of Yemen and the chieftains of the Persian Gulf states. All these political existence are a resultant from the successful establishment of an Islamic State in Madinah by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. which acted as a springboard for the surged of Islamic politics in this world. It has not stop since than and actually the awareness has grown deeper in the mind of the Muslims which can be seen by the major political ideas and thoughts generated into books, political movements and revolutions. In the 20th century, new movements of Islamic affirmation and reassertion began to emerge. Many books written by Muslim thinkers such as Ibn Taimiyah, al – Mawardi, Rashid Rida, Kalim Siddiqui, Yusof Qardhawi and plenty more support the growth of an Islamic State. Political movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Mesir, established by Hassan al – Banna and Jamaati al – Islami in Pakistan, established by al – Maududi reflect the deeper conviction of Muslim in establishing an Islamic State. Iran Islamic Revolution of 1978 – 79 represents an example of a revolutionary movement in establishing an Islamic state.
Thus, political thoughts has been the most active area of Muslim intellectual life over the last two centuries. This can be explained primarily by the ongoing struggle of various Muslim peoples in this period for their domestic freedoms and independence from Western powers – a struggle which has not reach its goal and therefore ensuring the continual politicization of the Muslim mind in the future. The structural evolution of states in the Muslim world involves both Islam and politics. Apparently, these political movements and thoughts are not free from polemics and dilemmatic arguments between the traditionalists and the reformists. The tension between conservatism which is more identified to be Islamic while the adaptationism and modernizing reform tended to be identified with secularism and modern Western perspectives have often slowed down the process of establishing an Islamic State. Reconciling the thoughts of these two thinkers are definitely a challenge for the Ummah as a whole.
In the following sections, this essay will focus on Islam and its political system. Topics such as the definitions, principles, political processes of the Islamic political system will be discussed. Differences of opinions by different scholars of the past and present pertaining to a Islamic politic in general will be noted in the last section before concluding the essay.
B) What is Islamic Politic?
Before defining Islamic politic, the need to understand what is meant by the term politic, viewed by various scholars, is an important issue to be explained. In this way, it will provide a broader understanding when Islamic politic is introduced later.
1) Politic in general
Originally the word "politic" is derived from the Greek word "polis" meaning a city and was conceived by the Greek philosophers of the City – State in terms of how arrangements in a city – state can be as to enable the citizen to live and realize a good and virtuous life.
According to Cambridge International Dictionary of English, politic is defines as ‘the activities of the government, members of law – making organizations or people who try to influence the way a country is governed’ or it refers to ‘the study of the ways in which a country is governed’.
During the Enlightenment period (1600 – 1800), which is particularly marked for its ‘Contract Theory’, and where its movement are well noted for it rationalism alone, without recourse to supernatural or traditional doctrines, few thinkers came out with their thoughts and definitions of politics. Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679), Locke (1632 – 1706) and Rosseau (1712 – 1778), define politics as a social contract where they perceived Man’s individual self interest and desires as a motivational factor in embroiling them together, thus establishing the bases of both the legitimacy of political authority and decision making, which will contribute to the peace and security of human beings. While David Hume (1711 – 1776), discarded totally the doctrine of social contract. He emphasized that Man’s affection and sympathy, instead of self interest which legitimate the political authority and decision making, which will contribute to the peace and security of human beings.
Ibn Khaldun maintained that the development of a state was due to the role and will to power generated by "ashabiya". Due to the inclination of ashabiya, it has developed into a power struggle which will further develops into a political force, creating a political society, animated by loyalty, a common outlook under the kingship of the accepted and powerful leader. This defination is also shared by most Iranian scholars such as Dr Kalim Siddiqui and Hamid Enayat in their books. Dr Kalim Siddiqui in his book, Stages of Islamic Revolution argued that the passive political thought of the Muslim has ended them up in such a undesirable position in the world. He commented that Muslim political thought ‘has to come with power and clearly the global Islamic movement needs power’. Hamid Enayat pointed out that ‘the hallmark of politics is always for power and Islam is never content with the mere exposition of its ideal, but constantly seeks the means to implement them – and power is the essential means towards this end’. Both of them argued their understanding of attaining political power through the historical struggle (jihad) of Rasulullah s.a.w. in building an Islamic State.
