بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The Liberation of Palestine Can Never Be Achieved by Playing the Democratic Game
News:
The British parliamentary elections took place on the 4th July, resulting in a landslide victory for the Labour Party. Five pro-Palestine independent MPs were elected, out of 650 seats. Many Muslims in the UK engaged the democratic process, either using tactical voting or supporting independent pro-Palestine candidates. The aim was to try and place pressure on any future British government to do more to stop the slaughter in Gaza, as well as to send a message to the main political parties of Muslim opposition to their supportive stance towards the Zionist occupation. This is a global year of elections, where many countries are electing their new leaders, parliamentarians or political representatives, including in America. Many Muslims are also involving themselves in the democratic process in these lands in the hope that they can do something to end the bloodshed in Gaza and to support their brothers and sisters in Palestine.
Comment:
As Muslims, the aim of ending this genocide and to liberate Palestine from this murderous occupation is not simply a humanitarian goal but one that is driven by our Iman, the belief, that these are our Muslim brothers and sisters who are being slaughtered, and that we have an Islamic obligation to work to remove their state of oppression, for Allah (swt) says:
[وَإِنِ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ النَّصْرُ]
“And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help” [Al-Anfal:72] and the Prophet (saw) said, «الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ، لاَ يَظْلِمُهُ وَلاَ يُسْلِمُهُ»“A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor.” If this is so, then surely the solution that we seek for the Gaza genocide and occupation of Palestine should also stem from our Deen. Furthermore, Allah (swt) says:
[إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ]
“The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, “We hear and we obey.” And those are the successful” [An-Nur: 51], emphasizing the point that success for us as Muslims – in this life or the next – can only be achieved by obedience to the Commands and the Laws and Limits of our Rabb (swt).
What needs to be understood is that a vote in these democratic elections is not simply a vote for a political representative, but rather a vote that accepts the validity of the democratic system itself as a political model to govern a people. It is therefore a vote that accepts the right for human beings to legislate laws for others to live by, while in Islam it is clear that Allah (swt) alone is sovereign and has the right to dictate the laws and limits for humanity, for He (swt) says:
[إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ لِلّهِ]
“The rule belongs to none but Allah” [Yusuf: 40], underscoring that all authority to govern rests only with Allah (swt). He (swt) also says:
[ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاء الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ]
“We have established for you a Shariah. So, follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know.” [Al-Jathiya: 18]. Furthermore, a vote in these democratic elections in Britain, America and other states is a vote that gives legitimacy to systems that have either been pivotal in the establishment, preservation and strengthening of the brutal Zionist entity, or have stood idle allowing this genocide to unfold. Therefore, how can engagement in the democratic electoral system ever bring success for the Muslims in liberating Palestine, or success in any other matter in this life or the next? The Prophet (saw) was offered the chance to become a leader within the Makkan non-Islamic political system by the Quraysh but he refused it. When he (saw) was seeking the Nussrah (material support) from the Arab tribes in order to establish a state based upon Islam, Banu ‘Aamer bin Sa’sa’ah asked if they could have the command (rule) after him if they gave him the support he desired. He (saw) refused this, replying: «إِنَّ الأَمْرَ للَّهِ يَضَعُهُ حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ»“The Command belongs to Allah, who places it where he wills.” All this demonstrates Islam’s rejection of participating in, being a representative of, or sharing political power in any non-Islamic system. Therefore, what good can ever come from engaging in that which is Haram?
Alongside all this, the belief that engaging in a colonial system to stop support for colonial projects such as the continuing existence of the Zionist entity is utterly irrational. How can we expect solutions from systems that created the problem in the first place? Capitalist systems in the west and elsewhere, do not shape foreign policy on ethics – or even on the public opinion of their people. Rather it is driven primarily by profit and economic interests and the drive to maintain hegemony and influence over the nations of the world. Therefore, the belief that electing a handful of pro-Palestinian MP’s, or registering a Muslim anti-Zionist protest vote - can influence anything in Gaza is a fantasy. In 2003, the largest demonstration in British history took place in London to protest against the British government’s decision to go to war in Iraq. It was attended by around 1.5 – 2 million people, but they were ignored by the Labour government of the time. The march and the wider anti-war movement did not stop the war. This is because the democratic system is a rigged system that is always stacked in favour of those who wield political power and economic wealth. Therefore, trying to play this rigged democratic game in order to influence world events towards that which is ethical and just will always lead to failure.
Real change is not effected by working within corrupt systems but by looking for solutions outside of them. As Muslims, we should realise that the liberation of Palestine as with success in any matter can only be achieved if we look for solutions within our Deen. And that solution is the establishment of the System of Allah (swt), the Khilafah (Caliphate) based upon the method of the Prophethood, in the Muslim lands, which is the only system and state that genuinely stands for the interests of Islam and the Muslims. It is this state alone that will mobilise its army to defend the Muslims no matter where they live and liberate all occupied Muslim lands. For those who say that this is an impractical or even impossible goal, I would ask – how can anything that Allah (swt) commands be seen as impractical? And furthermore, how practical is it to believe that change can be achieved through the ballot box of the colonialists and their corrupt systems?!!
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Asma Siddiq
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir