Some Random Thoughts on Islamic State

The Concept of Statehood. The concept of statehood in Islam transcends the

geographical boundaries and shroud around the whole Muslim community living
anywhere in the world therefore, Quran terms the global Muslim community as “Umma-
tu-Matwasta” (the core nation or justly balanced community1). Even in case when a
classical Islamic state doesn’t exist, or Muslims divide themselves in numerous
geographical boundaries, the Islamic statehood principles would still be applicable,
which in fact is the pre-requisite for a state to be termed as Islamic in real sense. It
must be remembered that a state cannot become Islamic or can be termed Islamic
merely on the basis that a sizeable Muslim community resides within its confines. A
state would only become an Islamic once the principles as elucidated by the Quran and
Sunnah are implemented and the state legislation is subordinated to the divine
injunctions. Moreover, the politics in Islam means welfare and provision of basic
necessities to the masses by the ruling class. In other word the caliph in Islam is
actually the servant of Allah holding the responsibility of serving the state and the
masses at the same time.
Purpose of an Islamic State. The foremost purpose of an Islamic state is to lead a
life according to the commandments of the Allah in state of a perpetual peace for
purifying oneself and creating opportunities for others so as to achieve a successful
status in the hereafter. According to Quran the sole purpose of creation is the
subordination to God2 which can only be possible once a state has been established on
the principles as laid down by the Creator and His messenger.
Foundations of an Islamic State. An Islamic state is primarily founded on four
fundamental pillars, Equality, Justice, Community Welfare and any infringement of
these principles or an act which becomes detrimental to the obligatory peace in an
Islamic state is required to be punished according to divine law, called as Sharia.
Equality means that all citizens of an Islamic state are equal and answerable to God
and those with more responsibilities (e.g. the rulers and position holders in the state)
are answerable to society as well. There are no special privileges for the public office
holders or the rulers; rather they are assigned with added responsibilities as was
witnessed during the time period of rightly guided Caliphs or the “Kulfha-e-Rashdoon,”
which is termed as the era of a classical Islamic state. The speedy and across the board
dispensation of justice regardless of any bias and/or racial, political, social, ethnic or

1
2:143, “Thus we have made you an ummah justly balanced so that you might be witness over the other
nations…..”
2
51:56, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
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religious prejudices is one of the most fundamental pillar of an Islamic state and has
been emphasised repeatedly in the Quran. The Community Welfare is another very
important and cardinal pillar of statehood in Islam. The community welfare concept
originates from a family and extends to near and far relatives, neighbours and
ultimately to the whole Muslim community thus making it a one monolithic society.
Cultural Aspects of an Islamic State. Islam has neither any specific culture nor
any symbolic dress. Any culture or dress which is not inimical to the basic Islamic
values can very conveniently be absorbed in the realms of an Islamic society. This
common and collective standard thus has enabled the Muslims to display a universal
commonality in their social and cultural behaviour. This collective reflection in the
social and cultural features often is characterized as Islamic Culture and therefore the
complete Muslim community displays a unique similarity in their social and cultural
behaviour despite belonging to different social and cultural backgrounds.
Spirit of an Islamic State. The notion prevalent in the world that, Islam based on
politics or politics based on Islam is not permissible is an inaccurate and imprudent
argument. The spirit of an Islamic state resides in the concept that the state legislation
would not be divorced from the divine law whatsoever.3 Thus the connotation that Islam
and politics are inseparable simply implies that there can’t be a legislation which is
either contradictory to the divine injunction based on Quran or Sunnah or which
altogether ignores it. Therefore, the concept prevailing in Pakistan regarding politics in
the name of Islam or Islam for sake of politics is absolutely an alien concept with
regards to true Islamic philosophy. It has been repeatedly stressed and emphasised that
the purpose of Prophet Muhammad was to implement and exemplify Islam in a realistic
manner so as to enable others to follow it in true letter and sprit. Therefore, he is called
as the “excellent model to follow”4 and repeatedly it has been reiterated that he must be
followed entirely5 not only while asserting to implement the Islamic principles in a state
but in our individual lives as well which has been repeatedly reiterated in Quran.6 So
what happens once we reject to implement the divine order? We not only suffer from an
intellectual comma but rather earns wreath of the Creator due to our arrogance and
subsequently land in troubles. Unfortunately, Muslims in general and Pakistanis in
particular are suffering from the same phenomenon but still not recognizing it or

3
5:44, “…..And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then those are the disbelievers.”
4
33:2, “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent model for everyone…”
5
3:32, 3:132, 8:20, 24:52, 64:12, 4:80, 33:71, 59:7, 4:64 and numerous other verses commands that the
Prophet must be followed and obeyed.
6
61:8-9, “They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light,
although the disbelievers dislike it. It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth
to make it to prevail over all religions, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it.”
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conscious of it. However, this annoyance of the Creator can be witnessed in shape of
lawlessness, terrorism, chaos, water shortages, joblessness, corrupt and cruel rulers
and lot of other social evil/crimes as have already been foretold in Quran.7
Secularism versus Pluralism. Another drastic omission or wilful malicious
rhetoric from the liberals and seculars comes regarding the state’s ideology, which
should be based on secularism. This argument is either based on a profane ideology or
a complete failure to comprehend the effects of secularism which means that the state
legislations would not be based on any religious principle whatsoever and rather would
be founded on consensus of the community or society. One of the most profound
contributions of any divine religion to a society is the standard of morality. Morality in
humanistic or secular societies is a relative concept. The extramarital relations,
pornography, incest, homosexuality, individual obligations (towards parents, society
and elders etc) can only be explained through the religious principles. The custodians of
secularism have never tried to answer that if they confront such a problem within their
family where any of their offspring or spouse insists on maintaining such relations,
would they consider it as normal? Surely most would answer in negative. However,
those who consider it as normal are actually out of the sphere of Islam even if they
consider themselves to be the member of community. Therefore, a noble individual can’t
think of living in a secular society. Thus secularism means that state can’t have
legislations based on the religious principles rather it is devised through collective
wisdom of the community. This implies that either God’s wisdom is inferior to the
collective wisdom of society or God doesn’t have the foresight and ability to give
community a viable code of life. If a society agrees to the idea of secularism then this
implication of secularism can ouster the complete society from the religion of Islam
which actually means submission of owns will to the Allah Almighty. Same was the
basis of defiance by Iblis (commonly known as Lucifer) once he challenged God because
he considered it too hard to submit to Allah on the issue that human was being
bestowed upon with a great honour by appointing as vicegerent of God.8 However, God
has made it absolutely clear that no other religion except for Islam (submission to God)

