ISLAM

Islamic political system ensures good governance

Democracy never lasts long - John Adams:

Democracy

*Democracy is the repeated call that bellows from the globe

*Many communist countries described themselves as democratic republics.

* Democracy should not be equated with liberalism.

* An Islamic Organisation has produced a pamphlet titled 'Democracy in crisis'

* We believe that democracy cannot be separated from secularism

* Religions believe that laws and values are the product of divine revelation without human involvement.

What started as an experiment in Athens over 2,000 years ago eventually pervaded every continent and every land. Democracy is the repeated call that bellows from the four corners of the globe. It is the established order in a chaotic and unstable world, where every critic of democracy is viewed with heretical suspicion. For every political problem, we are told, lies a democratic solution. For every civilization, for every country for every tribe, for every time - goes the mantra - democracy is the claimed answer to all our ills. In the poetic words of a RAWA (Revolutionary Association of the Women in Afghanistan) activist, democracy will cure all wounds and bring a dawn of freedom. O' freedom sun, Thrust in darkness, Democracy will cure the wounds, Which emerge from your blood-stained soil.

O' saddened nation, Fight your antagonists. Take revenge for your martyrs, On the enemy of democracy and woman. We shall bring through knowledge, Through blood and smoke We shall bring the dawn of freedom, The morn of democracy. Meena's flag on the shoulders of women Who will sing she is our pride O' People, arise Fight the enemies of democracy in revenge for the blood of your beloved martyrs. And as a message for your fighters.

World democracy

Yet recent events confirm to a remark by John Adams, the second President of the United States. "Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." Adams' remarks were true then and are fast becoming true now, especially in the Western world, the heart of the democracy's home turf.

Corruption, incompetence, growing debt and a feeling that politics just doesn't work for the ordinary man is now prevalent in most if not all major democratic countries.

Before we get into a detailed discussion around the merits and demerits of democracy, it is important to define precisely what we mean by the word democracy - for it means many things to many people. Some use the term in a linguistic sense: to characterise consultative behaviour. A company boss is considered democratic if he or she consults their team on a regular basis, in contrast to those who are considered dictators when they bark orders and expect to be followed. Others refer to any type of election - from the school council to high political office - as democratic.

Also, liberal secular societies do not have a monopoly on claiming democracy as their own. Many communist countries during the Cold War era described themselves as democratic republics; and even Saddam Hussein's Iraq had Presidential elections. But those for whom free and fair elections are the key characteristic of a democracy would not give democratic legitimacy to those held in communist states or in dictatorships, where only one party exists.

Others view democracy as more than just elections - that democracies should be characterised by other values and institutions. That alongside regular elections there must be liberal values, a functioning legislative chamber, a vibrant opposition, a free media, civil society and an independent judiciary.

For some, especially from the libertarian viewpoint, democracy should not be equated with liberalism; the latter considered to be the end goal, whilst the former needing to be limited in order to avoid a nation becoming illiberal through the passing of authoritarian legislation. That is why many would describe the United States as a republic rather than a democracy.

Democracy in crisis

To highlight this Britain based Islamic organisation Hizb ut Tahrir has produced a pamphlet titled "Democracy in Crisis". It seeks to address the democratic system as articulated and implemented in most of the well-developed and emerging democracies in the world today.

Another key assumption we make is that we believe that democracy cannot be separated from secularism. Though many have argued that religion and democracy are compatible, this may be right in the private arena but cannot be the case in the public space - where either religion or democracy can enjoy primacy, but never both at the same time. Religions inherently believe that laws and values are the product of divine revelation without human involvement whereas democracy is about subjecting everything to human scrutiny and passing laws by numerical majorities.

This short pamphlet is divided into three chapters. The first chapter seeks to present the theoretical weaknesses of secular democracy and articulate a deeper critique of the core pillars that underpin the secular democratic model.

The second uses brief case studies of secular democracy in practice to illustrate the theoretical weaknesses highlighted earlier - the US, UK and India - as well as an emerging secular democracy in Afghanistan. We will illustrate the growing gap between the rhetoric and reality in these democratic states. In the last section we use a Q and A format to present a summary of the Islamic Caliphate system. Though no one is suggesting that is an imminent alternative for non-Muslim countries, the same cannot be said in for the Muslim world, where the Caliphate has tried and trusted solutions and certainly a practical alternative.