Having stated above, it is understood that in a secular definition, politic covers a large aspect of definitions and not just merely define as governing a state. It can be defined as a political authority governing a state with its capital in the city, who has successfully established a state through three forms, either by a power struggle as a initial springboard or through a societal contract under the principle of individual self interest which is benefiting to society or through individual affection and sympathy which will contribute to the peace and security of human beings, harnessing and administering the state in a legitimate and just manner so as to enable the citizen to live and realize a good and virtuous life economically, socially and spiritually where politic is an independent body by itself without any influence of religious doctrine.
2) Definition of Islamic Politic
In order to find out a definition of politic in Islam, a minutely emphasis on Islam itself need to be explained.
In Arabic, Islam derives from the word ‘salam’ meaning ‘peace’ and also ‘submission’ to the Will of the One and Only God, hence denoting that it is the peace that lies in submission to God.
It is revealed to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in the 7th century of the common era, and it is the only religion ‘endorsed’ and accepted by God as the final and true religion that is to be followed by mankind (5 : 3). Following with it is the Divine sources or the Shariah, al – Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. as the guiding principles to the Muslim for him to lead his life in this world and hereafter. Ijtihad (personal reasoning) is another process to facilitate for a betterment of the Muslim’s life in view of changing time and space where new rules and laws are ‘created’ by credential Muslim Scholars within the framework of the Divine Sources. These Divine sources or Shari’ah and Ijtihad make up the Islamic Law where the Muslim community will behave accordingly to them.
In Arabic, the word "politic" is derived from the verb "sass’e" which literally means to harness or to administer something for a purpose. Islam does not deem man as self interest alone but also considers Man as altruistic, that is of good nature in enjoining good and forbidding evil (3 : 114). Islam opposed to the theory of Thomas Hobbe where Man’s self interest can bring about a just and peaceful society as Islam considers Man’s self interest may also lead him and society to evil deeds thus leading to unjust and chaotic society (95 : 4). Thus, Islam placed the authority of the Divine Sources, al – Qur’an and Sunnah, above all other requirement and being the basic principle for the Muslim to follow in guiding his life even in politic.
Having said above, Islamic politic can be defined as a political authority governing a state with its capital in the city, who has successfully established a state either through the process of electing a Khalifah or by a power struggle as a initial springboard, harnessing and administering the state in a legitimate and just manner according to the principles laid down in the Divine Sources, so as to enable the citizen to live and realize a good and virtuous life in this world, be it economically, socially and spiritually and also for the better life of the hereafter.
C) Principle of Islamic Political Order
Islam, being a revealed religion, divine and truthful, encompassing every aspect of Man’s life, be it materially or spiritually, promising for a better life in this world and hereafter, while politic being the main instrument in manifesting this ideology, do emphasizes greatly on how Man should governed the State and society. Thus, revelations in the form of al – Quran and Sunnah, become the guiding principle in the Islamic political system.
1) Tawhid – Unity of God
‘La ilaha illallah, Muhammadun Rasullullah’ ….. There is no deity except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. This simple statement of a Muslim’s basic belief is the starting point for all that follows. This statement of Al Tawhid is a powerful statement of faith which represents the liberation of the one who professes it from servitude and submission to anything or anyone other than God Most High. It is an absolute denial of all other claimants to divinity and supreme authority, the affirmation of God’s Oneness and Sovereignty and acceptance of His guidance as revealed to prophet Muhammad s.a.w., the last of God’s messengers. With this Divine statement, it brings along with it the understanding that all creation is subservient to Him. With this relationship at the core of all matters, all things and all creatures are thus interrelated, the least is at the basic level. As emphasized by Dr Taha Jabir al ‘Alwani’, ‘ al Tawhid is a belief in the Divine Principle’ not just a statement per say. It is the conviction and witnessing that ‘ there is no God but God’ … a general view of reality, of truth, of the world, of space, and time, of human history and destiny. It is an act of affirming Allah s.w.t to be the One, the absolute, transcendent Creator, the Lord and master of all that exist may it be in this world or the Hereafter (21 : 22). This affirmation is than embodied in Man’s heart through his Iman or as al – Faruqi puts it, conviction, which will be manifested through his deeds in his daily affairs or to be specified, in his political outlook.
