islamically speaking newsletter vol. 7

8/9/2019 Islamically Speaking Newsletter VOL. 7

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Jumada Al-'Awwa 1431 A.H ~ April 2010 ~

Vol 07

Islamically Speaking

The U.K General Elections Special

01Shariah & Reality: Islam and the Issue of Voting02 The Corrosiveness of Western Politics03A Brief Introduction : Islamic Politics04 A letter to Umar ibn Abdul Aziz

Featuring


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ISLAMICALLY SPEAKING VOL 7The U.K General ElectionsSpecialBismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim

As salaam alaykum wa rahmatullah

Salaams once again dear Brothers and Sisters, it feelsgood to finally present Volume 7 of Islamically

Speaking to you, Alhamdulillah. We apologise forthe long absence, suffice it to say that the editor wasquite pre-occupied! However, we are now back infull force and will be more consistent in the future,inshaAllah. Now on to the main message for thisvolume

On the 6th April 2010, Prime Minister Gordon

Brown, in a live press conference, announced thedate for The United Kingdom General Elections,which are to be held on May 6th. There is somecontroversy amongst Muslims regarding the issue of voting in democratic elections and whether or notpolitical participation is permissible from an Islamicperspective. This volume is solely dedicated to dealwith this issue and offer sincere advice to theMuslim community in order to make us all hold thecorrect view on this subject.

Volume 7 contains four articles. The main featurethis month analyses the reality of the political

situation that Muslims living in Britain (and thewest) find ourselves in, particularly in relation tothe general elections, presenting the Islamic view onthe issue, from evidences contained in the Quranand Sunnah.

The second article examines the Muslim MPs whoentered into the system and who have mostly supported and even helped to shape the un-Islamicand aggressive policies of the British Government.

The third article presents an introduction to theIslamic conception of politics and some of its basicfeatures for the purpose of showing the reader thatIslam has solutions for all spheres of life andcritically, the political dimension.

The fourth and final article contains a letter writtento an Islamic ruler in Islamic history, whichbeautifully summarises what a leader in Islam

should be like.

InshaAllah, the usual contents will return inVolume 8.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to e-mail us at [email protected] .
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Shariah & Reality:slam and the Issue of Voting

ch has been made of the upcoming general election and the need of Muslim community to participate by casting their votes for the varioustical parties that are contesting. The nature of the election is such thatbeing depicted as being one of the most closely contested elections in

ent history, with the Muslim vote being deemed critical to the outcome.such, different groups of people from inside and outside of the Muslim

mmunity have been strongly advocating the need of Muslims to vote toure their interests and ensure that their voices are heard.

s worth while asking ourselves an important question at this stage.at the attestation of faith is? This question is important, for it sets thes upon which a Muslim (or indeed any human being) will organiselife, determine his values, relationships and criteria in order to

asure right and wrong. As Muslims, we know that the attestation of h is,

ere is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (swt) and thathammad (saw) is his Messenger.

Shahadah constitutes our oath of obedience to the Creator, Allaht). Therefore, any decision we make about conducting an action (be

voting in the upcoming elections or any other action) we firstblish its ruling from the Islamic evidences. Likewise, when we define a

nefit or an interest, we must ensure two very important principlesapplied and constantly observed: firstly, that the benefit or interestne that Islam accepts e.g. Islam in principle does not consider alcohol

beneficial, whereas a masjid is considered beneficial. Secondly, wherem has made a matter beneficial, the means to acquire it must also beording to Islam e.g. Muslims cannot build a mosque by taking out an with riba (usury/interest) or get married by force (without consent).

refore it is important that we recognise, understand and accept that inm, the ends do not justify the means. Rather the Muslim shouldrict himself to that which Allah (swt) has revealed in the Quran and

m the noble example of our beloved Messenger, Muhammad (saw).

re are numerous verses in the Quran that confirm this:

reated the jinn and Man only (so) that they worship Me. (TMQ Ad-ariyat:56)

is not for a believer, male or female, when Allah and his Messengere decreed a matter that they should have any say (opinion) in theirision, and whoever is rebellious against Allah and his Messenger, havee far astray. (TMQ Al-Ahzab:36)

arfare is ordered for you though you dislike it, and it maybe that youike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing that is badyou. Allah knows but you know not.

MQ Al-Baqarah:216)

ese are the limits (imposed by) Allah. Whoever obeys Allah and hisssenger, he will make him enter gardens underneath which rivers flow,ere such will abide forever. That will be the great success. Andoever disobeys Allah and his Messenger and transgresses his limits, he

make him enter Fire, where he will dwell for ever; his will be ameful doom.

MQ Al-Nisa:13-14)

refore, the measurement of halal/haram is the correct evaluation of efit/harm for the Muslim. Islam also makes it clear that it is Haram

(prohibited) to rule by other than what Allah (swt) has legislated, as He(swt) Says:

"And he who does not rule by what Allah has revealed, it is they who arethe Disbelievers." (TMQ Al-Maidah:44)

"And he who does not rule by what Allah has revealed, it is they who arethe Oppressors."

(TMQ Al-Maidah:45)

"And he who does not rule by what Allah sent down, it is they who are theSinners." (TMQ Al-Maidah:47)

The above verses help us understand the following:

- Muslims are in no posit ion to violate the commands andprohibitions of Allah (swt). The consequences of doing so are thehumiliation in the Duniya and more importantly, the humiliation inthe Akhira.

- Allah (swt) condemns those who give or make legislation, besidesHim (swt). Likewise, Allah (swt) names include Al-Hakim (The

Judge) and Al-Malik (The Sovereign), reinforcing a fundamental

creedal matter that legislating belongs to Allah (swt) alone.- That giving man the right and authority to legislate is haram and

tantamount to shirk, a matter which Allah does not forgive.

So whilst voting, participating in elections, appointing a ruler are matterssanctioned by Islam they are limited to the appointment of an Islamicpolitica l authority and the implementation of the Islamic system. Itsabsence does not mean that we twist Islam to somehow legalise voting innon-Islamic elctions, but rather emphasises two important matters:

- How Muslims struggle in the absence of Islam- How Muslims should focus their thinking and efforts to revive

Islam comprehensively.

Therefore, Muslims cannot be dismissive or care-free in this subjectwhatsoever, nor be blinded by their immense sincerity to try and secure

some benefits for the Muslim community where the interest or actioncontradicts Islam and results in appointing people into positions tolegislate by their whims.

So when one scans the political parties and their respective leaders andlocal candidates for the upcoming General Election where does oneidentify those who will submit ruling to Allah (swt) alone and appoint aruler to rule by Islam?

Whilst it is an obvious point that there is no such politica l party, leader ormanifesto, then it should be equally obvious that a Muslim could not casthis vote in such elections.


