Participation
Question:-
I would like to ask any Secular Muslim on this list who happen to believe that it is Halaal (allowable) to participate in the kufr (infidel) political system to answer these questions and arguments:
Comment:-
You are confusing yourself by addressing "secular Muslims". Muslims by definition are those who "Surrender to Allah", and cannot, therefore, be secular. But they do live in this world.
You are also confusing the issue by speaking about "kufr political systems". Political systems have a great many features. Some are good and some bad. Things are not bad just because non-Muslims practice them or good just because they are found among Muslims. The Prophet (saw) did not reject everything practiced by the people around him and introduce completely new things. It is the aim of Islam not only to spread Islam, but also to encourage the good and discourage evil. Muslims must be agents for Allah in the world.
Question:-
1. Muhammad (saaw) and the Sahabah (ra) strove hard against the kufr system of Quraish. They denounced it and worked hard to see it completely replaced with Islam. Now knowing this, why do secular Muslims refuse to denounce the kufr system and refuse to strive in the cause of Islam to see it replaced with that of Islam?
Comment:-
I and many others do, in fact, denounce the evil system and try hard to show how the Islamic system is better. This is "Modern Jihad", and it involves explaining Islam in a language which the contemporary mind can understand. It also involves showing its relevance to modern conditions of life as altered by advancing education, organization and technology, the increase in population, and the increasing interdependence of people due to trade and commerce, and the shrinking of the world owing to the development of transport and communication.
This Jihad can also be conducted in trying to change the surrounding system.
As the Prophet (saw) said :- if you cannot act, use your tongue and if you cannot then at least do it in your mind.
But it cannot be denied that Muslims are divided, have departed from Islam, are ruled by kafir, are very backwards (educationally and technologically), weak militarily and unorganized.
All the Prophets were sent to establish Islam in accordance with that which was possible and appropriate for the conditions which existed at the time they were sent. The proposals you are making have been taken straight out of the past, and seem to be quite unrealistic in the modern times. The state of Muslims today is more like the one it was when the Prophet (saw) was teaching in Mecca before they were established in Medina. They have to re-educated.
However, there is no reason why Muslims cannot also try to establish their own organizations. This will take a long time and will depend on the revival and spread of Islam. This will have to be done by the "Modern Jihad"
Question:-
2. Muhammad (saaw) was offered the kingship from the Quraish if he stop criticizing and attacking the kufr system of Quraish, if he conceded or at least made compromises where he would share authority and not try to usurp the kufr authority, and so on. He (saaw) was offered to not only participate in their system but take its leadership role. Now knowing this, why do secular Muslims try to run for political office and call upon Muslims to try to get the leadership in a kufr political system?
Comment:-
The Prophet (saw) could not establish a true Islamic Community in Mecca. He and his people had to migrate to Medina in order to do this. Where to can modern Muslims migrate to? There are countries with Muslim majorities but they are unable to set up an Islamic system because they are ruled by hypocrites who are looking for, or guarding their own personal power. To do this they are either enlisting the help of foreign political, commercial or cultural powers, or are themselves helping these powers, or else when defying these powers, bringing ruin over their own people.
The fact is that the Muslim world is short of able and righteous leaders. There is certainly no one equal to the Prophet in ability. Merely imitating his actions in conditions quite different from those he was dealing with, by lesser men, is not just unintelligent, it is downright stupid.
Question:-
3. Allah ordered us that we enjoin the ma`ruf (Islam; all that is good) and forbid the munkar (kufr; all that is evil). Now knowing this, how can one justify participating in a kufr political system that is in itself a munkar (that we are ordered to forbid) and will never, ever allow Islam to rule so that all the ma`ruf can be enjoined and all the munkar can be forbidden?
Comment:-
There seems to be confusion here between different terms. There is no necessity to participate in evil. You are required to do as much as you can. You will not be accountable for the unintentional evil. The very verse that establishes the perfection of Islam also tells us that when forced by hunger to sin we will be forgiven. Muslims ought to change their surroundings for the better. It is part of their duty.
"And that there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and bid right conduct, and forbid what is wrong (or indecent); these are the successful." 3:104
Muslims in these Western countries could also withdraw to form their own separate communities as many other religious sects did. They could build their own industries and separate commercial and financial networks. They could do all this in the same way as the Multi-national companies do. But if owing to the laws and conditions of life they are forced into forbidden activities or if they see evil going on around them and this will also affect and mislead Muslim children, then if Muslims do nothing about it then I would say that they are certainly guilty.
Consider that Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere are being oppressed and treated with injustice because the Jewish and other lobbies in the USA are stronger than the Muslim ones and because the Muslims are doing nothing about it certainly makes Muslims guilty, specially when they discourage others in joining a political process where they could make a difference.
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