Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem

Siyasah - The Way of Islam

All Thanks and All Praise are for Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

Siyasah is an Arabic word which is often wrongly translated as “politics”. Correctly understood, Siyasah is the way we can do our honourable duty to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger, Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam). As I have written elsewhere in an attempt to explain the difference between the Way of Islam and the ignorant ways of the kuffar:

 “Siyasah is defined as the application of the Quran and Sunnah in the world: the means whereby Muslims can live in a community according to the command of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) . That is, it is the practical application of the knowledge of Islam. Siyasah basically means commanding the good, and forbidding the bad, defined as these are by Quran and Sunnah alone: that is, it means a community ruled by an Ameer, or Khalifah, who rules according to Shari'ah, and who is thus the representative of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) in this mortal world.

What is the aim of siyasah? To uphold, maintain and expand the Way of Al-Islam through such things as Shari'ah and Jihad. What are the fundamental principles of siyasah? Bay'ah and Shura.”

Siyasah neither means, nor implies, democracy, just as the there is not and can be no such thing as an Islamic State. Democracy is a kaffir term, a kaffir concept, a Taghut which the kuffar obey, and has no place in Islam, just as the State is a kaffir term, a kaffir concept. To use such terms - to try and understand Islam in such terms - constitutes an imitation of the kuffar.

The Principle of Bayah

Islam means bayah - this implies personal honour and its application. This allows for, and means,  a person is responsible, before Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, for themselves  - that a person follows an Ameer to whom they have given their loyalty because that Ameer is understood as a representative of Allah. Such loyalty has the important condition that it is only valid so long as the person given loyalty is Muslim and is seen to uphold the word of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam): seen to judge everything by the Quran and Sunnah and seem to do his duty as a Muslim by obeying Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam).

"Honour is with, and from, Allah alone." 3: 139 Interpretation of Meaning

An Ameer also gives bayah - to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), to be responsible for those whom he leads. It is a sacred trust. This bayah, and the honour upon which it is based, allow for the exercise of personal judgement in practical matters - that is, the Ameer-ul-Mumineen, the Khalifah, and the Khilafah in general, are human; they do not allow themselves to be governed by too many rules and regulations, for it is their Islam, their submission to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), their honour, their loyalty, and the judgement which arises from these, which are important, not human-made rules and regulations. That is, an official, a representative, of the Khalifah is expected to be an honourable individual, devoted to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), who is allowed, even expected, to use their own judgment, always basing that judgment on the Quran and Sunnah and always aware of how they will be called to account, by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, for their actions.

This principle of personal judgment - this lack of over-burdening rules and regulations - this humanity, is evident, for example, in the rule of Umar ibn al-Khattab (Radhiallahu 'anhu) as recorded in the many Ahadith concerning him (see also Tarikh al-Khulafa by Jalal-uddin As-Suyut). It is evident in the Hadith regarding Mu'adh ibn Jaba (narrated by Abu Musa):

When Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) sent him and Mu'adh bin Jabal to Yemen, he said to them: "Make things easy for the people rather than difficult; provide them with reports of good, and do not let them turn away [from what is honourable]. You should both work together, with mutual respect, understanding and loyalty." Bukhari, Vol 8, Book 73, Number 145

Thus, Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) - after entrusting them with the duty of ruling Yemen - did not go into great detail about what they should do, or provide them with detailed plans or burden them with regulations. Instead, he trusted them to act, to behave, as Muslims - with honour, fairness, and with the knowledge that they would be held accountable by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala for their deeds.

This makes the practical implementation of Siyasah - the Khilafah - very different from the Western State with its abstract loyalty, its bureaucracy, its ever more powerful Police forces, its ever-increasing human-made, fallible, laws, and its remote politicians who pander to some passing idea, some trendy philosophy, or some human-made, fallible, ever-changing, "political programme" and who often lie, and use propaganda, in order to manipulate people, and secure their vote in some election.

For Islam, the supreme authority, the supreme judge, is Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, and representatives of the Khilafah - from the Khalifah (Ameer-ul-Mumineen), to each and every Qadi, to each and every Ameer who has given bayah to the Khalifah - are only intermediaries, striving to do their honourable duty, and allowed to do their duty by virtue of the trust that has been placed in them. As intermediaries between Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and the Muslims, they are expected to act in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah, and with honour, with fairness, and often with mercy, with forgiveness, for as Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says:

"Remember that Allah is The Most Merciful, He Who Often Forgives."   5:34 Interpretation of Meaning

"Hukm is for Allah alone." 6:57 Interpretation of Meaning

What this means in the practical sense is that the justice of Islam - the justice of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala - is the justice of honour, the justice seen to be honourable, and seen to be administered by honourable individuals who have no affectation, no remoteness from their fellow Muslims, no personal agenda. This makes it very different from the inflexible, abstract, fallible, so-called "justice" of the modern State.

You who believe, be firm in being fair - as a witness for Allah - even though it is not to your own advantage, nor to the advantage of your kin, and whether the matter concerns the rich, or the poor. For Allah is the best protector (of all). Do not just follow your own desires, for you may deviate, and turn away, and Allah is always knowing of all that you do.  4:135 Interpretation of Meaning

Thus, the Khilafah embodies the virtues of the Muslim. There is no abstract loyalty to some Institution - but only personal loyalty (bayah) to Muslims who represent Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and that loyalty is, as stated above, dependant on those representatives being Muslim, remaining Muslim, and being seen to be Muslim: being seen to uphold, and judge by, the Quran and Sunnah and these alone; being obedient to the word of  Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam).