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slam and its view of the political parties

A mere cursory glance at the parties standing will clearly show thatone of the parties can be considered to be running on the basis of slam, rather they are running on the basis of secularism. This basisemands that man is sovereign and has the sole right to decide halalnd haram, whilst considering (and demanding) that Allah (swt) has noght to legislate in political and public affairs.

he consequence of this viewpoint has given rise to the following:MP's expenses scandal,Occupation of Muslim land e.g. PalestineBrutal wars in the Muslim world for economic and political interest

.g. IraqAppointment of oppressive and brutal dictators in the Muslim world

Bailing out criminals with huge bonuses, whilst victims are left touffer is abject misery i.e. the global financial crisis

The rise of racism and religious discrimination, particularly thensults and attacks upon Islamic beliefs and valuesPromoting alcohol and behaviour considered immoral and abhorrent

n IslamEncouraging Muslim women to leave Islam in their garments and

aluesSpiralling social misery, immorality and decadenceExploitation of the world resources and depriving millions of basic

eeds

All the above situations have arisen since man is sovereign, unable toetermine objectively right or wrong and competes to secure hisnterest against others, based on his limitations and prejudices.

Muslims correctly believe it is only the unlimited Creator of all things,Allah (swt), who has the right to determine these matters and to Himswt) we shall all return.

Numerous additional verses attest to this very fact:We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'an) as an exposition of verything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who haveubmitted themselves (to Allh). (al Quran, An Nahl, Ayat 89)

The rule is only for Allh, He declares the truth, and He is the Best of udges.

TMQ Al-Anaam:57)

Say (O Muhammad SAW): O Allh! Creator of the heavens and thearth! All-Knower of the Ghaib (unseen) and the seen. You will judgeetween your slaves regarding their disputes." (TMQ Az-Zumar:46)

he above verses clearly show that Allah (swt) is sovereign and notman, in contrast to western liberal democracy that advocates the exactpposite. Participation, therefore, in a system that advocates man asovereign, as opposed to Allah (swt) is completely and Haram, placingne's very Iman at risk. We will now respond to some arguments fromhose who say that voting and political participation is permissible. By ooking at both Fiqh ash Shariah (Law of Shariah) and al

Waaqi (reality).

roof That Voting is Haram: The Shariah

We will now prove that from an Islamic legal perspective, that voting inSecular Democracy is Haram by refuting a number of arguments:

he Principle of Dhoroora (Necessity)ome use this principle to claim that we are in a situation thatecessitates our voting, and thus voting is now Halal. The response ishat this principle must not be used beyond its limits. There are fiveasic necessities that the Shariah aims to fulfil, they are thereservation of a persons Deen (adherence to a certain way of life, inhis case Islam), life, wealth, honour/lineage, and intellect. Now, if weook at the action of voting, it helps a secular party into power, which

will legislate contrary to the Shariah. This is an action of shirk as itacilitates one to hold legislative authority, which is only for Allah (swt).

his action is in violation of the first and most important necessity, and

that is a persons Deen. In regards to this Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) stated:Verily, the things which are forbidden; from them is that which isclearly stated that the (Islamic) legislation did not permit anything fromit; neither for necessity or for other than necessity, such as Shirk andillegal sexual acts and speaking about Allah without knowledge and theclear transgression. (Al-Fat wa, vol. 14/470-471).

As a final note, the principle of Dhoroora is to be applied in a case of compulsion, and it is clear that there is no compulsion upon us to votedue to to its being avoidable. Compulsion is defined by Al Ad-D n Al-Bukh r as: Holding another person upon a matter, which he refusedto do, through his fear that the one who is committing it (i.e. thecompulsion) is able to implement it (i.e. his threat). So the other onebecomes fearful and his being satisfied is removed, due to theimplementation (of this compulsion). (Kashf Al-Asr r vol. 4/482)Ibn Hajr said, And the conditions of compulsion are four. The first isthat the one committing it is able to implement what he is threateningwith, while the one being threatened is unable to repel that (threat)even by fleeing. The second is that it is his strong assumption that if herefuses (to comply) then this (threat) will be put upon him. The third isthat what he threatened with is immediate. So if he says, If you do notdo this, I will beat you tomorrow, he is not considered a compelled one.And an exception from that is if he mentioned an amount of time,which is very near or if customarily he does not backtrack. The fourthis that nothing is shown by the commanded one that would indicate hisvoluntary compliance. (Fath Al-B r , Vol. 12/311) These arescholarly definitions of the scenario wherein one is compelled., and it issimply not applicable to the 2010 Election, as such a scenario as theone described by al Bukhari is not a reality in this case, because votingis very much avoidable. Thus, this principle cannot be used due to theabsence of such compulsion.

The Principle of The Lesser of Two EvilsSome claim that since we are faced with several un-Islamic candidates, that weshould simply vote for the lesser of two evils, in other words, the one who willimplement the least amount of Kufr and Haram upon society. However, such aprinciple should be seen from a number of angles. Either:There is no such principle because the examples which are stated by itsproponents, i.e. matters of life and death and compulsion are actually where Islamhas given the permission to choose an action, which otherwise would be

prohibited. Therefore in the specific context, Islam has legislated that an action ispermitted (denying belief at the point of death) or even obliged (eating haram atpoint of starvation).OrThere is no such principle, since Muhammad (saw) said, Whatever I havecommanded, do as much as you can. Whatever I have prohibited (made haram)leave it. In this hadith, Islam did not given an exception to commit some haram orto leave as much as possible, rather the prohibition was absolute. Rather the actualprinciple is The Lesser of Two Harms i.e. where Islam has given the Muslim achoice in an area that is permitted, it is for him to select the action that is the leastharmful (but not haram) for him. For example, if a Muslim is locked outside of hishouse and can either break the front door or a s ide window to enter, he canchoose which is less harmful for him, but critically, neither action is haram.Or

This principle does indeed exist and is applied, but it is specific to what theShariah has specified i.e. matters of life and death and compulsion.In all the above scenarios, the issue of elections are inapplicable, for it is neither amatter of life or death (compulsion), nor a choice of what is less harmful in whatis permitted.Additionally, the extension of this principle by logic would be that the occupationof Palestine, the blessed land of al-Quds accepted by all parties, which is a matterof Iman and the oppression of the Muslims in Palestine is the greater evil than any evil that Muslims in the UK are trying to avoid, notwithstanding that can therecannot be a greater evil than committing shirk by appointing to someone to rulebesides Allah (swt). Finally, logically how would one fit such a principle within thereality of all the current parties, which are secular and adamant on maintainingthe legalisation of matters that are categorically Haram e.g. alcohol, pornography,night-clubs, fornication, same-sex relationships.


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Another form this argument has taken is that of benefit overridingharm, so we should vote for a party that advocates laws which are moretowards the interests of the Muslims. There are two key points regardingthis:

Firstly, in the beautiful example of Muhammad (saw), in the early stagesof Mecca, when he (saw) was offered leadership, when faced withimmense hardship and persecution, he (saw) rejected it completely, eventhough it would have secured him (saw) and the Sahabah immense somebenefit.

