The present-day international system of kufr is not immortal. Some day, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala will deal with today's Great Powers as He did with Pharaoh and his chiefs. That fact alone, however, does not guarantee that the Ummah will revive itself automatically. If we Muslims want to see Khilafah return in our lifetimes-and that is certainly possible, God willing-we will have to earn it for ourselves.
But even before we get that far, we must know what Islamic government is, how it works, and how to reestablish it. We must know these things as thoroughly as we know salah, or our own children. This way, we manage our resources properly, and do not squander the God-given opportunities that come over time. Fortunately, this task is something that even Muslims in North America can begin right away.
Therefore, please consider this essay, and the others that follow, carefully. Discuss them with relatives, friends, and associates. As always, we welcome your comments and questions. -The Editor
1. The Basic Outline of Government by Khilafah
Before going any
further, let's remove some misunderstandings. When we say the K-word "Khilafah,"
we're not talking about the Khilafah of Allah described in ayah 30 of
Surat ul-Baqarah, even though that is a genuine Islamic concept also.
Rather, we mean the Khilafah of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), the Islamic superpower
with the mission of making Islam work and spreading it throughout the
world. Although some people, even now, claim that they are Khalifahs for
all Muslims, rebuilding Khilafah requires a lot more than some joker setting
himself up in India or Indiana and take appointments for oaths of allegiance
from passers-by.
For example, a basic requirement for the Islamic State is its firm establishment
in what Imam Abu Hanifa (RAAH) calls a Dar ul-Islam. This is a place where
Islam is safe, as opposed to a colony, satellite, or unused portion of
a kafir state. There, external and internal security are both in the hands
of Muslims alone; and Islam is implemented as a complete system. For the
Khilafah, there are no outside "allies" or memberships in "treaty
organizations" seeking "collective security." This is a
critical point! If the Islamic State were to depend on a non-Islamic power
for its defense, then what would protect its ideology from subversion
by another state's kafir agenda? At present, needless to say, there is
no Dar ul-Islam anywhere; it will have to be restored.
Moreover, Khilafah is clearly not a United Nations or a Common Market!
It works openly and honestly for the removal of all borders and political
barriers between Muslims (and non-Muslims), and organizes them into one
Ummah with one flag, one economic system based on Islam, one military,
and one head of state, or Khalifah.
The Khalifah (do notice the subtle difference in spelling between the
name of the system of government and the name of the man holding the office),
is chosen from the Ummah and supervises the Ummah. Several criteria are
used in his selection: at the very least he must be Muslim, male, adult,
sane, just (not an open sinner), and free (in the sense that he is not
the puppet of a kafir power). A few authorities add other qualifications
to the list: he should know enough about Islamic law to be a mujtahid,
have courage, and have "smarts." The Khalifah does not have
to be the very best in any or all of these qualities; he just needs to
be good enough to carry out his responsibilities of ruling by Islam
and looking after the affairs of all the people.
The relationship between the Ruler and the Ummah is a social contract.
The people give him the tools he needs to do his job: their obedience
in all that is right, and their protection. In turn, he satisfies their
demand to be ruled by Islam. Unlike a president or prime minister in capitalist
liberal democracy, the Khalifah is not "hired" for a limited
term, but can stay in power indefinitely provided he upholds his end of
the contract and implements the Deen. At the same time, however, it is
the right-in fact the obligation-of the Ummah to hold the Khalifah and
his officers accountable to Allah's law. This latter point is of extreme
importance: the day that the people fail to keep their leaders in line,
is the day the system fails.
The Khalifah-leader is in charge of a government apparatus consisting
of himself and other recognized "pillars": his special assistants,
governors of wilayat (provinces), judges, jihad commander and army administrators,
and the Consultative Body (Majlis ash-Shura). Their combined responsibility
is the establishment and spread of the Islamic Way of Life as well as
the protection of the material interests of all the citizens, Muslim and
non-Muslim. Even so, the relationship between the Khilafah and the Ummah
is not paternal but complementary, with each party seeking to uplift,
and, when necessary, educate the other.
(Written
2/21/2000, reedited 6/21/2004)
