Political Islam And Islamism Pose A Threat To Islam's Core Messages Of Pluralism And Co-existence

By Grace Mubashir,  New Age Islam

6 March 2024

The Increasing Islamisation Of Muslim Societies, Poses A Threat To Islam's Core Messages Of Pluralism And Coexistence

Main Points:

1.        Sectarian tensions and blasphemy laws can further restrict religious freedom

2.        The Islamic state established by the Prophet was pluralistic

3.        The whole set of values that Islam propounds is humanistic. and accepted by all good men of all times and places

4.        In a secular and pluralistic society like India, the political representation of Islam should also establish social justice.

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Blasphemy and apostasy laws were applied in a discriminatory manner in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2023, according to a new report by the U.S. State Department. “These laws are frequently used to repress dissent, to harass political opponents, and to settle personal vendettas,” the Secretary of State said on May 20. In Saudi Arabia, activists were reportedly arrested and charged with apostasy and blasphemy. Under Egypt’s new constitution, prosecutors pursued cases against individuals for denigrating religion. Sectarian violence also plagued several countries, including Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. But, in theory, these transgressions are not Islamic.

While Islam itself promotes respect for the Abrahamic faiths, religious intolerance exists in some Muslim-majority countries. This intolerance can vary from social discrimination faced by minorities to limitations on their houses of worship.  Sectarian tensions and blasphemy laws can further restrict religious freedom. It's important to remember this isn't a monolithic issue - some countries have a rich history of religious coexistence.

The oldest system of government in the world today is that of Islam. Fourteen centuries later it continues to this day; Although there are many weaknesses.

The Prophet established the Islamic state and governance. Through that, the Prophet was carrying out the instructions of Allah. Its headquarters was at Yathrib (Madeena). Muslims were a small minority when the Islamic state was established there. Less than fifteen percent. There were less than fifteen hundred Muslims in Yathrib, which had more than ten thousand people. Yet how was an Islamic state established there? Prophet Muhammad with its ruler?

There were twenty-two tribes in and around Yathrib. They had been fighting each other for decades. War and massacres destroyed the civil life there. Conflicts had led to unending tragedies and miseries. So everyone hated war. They wanted peace.

Meanwhile, a group from Yathrib arrived in Makkah for Hajj. They became acquainted with the Prophet. The situation in Yathrib was explained to him. The Prophet briefly presented Islam before them. They were attracted by it and accepted Islam. They belonged to the Khasraj tribe. After returning home, they introduced the Prophet and Islam to the natives. Twelve of them came to Makkah the following year and made a covenant with the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet sent Miswab bin Umayr with them for Islamic instruction in Yathrib.

The following year, seventy-five believers, including two women, reached Aqaba and met the Prophet. They invited the Prophet and his followers to Yathrib.

They offered help and protection in every sense. With that, the background for Hijra was set.

After the Second Aqaba Treaty, the Prophet, who arrived at Yathrib, was received by the people of that time with singing and expressing joy. They named their city 'Madinatunnabi' which means the city of the Prophet. All of them made him the leader and ruler of their country.

The Constitution of the Plural State

The Prophet brought together the inhabitants of Madinah and made a detailed agreement with them. A document was prepared detailing the rights and obligations of everyone. This is the first written constitution in human history, known as the 'Madina document'. Modern Islamic scholars have fragmented the Medina document into the character of modern constitutions. But nothing was added or subtracted from what was in the time of the Prophet.

This shows that the Islamic state established by the Prophet was pluralistic. In the Islamic constitution which was formed by him, the rights and obligations of all the people of the country are written clearly and concisely. It ensures complete religious freedom. It unequivocally states that no one's freedom of belief, worship, custom, practice or personal laws shall be interfered with. History is witness to the fact that Muslim countries and governments have allowed non-religious groups complete freedom from the time of the Prophet till today.

In Egypt, which was ruled by Muslims for fourteen centuries, there are still about nine percent Coptic Christians and five hundred Coptic churches. Boutros Boutros-Ghali who was the Secretary-General of the United Nations, is an Egyptian Coptic Christian. Tariq Aziz, former Iraqi minister, is also a Christian. Iraq is also home to a Christian sect. Another country is Syria. Lebanon has more than forty percent Christians. It is undeniable that Islam has been a pluralistic nation from the time of the Prophet till today. Islam was never a religious state.

Protection of Human Rights

In the Islamic view, human beings are highly respected. His life and life is very precious. The Qur'an declares that killing one person is as grave and flagrant as killing an entire human race (17:70, 5:32). Therefore, Muslims are bound to stand up for the protection of human dignity and life, whether in the government or in the opposition.

Like human life, pride is respected. It should be protected in any case. Do not be harmed (Quran 49:11, 104:1). It is therefore imperative that Islamic society intervenes to protect human dignity, and individuals are permitted to acquire, hold and spend property subject to the constraints

of God-ordained social interests. This freedom must be protected. It should also ensure that social interests are not violated. Therefore, political power and pressure should be used to eradicate all forms of economic exploitation such as fraud, cheating, fraud, embezzlement, embezzlement, hoarding, corruption, usury and racketeering, along with constant awareness.

In the Islamic view, religious diversity is part of the divinely ordained natural law. Therefore, no force or pressure should be allowed for conversion or integration. Freedom of belief is the birth right of man. It must be fully protected (Qur'an 2:256, 18:29, 10:99).