Secondly, as alluded to in the introduction, the criteria of benefit for theMuslim is what the Shariah has defined, both in terms of aim and also

in terms of the means to achieve the aim. Any party that gets into powerwill implement Kufr laws along side those which are deemed beneficialto us. Indeed, nothing is beneficial if it means that with it we havecommitted the absolute worst of sins, which is Shirk.

The Claim to Enjoin Good and Forbid Evil

Similar to above, some claim that by voting for the candidates with moreagreeable policies, we can then perform our duty of enjoining good andforbidding evil, and so voting is allowed.

Responding to this argument in his book, Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) said: Andif those commanding and forbidding know that the outcome of theiraction will have an inseparable combination of good and evil, then they are not allowed to do it until they evaluate its outcome. If the good would

be predominant, then they should proceed with it. And if the evil wouldbe predominant, then they are prohibited from doing it, even if it entailsthe loss of a lesser good. In this case, commanding the good that wouldresult in more wrong would be an act of commanding evil andpromoting disobedience to All h and His Messenger. (Al-Amru Bil-Mar fi Wan-Nahyu An Al-Munkar, Pg. 21) Further to this, Ibn alQayyim said: So if ones act of forbidding the evil will lead to what isworse and more hated by All h and His Messenger, then it is not allowedto forbid it, even though All h hates it (i.e. that evil) and hates those whodo it. (Il m Al-Muw qqi n, Vol.3/4) While it is repetitive, it isimportant to continually emphasise that Shrik is the greatest sin andcrime a person can commit, and thus nothing can justify it, even if itwere voting for a perceived good.

Yusuf (as)

Some us the example of Yusuf (as), who participa ted as a minister in thegovernment of the King of Egypt.

And the king said: Bring him to me that I may attach him to my person. Then, when he spoke to him, he said: Verily, this day, you arewith us high in rank and fully trusted. [Y suf] said: Set me over thestorehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge.Thus did We give full authority to Y suf in the land, to take possessiontherein, as when or where he likes. (TMQ Yusuf:54-56)

Those who argue for the permissibility of political participation use thisayah as an argument, as they allege that since Yusuf (as) accepted hisappointment to a post in a non-Islamic Government, that it must bepermissible to actively get involved in non-Muslim states at the politicallevel. However, it is important to remember that Yusuf (as) also saidbefore taking this position: The Hukm (i.e. judgment) is for none butAllh. He has commanded that you worship none but Him, that is the(true) straight religion, but most men know not. (TMQ Yusuf:40) SoYusuf (as) clearly accepted that Allah (swt) alone has the right of legislation, and consequently, not man.

Furthermore, those who allege that the actions of Yusuf (as) are anevidence for them need to prove that the government of The King of Egypt was actually not following the Shari'ah at the time of Yusuf (as).And there is no real evidence to indicate this, on the contrary, The Kingof Egypt himself actually became Muslim, Ibn Jar r At-Tabar narratedthat Muj hid said, The King whom Y suf was with enteredIslm. (J mi Al-Bay n An Taw l y Al-Qurn, Vol. 9/217) In

addition to this, Al-Baghaw said, Muj hid and others said, Y suf, uponwhom be peace, did not stop calling the King to Isl m while being kind tohim, until he and many of the people entered Isl m. Ibn Zaydconcerning His (SWT) saying: to take possession therein, as when orwhere he likes He said, We put him in authority over whatever was

in it (i.e. Egypt), wherever he willed from that place. He did in itwhatever he willed. It was granted to him. Yusuf (as) was put in chargeand ruled by Islam, not Kufr.

Al-Qurtub said, And when the King gave the authority of Egypt toY suf, he was generous to the people and called them to Isl m until they believed in him and he established the justice amongst them. So the menand the women loved him. And from what has come from Wahb and As-Sudd and Ibn Abb s and others is the saying of the King to Y suf, whenhe saw his complete wisdom in implementing the ruling and spreadingthe justice: I give you the authority, so do whatever you will. And we aremerely your followers and I am not one to refuse being your subject andobeying you and I am no more than one of your subjects. (Al-J mi Li-

Ahk m Al-Quraan, Vol 9./215)

Yusuf (as) used the authority he was given to implement Islam, andIslam only. This stands in stark contrast to voting in secular Britain, dueto the fact that any of the parties and individuals one would vote for,would be secular in nature, and would implement non-Islamic laws asthey have done for decades using the democratic system. What laws fromthe Shari'ah do Labour, Conservatives, or any other party for that matter,intend to implement? Of course, the answer is none.

Actions Are Judged By Their IntentionsSome used this Hadith of The Prophet (saw) to justify their position. Thereasoning used is that one will intend to vote only to help Muslims, orease their suffering in some form. And so if this is the intention behindthe action, then voting becomes permissible.

In regards to this, al Ghazali stated: His saying, peace be upon him:Actions are based on intentions is restricted, as far as the threecategories are concerned, to obediences and permitted things (i.e.Mub ht), but not to sins. This is because an obedience can be turnedinto a sin by the (the wrong) intention. Also the permitted action (i.e.Mub h) can be turned into a sin or an obedience by the intention. Incontrast, a sin can never be turned into an obedience by the (good)intention. (Ihya Ulum ad Din Vol. 4/388-391)We cannot accept that one can have the right intention, while at thesame time, commit, a sin. If this were acceptable, then we would be ableto transgress many of The Prohibitions of Allah (swt), such as sellingalcohol or drugs, and then justify it by saying the proceeds were forMuslims in Palestine!

The Example of an Najashi

Those who use this argument claim that an Najashi, The King of Abyssinia during the time of The Prophet (saw), was in a position of ruling in his country as a Muslim, yet he never applied the Law of Allah(swt), and so it must be alright to participate in a non-Islamic system.

It is mentioned by Ibn Kathir in al Bidayah wan Nihhayah(Vol.3/277), and also in the books of other scholars of history, thatNajashi passed away before the revelation of the Ayat: " Today I haveperfected your system of belief and bestowed My favours upon you infull, and have chosen submission (Al-Islam) as the creed for you. (alQuran, Surah al Baqarah, Ayat 111)

Some use the instance wherein The Prophet (saw) prayed Janazah Salaat for an Najashi. They use this to say that because TheProphet accepted an Najashi as a Muslim, while still implementing un-Islamic laws, that he must have been allowed to rule in a kufr system. Wehave already said that it is unclear as to whether or not an Najashiimplemented what he knew of Islam, but also, there is the Hadith inSahih Muslim in which Anas ibn Malik (ra) narrates that, there wasthere were two Najashis, one who the Muslims met in Abyssinia, andsecond, who took power after the first. The second eventually becameMuslim and then died, and it was for this person that The Prophetprayed Janazah. This is supported by scholars such as Ibn Hazm (ra). If this is true, then it means that The Prophet (saw) never approved the firstNajashi to rule by kufr, because The Prophet did not pray Janazah forhim, but rather, he prayed for the second Najashi who came after thefirst, and so the whole argument falls down.