Thus, this principle of al – Tawhid or Unity of God, negates the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of Man. Nothing can claim sovereignty be it a human being, a family, a class or group of powerful people, a King, a Prime Minister or even the human race in the world as a whole. God alone is the Sovereign and His Commandments are the Law of Islam.
2) Shariah : Divine Sources
Revelations has been the motivational approach of the Islamic politic in establishing the political Islamic ideology. The revelations being Divine in nature, which has been revealed by the Creator Himself to has been the absolute Truth in guiding man in his field of political life. The guiding principles of Islamic politic are derived from the Shari’ah. The sources of the Shari’ah are al – Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
a) The al – Qur’an
The Qur’an is the book of God which has been preserved since it was revealed. The Qur’an contains general and broad guidelines for the conduct of human beings. On political matters, too, it provides a set of fundamental principles to guide human conduct. The injunctions of the Qur’an are immutable and applicable to all societies and are valid for all times to come. The Qur’an is thus a primary source of Islamic politic. As Imam as – Shafi’I has said, Divine Law is a declaration on all matters and provides for every possible eventuality and this is the claim advanced by the al – Qur’an itself (16 : 89).
b) The Sunnah of the Prohet Muhammad s.a.w.
The Sunnah is the speech, action or tacit approval of the Prophet s.a.w. as recorded in the books of traditions. The literature on traditions of the Prophet s.a.w. covers the entire orbit of life, including the political aspect. Although most of the traditions are general and applicable for all times, there are some whose relevancy is time bound. Knowledge of the traditions containing injections about political activities is an essential part of the approach to be taken in Islamic politic. The Blessed Prophet s.a.w. has in accordance with the intention of the Divine Book, set up for us a model of the system of life in Islam by practically implementing the Law and providing necessary details.
According to the classical theory, the Shari’ah is the revealed Will of God, a divinely ordained system preceding and not preceded by the Muslim State, controlling and not controlled by Muslim society. It has the character of a religious obligation to be fulfilled by the Muslim. The law takes into consideration primarily the interests of the community and the individuals so long that they conform to the common interest of Islam. It also stands for the integration of society for the spiritual benefit and social good of mankind. Therefore, the main objective of the Shari’ah is the formation of human life and society on the basis of virtues or ‘Ma’rufat’ and to purge humanity of vices or ‘Munkarat’ and to raise, for this purpose a band of ‘Salehin’ or the righteous who enjoin the right conduct and forbid indecency (3 : 110), more so to the Administrators of the State in ensuring that this obligation is manifested in the form of Islamic politic.
3) Khilafat – The Caliphate - The Islamic State
In Islam, it recognizes that Man is created as a khalifah (vicegerent) on earth (2 : 30, 6: 165, 57 : 7). The word ‘khalifa’ or vicegerent can be literally translated as a representative of God on Earth thus denoting that the real position and place of Man is that of the representative of God on this Earth. All powers and abilities are
delegated to him by God. With the power delegated to him, he is thus required to exercise the divine authority in this world within the limits prescribed by God. This implies that Man as caliph should fulfill 4 conditions :
He should make sure that the real ownership of the power remains with God.
He should administer the affairs of this world and human society in accordance with the instructions of God.
He should exercise his authority within the limits prescribed by God.
He should execute God’s Will in the administration of the State, unlike the modern day democracy where the power belongs to the will of the people.