Freedom of worship is as important as freedom of religion. The Qur'an enjoins that no one's object of worship be despised or reviled (6:108). The agreement made by the Prophet with the Christian community is as follows: "The Christians of Najran and their fellow citizens have the refuge of Allah and the protection of the Messenger of God Muhammad. This is for their lives, religion, land, wealth, those who are present and absent from them, their camels, sacrificial groups, and religious symbols such as the cross and the church. No change will be made in the existing situation. None of their rights and religious symbols will be changed. . Their pastor, priest, or church servant will not be removed from his position."

In Islam war is allowed to maintain the balance of power. If not, the Qur'an says that monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques where God's name is abundantly remembered may be destroyed (22:39,40). This convinces us that the protection of places of worship for all people is essential. The political representation of Islam should be helpful in this way, the Islamic society is obliged to try to protect all the fundamental rights of human beings. Their political representation and involvement should be helpful for that.

Fulfilment of Basic Needs

Basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, education, treatment, water and light are the basic rights of all human beings. Every citizen of the country should have them. Otherwise, if there is anyone in society who is denied these basic rights, the property of the rich will not belong to them. It will become the inheritance of the poor and needy (Quran 51:19, 17:26, 107:1-3). Wealth should not be confined to the rich (59:7).

The Prophet said: "Let the one who has more than enough vehicles give to the one who does not have it.

Imam Ibn Hazm says: "The rich in every country should save the poor. If zakat and other resources are not enough, the government should compel them to give more than that. The rights of the poor are food, clothing for winter and summer, and a house that provides protection from rain, sun, cold, and the harassment of passers-by. '' (Al Muhalla, Part 6, Page 156).

The government should fulfil the basic needs of all the citizens of the country.

Otherwise, if the money in the public treasury is not enough, it should be collected from the rich and distributed to the poor. The political involvement and representation of the Islamic community should be instrumental in the establishment of such a system of government or in changing the system of government. The righteous caliphs were adamant that not only humans but also cattle should not starve in their territory.

Administration of Justice

Administration of justice is the biggest responsibility of any government. Islam places great importance on justice. The Qur'an makes it clear that the Prophets were appointed and the scriptures were given to establish justice. It also stipulates that pecuniary interests should not obstruct the administration of justice.

"O you who have believed, do justice and bear witness for Allah, whether it is against you or your parents or your relatives. It does not matter whether the party is rich or poor. Allah is closer to both groups. So do not do justice because of your own preferences. Do not distort facts or deviate from the truth" (4: 135).

What made Caliph Umar's rule so remarkable was the precision and rigor in the administration of justice. The greatest beneficiary of this in history is not a Muslim but a Coptic Christian. Muhammad, the son of Amr bin Aswin, the Egyptian governor of Caliph Umar al-Farooq, struck a Coptic Christian. When the case came before the Caliph and he was found guilty, the Christian brother also got an opportunity to beat the governor's son. After the punishment was done, Umarul Farooq asked the governor and his son: "When did you start enslaving the people. Their mothers gave birth to them free.''

This is how the political intervention of the Islamic society should be guided to establish and administer justice impartially and honestly.

Values

The whole set of values that Islam propounds is humanistic. and accepted by all good men of all times and places. All well-wishers irrespective of caste, religion and community can agree on common moral values. A neutral social conscience is against social evils like alcohol, drugs, sexual anarchy, robbery, murder, bribery, fraud and exploitation. Along with this, the loss of values in public life, politics and governance is the most serious challenge and crisis facing our country and era. Therefore, one of the main goals of the political representation of Islam is the valorisation of public life, politics and the nation.

A part of this is that political leaders and administrators should be those who adhere to moral values. Then the rulers will not be alienated from the people, inaccessible to them or privileged. The adage that people's leaders are people's servants will also be invalidated. Political leaders and administrators will be noted for their public service activities and sacrifices made for the people. On the contrary, it will not be in the name of arrogance and pride.

Administrators should exercise extraordinary care and caution in the utilization of public funds and educate even ordinary citizens to monitor them to ensure that they are maintained. This can only be possible if the citizens of the country are brought up to become highly civic-minded.

Emancipation of the Oppressed

The elimination of all forms of exploitation and the liberation of the oppressed are among the noblest goals of Islam. Many prophets, including Prophet Musa, were appointed to liberate the oppressed and the oppressed. The Qur'an and Prophetic tradition enjoin to work hard for various emancipations.

The Islamic state and society founded by the Prophet and led by the wise caliphs was pluralistic. Through them, the people of Bharani experienced complete social justice. Or, protection of fundamental rights and fulfilment of basic needs. All the citizens got full justice irrespective of caste, religion, party and bias. There was an end to all inequalities. No more discrimination. A situation has been created where there are no human rights violations, torture or exploitation. The ruler lived with them as one of the people. Truth, Dharma, goodness and justice were established in public life.

In a secular and pluralistic society like India, the political representation of Islam should also establish social justice. It should be for the protection of fundamental human rights and the liberation of the oppressed. The disadvantaged should be uplifted all forms of discrimination should be ended and all forms of exploitation and violence should be ended. As well as the valorisation of politics and the nation.

The realization of these goals, which can be agreed upon by everyone who wants the good of society and the welfare of the country, should be attempted with the cooperation and participation of all goodwill. Such an approach is what the times demand of us.

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A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist.

 

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