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And so it is proven that from an analysis of the reality of this scenario,that voting for any of these groups is Haraam.

Addressing Various Anxieties

Some Muslims feel as though voting is a must due to certain issues,which are all perceived as a threat to us. The major concern thatseems to be the supposed threat of the BNP. A first obvious note is thatit is overtly obvious that the BNP will not win this General Election,not much else should be explained is this regard. A second point is

that without the help of the BNP, all of the problems The MuslimUmmah in Britain and across the world contend with and suffer fromhave been caused by The Labour and Conservative Governments inthe past, not the BNP. All of the Haraam things we see in the society are the results of the agreement between Labour, Conservatives andLiberal Democrats, not the BNP. We would argue that all of theseparties are as bad as each other, and one of them should note be seenas the salvation from another. The only thing that distinguishes theBNP from the others is a somewhat more overt disdain for Islamicvalues.

Another issue commonly brought up is that of a fear of groups likeUKIP, who want to ban the Niqab. The fact remains that this party israther insignificant due its marginal status, and has very littlefollowing. Rather, it was Jack Straw, a prominent and leading memberof the Labour Party who attacked Sisters who wore it. Regardingforeign policy, there is a consensus among all these parties thatoccupying Muslim land is to still be carried out.

Recommendations For The Muslim Community

As the old saying goes: United we stand, divided we fall. Muslims inthis country should unite as a strong Islamic community. The oppositeis that of being divided along partisan lines because different Muslimsare voting for different secular parties which can do nothing for them.Rather that being divided along such meaningless lines, we shouldstand united with each another. Allah (SWT) said: "and hold fast tothe rope of Allah and do not be divided."

(al Qur'an, Surah ale Imran, Ayat 103)

We should work to preserve our values and also to spread them to thewider society in the form of Dawah. The opposite is that we conformto western values and forsake our own, which in the end isdetrimental to ones Islam.

We should be more independent and rely on ourselves to secure ourneeds. The community itself can raise money for its own Masajids,

Islamic Schools etc. Becoming dependent on Government fundingmeans that we must now continue to do what the Governmentcommands in order to keep getting this funding, which would lead tocompromise and corruption.

Regarding problems and threats we face, of course, they should becountered, but not by voting, rather by a distinct from of activism,voicing opposition, demonstrations, writing, among other things. Justbecause voting is haraam, it does not mean that apathy is halaal.

We must remind ourselves that The Islamic Aqeedah is the mostpowerful of all doctrines that exist due to the concepts thatcome from it. Among them is the concept that Allah (SWT) is arRazzaq (The Provider). Rizq (or provisions) are from Allah (SWT), allwe must do is work in the Halaal way and have patience, and

inshaAllah what we need will come. And we also know la awla wala quwwata illa billah There is no power or strength except withAllah (SWT). And so we must place our trust in Him (SWT), who said:

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, whois there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, Let believers puttheir trust.(al Quran, Surah ale Imran, Ayat 160)


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The Corrosiveness ofWestern Politics:The Example of Muslim Politicians in Britain

The Corrosiveness of Western Politics:The Example of Muslim Politicians in Britain

A common argument put forward by our Brothers and Sisters whoadvocate political participation, is that of the advances The MuslimCommunity could make if there were those from among us who couldenter Parliament, thus representing Muslims and their interests in theBritish Political Arena, which was somehow perceived to beaccommodating of Islam and its values. Eventually, Muslim politiciansalbeit a very small number of them), appeared in both Houses of

Parliament, supposedly ready to fight the good fight and become ourbrave representative heroes, displaying impeccable character all thewhile. However, the bottom line is this, the hope that we would havestrong Islamic politicians who would champion the cause of Islam andts values, not to mention the political interests of The Muslims, is no

more than a mere myth, that has long since been annihilated by theactions of the supposed heroes themselves. Rather than the idealist icpicture above, Muslim Politicians in Britain have fundamentally betrayed us and have only managed to impact upon Muslims in a

negative way, mainly by voting for the legalisation of things whichclearly go against The Shariah of Allah (SWT), not to mention theircomplicity in supporting the colonialist foreign policy and theirembarrassing the Muslim Community through expenses claims.

We will present below an analysis of Muslim Politicians in Britain andevaluate their actions in the light of Islam in order to prove that it is afalse hope to think that Muslims entering the system is somehow viableas a method to obtain the needs of The Muslim Community. With all of hese individuals, there is a consistent pattern of their compromisingslamic values and rules in some field or another.

The Areas of Study:

Anti Terror Laws: While officially titled as anti terror legislation, it

should be known that these sets of laws have actually allowed TheHome Secretary to impose control orders, or prohibitions andestrictions, on the possession of private property, employment, privacy,

among other things (Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005). Additionally,here is detention (imprisonment) of terror suspects without any

charge for up to 28 days (Terrorism Act 2006). Some pushed for this toncrease even further to 90 days.

Support for Colonialist Foreign Policy: The Wars in Iraq andAfghanistan have led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians. British involvement has been harshly condemned, with theoudest of these voices coming from the Muslim Community. Hopefully hose Muslims in Parliament would have the same attitude.nvestigation into The Iraq War: This particular conflict was justified on

allegations which had no sound basis at all, so surely these individuals

would have wanted to see justice served by voting to facilitate such annvestigation?

Support for The Prevent Agenda: The PVE (PreventingViolent Extremism) Agenda has essentially allowed the government tospy on Muslims in Britain by the use of various methods, among thembeing Information Sharing Agreements between Local Councils and

The Metropolitan Police. This kind of attitude had led to voices of concern and rebuke from Muslims.

The MPs Expenses Scandal: This incident involved the overuse of taxpayers money by various Ministers of Parliament to purchase their ownneeds and wants. One would expect Muslims in Parliament to notindulge in such an action.

These politicians have all disappointed us in regards to some of these cases as we willsee below.

Analysis of Muslim Politicians in Britain:

Khalid Mahmoud:

MP since: 2001

Anti Terror Legislation: There have been various bills andclauses in relation to these types of laws that have beenpresented before Parliament. Khalid Mahmoud has voted on

64 of these from 2001 2008. He has voted in favour of 59 of these 64 clauses and bills, being absent f rom voting the other 5 times. He never votedagainst a single one. Among the things he voted for were imprisonment without trialat rst for 28 days, he then voted for increasing this term to 90 days. He also voted infavour of the Control Orders.

Investigation into The Iraq War: From 2003 2004 and 2006 2009, there weretwo lots of votes on the issue of an investigation into The Iraq War. KhalidMahmoud was in ofce for both and voted against setting up an investigation bothtimes.