By exercising these 4 duties and requirements, the caliphate that is the Islamic State is established. This vicegrency or status of khalifah is not only applicable to the Head of State but it is bestowed to every individuals of mankind. Each of its individual shares the divine caliphate, the rights and powers of the caliphate of God. The only different is in the level of responsibility depending on the position or trust he holds in society. As being narrated by the Prophet in one of his hadith where he said that everyone of us is a shepherded and everyone is responsible over the sheep under his care. With this equality of rights and power, God has introduced the true concept of democracy in an Islamic State. As His vicegerents, human beings are accountable to Him and will be rewarded or punished in the Hereafter in accordance with his deeds relative to the Divine Guidance from Him. Human beings by virtue of the fact that they have been endowed with freewill, rationality and moral consciousness combined with an inherent God – consciousness, are required to live in exclusive worship and obedience to God.
After the demise of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w., the period of Khilafa al – Rashida began and lasted for forty years where the direct disciples of the Prophet established the Khilafa system of Government. The word Khilafa literally means succession to the leadership of the Prophet s.a.w. But this succession did not, of course, include ‘Prophet hood’ because it is a fundamental principle of Islam to believe that Prophet Muhammad was the last Prophet. Succession therefore meant the establishment of a successor Government to that of the Prophet in accordance to Shari’ah Law. It was precisely this institution of Government that was called ‘Khilafa’ and the person who leads this Government was called Khalifa, meaning Successor.
In this way, in an Islamic state or political system, sovereignty vests in God and the people are his caliphs or representatives only. The government and the people who form the caliphate have one and all to fulfill the purpose of God. Thus, by making Man understands his purpose of creation and his accountability, this will motivates him to actualize the aim of Islamic State which is to eliminate unjust and tyrannical government, which will lead to dissatisfactions and injustice among the people resulting in terrorism, bloodshed and clashes among humanity.
D) Islamic Political Process : Ijtihad and Shura
To the extend that politics may be conceived as an instrument of power affecting change and control through the evolution of time and space, it is of relevance to consider how such processes of politics operate within the work of both the Shari’ah and of the State in today’s modern society.
1) The Political Process through Ijtihad
As discussed in the previous section, the basic sources of the Shari’ah are the al – Qur’an and the Sunnah. However, there are even occurrences during the time of the Prophet s.a.w. where problems arose and without knowing the solution due to the absence of direct relevant text or reference from the al – Qur’an or Sunnah which could give guidance to some specified issues. Even the Prophet acknowledged this problem and approved the decision made by Muadh bin Jabal to perform his ijtihad in matters where there is no relevance text from the Divine sources. Thus during the time of the Prophet s.a.w., it was understood that ijtihad had to be resorted to by Muslims in order to solve problems. With the following of time and space, in view of the technological and scientific advancement, the need of ijtihad is more of a crucial requirement in today’s political environment so that Islamic politic is as relevance as in the past.
The word ijtihad derives itself from the Arabic root word, ‘ jahada’, meaning striving, self – exertion, hardship and difficulties . In the loose translation, ijtihad means
‘interpretation’. Literally ijtihad means the exerting of one’s self in using his personal reasoning or independent thinking to the utmost degree to attain an object. In the general terminology, ijtihad refers to exerting one’s self to form an opinion in a case or give legal verdict or decision on an issue on which there is no specific guidance in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Ijtihad can also be understand in two forms, the narrow and broader understanding. In the narrow sense, ijtihad is the business of the jurists while in the broader sense, it is understand in the form of the spirit of ijtihad where every Muslims in the community is imbued with the knowledge and concept of ijtihad in the area of rationality and creativity, thus, enabling them to translate it to their day to day affairs. The function of ijtihad is a function available to every single Muslim person provided they have the basic moral character possessed by Muslims and have scholarly and technical skills of Islamic Law. It is a process where total expenditure of effort made by jurists or the mujtahid in order to infer, with a degree of probability, the rules of Shari’ah from their sources, or implementing such rules and applying them to particular issues. In this broader sense of definition, as Dr Hazizan Mohd Noon put it, ‘ Ijtihad is a guided rationality and creativity’. The various sources of Islamic Jurisprudence such as analogy (qiyas), consensus of opinion (ijma), juristic preferences (istihsan), public interest (maslahah), etc, except the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are the manifestations of ijtihad through the process achieved in harmonizing between revelation and reason though the various sources differs with each other in the procedural aspects only.
