The Qur’anic Concept of Political Thought

The Qur’anic Concept of Political Thought 

Dr. M. Basharat Ali

The sources of the formation and development of the Muslim political thought are to be sought directly in the thought patterns of the Qur’an. The traces of the sources other than the Qur’an are nothing but presumptions and are arbitrary and tantamount to a mere waste of time and energy. This does not preclude the chances of the study of the thought-patterns of others, but they are not to be treated as sources. They must serve the purpose of comparing and contrasting, with a view to determining the place of Muslim political thought in the history of the political thought developed by various nations, in different spatio-temporal polarities. This is to enable it to become a potential source for the development of thought-patterns in ‘unity and harmony, in all depth and levels, or more appropriately, in terms of micro, macro and meta-dimensions.

Unanimity and harmony for the Muslim political thought are to be found only in the Qur’an. The other sources are contradictions inform, content and meanings. Hence we overlook them all and start our analysis directly by focalizing our attention on the Qur’anic base which is existentially, causally and axiologically related to the political thought patterns of the Muslims in all their dimensions and levels. This analysis should begin with the basic and existential idea of the theoretical and practical problems of the political thought—the Sovereignty.

Sovereignty

The concept of the Sovereignty as developed by the Qur'an is neither dichotomous, nor segmentalized. It is meaningfully related with the basic tenet of the faith-the Tauheed—on which alone the entire social and cultural order of Islam rests. In terms of its causal relativity it is cogently related with the basic concepts of the totality and the continuity of life. (Qur’an 39:20; 35:34, 35 etc.)

With the axiological and causal connections referred to above in its existential framework, the idea of Omnipotence and Omnipresence of God Almighty should dominate man’s life from the cradle to the grave. The individuals, groups and institutions, all should primarily be guided by the idea of God-consciousness, which can only be acquired by constantly remembering Him. (17 : 110).

A first step towards the understanding of the concept of “SOVEREIGNTY” vested in God alone, is that one should have a complete idea of His Nature. In Sura Iqlas (112) it is stressed that God was not begotten, He has no partner, nor is He dependent upon other beings to protect Him from harm and humiliation. In another verse it is stated that we must realize that He is the One and only Reality. His Greatness and Glory are above all things that can be conceived. (17:111).

The Qur’anic idea of Sovereignty, which is based on totality and continuity, is all-dimensional in the sense that it is not referring only to political sovereignty, but to the entire social, cultural and psychological life of man. It is not to be compared with any European thought of the past or present nor can it be compared with the ideas of sovereignty developed by John Austin, Bodin, Hobbes etc.

Polytheism has been rejected by the Qur’an. If this concept be used in its political framework it means that the Qur’an does not recognize any sovereignty except God. It is indivisible and the sovereign rights are not to be transferred to anybody, however strong he may be.

As Vicegerent of God, man is delegated to establish the kingdom of God on Earth. With this delegated authority he has to act and behave in strict conformity with the laws and principles laid down by the Qur’an. Problems must be decided on the political pattern embodied in the life and example of the Prophet himself. This is technically called Sunnah. Haroon Khan rightly stressed this point to the following remarks.

“This political miracle was visualized in the complete unity of thought and action of the myriads of God‘s creatures, who were present on the occasion of the Sermon of Farewell delivered by the Apostle (ﷺ) of Islam on the 7th March, 632 A.C., a sermon which is one of the most important pronouncements in human history and it was a matter of pride for those assembled in the plain of Arafat that the task undertaken by their teacher, barely twenty years before had been performed to everybody's satisfaction.” (“Studies in Muslim Political Thought and Administration"— Haroon Khen Sherwani, page 20.)

We do not agree with Prof. Haroon Khan, that the method of political argument adopted by the Qur’an is only historical, wherein general precepts are explained with references to instances from the history of Arabia, the Eastern Roman Empire, Iraq or Iran. The method adopted by the Qur’an is not to be called a historical method, in its exclusivity. It is the combination of historical, logical and scientific methods and hence it is to be called the “Scientifico-Inferential Method". No doubt the Qur‘an gives the instances of Arabia, but it is too much to surmise that it has taken note of the Eastern Roman Empire, Iraq and Iran.

The Qur’anic concept of sovereignty in relation to man has been given full analytical consideration at the very inception, in the story of Adam. (2:30-39). In this story the Qur‘an in unequivocal terms refers to man, not as “Sovereign” but as Trustee or Vicegerent of God, delegated to rule under the Divine Guidance, communicated by a Divine Agency, called the Apostle of God. So long as man is guided by these forces, there can be nothing wrong, with him, as the Laws of the Universe are not unjust in themselves. Each nation has been provided with Laws and Principles for the conduct of life. It is only transgression that wipes it out, and then it is replaced by other nations, more capable of playing the role of life according to the Will of God, the Sovereign. Omnipresent and Omnipotent, Lord of the heavens and the Earth. (10:14)

Nothing to say of sovereignty, but all the political theories, laws principles, postulates etc. are guided by the order of the Universe, As there are fluctuations and changes, throughout the life of man, there should be changes in the political career and political events It is thus in the order of the Universe that, like the human race, which is the essence of the state, the nations should have their rise and full. Once the socio-cultural pathologies and ailments become incurable the nations have to die, giving place to new but value-orientation patterned ones, (10:50)

The fall of the nations and the deterioration of their political career is mainly dependent on the value deviancy (13:11). Axiology, meanings and values are the factors which are cogent in all depth and levels related categorically with the political systems, theories, laws, principles and categories of Islamic culture. The verse 13:11, which stresses on the main cause of the deterioration and decay of a political order, in antecedent and precedent, follows with the detailed analysis of the meaning system. The postulate that everything in nature is meaningful, is indispensible. Man in his political, social, cultural religious and spiritual life, should be busy in evolving his own life in harmony with the meaning system, categorically represented by nature, whose objects are visible to him in his day to day life. (13:1-18).

The Qur'an is a treasury of precepts about the unity of God the point of convergence, concentration and conglomeration of all the political thought and ideals (3:26; 3:189; 11:45; 23:84; 92; 31:2-34; 45:36-54; 54: 1-10; 65:12; 67:1).

The entire argument of the unity of God is based on logic either by the epistemological or historical and inferential evidences (23:91; cf. 21:22).