Support for Colonialist Foreign Policy: Being conveniently absent for most of theproceedings, Khalid Mahmood was recorded as voting both for and against TheIraq War, but later went to say Muslims have no right to be angry about Britainsforeign policy. He also adamantly supported The War in Afghanis tan, and whenthe BBC found that 80% of Muslims in Britain were against the war, he simplydismissed it by saying "I think the way the poll was conducted needs to be looked atas well.name instead. Not only has he been in support of the wars in Iraq and

Afghanistan, but he also voted against arms embargos on Israel too.


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Muhammad Sarwar:MP since: 1997

Anti-Terror Legislation: Like Khalid Mahmoud,he has also strongly supported and voted forthese laws. Among the things he voted for wasthe initial introduction of indefinite detention,and he also voted for extending it to longer

periods, such as for 90 day detention withouttrial. He also voted in favour of the introduction of control orders.

Investigation into the Iraq War: Like Khalid Mahmoud, he was presentfor both instances where there were votes on an investigation. In bothcases he was either absent for the voting procedures, or he votedagainst an investigation, there was not a single instance where he votedin favour of anything. He did publicly oppose the war, though it iscurious as to how he would then vote against an enquiry into it.

Expenses Scandal: Already possessing a fortune of 16 million, he alsoclaimed 2,000 a month for his second home in Vauxhall, SouthLondon. And when this was called into question he failed to give a

response.

Shahid Malik:MP since: 2005

Anti-Terror Legislation: This individual hasvoted very strongly in favour of the anti-terror legislation presented beforeParliament. Again, like the others he also

voted in favour of the extension of the period of detention without trialfrom 28 days to 90 days. In addition, he too has voted in favour on theissue of control orders. Investigation into The Iraq War: Shahid Malik was in office for thesecond time Parliament voted for an investigation. He also strongly voted against it. Like Mohammad Sarwar, one would have to questionwhy an individual who was supposedly against the war would thenstrongly vote against an investigation of it.

Support for The Prevent Agenda: In an article he co-authored in theGuardian, Shahid Malik has defended The PVE Agenda and the sharingof private information, saying: It is perfectly lawful for partners toshare personal information on a case-by-case basis as part of Preventand to do so they must show due regard for necessity andproportionality. It is interesting however to note that the InformationSharing Agreements in places like Islington have been accused of involving information ranging from political views to sexual activity!While the ISA drawn up between Waltham Forest Council and TheMetropolitan Police states that any information that is gathered on anindividual must be held until the subject is aged 100! This goes farbeyond necessity and proportionality.

Expenses Scandal: Shahid Malik had been exposed for havingpurchased a massage chair for 730, and a home cinema system for2,600. He defended himself from the allegations of excessive use of taxpayers money to buy these things, but at the same time steppeddown from his post as Justice Minister.

I believe the reader has now realised that there is a certain trendregarding these people.

We will now analyse others very briefly:

Sadiq Khan, is known to have voted for Labours anti-Terror laws,against an investigation into the Iraq war, and is known to have takenover 2,500 of taxpayers money for the mere purpose of buyingstationery, which he then had to pay back. He also attacked Islam whenhe stated: I would be very concerned about sharia courts applying inthe UK. I dont think there is that level of sophistica tion that there is in

Jewish law.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, has had a poorrecord for attending voting sessions atThe House of Lords. She had theopportunity to vote against the 2005Prevention of Terrorism Act when it was

reviewed in The House of Lords on 3rd March 2010. Instead of turning up to vote against the Act, she was absent for that too. She hasalso supported civil partnership (gay marriage) when she said publicly on Question Time: I think that people who want to be in a relationshiptogether, in the form of a civil partnership, absolutely have the right todo that."

Lord Nazir Ahmed, supported Jack Strawscomments over the Niqab when he remarked in2007: "The veil is now a mark of separation,

segregation and defiance against mainstreamBritish culture.

Baroness Uddin, claimed 100,000 in houseexpenses, despite living only a few miles away from the Parliament building. Her case waspassed to the police for possible fraud, andwhen questioned, she refused to co-operate.She was even tua lly acquit ted on atechnicality. The House of Lords thencontinued to investigate her case afterwards.

Summary

All of these individuals have been found to be an utter failure anddisgrace, not only in their voting records, but also in their conductrelating to taking taxpayers money for no good reason, condoningattacks on Islam be they intellectual or physical, supporting thingswhich are clearly sinful and essentially displaying a lack of regard forIslam and Muslims when in the public eye.

Those who object to this conclusion may point to the example of how some of these individuals opposed British Foreign Policy, such asShahid Malik or Nazir Ahmed. The response to this argument is thefollowing, while some of these individuals may have gone against oneattack on Islam, they at the same time supported another, be it the PVEAgenda, or Jack Straws comments on the Niqab. And all of theseindividuals have failed us in one way or another. And even when they opposed certain policies, they always found themselves in the minority when doing so, which shows us that in the extremely rare occasionwhere they use their position for the benefits of the MuslimCommunity, it turns out to be utterly ineffective and useless. Thus thesepeople are powerless, and are not the solution for Muslims in Britain.

Conclusion

The above should show us that political participation in a non-Islamic governmental system will only lead to compromise and corruption onthe part of those who decide to get involved. Those who placed theirhopes in Muslim Politicians had done so on the premise that they would stand for Islamic values and ethics, and that they would work for the political interests of Muslims. What we have found is that they

have done the opposite most of the time, this shows us that BritishPolitics is by its very nature corrosive to ones Islamic character andethics. Muslims cannot look for political salvation through non-Islamicpolitics, which has its web of corruption and values of compromiseand individual benefit. Rather, our solution lies in Islamic politics,which will be briefly introduced to the reader in the next article. These are they who have sold Guidance for misguidance. But theirtrade is profitless, and they have lost true direction(al Quran, Surah al Baqarah, Ayat 16)


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A Brief Introduction :

Islamic Politicshile political participation in a democracy is Haraam, this does not meanat there is no other avenue by which Muslims can achieve their political

bjectives and ideals. The correct concept we should have regarding Islamthat it is a Deen, or a comprehensive way of life which provides efcientlutions for mans problems, be they spiritual, social, economic or indeed,

olitical. As Muslims, we should refer back to Islam as the correct basis

pon which to establish a political programme that can provide solutions toe problems we face in the contemporary world. Classical scholarsnderstood the importance of referring to Islam for issues of governmentnd politics. Scholars such as Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) have written books such asyasa ash Shariah, which details a rulers obligation towards the people

nd vice-versa from an Islamic perspective. The word siyasa literally meanso look after, or to tend towards something. This word is the Islamicrm for what is known in world today as Politics, thus Islamic politics isened as looking after the affairs of the people. And this is the objective

an Islamic Government. Below are brief discussions relating to someomponents of this political system, and how they are enshrined in thelamic tradition.

