The Shiite Apologetics
Question Twenty-one
Does Islam not consider religion and politics separate?
Answer:
To clarify the relationship between religion and politics, it is right to define politics first. There are two probable definitions for it:
Politics may be taken to mean deception and fraud as well as using any possible means to attain the goal: the aim justifies the means. Surely, this is not what the word really means, because it reduces politics to mere deceit and fraudulence, which are inconsistent with religion.
It may be understood as managing various affairs of the society on the basis of the correct Islamic principles. When taken it to mean so, politics means managing of the Muslims affairs in the light of the Quran and the Sunnah; it is thus an integral part of religion.
Below are some reasons why religion and politics go together, and why there is a need to establish the government.
The clearest evidence comes from the way the holy Prophet acted in the turbulent years of his Mission. A study of the holy Prophets words and deeds clearly reveals that he had, from the beginning of his call, intended to establish a
powerful government with belief in God and the ability to draw up the Islamic plans.
The following points are some evidence of the holy Prophets aspiration:
The Prophet, the founder of the Islamic Government
Having been missioned to announce his call, the holy Prophet began to form nuclei to fight, guide and gather Muslim forces. To this end, he often met with groups of people that came on pilgrimage to Mecca, and invited them to embrace Islam. He talked with two of such groups of Madinan people at Aqabah. These men took it on themselves to invite the Prophet to their town, and protect him[1]. Thus, the first steps were taken in establishing an Islamic government.
After the holy Prophet had emigrated to Medina, he took measures to form a mighty army. This army gained glorious victories in eighty-two battles during the Prophet's lifetime and was able to clear the path of forming the Islamic government.
After the Islamic government was established in Median, the holy Prophet dispatched envoys and sent historic letters to politically and socially powerful poles of his time, and concluded economical, political or military agreements with many of the heads of the tribes.
[1] Sirat Ibn Husham, vol. 1, p. 431, on al-`Aqabah al-Ula, 2nd edition, printed in Egypt.
The Prophets biographers have kept records of the letters the holy Prophet (a.s) sent to Khosrow, the emperor of Iran, Caesar, the emperor of the Byzantine, Muqawqas, the king of Egypt, and Najashi, the Abyssinian king as well as to many other rulers of the time. Certain scholars have collected most of the letters in their books.[1]
- To further the Islamic aims and to solidify the foundations of the Islamic government, the holy Prophet appointed heads and rulers for most of the clans and towns, an example of which is the following letter:
a) The Noble Prophet appointed Rafa`ah ibn Zayd as his representative to the tribe he belonged to and instructed him as follows: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a letter from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Rafa`ah Zayd. I am sending him (as my representative) to his own tribe and those joining (the tribe) in order to invite them to Allah and His Messenger. Then, whoever accepts (the call), he will be among the partisan of Allah and of His Messenger, and whoever turns away, he will be allowed only a two-month grace period.[2]
Such measures taken by the Prophet leave no room for anyone to doubt that he was, from the very beginning, pondering the formation of a powerful government as a channel through which the universal precepts of Islam could penetrate the nooks of the human community. Can concluding agreements with the influential clans, laying the foundations of a mighty
[1] Muhammad Hamidullah's al-Watha'iq al-Siyasiyyah; `Ali Ahmad's Makatib al-Rasul. [2] Makatib al-Rasul, vol. 1, p.144.
army, dispatching of the envoys to various countries, warning the kings and the rulers, writing them letters and dispatching governors to towns and regions of far and near be called anything except politics in the sense of managing the social affairs ?
Besides the Prophets deeds and words, there is evidence for Muslims in what the Rashidun Caliphs did, and for Shiites and Sunnis in what the Commander of the Faithful `Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a.s) did at the time of his reign. These all testify the concomitance of religion and politics.
Scholars of both of the Islamic sects have presented extensive proofs from the Book of Allah and the Prophets Sunnah concerning the need for the establishment of a government and the running of the social affairs. Some of these are as follows:
In his al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah, Abul-Hasan al-Mawardi says: Imamate and government have been decreed to serve as a succession to Prophethood, a protection for the religion and a planning of the affairs of the world; it is an obligation unanimously considered to be a duty of the one who can establish it.[1] This Muslim scholar, who is a distinguished Sunni man of learning, presents two proofs in support of his statement: rational and religious.
a) The rational proof: for it is a disposition of the wise to follow a leader, one that may debar them from doing each other injustice, and keep them at a distance when they quarrel. Were it not for the leaders, the people would disperse and fall into confusion thus losing their efficiency.[2]
[1] al-Mawardi's al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah, chapter 1, p. 5, 1st ed. Egypt. [2] al-Mawardi's al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah, chapter 1, p. 5, 1st ed. Egypt.
b) The religious proof: And as for the religious proof in support of vesting the authority in religion with the affairs, Allah the Majestic, the Glorified, has said, O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you. 4:59. Thus, God has made it incumbent on us to obey those in authority; they are our leaders and commanders.[1]
Shaykh Saduq, on the authority of al-Fadl ibn Shadhan quotes Imam `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (a.s) as having delivered a detailed sermon on the need for a government, part of which is as follows: We find no nation that can survive without a guardian and a leader, one to whom the issues, religious or otherwise, must inevitably be referred. It is thus improbable that the Wise God should leave unsettled the question that people are in need of and without which they cannot be consistent. It is upon the order of their leaders, then, that the nations fight off their enemies, divide the war spoils, hold their Friday and congregational prayers; and it is the ruler who keeps the oppressors away from the oppressed.[2]
It is impossible to analyze, in such a limited span as this, all the statements of the Muslim jurists in regard to this issue, for it requires a separate book. However, a survey of the extensive Islamic jurisprudence shows that unless there is a powerful government, most of the Islamic rules will not be put in practice.
[1] Ibid. [2] `Ilal al-Shara'i`, sub-section 182, tradition No. 9, p. 253.
Islam invites us to the holy war, to defend and protect the oppressed, to implement hudud, and ta`zirat punishments, to extensively enjoin good and forbid evil, to set up a financial system, and to guard the unity of the Islamic community. It is clear that these aims cannot be actualized without a powerful regime and an integrated government. There must be a well- organized army to defend the holy religion of Islam and its precinct. To organize such a powerful army, there must be a mighty government based on Islamic values. The implementation of hudud and ta`zirat aimed at actualization of religious duties and prohibition of sins, the claiming of the right of the oppressed from the oppressors, and similar matters cannot be done without a systematic and harmonious organization, otherwise chaos will result
These are not the only reasons for the establishment of a government in Islam, but they make it clear that religion and politics are not two separate things. Rather, it is an inevitable necessity, a duty of the Islamic community all over the world, to establish a government on the basis of the values that the most Shining Religion has set.
