Overview of the Islamic Political System
Overview of the Islamic Political System
In the following lines, we present a gentle summary highlighting the virtues of Islam, its perfection, justice, wisdom, and its suitability for every time and place. All praise is due to Allah for that. Introduction
In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah. To proceed:
The foundation of states rests upon foreign policy and domestic policy. The best and most excellent guidance in outlining these is the methodology of the Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them all).
In these lines, we present a brief summary showing the virtues of Islam, its perfection, justice, wisdom, and its suitability for every time and place. Praise be to Allah for that.
As is well known, domestic policy concerns what is within the borders of the state, while foreign policy concerns what is outside its borders. We will mention the most important aspects as an indication of others. First: Foreign Policy and Some of Its Aspects
It is based on protecting the state and society from external enemies and preparing for that. Allah the Exalted says:
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides
“…and others besides them whom you do not know; Allah knows them. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:60)
The exegetes have spoken about the meaning of this verse. Among the best explanations of it is what the eminent scholar, jurist, exegete, and usuli scholar ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa‘di mentioned in his Tafsir regarding this verse:
That is, “Prepare” for your enemies among the disbelievers who strive for your destruction and the nullification of your religion. “Whatever you are able of power” means: everything you can acquire of intellectual and physical strength and various types of weapons and anything that assists in fighting them.
Included in this are the various industries in which different types of weapons and equipment are manufactured, such as cannons, machine guns, rifles, aircraft, land and sea vessels, fortresses, castles, trenches, defensive equipment, sound judgment, and political strategy by which Muslims advance and repel the evil of their enemies.
It also includes learning archery, bravery, and proper planning.
For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, power is archery.”
Also included is preparation with the mounts needed during combat. Therefore Allah says: “And from the tethering of horses by which you terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.”
The effective cause mentioned here is the intimidation of the enemies, and rulings revolve around their causes. Thus, if something exists that produces greater intimidation than horses—such as land and air vehicles prepared for combat, whose impact is more severe—then preparation with them and striving to obtain them is commanded.
If such means cannot be obtained except by learning certain industries, then learning them becomes obligatory, because whatever is
“…and others besides them whom you do not know; Allah knows them. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:60)
The exegetes have spoken about the meaning of this verse. Among the best explanations of it is what the eminent scholar, jurist, exegete, and usuli scholar ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa‘di mentioned in his Tafsir regarding this verse:
That is, “Prepare” for your enemies among the disbelievers who strive for your destruction and the nullification of your religion. “Whatever you are able of power” means: everything you can acquire of intellectual and physical strength and various types of weapons and anything that assists in fighting them.
Included in this are the various industries in which different types of weapons and equipment are manufactured, such as cannons, machine guns, rifles, aircraft, land and sea vessels, fortresses, castles, trenches, defensive equipment, sound judgment, and political strategy by which Muslims advance and repel the evil of their enemies.
It also includes learning archery, bravery, and proper planning.
For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, power is archery.”
Also included is preparation with the mounts needed during combat. Therefore Allah says: “And from the tethering of horses by which you terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.”
The effective cause mentioned here is the intimidation of the enemies, and rulings revolve around their causes. Thus, if something exists that produces greater intimidation than horses—such as land and air vehicles prepared for combat, whose impact is more severe—then preparation with them and striving to obtain them is commanded.
If such means cannot be obtained except by learning certain industries, then learning them becomes obligatory, because whatever is necessary to fulfill an obligation is itself obligatory.
“And others besides them whom you do not know”—meaning those who will fight you after this time to which Allah is addressing them—“Allah knows them.” Therefore He commanded preparation against them.
Among the greatest means that assist in fighting them is financial spending in jihad against the disbelievers. Thus Allah encouraged this by saying:
“And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah, whether little or much, it will be fully repaid to you on the Day of Resurrection multiplied many times over—even up to seven hundred times and beyond—and you will not be wronged in the least.”
End of his statement.
It should also be known that traditional weapons are no longer fully intimidating to enemies, as they sell them to Muslim nations. Therefore Muslims must rely upon themselves and possess weapons that truly deter enemies. The ruling revolves around its cause, which is intimidation of the enemy.
Allah says:
““And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.”