ustice and Security from Oppression

he concept of looking after the affairs of people is an idea of just andir governance and this been ingrained in the Islamic tradition from as far

ack as the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and al Khulafa arashidun (The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs), who for us represent theghest calibre in regards to political ethics due to its being from Quran

nd Sunnah. It was in the time of The Prophet (PBUH) when The Islamicate in Medina was established that he produced The Constitution of edina which reinforced the concept of justice: Verily, this constitutional

ocument shall not protect any traitor or oppressor. This documenttablished a political order that was based upon the notion of equity, andrmed what Allah (SWT) said regarding justice: O you who believe!and out rmly for justice, as witnesses to Allh, even though it be against

ourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allh is a Betterotector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest youay avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily,lh is Ever Well Acquainted with what you do. (al Quran, Surah anisa, Ayat 135)

bu Bakr (RA) reinforced this ethic when he said in his rst speech after heecame Khalifa: Now, it is beyond doubt that I have been elected yourmir, although I am not better than you. Help me, if I am in the right; sete right if I am in the wrong. Truth is a trust; falsehood is treason. Theeak among you will be strong with me till, God willing, his rights haveeen vindicated; and the strong among you shall be weak with me till, if theord wills, I have taken what is due from him.

nd this was further afrmed by Umar (RA) when he was reported to haveid soon after he became Khaleefah: For those who practice tyranny and

eprive others of their rights, I will be harsh and stern, but for those who

follow the law, and are devoted to religion, I will be most soft and tender. Iwill not tolerate any person make any excess. He who commits anytyranny, him I will sternly call to book. I will be harsh and stern against theaggressor, but I will be a pillar of strength for the weak and the meek. Theywill nd in me their best friend.

Consultation of the People

Islam also recognises that to look after the affairs of people, you must knowwhat the issues are that the people are facing. Consequently, anothercomponent of Islamic Politics is that of asking the people about theirproblems and requesting their opinions, and it is for this reason thatMuslims have Majlis ash Shura (consultation). Allah (SWT) said: And doconsult them in the matter, and if you decide (on an action/on an opinion)put your trust in Allah. (al Quran, Surah Al-Imran, Ayat 159) Ibn Kathir(ra) said regarding Shura: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to ask hisCompanions for advice about various matters, in order to comfort theirhearts, and the decision they reached together was activelyimplemented.(Tafsir ibn Kathir Vol. 2/307) It is also narrated from AbuHurayra (RA) that he heard The Prophet (PBUH) say: I never saw aperson who consulted his companions more than the Messenger of Allah(SWT) did. (at Tirmidhi)

It is from Islam that when The Khaleefah consults his Majlis ash Shura, hemust abide by their decision in matters that are domestic such as ruling,education, health, trading, industry, farming etc. This is proven as it wasnarrated that The Prophet (PBUH) said to Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA):Had you agreed together on a consulted matter I would have notdisagreed with you. (Musnad of Imam Ahmad) Under an Islamic system,the sentiments and opinions of the people are valued, and this is whatcreates a prosperous relationship between the state and its citizens, andsties any chance of civil discontent.


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Accountable Governance

Another vital component for a healthy relationship between astate and its people is that of accountability. It is the role of the Khaleefah in Islam to provide for his citizens needs, if hedoes not do this to an acceptable standard or if he has donesomething thought to be wrong and un-Islamic, then he is tobe accounted about this. The Prophet (PBUH) said: By Him inwhose hand is my soul, you must enjoin the good and forbidthe evil, otherwise Allah will be about to send His punishmentupon you. And then if you pray to Him (to ask Him), hewould not answer you. (Musnad of Imam Ahmad) He (PBUHalso said: "The best Jihad is to speak the truth before a tyrantruler" (al Bukhari)

If the Khalifah is found to be corrupt in some way, if he isfound to be incompetent, or if he insists upon theimplementation of non-Islamic laws, then he can be removedfrom office by the Mahakamat Mazalim or Court of UnjustActs. In the times of the Sultans of Egypt and Ash-Sham theCourt of Unjust Acts was known as the House of Justice (Daral-Adl). The Sultan Al-Malik Al-Salih Ayyub appointeddeputies to act on his behalf in the Dar al Adl, where they satto remove the Mazalim, and to gather the witnesses, judges

and the Faqihs.Nasser O. Rabbat, Professor of Islamic Architecture at TheMassachusetts Institute of Technology describes the historicalworkings of the Dar al-Adl as follows:

This unique institution, which may be best translated intodays context as palace of justice, was initially conceivedfor the qada al-mazalim service that is, for the public hearingsheld once or twice each week and presided over by the rulerhimself or his appointed deputies to review and redressgrievances submitted by his subjects. The earliest known daral-adl (pl. dur al-adl) was built ca. 1163 by Nur al-DinMahmud ibn Zanki is his capital Damascus, and the last onewas constructed by the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad

ibn Qalawun (r. 1294-1341, with two interruptions) at theCitadel of the Mountain (Qal at al-Jabal) in Cairo in 1315 (itwas rebuilt in 1334). Three more dur al-adl are known tohave been constructed between these two dayes: one in Aleppoin 1189 by al-Zahir Ghazi, the son of Salah al-Din, one by al-kamil Muhammad in the Citadel of Cairo ca. 1207, and oneby al-Zahir Baybars in 1262 on the slope of the spur uponwhich the Citadel of Cairo was built. After this no more dural-adl seem to have been built until modern times, then thepalace of justice was introduced.

A story that crystallises how accountability in an Islamic Statewould be is found in Jalal ad Din as Suyutis Tarikh alKhulafah (History of the Caliphs) wherein he narrates a story about a man who came to Muawiya (RA) when he was

Khalifa and accounted him harshly while he was meetingwith Roman ambassadors, as Suyuti (ra) narrates the story asfollows:

One day, Jariya Ibnu Qudama Al-Saadi entered to Mu'awiyawho, at the time, was the head of the Islamic state. Three of the Roman emperor's ministers happened to be also present.

Mu'awiya said to Jariya: Were you not one of Ali's allies in allof his opinions?

Jariya said: Leave Ali (may Allah honour him) aside, for wehave not despised him since we loved him, nor have wecheated him since we advised him.

Upon this Mu'awiya said to him: Woe to you o Jariya! Youmust have been lowly in your parents' eyes, for they called you

Jariya (meaning slave girl or maid).

Jariya replied: You must have been lowly in your parents'eyes, for they called you Mu'awiya, the bitch on heat whobarked and lured the dogs.

Mu'awiya shouted: Shut up you motherless one!

Jariya replied: You shut up o Mu'awiya (he did not say Amirof the believers), for I have a mother who bore me for theswords with which we faced you one day. Then we have given

you our pledge of allegiance, to hear and to obey, so long as you rule us by what Allah has revealed. So if you fulfil yourpromise, we fulfil our loyalty to you, and if you fail to keep up

your promise, remember that we have left behind us someferocious men and plenty of armour, they shall not let youabuse or harm them.

Mu'awiya yelled: May Allah rid us of the likes of you!

