A Change in Egypt?

Egypt Erupts in Jubilation as Mubarak Steps Down

An 18-day-old revolt led by the young people of Egyptousted President Hosni Mubarak on Friday, shattering three decades of political stasis here and overturning the established order of the Arab world.

Shouts of “God is great” erupted from Tahrir Square at twilight as Mr. Mubarak’s vice president and longtime intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, announced that Mr. Mubarak had passed all authority to a council of military leaders.

Politics in Islam - The Khilafah/Caliphate (Updated Thrice)

Since Islam is a deen, it covers all aspects of life including the political aspect. Here is an overview of the Islamic political system.
The word khilafah has been taken from the Arabic root word Khalifa meaning to follow or to succeed. When the Prophet Muhammad (S) died, Hadhrat Abu Bakr became the leader of the Muslims. He was called KhalifatulRasulullah. Even though, Hadhrat Umar (RA) assumed the title of Ameer-ul-Momineen, the title of Khalifa was also retained and in time the Muslims adopted this title, Khalifa, for their leader.
The first four khalifas were called the rightly guided khalifa, or caliphs. During their reign, Islam was fully enforced on their people. However, soon after these four khalifas, the khilafat changed into monarchy but the name of the post remained unchanged.
By the first world war, the khalifa had shifted his headquarters to Turkey. In the first world war, Turkey fought against the British and was badly defeated. Even though the British had decided to abolish the seat of caliphate, they could not do this because the nationalist party under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk abolished it and took control.
The khilafah, in reality, is a system given by Allah. Since this system has been made by Allah, it cannot contain any flaw. This system was followed by the four rightly guided caliphs. According to this sytem, the sovereignty belongs to Allah and the Islamic Shariah or Islamic law is enforced. This law is the law given in the Quran, Ahadith, decided by ijma or consensus and qiyas or analogy.
The current system in the world, capitalism, has taken its foundations from the system of khilafat. However, since people tried to change it, it lost many of its advantages. Here's an example to prove this. If a person has a specific recipe to make a cake and he modifies it, the cake will either become better or worse. However, it is for time to prove what it has become. Similarly, time has proven that while the Muslims were using the system of khilafat, they remained the superpowers for centuries. However, no other country has remained a superpower for that long because no other country has used the system of khilafat.
It is the duty of every Muslim on the face of the earth to strive for the establishment of khlifat.

***** Inshallah, I'll write a new article on the methodology soon.

Recalling Summer 2007 - Lal Masjid Incident

Listening to sounds of bullets being fired, watching television all day and asking Allah for mercy.

These are recollections of the famous incident of the military operation of Lal Masjid in Islamabad in summer 2007. Moulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi and Moulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi, the 2 brother imams and khateebs of Lal Masjid, had stood up in open revolt against the government of Pakistan. They wanted to establish an Islamic state in Pakistan with the Islamic shariah enforced. They had included with themselves, Umm-e-Hassaan, the principal of Jamia Hafsa and the wife of Moulana Abdul Aziz, the girls studying in Jamia Hafsa and the boys studying in the madrassa of Lal Masjid. Formerly, these people had taken over a library.

Many agencies had agreed to support these people but these agencies were, in fact, unreliable as time proved it. Therefore, the two moulanas were trapped with their “fighters” in the basement of the Lal Masjid. Further, they were under siege and many of their resources were blocked.

However, the government allowed a safe passage for the students. The 2 moulanas decided that one of them should go out secretly and negotiate with the government. Moulana Abdul Aziz, hidden in a burqa, went out with the female students but was unsuccessful in his objective and was captured. He was further humiliated by being made to go in front of a camera to an interviewer in the same dress.

The siege was carried out for a few more days (I cannot remember the exact number). One day, the media was able to contact Moulana Abdur Rashid Ghazi and the moulana knowing that he had little time left contacted most of the important TV channels of Pakistan.

He told the media that his mother was breathing her last and his last breaths were also about to come. Many of his companions in the mosque had died and many others were also in their last moments. He also gave a message that their movement will not come to an end but others will be motivated by it. By evening the news of his martyrdom was announced in the media.

This was at the time of the peak of President (General) Musharraf and he had very little opposition because most of the people of Pakistan were his supporters. However, after his government mercilessly killed the students in Lal Masjid and destroyed Jamia Hafsa completely he became unpopular amongst many of his supporters. This unpopularity became so high that when it was ordered that the Lal Masjid be painted white, many people went there with red paint and painted it red again.

Another reason for the increase in unpopularity of President Musharraf was that he besieged the mosque that was old and famous and many people would go there for prayer. Many people had sent their children there for education and they were of the opinion that the issue should be resolved through peaceful negotiations.

Many people considered the sacrifices of the 2 moulanas as heartbreaking while others considered it as a foolish act. The moulanas had sacrificed all they stood for for the cause of Allah, the establishment of an Islamic state. Students sacrificed their lives and one of the moulanas sacrificed his life. Parents came to take their children away but many returned empty-handed. Why, then, did the movement fail? It was due to a few simple but important reasons.