Among this also is that Allah commanded taking External and Internal Policy in Islam
Commentators of the Qur'an have elaborated on the meaning of this verse. Among the finest explanations is that of the scholar, jurist, exegete, and fundamentalist, Abd al-Rahman bin Nasir al-Sa'di, in his Tafsir regarding the verse:
{And prepare against them whatever you are able of power} [Al-Anfal: 60]. He explained: This refers to your enemies among the disbelievers who strive for your destruction and the nullification of your religion.
{Whatever you are able of power} means everything you are capable of, including mental and physical strength, and all types of weaponry that assist in combating them.
This encompasses various industries involved in producing armaments and machinery: artillery, machine guns, rifles, aircraft, land and sea vessels, forts, castles, trenches, and defensive tools. It also includes strategic planning and political wisdom (Siyasa) through which Muslims advance and repel the evil of their enemies.
It includes learning marksmanship, bravery, and tactical management. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said: "Verily, power is marksmanship.
Part of this preparation is the provision of transport needed for combat. Hence, Allah said: {and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy}. This reasoning (deterrence) existed during that era through horses. However, the legal ruling revolves around its underlying cause (’Illah).
If there are modern means that are more effective in causing terror and deterrence—such as armored vehicles and aircraft designed for combat that inflict greater impact—then it becomes an obligation to prepare and acquire them.
If such things can only be obtained by learning the relevant industries, then learning them becomes mandatory, according to the legal maxim: "That without which an obligation cannot be fulfilled is itself an obligation.
Regarding the verse: {...terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy}—meaning those you know to be your enemies—{and others besides them whom you do not know}, but who will fight you in the future. {Allah knows them}. Therefore, He commanded preparation against them. One of the greatest aids in this struggle is financial expenditure for Jihad.
For this reason, Allah encouraged it, saying: {And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah}, whether small or large, {it will be fully repaid to you} as a multiplied reward on the Day of Resurrection... {and you will not be wronged}, meaning your reward will not be diminished in the slightest. (End of Al-Sa'di's quote).
It must be noted that traditional/conventional weapons no longer instill complete terror in enemies, as they are the ones who sell them to the people of Islam. Therefore, it is essential for the People of Islam to be self-reliant and possess weapons that truly achieve deterrence, as the ruling revolves around its cause: deterring the enemies.
Furthermore, Allah commanded caution and preparedness, saying: {O you who have believed, take your precaution} [An-Nisa: 71], and: {...and let them take their precaution and their weapons. Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your baggage so they could come down upon you in a single attack} [An-Nisa: 102].
External policy also involves the conducting of treaties, covenants, and the exchange of mutual interests, as detailed in the books of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence). Second: Internal Policy in Islam and Its Manifestations
Internal policy is centered on establishing security within society, ensuring tranquility, restoring rights, preventing oppression, and—most importantly—preserving the Religion. The key pillars of internal policy include:
Preservation of Religion (Hifz al-Deen): This involves taking all measures to protect the faith of the people. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever changes his religion, kill him" (Narrated by Al-Bukhari).
Preservation of Life (Hifz al-Nafs): For this, Allah legislated Retribution (Qisas). He said: {O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered} [Al-Baqarah: 178], and: {And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous} [Al-Baqarah: 179].
Preservation of Intellect (Hifz al-Aql): For this, the legal punishment for consuming intoxicants was legislated.
Allah said: {O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful} [Al-Ma'idah: 90]. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Every intoxicant is prohibited" (Agreed upon).
Preservation of Lineage (Hifz al-Nasab): For this, the punishment for the fornicator/adulterer was legislated. Allah said: {The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse - lash each one of them with a hundred lashes} [Al-Nur: 2].
Preservation of Honor (Hifz al-Ardh): To protect the dignity of people, the punishment for slander (Qadhf) was legislated. Allah said: {And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes} [Al-Nur: 4].
Preservation of Wealth (Hifz al-Mal): To protect people’s property, the punishment of cutting the hand of the thief was legislated. Allah said: {[As for] the thief, the male and the female, ampute their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise} [Al-Ma'idah: 38].
There are many other policies and rulings aimed at the welfare of humanity in both this world and the Hereafter, which are extensively detailed in the books of Fiqh. Conclusion
From the above, we learn that Islam guarantees all internal and external interests of society through the most perfect system. Islam came to rectify both religion and worldly life; whoever restricts it to religion alone corrupts the world, and whoever restricts it to the world alone corrupts both religion and the Hereafter.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.
Written by: Yazan Al-Ghanem (Abu Qutaibah).