Jariya replied: You! (again he did not say Emir of thebelievers), say something good and be courteous, for the worstrulers are in hell fire.

Jariya then left, fuming with anger without even askingMu'awiya permission to leave.

The three ministers turned to Mu'awiya and one of them said:Our emperor would not be addressed by any of his subjectsunless the subject were prostrating with his forehead at thebase of his throne. If the voice of one of the closest people tohim or any of his immediate family were to be raised, they

could be cut to pieces, or burnt, so how could this roughdesert Arab, with his ill-mannered behaviour, come andthreaten you like this? As if he was your equal ?

Mu'awiya smiled then said: I rule over men, who are fearlessof any censurer when it comes to the truth, and all my folk are like this desert Arab, none of them prostrate save to Allah(SWT), none of them keep silent over an injustice and I am nosuperior, nor better than any of them except in piety. I havesaid some harsh words to the man and he rightly responded, Iwas the one who started, thus I am more to blame than he.

Upon hearing this, the senior Roman minister burst outcrying, so Mu'awiya asked the reason why, so he said: Wehad thought before today that we were your equals in terms

of protection and force, but after witnessing this, I fear thatone day you would spread your authority over our empire.In Islam, accountability is the right of the people, and thisform of political participation must be carried outconsistently, the role of the people in politics is not to besimply electing an individual into power once every few yearsas we see here in Britain, and then becoming politically inactive to a large extent afterward.


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Independent Judiciary and The Rule of Law

Allah (SWT) said in the Quran: And judge between them by that which Allah has revealed.(al Quran, Surah al Maidah,Ayat 49) The responsibility of the judiciary is to settle thedisputes with people, it also prevents any obstacles to therights of the people and settles problems between the peopleand the government. No bias or favouritism is allowed on thepart of the Qadi, or judge. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "If twomen come to you do not give a judgment for one of themuntil you have heard what the other has had to say, then youwill be able to judge." (at Tirmidhi & Musnad of ImamAhmad) The practical application of this was seen at the timewhen Ali (RA) was the Khalifah there was a situation inwhich Ali's (ra) coat of armour was missing. He saw that a

Jew had it in his hands and so he demanded the armour back.The Jewish man refused, stating that it was his. Both of themwent to a Qadhi ( judge) by the name of Shurayh.

Qadhi Shurayh said about the case, "Speak O Amir al-Muminin." He said, "Yes. This armour which this Jew has is my armour; I

did not sell it and I did not give it away."Shurayh said, "What do you say Jew?"

He said, "It is my armour and it is in my possession."

Shurayh said, "Do you have any evidence Amir al-Muminin?"

He said, "Yes. Qanbar and al-Hasan will witness that thearmour is mine."

Shurayh said, "A son's witness is not acceptable on behalf of his father."

Ali said, "A man from Paradise, and his testimony is not

acceptable? I heard the Prophet (PBUH) saying, Al-Hasanand al-Hussein are the two lords of the youth of the people of Paradise.

The Jew said, "The Amir al-Muminin brought me before hisQadi, and his Qadi gave judgment against him. I witness that

this is the truth, and I witness that there is no god but Allahand I witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, andthat the armour is your armour."

Despite the fact that one of the participants in the case wasthe Khalifah of the Muslim Ummah at that time, QadhiShurayh upheld the rule of law and did not give him afavourable verdict. This shows us judicial independence fromany ruler, as adherence is actually to Shariah and to Allah(swt).

The Khaleefah can also be removed by The Court of UnjustActs if he implements non-Islamic laws, or if his conduct isdeemed un-Islamic. This is because Ubadah ibn Samit (RA)reported: The Messenger of Allah (SWT) called us and we

gave him the Bayah (oath of allegiance). Among theinjunctions he made binding upon us was to listen and obey to the Ameer in our pleasure and displeasure, in our adversity and prosperity, and giving (others) preference over ourselves,and not to dispute the authority with its people, he said;Unless you see a flagrant disbelief on which you have clearproof from Allah. (Muslim)

Regardless of whether he is Khaleefah or not, he will beremoved if he is found deserving to be taken from office.Ultimately, the job of the Judiciary is to judge between peopleby the laws of Allah (SWT), to whom ultimate allegiance isowed, and thus, the Khaleefah cannot exert any control overthe Judicary if he is not in compliance with those laws.

Conclusion

Islam has the components which create an efficient androbust political system. And those who desire politicalparticipation within such a system should actively work toestablish a state wherein such participation would bepossible. If this work is not undertaken, then such a state willnever arise, and thus the endless spiral of political unrest we

as an Ummah face will continue to ensue. It is only by the re-establishment of The Islamic State (Khilafah) in the MuslimWorld, that we can achieve the vehicle by which we can bethe active political participants that we deserve to be.


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Letter of al Hasan al Basri to Umar ibn Abdul Azeez

The Letter of al Hasan al Basri to Umar ibn AbdulAzeez

Historical context:

Hasan al Basri (RA) was one of the Salaf, from amongst theTabieen, who grew up in the care of Umm Salamah (RA), one of The Prophets Wives. He also became a student of Ali ibn AbiTalib (RA) at a young age. He is among the greatest of thescholars in our history, and was known for his piety. He livedthrough the reign of many Khulufaa, including that of Khalifa

Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (ra), who he had good relations with. Onone occasion, Hasan (ra) is reported to have written a letter tothis ruler, and the advice he gave effectively summarises the duty of a ruler in Islam:

O Leader of the Faithful! Know that Allah has made the justruler as one who straightens the crooked, one who restrains theoppressors, one who reforms the corrupt, one who strengthensand brings justice to the weak, and one who brings refuge to theafflicted.

O Leader of the Faithful! A just ruler is like a kind shepherd wholooks for the best pastures for his flock and steers them away from areas of danger and wild animals, and protects them fromharms.

O Leader of the Faithful! A just ruler is like a caring father whotoils for the sake of his children, educates them as they grow up,and earns bread for them while he is still alive, and leaves forthem (wealth) after his death.

O Leader of the Faithful! A just ruler is like an affectionatemother who has loving care for her son. She bears him withhardship, and delivers him with hardship. She cares for himwhile he is a little child, staying awake at night when he doesand sleeps when he does. She feeds him at times, and weans himat others, and she feels happy about his good health and worrieswhen he complains.

O Leader of the Faithful! A just ruler is the guardian of orphans

and sponsor of the needy, he cares for the young and providesfor the old.

O Leader of the Faithful! A just ruler is like a heart within theribs. When the heart is healthy the ribs become healthy, butwhen it is sick they grow unhealthy.

O Leader of the Faithful! A just ruler is the one who listens to theWords of Allah and makes them listen to it, he is the one whoseeks the reward of Allah, and makes his subjects seek Hisreward. He is the one who submits to the will of Allah andmakes his subject submit to Him.

O Leader of the Faithful, do not misuse what Allah has bestowedupon you, like a slave who his master entrusted him with hiswealth and family, and he squandered the wealth and made hischildren homeless.

