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Articles & News
DEMOCRACY
IN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
Democracy is a commonly known word all over the world. Most of
the political movements in the world have made it their goal to
establish this system in their respective countries. Democracy
is the most popular and accepted political system in the modern
world. Yet, there exists some difference of opinion among the
Islamic groups on democracy. Democracy and human rights have
occupied very important position in the political agenda of many
of the Islamic parties. However, some of the parties and people
do not accept it, since democracy speaks of sovereignty of the
people.
In this context, we need careful and deep analysis on this
issue. We need to understand the issue avoiding the minor
technicalities. As we see, Islamic parties and Islamic scholars
of the modern world think of a political system wherein
government will run the country through Parliament. They also
want freedom of expression, voting right of the people, rule of
law, independent & free judiciary, free press, fundamental human
rights etc. These are also the pre-requisites of the democratic
system. It is therefore, apparent on a deeper analysis that the
concept of state and govt. of Islamic Parties are in conformity
with the principles of democracy.
Theoretically speaking, Islam speaks of sovereignty of Allah,
while western democracy advocates that sovereignty belongs to
people. However, all political thinkers do not share the same
view of sovereignty. Some political scientists even argue that
there is no need of concept sovereignty at all. Even the concept
of sovereignty is not highlighted in the books which discuss
democracy though sovereignty is discussed in great detail as a
political concept in the books of political science. In this
context, we feel it necessary to quote from the writings of
Allama Yousuf Al Qardawi, an eminent Islamic scholar of the
present time. He wrote:
'The fear of some people here that democracy makes the people a
source of power and even legislation (although legislation is
Allah's alone) should not be heeded here, because we are
supposed to be speaking of a people that in its majority and has
accepted Allah as its Lord, Mohammad as its Prophet and Islam as
its Religion. Such a people would not be expected to pass a
legislation that contradicts Islam and its incontestable
principles and conclusive rules.'
'Anyway, these fears can be overcome by one article stipulating
that any legislation contradicting the incontestable provisions
of Islam shall be null and void because Islam is the religion of
the State and the source of legitimacy of all its institutions
and therefore may no be contradicted, as a branch may not run
against the main stream.'
'It should be known that the acceptance of the principle that
legislation or rule belong to Allah does not rob the Nation of
its right to seek for itself the codes necessary to regulate its
ever-changing life and earthly affairs.'
'What we seek is that legislations and codes be within the
limits of the flawless texts and the over all objectives of
Sharia and the Islamic Message. The binding texts are very few,
while the area of 'permissibility' or legislative free space is
quite wide and the texts themselves are so flexible and
capacious as to accommodate more than one understanding and
accept more than one interpretation, which leads to the
existence of several schools and philosophies within the
expansive framework of Islam.' (Quoted from 'Priorities of the
Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase', Chapter : The movement
and political Freedom and Democracy)
We find many Islamic scholars accepted the idea of democracy in
Islam though under certain conditions. Dr. Abu Said Nuruddin has
written in his book 'Mohakobi Iqbal', ( Iqbal the Great Poet)
that Allama Iqbal, was not happy with the democratic system
because of its secularist stance but he suggested in his
writings that there was no alternative to democracy. In his 6th
speech on 'Reconstruction of religious thought in Islam', Allama
Iqbal stated that Islamic state is established on the principles
of freedom, equality, and the absolute principles of stability.
Therefore the principles of democratic rule is not only similar
with the fundamental aspects of Islam rather the executing
powers are enhanced in the Muslim world (Mohakabi Iqbal, Iqbal
the Great Poet by Dr. Abu Said Nuruddin)
Iqbal observed, should the foundation of democracy rests upon
spiritual and moral values, it would be the best political
system. He wrote in the "The New Era" on its 28th July, 1917
issue: that democracy was born in Europe from economic
renaissance that took place in most of its societies''.But
Islamic democracy is not developed from the idea of economic
advancement rather it is a spiritual principle that comes from
the principle that everybody is a source of power whose
possibilities can be developed through virtue and character'. [Mohakabi
Iqbal ( Iqbal the Great Poet) by Dr. Abu Said Nuruddin, page
-239)
That means according to Iqbal Islam prescribes democracy under
the law of Allah.
We see Moulana Maududi, fifty years ago from now, in his book
'Political theory of Islam' used the term 'Theo-democracy' for
Islamic state. He didn't deny the term 'democracy'. Rather he
accepted democracy while this system will work under the
sovereignty of Allah. We also see that in the first Islamic
constitution of the present world, the term democracy was
accepted with the consent of Islamic scholars (ulema). In the
preamble, the term democracy was accepted in the following
manner :
' Wherein the principles of democracy freedom, equality,
tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, should be
fully observed'. (from the preamble of the constitution of 1956)
In the 1973 constitution the same position was maintained.