First of all, as I mentioned earlier, the moulanas were relying on unreliable sources who eventually betrayed them. Secondly, they had not shared their plan with any of their students and neither had they sought permission from those students’ guardians. However, they had been successful in training many of them to obey their orders. Thirdly, the moulanas were not aware that the reaction of the government would be so harsh.

Finally the most important reason was that the real leader had been Umm-e-Hassaan. She had been giving speeches to her students and many other listeners in which she instigated the audience to rebel against the government of Pakistan. Nowhere in the history of Islam is there any incident where a woman was made the leader, except Battle of Jamal (Camel). Even in that battle, the leader, Hadhrat Aisha (RA), was defeated. Due to this reason, many of the important Muslim leaders and scholars were not supporting the moulanas, even though they were trying to restore good relations between the government and the moulanas.

Therefore, in the summer of 2007, you would meet many people who would say that the cause of the “fighters” of Lal Masjid was correct but their method was not.

Is it permissible to swear allegiance to a kaafir ruler?

Is it permissible to swear allegiance to a kaafir ruler?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Allegiance (bay’ah) is a pledge to obey. And it is a shar’i contract between the one who swears allegiance and the one to whom allegiance is sworn, namely the ruler or caliph.

Allegiance is sworn to a caliph after the decision makers (ahl al-hill wa’l-aqd) select him; they are the ones who meet the conditions of being trustworthy and of sound opinion.

In al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (9/274) it says:
Bay’ah or allegiance, as defined by Ibn Khuldoon in his Muqaddimah, means: a pledge to obey; it is as if the one who swears allegiance is promising his ruler that he will accept his authority with regard to his own affairs and the affairs of the Muslims, and he will not dispute with him with regard to any of that, and he will obey him in any duties that he assigns to him, whether at times of ease or at times of hardship. When they swore allegiance to a ruler and made this pledge, they would put their hands in his as confirmation of the pledge. That is akin to what the seller and purchaser do, so bay’ah or allegiance was accompanied by a handshake. End quote.

It also says (9/278):
The selection by the decision makers of the ruler and their swearing allegiance to him (bay’ah) is the basis of his taking that position. The decision makers (ahl al-hill wa’l-‘aqd) are the scholars and people of wisdom and high status, whose knowledge is accompanied by other essential conditions: trustworthiness, good character and wisdom. End quote.

Just as there are conditions that must be met by the decision makers, there are also conditions that must be met by the caliph to whom allegiance is sworn. Some of these conditions are the subject of scholarly disagreements, but on others there is consensus. Not one of the scholars disagreed with the condition that the ruler must be a Muslim, because what is implied by bay’ah (swearing allegiance) is the implementation of the laws of Allaah, carrying out of hadd punishments and guarding the borders of Islam, so how can a kaafir implement the laws of Allaah and do these things? Rather if the ruler is a Muslim and becomes a kaafir, he must be removed from office because of his kufr.

Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, discussing the conditions of leadership:
He should be a Muslim, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And never will Allaah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers” [al-Nisa’ 4:141]. Rulership is the greatest of such ways. And Allaah has enjoined us to put the people of the Book in their place and to take the jizyah from them. End quote.
Al-Fasl fi’l-Milal wa’l-Ahwa’ wa’l-Nihal (4/128).

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Al-Qaadi said: The scholars are unanimously agreed that a kaafir should not be appointed as ruler, and that if the ruler becomes a kaafir, he must be deposed. End quote.
Sharh Muslim (12/229).

In al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (6/218) it says:
The fuqaha’ stipulated conditions for the ruler, on some of which there is consensus and concerning others there is a difference of opinion.

The conditions of rulership on which there is consensus are:
1 – Islam (i.e., the ruler should be a Muslim), because this is a condition of testimony being acceptable and guardianship being valid, which are much less serious issues than rulership. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And never will Allaah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers” [al-Nisa’ 4:141]. And rulership, as Ibn al-Qayyim said, is the greatest of such ways. And he is to take care of the interests of the Muslims. End quote.
Based on this, it is not permissible to swear allegiance to a kaafir ruler, and if the ruler becomes a kaafir then he should be deposed, according to the conditions that are known to the scholars.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Is it permissible in Islamic sharee’ah for a woman to be a ruler?

Are women allowed to be rulers in the islamic shariah? (i would prefer evidence from the Qur'an).