O Leader of the Faithful, know that Allah has prescribed certaincastigatory punishments to deter his slaves from doing evilwhat if the one who is charged with this duty does a sin thatnecessitates punishment? Punishments would safeguard people'slives what if the one who is charged with this duty commitsmurder?

O Leader of the Faithful be mindful of death, and what will takeplace thereafter, and the little number of helpers; so gatherwhatever provisions you can in order to prepare for it and thehorrors that follow it.

O Leader of the Faithful, know that you have a different homeunlike your present home. In it your sleep will last long, and

your friends will part with you, and leave you all by yourself.Therefore, take those provisions which may accompany you.That Day shall a man flee from his brother. And from hismother and his father and from his wife and hischildren. (Surah al Abasa, Ayat 34 6)

O Leader of the Faithful, remember the words of Allah: Whenthe contents of the graves are brought out and poured forth.And that which is in the breasts (of men) shall be madeknown (Surah al Adiyyat, Ayat 9 10) On that Day secretswill be revealed, as well as your record of deeds: that leavesneither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recordedit. (Surah al Kahf, Ayat 49)

O Leader of the Faithful, there is still time for you before deathcomes and all hopes are shattered and lost (to work righteousness).

O Leader of the Faithful! Judge between your subjects with thelaws of Islam, and do not lead them in the way of the wrong-doers. Do not give the proud power over feeble, as they do notobserve any pacts or honour towards a believer; and so that youshould not bear the sins of others. Do not be deceived by thosewho enjoy things that lead to your misery, and devour the goodthings while depriving you of the good things of the Hereafter.Do not think of your power today; but think of it tomorrow when you become the captive of death, standing on the Day of

Requital before Allah in the presence of an assembly of angels,prophets and messengers, when (All) faces shall be humbledbefore (Allah,) the Ever Living, the One Who sustains andprotects all that exists. (Surah Ta Ha, Ayat 111)

O Leader of the Faithful! Although I have not attained with thisadvice the level of wise men or their reason and wisdom beforeme, I have done my best to be sincere in my advice to you. Sotake my message as a medicine given by a loving person to hisfavourite friend although it has bitter taste, it would serve as acure.

The description above is the Islamic idea of governance, andrather than voting for secular individuals who are no where nearthe calibre as described above, we should look to establish Islam

as a comprehensive system in The Muslim World for the sake of appointing such a man to lead us, who will be as describedabove, who will look after our affairs, and who will create asociety which will be the fertile ground for many more justrulers to arise, inshaAllah.


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Thousands mourned during the funeral of scholar Dr. Israr Ahmed in Lahore

The scholar and founder of Tanzeem-e-Islami, Dr. Israr Ahmed who died of cardiac arrest, was laid to rest inthe Model Town graveyard in Lahore on Wednesday night. Israr,

president of Anjuman-e Khuddam Al-Quran, has left behind four sons, five daughters and a widow.

Thousands of people across the country, including PML-N(Punjab president) Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Senator SajidMir, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Syed Munawar Hassan and QaziHussain Ahmed and all other religious leaders attended thefuneral, Worldbulletin correspondent Ubaid ur Rahman said.

He wrote more than 100s books. He taught his family and

children in the same way of Islam. Dr. Israr was in favor of Caliphate and struggled for it through

out his life.

Taken from World Bulliten

Comments: Above is the example of a man to be respected.He was among those scholars who renounced democracy andopenly called it a non-Islamic system. All of his long life, he wassimply a Dawah carrier for Allahs (SWT) Sake. This is theexample of the kind of people we need to be. We should do as Dr.Israr did by struggling to see the whole of Islam implemented byan Islamic State. May Allah (SWT) give him a high status inJannat ul Firdous, inshaAllah. Ameen

Muslim couple say train attack was racial hatred

Police are searching for a gang of about 20 Derby men after an attack on a Muslim couple on a train to Nottingham. AbidaMalik said the men called her and her husband Asif Ahmedterrorists. One man put Mr Ahmed in a headlock saying he wasmaking a citizen's arrest.

The gang boarded the train at Loughborough on Easter Sundayevening, after what British Transport Police believe was a drinkingsession.

Officers have described it as an "unpleasant and nasty" incident.

Taken from BBC News

Comments: This is the fruit of the media mis-representationof Islam. Indeed there always seems to be something in theWestern Media regarding Islam and Muslims, and very rarely is itof a positive nature. The incident is one of many above that showthe power of free press propaganda, and what it can makesome people do. As a second note, I wonder how many other incidences like this have been caused by alcohol..one can onlywonder.

Chain Reaction: Belgium Bans Burqa

Belgium started the procedure of drafting a law that wouldban Muslim women from wearing burqa in public places. OnMarch 31, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee voted

unanimously to endorse the move. The law was initiated by theliberal Reformist Movement party in early March. It is necessarythat the law forbids the wearing of clothes that totally mask andencloses an individual, said a member of the party.

Taken from Pravda

Comments: It seems as though draconian and regressivelaws are not just the aim of UKIP or the BNP. There is now agrowing intolerant trend across Europe. In Switzerland we sawthe banning of Minarets, in France we saw the banning of theNiqab, and now we see this. In modern times, Europe has alwaysbrandished itself as having a pluralistic tradition, but in recenttimes, we see that this only applies when it doesnt involve Islamand its codes of conduct. Could this be the start of a chainreaction?

Mass deportation feared after West Bank permit ruling

The Israeli army is to enact a ruling that could leave tens of thousands of Palestinians vulnerable to deportation from the WestBank, human rights groups have claimed. A coalition of ten Israeligroups appealed to the Defence Ministry not to enact the militaryorder, due to come into effect tomorrow, that would defineanyone in the West Bank who does not hold an Israeli permit asan infiltrator.

Those without a permit would be liable to seven years inprison and the cost of their deportation from the West Bank most likely to the Gaza Strip.

Taken from The Times Online

Comments: Many hope that some kind of peace deal canbe reached between Israel and Palestine, and that the two-statesolution will solve the problems of the people there. The abovehowever, is one of many examples of how this kind of thinking issimply unrealistic. It is quite obvious that Israel will continue toremain as a threat to the Palestinians, despite the voices of objectors who are ignored all too often.

Farewell Message :

We hope that what has been written here in these pages has shown you, the reader the correct view pertaining to the issue of voting . We also hope you will take the right course of action by not voting and engaging in political participation . It is for the benet of all of us that

you dont

.Instead,

we

hope

that

you

will

take

the

correct

course

of

action

and

look

to

Islam

and

only

Islam

for

solutions

in

the

political,

and indeed, any sphere of life .

Next Volume will feature all of the usual articles, including al Muhit as Sahra, Islam Around The World etc . We urge you to please look forward to it . Please do take care dear Brothers and Sisters .

As salaam alaykum wa rahmatullah

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