In a quite Islamophobic world, any constructive debate about Islam can easily turn into intensive trolling, so most people tend to not discuss about Islam at all. However considering a political crisis at the moment, where, in all parts of the world, democracy and capitalism is failing the common man, need of the hour is to discuss all the alternatives of ruling system of a state. One among those system that could effectively help the common man to survive smoothly in an unjust and unequal world, is Political Islam. Political Islam has all the elements that works in any model state where upholding justice is most easiest, as in this Islamic political Philosophy, one must serve the common man as direct command of God, with best economic, political, social policies or otherwise leave the office. In this system of Political Islam, no power on earth can intimidate a just Muslim ruler no matter what.
In simple words, political Islam touches all political, social and economical aspects of human life. It is basically how state affects a common man’s life through politics and the policies of the state, this is all about rules and manuals with best civilised laws, all these things comes under the umbrella of political Islam. Usually the type of Islam we have at this moment around the world, is personal Islam. Muslims have left the political space to corrupt politicians while they are happily practicing five basic pillars of Islam, which is their personal private religion, not knowing their incompetency in politics is making common masses suffer in all forms. The downside of practicing personal Islam is that the suffering of other human beings like in Palestine or in Sudan becomes irrelevant in the eyes of a Muslim individual while he/she satisfies themselves with the thought that at least they are praying Tahajjud on time and a gate to paradise might be opening for them in real time.
Any Philosophy or any sort of political ideology starts with basic quest to remove some sufferings from human lives through deep understanding of world around them. They try to provide solutions through a just state and a just system. However unfortunately, when we look at the current definitions of Islam or try to entertain it as a political philosophy then we fail to see any quest to end human suffering on political level from Muslim side. watching the hardships of other human beings as mere spectator and quietly enjoying our hajj, namaz and Hijab is the tragedy that personal Islam has caused to us. The ideology that started with safeguarding the rights of non-Muslims of Medina and stood rock solid in the face of persecution of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, is now in no worry of any human suffering of human beings in any part of the world. Either the scholars of Islam failed to make their message reach to common masses or people themselves wish to adopt only soft part of Islam. Because in Political Islam, as soon as you take stand against any oppressor to serve justice to the sufferer or to counter the injustice in the system, you are bound to face attacks from all corners, and that’s why most Muslims shies away from political Islam.
Those who are aware of good side of Islam as political philosophy, hides it purposely because political Islam forces them to come out from their comfort zone and privileges in all matters. They practice most basic level of Islam like Hajj, Umrah, Roza, Namaz and think they have completed their Islam. This philosophical blunder in our approach to practice only personal Islam, is the reason why things like Palestine happens. It’s not about Palestine only, all the sufferings in the world, keeps happening in the loop because their is no just system to counter it. Muslim don’t even take stand for Muslims, while they were supposed to take stand for non-Muslim community too with utmost respect and regard to safeguard their life.
We have got wrong definitions of Islam, where we are told politics is untouchable topic, politics has no place in Islam, that’s where the real problem starts. The secularism and liberalism has been used as a tool to paint political Islam as a sin, while the truth is out in the open that Prophet (pbuh) himself worked for political Islam when he migrated to Medina and established a just political system there, to protect all the Jews and Christians of Medina under his leadership. He was not just a prophet or a preacher of religion who asked to practice five pillars of Islam, rather he challenged the old political system of Mecca that wanted injustice, inequality to prevail, and he replaced it with the just system of Medina.
There are Islam-haters and some misguided Muslims too who have made political Islam into something that is violent, radical and extremist. There are some terrorist groups in the past, who have used political Islam to terrorise civilians and tried to impose terror and fear in the minds of common people in the name of Political Islam. But If we leave these terrorist groups whose intention is not guiding the people towards justice, equality and dignity, then what is left in Political Islam is solution for Muslim world and also for non-Muslims to live in a safe space.
Politics is most critical aspect of Islam, if one leaves this category then they will have a useless philosophy of 1400 years old that wishes us to do some sort of meditation in the name of basic pillars of Islam. If Islam doesn’t solve day to day problem of a common Muslim, it should be called an outdated philosophy, which is not effective to solve anything. This is why entertaining Political Islam with pure intention to serve justice is only way forward for all true Muslims. Those who denounce political Islam, just wish a comfortable life for themselves with privileges, so they never have to work hard in order to establish a just system, because they themselves are product of an unjust system, and they enjoy their privileges in that unjust system.
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