To what
degree is a Muslim to be concerned with politics today?
Question: To
what degree is a Muslim to be concerned with politics today,
within it’s Islaamic guidelines?
Answer: If what is intended by “politics” is the
administering of the ummah, then the reality is that
politics is not from the acts of one individual from the
people of the ummah, but rather, it is from the duties of
the Muslim State. This is if the objective behind politics,
as we stated before, is the administering of the ummah and
the managing of its concerns in order to rectify what is in
it from its
religious and worldly affairs. So if this is what is
intended by “politics”, then this is fard kifaayah (a
collective obligation). However, it is not for those people
who are not in control of the state or of the rule, nor for
those who can neither produce benefit nor cause harm.
As for obtaining the news to be aware of the state of
affairs and the weakness the Muslims are in, and in order to
avoid this outcome, then as we say, this is from the
tasfiyah (purification) and the tarbiyah
(educating) – purifying Islaam from what has entered into it
and focusing on educating the Muslims and bringing them up
on this purified Islam. So knowing these general
circumstances, which encompass the Muslims, is a must for
the matter is as the old Arab poet has stated, taking his
meaning
from an authentic hadeeth:
“I learned evil not for the sake of evil, but to avoid it
And whoever doesn’t know good from evil, he will fall into
it.”
This is derived from a hadeeth – and I mean by it, the
hadeeth of Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan, radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa,
which is reported in the Saheehs of Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.
He, radyAllaahu ‘anhumaa, said: “The people used to ask
Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, about the good, but I
used to ask him about the evil for fear of it reaching me.”
So being aware of what the Muslims are upon from humiliation
and weakness in order to turn them away from that towards
using the means of knowledge, strength and power, this is an
obligation from the many obligations.
As for engaging at length in obtaining news, knowledge of
battles and western politics, then this is from the aspect
of: “Knowledge of something is better than being ignorant of
it.” This is something
that we do not forsake. However, at the same time, we must
not be very enthusiastic and fanatica about it. This is
since the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not establish the
affair of his Companions on knowing and following precisely,
the news of his enemies to the same extent as he صلى الله
عليه وسلم used to focus on teaching his Companions from one
perspective and cultivating them on Allaah’s command from
another perspective. This is our belief concerning politics
based on their two categories, which we have mentioned
previously.
[Al-Asaalah, Issue #18]
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