Elections and Campaigning Against Islam

بسـم اللـه الرحمـن الرحيـم

والصلاـة والسلاـم علـى نبيـه الكريـم

It seems that at the moment we are in the middle of ‘election season’, and the various powerful political parties and politicians in several Muslim-majority countries are busy campaigning for votes, asking the public to elect them to office and positions of power and authority. However, it should be known that the political system of democracy is absolutely un-Islamic, a reprehensible innovation and consequently it is forbidden for Muslims to participate in this false system. In this entry, however, I will only focus on a single but basic aspect of the system of democracy which is clearly opposed to the principles of Islam, namely, campaigning and asking for votes. The Prophet Muhammad sall Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ

“Do not ask for the rule” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

In another Hadith narrated by Abi Musa al-Ashari^RA, the Prophet sall Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

إِنَّا لاَ نُوَلِّي هَذَا مَنْ سَأَلَهُ، وَلاَ مَنْ حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ

“We do not assign this (authority of ruling) to the one who asks for it, nor to the one who who is keen to have it.” (ibid)

Those who argue in favor of democracy or in favor of campaigning for votes and for political office, and in favor of someone nominating himself without being asked, put forward the example of the Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) who said to the king of Egypt:

قَالَ اجْعَلْنِي عَلَىٰ خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنِّي حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٥٥﴾

He said: “Appoint me over the treasuries of the land. Indeed, I (will be) a knowing guardian.”

(Sura 12:55)

But one should first read the preceding Verse:

وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ ائْتُونِي بِهِ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِي ۖ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ قَالَ إِنَّكَ الْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌ ﴿٥٤﴾

And the king said: “Bring him to me; I will select him for myself.” Then when he spoke to him, he said, “Indeed, you are today with us firmly established, trusted.”

(Sura 12:54)

In other words, the Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) only asked the king of Egypt to give him the portfolio of minister of the treasury in the government after the king had already determined a position of authority for the Prophet Joseph, a position which Prophet Joseph did not ask for. It was only after the Egyptian king had made this decision did the Prophet Joseph request specifically responsibility for the treasury. Take also the example of the first Khalifa, the Prophet’s immediate successor, sayyidina Abi Bakr al-Siddiq^RA. He was elected to the office of the Prophet’s successor by the Muhajirin and Ansar at the Saqifa of Bani Sa’ida. However, Abi Bakr^RA did not ask the people for that honor, nor did he nominate himself, instead he nominated Umar b. Khattab^RA and Abi Ubayda b. Jarrah^RA. But it was only when those two senior companions declined in the presence of sayyidina Abi Bakr^RA, and the people rushed to him to give him the Bay’a did he reluctantly take up the responsibility of the Khilafa. The cloak of Khilafa had been thrust upon his shoulders, he did not put it on himself or even ask for it. In summary, the system of democracy which the Muslim world has regrettably inherited from the West as one of the legacies of colonialism, is totally opposed to the pure and beautiful principles of Islam. This system nurtures dishonesty and unrighteousness, and creates such individuals known as “politicians” who campaign for votes and political office.