Through the process of ijtihad, it will act as the initial start up in providing Islamic politic the dynamism of change in time and space, allowing it to challenge the western political systems or even supercede them in the near future. Dr Kalim Siddiqui, commented that ijtihad is a form of an ‘intellectual revolution, a process and correction in the understanding of history and the historical forces at work affecting a people or all mankind, setting up us on a course leading to total, or near total, corrective action by all the people acting together. it gives rise to a prolonged struggle, leading to partial success, many failures, the revision and refinement of ideas, new forms of leadership and ultimately, to total Islamic Revolution that defeats all opposition and set up the Islamic State’.
2) The Political Process through Shura
There is no specified form of government prescribed by the Qur’an or the Sunnah. It is of a blessing by God to the people which in return allowing flexibility be retained as to the adoption of some form suited to the occasion of time and as long as it is within the general values dictate by the Qur’an and Sunnah except for despotism. One of the main political process is the authority of the Government is that of Shura.
The institution of Shura is obligatory in an Islamic State. It is based on the Qur’anic injunction in compliance with the Qur’anic verse, " Their affairs are conducted by mutual consultation" (42 : 38). Shura means Consultation. It was practiced by the Prophet s.a.w. and subsequently by the four Khalifas’ in the Khalifa ar-Rashida period.
It is the media through which the will of the Muslim political community, the Ummah,
expresses itself on public policies with respect to the Government. In modern times, consultation fulfills the purpose of legislation.
Consultation is the key word of the advisory council. Advisory council may be selected and also elected if its decisions should have a effect on the community. The procedure, the form of election, the duration of representation are all left to be applied as it suits the occasion, time and place with the virtues of fairness and just election campaign as a necessity. The members preferably to be chose among the community, priority given to the morally and religiously good who abstain from major sins, knowledgeable academically and religiously and a respectable figure in the community in term of his involvement in the well – being of the community.
Thus, above are the distinctive principles of the Islamic political system with the processes to move it along through time and space. Majority of the Muslim political thinkers do agree on those basic principles and processes in the Islamic system. The on - going debate by these scholars are more on the details of the application of those principles to the modern era with the fullest intention of establishing a total Islamic State.
E) Comparative Political Thoughts by Muslim Political Thinkers
Political thought has been the most active area of Muslim intellectual life over the last two centuries. This can be explained primarily by the on going struggle of various Muslim peoples in this period for their domestic freedoms and independence from the Imperialism and Western influence, be it in the revolutionaries movements or thought provoking books, essays and articles written by them. The worrying phenomenon of ‘Westoxification’ among the Muslims leading to a crisis in the Muslim identity, has reached a critical stage whereby Muslim scholars diligently spent their time trying to save the Muslim community through ‘Islamization’.
1) Dr Kalim Siddiqui : Stages of Islamic Revolution
In this book, Dr Kalim Siddiqui postulated the idea of global Islamic Revolution among the Muslim. He stressed on the need to relook into the understanding of the Prophet Sirah and Sunnah in establishing an Islamic State. This is done through an intellectual revolution which will further lead to a Islamic Revolution through jihad and power struggle. He even agreed and supported the struggle carried out by the Hizbollah and Jihad Islam in freeing Lebanon and Palestine from the dominance Israel Zionists. It is through these small revolutions that will later reached it peak into the final Islamic revolution across the globe. According to him the fire must not die even how small it is. He chided the failure of the Sunni movements such as the movements of Ikhwanul Muslimin and Jamaat al – Islami due to the presence of nationalism in their movements. This nationalist movement is also observed by an Orientalist writer, John L.Esposito, where he wrote that " it is the national movements, which seek to Islamize the existing political units, that are of greatest importance’ rather than the opposite. Basically, he suggested that the Sunni school of thought should converged with the Shia school of thought rather than wasting their energy and resources as the Shias’ have already went through the process of change and successfully completed in the establishment of the Islamic State in Iran in 1978 – 79. This convergence can be done so by accepting Ayatollah Khomeini or the Iranian leadership as a centralized power of Islamic global revolution towards an establishment of a global Islamic State.