7
2:85, “…..So you believe in one portion of the scripture while rejecting the other portion? Then what can
be the recompense for those who do that among you except that they meet disgrace in worldly life; and the
severest of punishment on the Day of Resurrection.” Also, 7:182, “Those who deny our revelations, we will
progressively lead them to destruction without their realization of the fact even.”
8
7:17, “Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their
left, and You will not find most of them obediently grateful.” 6:116, “And if you obey the majority dwellers
of the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow nothing except for conjecture and
they do nothing except for falsifying.”
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would be an acceptable way of life9 and thus secularism cannot be adopted for an
Islamic state, whatsoever the circumstances may be. If the quest of seculars or liberals
for a secular society is due to minorities’ subjugation then they should be cognizant of
the fact that Islamic society is otherwise a classical pluralistic society where rights of
minorities are not only protected but they enjoy absolute religious freedom. Other than
some selected top most appointments like head of the state, Judiciary, defence and
education, in an Islamic state, citizens of other religious communities are eligible for all
kind of state positions and appointments.
Islam as a Personal Business. Some people consider religion a personal affair.
This concept is not applicable in an Islamic society as in Islam enormous emphasis has
been laid on community welfare and enjoining other for righteousness while preventing
them from iniquity. Thus Islam becomes a community affair and not an individual or
personalized matter. Numerous incidents have been quoted in Quran where those
people were also destroyed who remained aloof from the sinful practices of others even
considering them as bad.10 Islam might be a personal business as far as rituals are
concerned (which in fact are very few) like celebrating Eid, circumcisions, aqiqqah (a
party after the birth of children) and marriage etc but the obligations like salah, fasting
etc are not considered a personal business and it is collective responsibility to
encourage others for performing good and avoiding evil. Some obligatory issues like
collection of Zakat and Usher etc are even done by force if individuals refuse to pay
them, but of course use of force is only the privilege of the state11 and not the
individuals or individual groups.
Theocracy in Islam. The normal concept that “theocracy has no place in Islam” can
be right and wrong at the same time. Because if by theocracy we mean the power held
by religious clergy, then the impression holds good that the religious clergy can’t have
hegemony similar to that of papacy witnessed in medieval Europe. However, if by
religious theocracy we mean that the religious principles as defined in the Quran and
Sunnah will have the supreme authority over the state affairs then the perception of
theocracy being alien to Islam is not correct. In an Islamic state the ultimate defining
and deciding authority is held with God and delegated to his Prophet. However, other

9
3:85, “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in
the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” Also see 5:3.
10
7:164-165, also, 3:104, “And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good,
enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful”
11
During the times of Caliph Abu-Bakar, some Muslims refused to pay Zakat so Hazrat Abu Bakar sent a
force for collection and did Jihad against them.
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matters which are not forbidden by Quran or Sunnah would be decided in a democratic
manner.12
The Concept of Ijtahad. With the religious secular divide deepening in the Muslim
societies, the debate over ijtahad is also heating up. But unfortunately most Muslims
have a very twisted concept of ijtahad and while using the term they imply to reform
and modernize Islam so as to make it in conformity to the western values. As for the
concept of ijtahad is concerned, firstly it can’t be done to reverse some existing order of
Quran or Sunnah, as it can only be done to find a solution to a problem where the
matter has not been elucidated in Quran or Hadith. Secondly, it can only be done by a
team of recognised religious scholars who have sufficient knowledge of the global
environments, Quran, Hadith and the Islamic jurisprudence as well. Thirdly the basis of
ijtahad would be Quran, Sunnah and examples from Companions of Prophet and not
the norms of other societies or cultures. The prevailing desire of carrying ijtahad to
reform Islam is not only malicious but immoral as well which has no religious standing
whatsoever.
Divide of Un-Islamic versus Non-Islamic. The divide of non-Islamic and un-
Islamic is also often confused by most of the Muslims as the dividing lines are usually
very fuzzy most of the times. In an Islamic state everything is permissible until and
unless it has been proved to be otherwise is the light of Quran or Sunnah. Non-Islamic
practices means that Islam neither encourages them nor restricts them mostly being
cultural or social traditions however, none of these were originated during the time of
Prophet or the time period of rightly guided Caliphs. On the other hand, if there is some
practice which is inimical to basic Islamic principles it becomes un-Islamic. Like
celebrating ones birthday is non-Islamic but once it becomes too extravagant it violates
one of the principles of Islam and thus becomes un-Islamic. Similarly celebrating
Prophets Birthday by one odd individual at personal level is non-Islamic but the
moment the occasion takes forms of a religious event at the societal level, it becomes a
form of innovation which is un-Islamic. Similarly dress is a non-Islamic issue. The only
principle which needs to be adhered in case of dress is that it must cover the body and
should not make body contours visible or prominent. Mostly, people terms un-Islamic
as non-Islamic and non-Islamic as un-Islamic which creates an impression that
anything which was not there in the Prophet’s time is un-Islamic which is not true and
accurate.
Written and compiled by Shams Zaman
smszmn@hotmail.com, smszmn72@yahoo.com

12
3:159, also, 42:38, “…..whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what
We have provided them, they spend”