"Be loyal and do your duty to Allah; fear Him and always speak with honour. He will direct you to do honourable deeds and will forgive your mis-deeds. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will achieve the greatest achievement of all." 33:70-71 Interpretation of Meaning

The Principle of Shura:

Shura means and implies consultation - but with those who have knowledge and experience of the matters under consideration. Thus, in the strict, Shariah, sense Shura means consulting Ahl al-hal waal-'aqd: the people of knowledge; those who are honourable and who have shown by their way of life that they are Muslim, fearing Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. Shura does not mean, or imply, consulting "the people" in general, or asking them to vote on some issue, or vote in some "election".

Thus, the Ameer-ul-Mumineen - the Khalifah - should consult with those who have knowledge and experience of a matter under consideration. But the decision - the responsibility for the decision - is his, alone. This is exactly what al-Khulafaa' al-Raashidoon did, as evident, for example, in the Hadith narrated Maymun ibn Mahran in relation to Abu Bakr (Radhiallahu 'anhu):

"When Abu Bakr encountered a problem, he would turn to the Book of Allah. If he found the answer, there, he would follow it; if not, he would ask those who knew the Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) if they knew what he had done in a similar situation. Thus, he might be informed what the Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) had done. If he was not, then he would consult with the leaders of the people. Umar also did this." (See al Dahlawi, Hujatullah al Balighah, I, 315)
 

What matters for us as Muslims is compliance with the commands of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala - obedience to the Book of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, and following the perfect example of the Prophet, Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam). What does not matter are our fallible ideas, our views, our personal desires, our whims, or the views, desires, ideas and whims of the majority. Only through such obedience, such submission to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, can we achieve the goal of this brief mortal life..

"It is not for the believer - man or woman - when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, that they should have any option in their decision. For whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed strayed into plain error." 33:36 Interpretation of Meaning

"And this (Islam and the Quran) is the straight path of your Rabb. For those who take heed of Our clear revelations there shall be that dwelling which is peace (Jannah). 6:126-7 Interpretation of Meaning
 

Shariah:

Shariah is only a means - its purpose is to lead people to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, to help them remember Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and thus to prepare them for the judgement of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

The Khalifah - and thus the Khilafah - are bound by the Shariah, and their duty is to implement it. The Shariah details what is good, honourable, and what is bad, dishonourable, and is thus a guide to what we should do, and should not do. The Shariah prescribes certain punishments - Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has clearly set the limits (hudood), the boundaries which we are warned not to cross, for the insolence of such disobedience has consequences.

"Observe the limits which Allah has set." 9:112

"And over you are Watchers - just, honourable - who know and record [write down] all that you do. Thus shall those who do what is commanded be in bliss while the disobedient will be in the blazing Fire. "  82: 10-14 Interpretation of Meaning

 

As Muslims, we should recognize and accept the wisdom of Shariah, as we should strive to place acceptance of it - and acceptance of its prescribed punishments - before our fallible personal ideas, before our personal desires, before our personal views. We should especially distance ourselves from the views, and the ideas, the concepts, of the kuffar in relation to Shariah, and Hudood.

"Judge between them by what Allah has revealed: do not give in to your own desires, and beware, for they will try to lead you astray, away from some of that which Allah has revealed. And if they turn away, there is the knowledge of their punishment by Allah for some transgression of theirs - and, indeed, there are many disobedient, rebellious ones [Fasiqun].  Do they seek to judge according to the ways of Jahiliyyah? The judgement of Allah is best - for those who sincerely believe." 5:49-50 Interpretation of Meaning

"If you believe in Allah and The Last Day do not let pity deter you from administering the punishments which Allah has ordained, and let a group of those who believe witness such punishment." 24:2 Interpretation of Meaning
 

Conclusion:

Siyasah - the Way of Al-Islam - is implemented by bayah and Shura. Bayah means an Ameer, a Khalifah - a leader who is obeyed, and to whom Muslims give a pledge of loyalty, because that leader is considered to be a representative, in this life, of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, so long as he is seen to obey Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and is thus seen, and known, as an honourable Muslim. An Ameer rules by striving to follow the guidelines of the Quran and Sunnah, by Shura, and by implementing the Shariah. This is quite different from the ways of the kuffar, who judge according to their own fallible ideas, according to their own desires, according to their own fallible human-made laws, and who, in their arrogant disobedience, insist that we Muslims must abandon the Way of Islam for their ways of ignorance, and accept their idols, the Taghut, of "democracy", of "the State", and of "the nation", idols which they have set up to compete with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

"Allah never forgives those who ascribe anything as equal to Him - even though he can forgive other things. For whomsoever ascribes anything as equal to Allah has indeed established extreme dishonour." 5:48 Interpretation of Meaning

"How could I seek a Rabb other than Allah, for He is the Rabb of everything." 6:164

"In truth We have sent Messengers to every people with a warning for them to submit only to Allah and so reject the Taghut." 16:36 Interpretation of Meaning

We Muslims must distance ourselves from the ways, the Taghut, of the kuffar - evident in their "democracy", their "State", their "politics" - and commit ourselves to upholding the Way of Al-Islam. Thus must we speak, and write about, Siyasah, bayah, the Khilafah, Shariah, accepting the superiority of our Way, given to us by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, over and above the ways of the kuffar.

May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) protect us from all forms of Al-asabiyyah Al-Jahiliyyah, forgive us for our mistakes, and guide us to and keep us on the Right Path.

Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt

26 Safar 1427