In compliance with the Qur’ānic injunction ‘أَمْرُهُمْ
شُورَى بَيْنَهُمْ’ (their system is based on their consultation), the
Sunnah decreed by the Prophet (sws) is based on two principles: First, Muslims
shall be consulted in the affairs of state through their leaders in whom they
profess confidence. Second, among the various parties or groups present in an
Islamic State, only that party shall assume its political authority which enjoys
the confidence of the majority.
It is evident from the above two principles that the real
essence of democracy definitely exists in an Islamic Political System, however,
there are certain evils present in the prevailing system of democracy of
Pakistan, which are contrary to the teachings of Islam. Some of the important
ones are listed below.
The first evil is that greed for an office in government
has become so desirable a trait that even the pious feel no aversion to it. It
has now become a tradition for people to come forward and present their names
for various posts, go about proclaiming their qualities and services in streets
and employ other means to allure the public. In Islamic ethics, this shameless
attitude is not permissible at all. The Prophet (sws) is said to have said:
إِنَّا وَاللَّهِ لَا نُوَلِّي عَلَى
هَذَا الْعَمَلِ أَحَدًا سَأَلَهُ وَلَا أَحَدًا حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ (مسلم: رقم
١٧٣٣)
By God! We shall not grant any person a post in this
system who asks for it and covets it. (Muslim: No. 1733)
The second evil is that people are generally encouraged to
vote for whatever is in the party’s interest, even if their conscience considers
it against the truth. Quite evidently, this attitude cannot be tolerated by the
adherents of a religion whose followers have pledged a covenant at the hands of
the Prophet (sws) that they would always say what is right disregarding ‘the
reproaches of a one who reproaches’.
The third evil is that money has become the decisive factor
in this system’s election campaigns. Therefore, only people who are able to
spend lavishly in these campaigns, however little they might know about
politics, however much they may lack in wisdom and intellect and however low
they may be in character, reach parliament. Islam on the contrary, as every one
knows, stresses that only people who are pious and noble, worthy and competent
should assume political authority. It totally disapproves that money should rule
the realm of politics in place of intellect and morality.
These are some of the evils which plague the democratic
order of Pakistan whenever it is allowed to flourish. In their presence, it
cannot be expected to function in accordance with the guidance provided by
Islam. The whole set-up must be reformed and rehabilitated to harmonize it with
the spirit of Islam’s political directives.
(Adapted from Ghamidi’s ‘Burhān’)
|