'Wherein the principles of democracy freedom, equality,
tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be
fully observed'. (from the preamble of the constitution of 1973)
This means that democracy has been accepted within the limits of
Islam so that in the name of democracy Islamic principles cannot
be violated. Islamic Scholars and Islamic Politicians have come
to accept the word democracy and what it means within these
limits.
Allama Yousuf Al Qardawi in his book ' Priorities of the Islamic
Movement In the Coming Phase' has titled one of its chapters as
' The Movement and Political Freedom and Democracy'. In this
book he has shown that Islam does not allow any kind of
autocracy or monarchy. He also showed that Islam spreads through
political freedom. He stated that Islam unlike democracy is a
complete code of life, which encompasses many more vital issues
of human needs. Above all, he thinks democracy is consistent
with Islam and the fundamental rights of mankind prescribed in
Islam can be ensured through democracy. He has advocated in
favor of democratic system and political freedom. But he
suggested to introduce a clause in the constitution to the
effect that no law will be passed contrary to the injunctions of
the Quran and Sunnah. This clause will act as guarantee against
the fear of some people that anti Islamic law may be passed
under the cover of democracy. Dr. Qardawi writes:
' It is the duty of the ( Islamic) Movement in the coming phase
to stand firm against totalitarian and dictatorial rule,
political despotism and usurpation of people's rights. The
movement should always stand by political freedom, as
represented by true , not false, democracy. It should flatly
declare its refusal of tyrants and steer clear of all dictators,
even if some tyrant appears to have good intentions towards it
for some gain and for a time that is usually short, as has been
shown by experience.
The Prophet (SAWS) said , ' When you see my Nation fall victim
to fear and does not say to wrong-doer , ' You are wrong', then
you may lose hope in them. ' So how about a regime that forces
people to say to a conceited wrongdoer, ' How just, how great
you are. O our hero, our savior and our liberator!'
The Quran denounces tyrants such as Nimrudh, Pharoah, Haman and
others, but it also dispraises those who follow tyrants and obey
their orders. This is why Allah dispraises the people of Noah by
saying, ' But they follow (men) whose wealth and children give
them no increase but only loss.' [Surat Nuh : 21]
Allah also says of Ad, people of Hud, ' And followed the command
of every powerful, obstinate transgressor'.[ Sura HUD : 59]
See also what the Quran says about the people of Pharoah, ' But
they followed the command of Pharaoh, and the command of Pharoah
was not rightly guided.[ Surat Hud : 97] ' Thus he made fools of
his people, and they obeyed him : truly they were a people
rebellious (against Allah) .' [ Sura Az- Zukhruf : 54]
A closer look at the history of the Muslim Nation and the
Islamic Movement in modern times should show clearly that the
Islamic idea, the Islamic Movement and the Islamic Awakening
have never flourished or borne fruit unless in an atmosphere of
democracy and freedom, and have withered and become barren only
at the times of oppression and tyranny that trod over the will
of the people by force which clung to Islam. Such oppressive
regimes imposed their Secularism, Socialism, or Communism on
their people by force and coercion, using covert torture and
public executions, and employing those devilish tools that tore
flesh, shed blood, crushed bone and destroyed the soul.
On the other hand, we saw the Islamic Movement and the Islamic
Awakening bear fruit and flourish at the times of freedom and
democracy, and in the wake of the collapse of imperial regimes
that ruled peoples with fear and oppression.
Therefore, I would not imagine that the Islamic Movement could
support anything other than political freedom and democracy.'
' However, the tools and guarantees created by democracy are as
close as can ever be to the realization of the political
principles brought to this earth by Islam to put a leash on the
ambitions and whims of rulers. These principles are: shura
(consultation), good advice enjoining what is proper and
forbidding what is evil, disobeying illegal orders, resisting
unbelief and changing wrong by force whenever possible. It is
only in democracy and political freedom that the power of
Parliament is evident and that people's deputies can withdraw
confidence from any government that breaches the Constitution,
and it is only in such an environment that the strength of free
press, free Parliament, opposition and the masses is most felt.'
(Quoted from 'Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming
Phase', Chapter : The movement and political Freedom and
Democracy)
It is evident from the above discussion that Islamic thinkers
and Muslim people want their right to vote, rule of law, and a
government that is to be elected by the people. The term
democracy mean all these things. Taking everything into
consideration, we can say that there is no problem to accept the
term democracy under certain conditions. We see different
constitutions and Islamic scholars conditionally accepted the
term 'democracy'. Muslim community can accept this term. This
will help to remove misunderstandings about Islam that it is for
violence and dictatorships.
Written By Shah Abdul Hannan
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