Eradicating the Darkness of Democracy

[إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ لِلّهِ أَمَرَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ]“Indeed the Hukum is only for Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him, that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.”[TMQ 12:40]

In Islam, there is no consideration for the majority’s opinion concerning the decision of the Lord of the Worlds, and that the legislation should only be for Allah (swt). Thus, in the Islamic system the final word is for Allah (swt). The order, prohibition, allowing and forbidding is for the One Who is Most High, Most Great, the All-Knowing, All-Informed and not for any creation. No individual or group has the slightest share in legislation beside Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) is the only One Who gives judgement; [إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ لِلّهِ]“Indeed, the Hukum is only for Allah.” [TMQ 12:40].

What we witness however today is the global domination of democracy that’s based upon the opposing idea of, ‘the rule of the people, by the people and for the people’. Historically, it was the West who established the idea of ‘separating religion from life’. Democracy as an idea and system made human beings the master over themselves instead of making that mastery for Allah (swt). The mind instead had free reign to rule life’s affairs and individuals were free to follow one’s whims and desires in the name of secular liberal values. The freedom of belief, ownership, opinion and personal freedom are considered sacred in democratic societies.

However, when observing the practical implementation of the idea of freedoms in societies across the world, we can clearly see much darkness and despair. When one looks at the disastrous consequences of the idea of freedom of ownership that resulted in the monstrosity of Capitalism, we can only find misery, poverty, exploitation, colonisation, wars and monopolisation produced by global vulture capitalist corporations, capitalist countries and the capitalist elites.

Capitalist countries like America have historically kept the interests of the Capitalist class front and centre, even when for example drafting the US democratic constitution. In the words, of former US President Jimmy Carter who said, “The reason for the Constitution was to empower people of property over common people. Indeed, our definition of self-government and freedom have become linked, if not equated, to the interests of the corporation.”

These words certainly rang out loud and clear during the global Covid-19 pandemic where billionaires saw their fortunes increase as much in 24 months as they did in 23 years, according to Oxfam’s “Profiting from Pain” report released in May 2022. Every 30 hours, while COVID-19 and rising food prices pushed nearly one million more people into extreme poverty, the global economy also spawned a new billionaire.”

Islam has a completely different philosophy for the economy which results in a very different society to a Capitalist one. The economic policy in Islam or the overall direction of the Islamic economic system is to secure the satisfaction of all basic needs for every individual completely, and to enable them to satisfy their luxuries as much as possible. This means economic policies will look to cater for all rather than just leaving it to the market. Islam has also defined how humans acquire wealth to prevent a minority of the populace from controlling the majority of the wealth so that the majority of people are not deprived of satisfying some of their needs. Via qiyas (analogical deduction) the following verse in the Qur’an ensures this situation never arises:

[كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاء مِنكُمْ]

“That it (i.e. the nation’s wealth) does not become a commodity between the rich among you”[TMQ Al-Hashr: 7].

As for the idea of personal freedom, it has turned societies in democratic countries into declined animalistic societies. Personal freedom is the freedom to do away with all restrictions. Allah (swt) spoke the Truth when He (swt) said:

[أَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا * أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا]

“Have you (O Muhammad) seen him who has taken as his ilah (god) his own desire (Hawah)? Would you then be a Wakil (disposer of his affairs) over him? Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the Path”. [TMQ: Al-Furqan: 43-44].

The darkness of man-made systems like liberal democracy and Capitalism has made life an unbearable hell for humanity. Man is limited and deficient to be capable of legislating for himself and others successfully. True stability, tranquillity, and a contented life will only be achieved in the light of the full application of the system that Allah (swt) has sent down. Islam is the only system capable of solving people’s economic, social, political and health problems, applied in the Khilafah Rashidah (righteous Caliphate) State on the method of Prophethood, which builds all its institutions, apparatus, systems and constitutions on Shariah rulings that emanate from the Islamic Aqeedah (doctrine) that is the ideology of the Ummah.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Tsuroyya Amal Yasna
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir

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