2) Dr. Tijani Abd. Qadir Hamid : Political Thought in the al – Qur’an (Translation)
In this book, Dr Tijani argued on the political movement and strategy of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. dated back from the time of the first revelation and his occupancy in Mekah before hijrah. Unlike most scholars who emphasized the political idea and strategy of the Prophet s.a.w. only started in Medina after establishing the Islamic State and not in Mekah where greater emphasized was given to strengthening his followers faith, he strongly reasoned out the political thoughts of Rasullullah s.a.w. is in synergy with the establishment of faith as well. He supported his arguments using the long chapter of al – A’raaf which was revealed in Mekah before Hijrah and broke up the chapter in 3 sections, firstly arguing on the descriptive position of Man to his creator and society, secondly on the historical evidences of the past prophets laid down by the verses and finally, concluding with specified verses in the chapter in extracting the political thoughts of the Prophet s.a.w. from the first two sections. An example that is worth quoting was the expedition taken by the Prophet s.a.w. to Taif. In this expedition, the Prophet was not only preaching the Unity of God to the people but also with a political agenda in his mind. He argued that the mission of the Prophet s.a.w. to Taif is to get support and to create an atmosphere of ally with the people of Taif with the intention of causing ‘damage’ to the economy of the Quraish in Mekah and thus, establishing an Islamic state there which he failed. Also, failing to create an ally from outside, he tried to get political support within Mekah itself during the Haj activities at that time by introducing himself to the tribes during their Haj expeditions, which finally ended up with the Treaty of Aqabah the first. He cited few more incidences where the political motive of Rasulullah s.a.w. was obviously clear. He stressed that Mekah was not in a condition and environment to allow Rasulullah s.a.w. to carry out his political ambition as yet, but it did provide Rasulullah s.a.w the opportunity to develop his political strategy and to execute his groundwork for the establishment of an Islamic State as commanded by God.
3) Hamid Enayat : Modern Islamic Political Thought
In his Introduction chapter, Hamid Enayat subltely blasted the Sunni Scholars for not developing their thoughts due to their soft political approaches on the establishment on an Islamic State. Taking the cue from the Islamic Revolution in Iran, he seem to wonder and felt apprehensive on the dilemmatic approaches of the Sunni scholars in achieving their goal. He brought up 3 issues from the traditional political debates : a) the right to elect rulers, b) the method of election and c) the right to revolt against injustice. It is the third issue of the right to revolt against injustice that puzzled him. He said that the third issue has understandably proved more intractable, since it was often overshadowed by the consideration of ‘avoiding disorder’ (ittiqa’ al – fitnah). However much the contemporary scholars quote from classical texts to demonstrate its solid basis in the legal right of the community to dismiss a sinful ruler, there is no known example of this right having been exercised in the past with consensus of the ulama. The next slowdown by the Sunni scholars are their heavy emphasize on the development of economic infrastructure in the Islamic State rather than the political institutions. Thus, these two issues need to be refocused by the Sunni scholars if the Islamic State is to be a success.