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:
We appreciate our brother’s keenness to find out and follow the evidence from the Qur’aan, but there will not necessarily be evidence specifically from the Qur’aan for every issue. Rather the evidence for many rulings is to be found in the saheeh Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), not the Qur’aan. The Muslim has to follow the evidence of both the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination”
[al-Nisa’ 4:59]

Allaah has commanded us to obey Him and to obey His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and He has commanded us to refer matters of dispute to His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it). And fear Allaah; verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”
[al-Hashr 59:7]

Ibn Maajah (12) narrated from al-Miqdaam ibn Ma’di Yakrib that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Soon there will come a time when a man will be reclining on his pillow, and when one of my hadeeth is narrated to him, he will say, ‘The Book of Allaah is (sufficient) between us and you. Whatever it states is permissible we will take as permissible, and whatever it states is forbidden, we will take as forbidden.’ Verily, whatever the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has forbidden is like that which Allaah has forbidden.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 8186

Secondly:
The evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicates that it is not permissible for a woman to assume positions of senior public authority, such as the caliph (khaleefah), minister of state (wazeer or vizier) or judge (qaadi) and so on.
1 – Evidence from the Qur’aan:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means”
[al-Nisa 4:34]

Al-Qurtubi said:
The words “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women” mean that they spend on them and protect them, and also that they (men) are the rulers and governors, and the ones who go on military campaigns, and none of these are the role of women.
Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 5/168.

Ibn Katheer said:
It means the man is in charge of the woman; he is her leader, the ruler over her who disciplines her if she goes astray.
“because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other” means, because men are superior to woman, and a man is better than a woman. Hence Prophethood was given only to men, as is the role of caliph, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No people will ever prosper who appoint a woman in charge of them.”
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/492.

2 –Evidence from the Sunnah:
It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said: When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard that the people of Persia had appointed the daughter of Chosroes as their queen, he said, “No people will ever prosper who appoint a woman in charge of them.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4163.
Al-Shawkaani said in Nayl al-Awtaar, 8/305:
This indicates that women are not qualified to rule, and it is not permissible for people to appoint them as rulers, because they must avoid that which will cause them not to prosper.
Al-Maawirdi said, in the context of his discussion of the position of wazeer:
It is not permissible for a woman to play this role, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “No people will prosper if they delegate their affairs to a woman.” And because these positions require wisdom and resolve, which women may be lacking in, and requires appearing in public to handle matters directly, which is haraam for them to do.
Al-Ahkaam al-Sultaaniyyah, p. 46.

Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, in the context of his discussion on the role of caliph:
There is no dispute that it is not permissible for a woman (to be caliph).
Al-Fasl fi’l-Milal wa’l-Nihal, 4/129.

In al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (21/270) it says:
The fuqaha’ are agreed that one of the conditions of the position of caliph is that the holder should be male. The leadership of a woman is not valid, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No people will ever prosper who appoint a woman in charge of them.” That is also so that he will be able to mix with men, to devote his time solely to dealing with affairs of state, and because this position involves handling very serious matters. The responsibility is great and this is a man’s role.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked the following question:
What is the Islamic view on a woman being nominated as a candidate for the position of head of state, or head of a government, or a public ministry?
He replied:
It is not permissible to appoint or elect a woman as head of state. This is indicated by the Qur’aan, Sunnah and scholarly consensus. In the Qur’aan, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other…”
[al-Nisa 4:34]

The ruling in the verse is general and includes a man’s position of leadership in his family, and applies more so to his position of public leadership. This ruling is supported by the reason given in the verse itself, which is men’s intellectual superiority and better understanding etc, which are basic qualifications for leadership.

In the Sunnah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No people will ever prosper who appoint a woman in charge of them.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari.
Undoubtedly this hadeeth indicates that it is haraam for a woman to take a position of public leadership, or to become the governor of a province or city, because all of that comes under the general meaning of the hadeeth, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that those who appoint a woman as their leader will never prosper. Prospering means being successful and doing well.

The ummah unanimously agreed in practical terms at the time of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the imams of the first three generations, which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) testified were the best of generations, that women should not be appointed as governors or judges. There were women who were brilliant in religious knowledge, to whom scholars would refer concerning knowledge of Qur’aan, hadeeth and religious rulings, but no woman aspired to positions of public leadership during that time or any other position of that nature. The shar’i responsibilities of such positions cannot be carried out by women, because that involves travelling to the provinces, and mixing with the members of the ummah, and meeting with them, and leading the army sometimes in jihad, and negotiating with the enemy, and accepting oaths of allegiance from members of the ummah, and meeting with them, men and women, at times of war and peace, and so on. This is not appropriate for a woman, and it goes against the rulings of sharee’ah that are established to protect her and keep her safe from having to go out and mix in such a manner.

Rationally speaking, women should not be given positions of public office, because what is required of the one who is chosen for such a position is that he should a man of great resolve, determination, smartness, will power and good management skills. These characteristics are lacking in women because they have been created with weakness in their intellect and thinking, and with strong emotions, so electing them to such positions is not in the interests of the Muslims and does not help them to achieve greatness.

And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.
Majallat al-Mujtama’, issue no. 890.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Khilafah versus Democracy

Khilafah and Democracy are very similar. However, people mistake khilafah to be like democracy. The real thing is that democracy is a copy of khilafah. The difference between khilafah and democracy is that shariah is the constitution of a khilafat but the elected people make a constitution by themselves.