Democracy is major shirk

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

Shura in Islam
Fatwa Date : Jumaadaa Al-Aakhir 26, 1423 / 4-9-2002
Question
I want to ask about the difference between parliament use by countries at present day and Shura that were used long ago by Khulafa ar-Rashidin? Does parliament have similar characteristic with Shura? What is your opinion about it according to Islamic perspective? Do you think that Muslim countries nowadays are using Shura in solving the problem or not?

Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Al-Shura (Mutual consultation) is a pillar of ruling and governing in Islam. So, all decisions that are made by the state should be through Shura; decisions relative to war, peace, duties towards other countries, establishment of Hudud and amassing armies. In addition, organizing all the affairs of the state should all be made following the consultation of the responsible people of the Muslim community.
Muslims nowadays however do not apply this principle in their lives because of the wide gap existing between those times where the right application of Islam and the present influence of the culture of their enemies.
The Shura that was practised during the rule of the four Caliphs is different from a democratically elected Parliament. First, in Shura no one has the right to go beyond the texts that are in the Qur'an and the Sunnah or legislate something that does not conform to them.
The modern Parliaments make their own texts and have the right to pass legislation.
Second, in Shura only the scholars and experts are asked to give their opinions over a given issue while in Parliaments anyone who is elected has the right to participate in passing laws. In those procedures there is no difference between the opinion of a scholar and that of an ignorant person, or the opinion of an expert to that of a novice in the matter.
In Parliaments heads (votes) are counted but not weighed while in Shura they are weighed according to their knowledge and savoir-faire. This is the right logic.
No matter how many inexperienced people you put together, they won't be able to give the same valuable opinion as an expert and a scholar in the field.
There are many other differences between the Shura and the modern Parliaments. But it is sufficient that Shura is the way Allah has chosen for His servants. He is the one who knows His servants and creatures and what is good to them Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves) All-Aware (of everything).} [67: 14].
Allah knows best.

Shura in Islam - Islam web - English

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

Islam and democracy
Fatwa Date : Rabee' Al-Awwal 9, 1424 / 11-5-2003
Question
Does Islam allow democracy?


Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Democracy is a Greek word composed of two words "Demos" (people) "Kratos" (rule). It means the government run by the people of the country. It is a Western system that emerged in the wake of the tyranny practised by the monarchs with the support of church. So, the people staged a revolution against this system and called rule by the public. Therefore, democracy is contrary to Islam because Islam insists on the fact that Allah alone has the right of legislation while democracy means that the public has the right of legislation. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {… and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule."}[18: 26].
Allah also Says (interpretation of meaning): {… The command (or the judgement) is for none but Allâh. He has commanded that you worship none but Him (i.e. His Monotheism), …}[12: 40]. The Almighty also declares: {Do they then seek the judgement of (the Days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allâh for a people who have firm Faith.}[5: 50]. There are many other verses that prove the same fact.
If it is said that there is no difference between democracy and the Islamic advisory system the response will be that the basic difference is that in Islamic system the advise is taken only in the incidents where there is no clear ruling of Shariah while democracy means that the public may cancel anything: well-established facts, rulings of Shariah, etc. In democracy the public is the highest authority to act as it wills.
Moreover, the members of an advisory board have certain characteristics while there is no difference between people in the democracy system; everyone is entitled to give his opinion.
Here, some people raised the following question "Why we should not take the merits of democracy and modify them to suit Islam and make it an Islamic democracy". We say that such claims are not correct and any benefit democracy could offer our religion possesses it perfectly and in a higher degree. However, if any democracy changes to suit Islam then it no longer will be a democracy, but a new system.
For more details in this subject, please read the book "The reality of democracy" written by Ahmad Shakir .
Allah knows best.
Islam and democracy - Islam web - English

[Shamlawar Khurasani]

Consultation in Islam
Fatwa Date : Rajab 16, 1425 / 1-9-2004
Question
What is the role of Shurah in an Islaamic state?

Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

Consultation is such an important matter that Allaah ordered His Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and the rulers after him to consult the people of opinion and experience; they should not make a decision in any given matter without consultation.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): {And consult them in the matter.}[3:159].
Allaah further says (interpretation of the meaning): {And those who.. established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves.}[42:38].
Thus the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) used to consult his companions may Allaah be pleased with them saying: "Advise me, O, People!" [At-Tirmithi] despite the fact that revelation came down to him. The rightly-guided Caliphs after the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) also used to consult the senior companions.
Allaah knows best.

Consultation in Islam - Islam web - English

[khushal]

Shura in Islam
Fatwa Date : Jumaadaa Al-Aakhir 26, 1423 / 4-9-2002
Question
I want to ask about the difference between parliament use by countries at present day and Shura that were used long ago by Khulafa ar-Rashidin? Does parliament have similar characteristic with Shura? What is your opinion about it according to Islamic perspective? Do you think that Muslim countries nowadays are using Shura in solving the problem or not?

Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Al-Shura (Mutual consultation) is a pillar of ruling and governing in Islam. So, all decisions that are made by the state should be through Shura; decisions relative to war, peace, duties towards other countries, establishment of Hudud and amassing armies. In addition, organizing all the affairs of the state should all be made following the consultation of the responsible people of the Muslim community.
Muslims nowadays however do not apply this principle in their lives because of the wide gap existing between those times where the right application of Islam and the present influence of the culture of their enemies.
The Shura that was practised during the rule of the four Caliphs is different from a democratically elected Parliament. First, in Shura no one has the right to go beyond the texts that are in the Qur'an and the Sunnah or legislate something that does not conform to them.
The modern Parliaments make their own texts and have the right to pass legislation.
Second, in Shura only the scholars and experts are asked to give their opinions over a given issue while in Parliaments anyone who is elected has the right to participate in passing laws. In those procedures there is no difference between the opinion of a scholar and that of an ignorant person, or the opinion of an expert to that of a novice in the matter.
In Parliaments heads (votes) are counted but not weighed while in Shura they are weighed according to their knowledge and savoir-faire. This is the right logic.
No matter how many inexperienced people you put together, they won't be able to give the same valuable opinion as an expert and a scholar in the field.
There are many other differences between the Shura and the modern Parliaments. But it is sufficient that Shura is the way Allah has chosen for His servants. He is the one who knows His servants and creatures and what is good to them Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His slaves) All-Aware (of everything).} [67: 14].
Allah knows best.

Shura in Islam - Islam web - English

Shamlawar ran away the last time I explained to him that Shura itself is democratic.

The explanation above is actually wrong. Shura is a democratic principle. Direct Democracy itself is consultation with all people whether they are laymen or scholars. This system does not exist anywhere in the world today.

What we have in most countries are representative democracies which are elected officials that represent their constituents who make policy on the constituents behalf. Those elected officials can be scholars or laymen but they can not make policy that violates the law. For example, in the US no one can change the Bill of Rights, no one can make policy that violates the Bill of Rights and the Bill of Rights are protected by qualified Scholars(Supreme Court Judges) of the law. Supreme Court Judges can not be laymen, they must be law abiding, experienced with excellent records, knowledgeable about the law. If Congress(who can be scholars or laymen) pass a law and that law violates the Bill of Rights, the Supreme Court(scholars only) can label it unconstitutional and throw it out.

Shamlawar is using the old Hitler tactic of don't question me, I am --fill in the blank--(pious, patriotic, nationalistic), I know what's good for my people the --fill in the blank-- (germans, muslims, etc.) If you question me it is --fill in the blank-- (shirk, unpatriotic, treason.)

[khushal]

Also I would like to add that the essence of the Bill of Rights in the US does not contradict the Quran.

[khushal]

Agreed, there is no place for parlimentary style deomcracy in Islam.

A musllim democrate is an oxymoron.

Where does it say in the Quran that parliaments are haram. All parliaments really do is give constituents a voice..

[khushal]

what about family like Al Saudi ruling holy lands? are they halal in your eyes?

Shamlawar is a rep of the House of Saud. He is here preaching against the one thing that actually threatens the House of Saud and that is the voice of the people. Shamlawar thinks that the people are too stupid to know whats good for them, Al Saud knows whats good for his people just like Hitler knew what was good for his people.

[khushal]

Democracy gives the power that is Allah, i.e legislation to the people. that is where the shirk comes from.
If democracy is used to vote for other than Allah's legislation than that is shirk.
.

Well , you cant blame democracy for the corruption of people just like you cant use Islam for the corruption of Muslims. Notice the If in you post, that's what makes a huge difference and explains how Shamlawar is wrong. A knife can be used for murder or saving lives in surgery. It depends on how you use it but democracy itself is neither Haram or Shirk.

[khushal]

@Khorosani

As it is apparent from their hostility, these people hate the book of Allah, they hate his religion and thus they hate the message.

Therefore their reaction is a true reflection of their state of mind.

your using emotional blackmail which is a sin in the religion of Allah.
No one hates the book of Allah but what people are doing is criticizing you for using the book of Allah to manipulate.

[Kushan Prince]

Pashtuns don't need democracy they need education.

[khushal]

I was asking about how Abu Bakar (r.a) was elected THROUGH Democracy. I never said we should make our own laws and discard the Islamic ones. I was talking about Abu Bakar (r.a) and his election. How the ummah VOTED for him and elected him their caliph after the death of the Prophet (saw).

that's Democracy!

He was elected and chosen by the people. He was not named as the successor like a monarch is and he did not come to power by force like a dictator does. Shura is democratic.

[khushal]

Pashtuns don't need democracy they need education.

Pashtuns have been practicing democracy for hundreds of years, long before the Europeans. What do you think a Jirga is.

[RevolutionThroughReason]

Pashtuns have been practicing democracy for hundreds of years, long before the Europeans. What do you think a Jirga is.

Oligarchy

[khushal]

oligarchs are not chosen by the people

[RevolutionThroughReason]

neither are Mashars or tribal chiefs.