4) Ismail Raji al Faruqi : AL TAWHID : Its Implications for Thought and Life
Al – Faruqi sets a different outlook in the aim of establishing an Islamic Sate. He preached on the principle of al –Tawhid as the driving force behind the success of the Islamic State. In his understanding, al – Tawhid is a binding force among the Muslims. He said that al – Tawhid asserts that Muslims are a single ummah (21 : 92), indeed a single brotherhood, whose members mutually love one another in God, enjoining good and forbids evil (3 : 104) and cling together without exception to the rope of God and do not separate from one another (3 :103). He stated that everything moves around the ummah, and said that the ummah is equally the state and as a state, the ummah should be referred to as al – khilafah rather than al – dawlah. Thus, al – Faruqi stressed the importance of everyone in the ummah to purely and sincerely affirmed the principle of al – Tawhid. Everyone of the ummah has a role to play and each of us needs to have a strong Iman or conviction in manifesting the principle of al – Tawhid in their daily activities. Everyone has to be a sincere Muslim. The ummah should work for the ummah, by providing education as the initial platform so as to free the Muslim ummah from literacy and developing him into a fully developed potential to lead the ummah. With this conviction, it will assist the ummah to sacrifice their personal goals to that of the ummatic goals, in hoping for al- jannah. If this affirmation of the al – Tawhid and conviction is strong enough, irregardless who and where we stand or the status we are in, this will surely act as a provisional base on which to anchor itself, thus allowing the al – khalifah to mobilize the whole Muslim world and call it to march. Once the ummah stands in readiness, the victory will be sweet for the ummah. Thus what the ummah need to do is to ‘ Think Globally but Act Locally’.
F) Conclusion
The Muslim world which now counts more than a billion members residing in an area stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and now beginning to take root and spread in Europe and the America, constitutes a great potential for making the word of God supreme in the world. Unfortunately, the growth of the Muslim is not as rapid as to the growth of an Islamic State. The totality of the ummah in numbers do not make it any superior than the minority of Zionist Jews in Israel. The suffering of Palestinians and that of Afghans, Africans, Bosnia and many more Muslims brothers and sisters are not help by the numbers of Muslims the ummah possess. We have lost the Masjidil Aqsa at the hands of the Jews surrounded by Arab Muslim lands. Politically, we are at a lost and that is a sad fact. How can the Muslims return the glory of Islam? Can the call for a revolution and accepting Iranian leadership by Dr Kalim Siddiqui and Hamid Enayat solve the problem? Or the importance of acquiring knowledge as a priority and the reunderstanding the epistemological of Islamic law to that of social sciences as philosophized by al – Faruqi and Dr Gailan Mahmood Ramiz be the answer to this dilemma? Or going back to basic of al – Tawhid in generating the Iman and conviction prescribed by al - Faruqi be the solver? To pick and choose on which is right and wrong is just like saying that I do not need the brain but just a pair of legs to do the job of walking.
The recent action taken by the OIC on the bombings by the American and British on Afghanistan is absolutely a shame to Islam and the Ummah. Their passive follow up and mere talking are quite unforgiving. The Muslim civil wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait and the support of Northern Alliance to the Americans in wiping out the Talibans rather than sitting together and assisting each other to combat the Americans are ironical to the Qura’nic statement of a single Ummah. Theoretically, a lot of debates and discussions have been done by the scholars, be it Sunni or Shia. Most scholars have done their part in establishing the criteria for the reemergence of an Islamic state but what it need now is the action taken by the whole ummah especially the Muslim leaders to be sincere in their objectives of establishing an Islamic State solely in the interest of God alone. The willingless to sacrifice their own personal gains and for their own state that they are administering in replacement for other Muslim states will be a turning point for the establishment of an Islamic State. When that happens, whatever theories that the scholars have written can be placed on the table for further actions.
Definitely, the triumph of the Islamic State will re – emerge as the leaders and fellow Muslims have put down their heart and sole for the Ummah. The crisis and the commotions will dissolve just like the time in Saqifah during the election of Abu Bakr r.a. where the Anshar and Muhajirin ‘fight’ among each other but due to their deep understanding on the well being of the Ummah and obtaining the pleasure of God as a priority, Islam prevails and the spread of Islamic State goes beyond the Arab Peninsula.
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