Of course, human implementation within the Caliphate will not be perfect in any way, but for those who believe that the sources for its legislation emanate from a divine entity (whose existence Muslims should rationally prove as a precursor) that fully understands the huge complexity of life and the nature of human beings; something human beings on their own could never comprehend.

Islamic principles are by their nature less subject to personal whim, constant change, political expediency or public fickleness while at the same time remaining flexible enough through the process of Ijtihad to deal with new emerging realities.

Courtesy: International Islamic Leadership. London

The changes demanded in the Arab world

Dr Abdullah Gajendran

We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims). [TMQ An-Nahl 16:89]

The continuing protests in the Arab world are demanding change rather than more of the same Western interference.

With the Arab spring in full flow, it is becoming clearer that many players are competing for the space created by the overthrow of some rulers in the Middle East. Whilst the people braved the brutal crackdown on the streets to end the architecture of client rulers, foreign interference and foreign dependency constructed by the Western colonial powers, the West continues to call the Arab spring as a call for democracy, Western values and more Western involvement.

The decades of oppression by the dictatorial rulers has led to some confusion on where capitalism ends and where Islam begins.

However, the Islamic system is fundamentally different in that it takes the Qur’an and Sayings of the prophet (saw) as the basis of governance.

The Khilafah applies the Islamic constitution, it replaces the existing plethora of constitutions that keep the Muslim world subjugated and backward.

The Khilafah guarantees elections, and regional and ‘nationwide’ assemblies which form the pre-requisite governance institutions, including a judicial authority to check the actions of the executive, and protect the rights of all citizens - men and women, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.

The Islamic state will neither be theocratic nor does it model itself on any other contemporary Muslim state.

The new Islamic constitution will have one head of state (Khalifah) to replace the current unstable and ill-defined roles of Monarch, President or Prime Minister. A new People’s Assembly (Majlis ul Ummah) will replace the plethora of lower and upper houses and a strengthened judiciary, with a new court targeting state injustice (Mahkamat ul-Madhalim), will replace the existing politically manipulated legal system.

Both the new judiciary and elected People’s Assembly will provide the requisite institutional checks and balances in the Islamic political system.

Both the head of state and the new People’s Assembly will be elected via an open, transparent and fair process. The People’s Assembly comprises representatives from across the Khilafah and will include Muslims and non-Muslims. The council is designed not only to make representations to the state, but also has the power to scrutinice and overturn state policy, analyse the budget and hold leaders to account.

All judges in the new Court of Injustices and other courts will be independent from the executive and consultative assembly. No individual - not the Khaleefah, armed forces and their chiefs, the elite, or industrial barons - is above the law. The rule of law will be implemented without fear or favour. All policies of the state can be challenged in court. Where the court is actively investigating a complaint against the head of state, the head of state has no right to remove any judge involved in the case. Any verdict by a Judge is final irrespective of the wishes of the ruler.

The appointment of a Chief Justice and Qadi in the Court of Madhalim (injustices) creates a dedicated office of the judiciary charged with checking the state’s compliance with the law. The Madhalim court does not rely on a plaintiff raising a specific complaint against the state and is charged with ongoing monitoring of all organs of state. The Madhalim has the power to remove the head of state if he breaches his terms of contract.

Islam obliges the people to criticise, account and denounce, if necessary, any action of the ruler, his advisors or any policy carried out by the state that disagreed with Islam and oppresses the people. This is done by individuals, scholars, the media and political groups and parties.

The independent judiciary and People’s Assemblies institutionalise the culture of accountability and scrutiny that is a collective obligation in Islam.

The state believes torture, spying and arbitrary arrest as carried out by the Muslim world’s intelligence and security apparatus under the supervision of the US is forbidden under Islamic law.

Such activities therefore are absolutely illegal (haram), have no place at all in any civilized society and would be prosecuted under the Shariah.

The Khalifah will introduce radical Islamic policies that tear down any provisions that enforce the Police State. Citizens of the Khilafah, Muslims and non-Muslims, will have the right to take any member of the enforcement agencies, regardless of rank, to court and/or register a complaint to an independent judiciary (Mahkamut ul-Madhalim) without any implications for his/her well-being.

‘Rioters and bankers have a lot in common’

To dispel the myth that the causes of the riots are racial or part of some class struggle there are similarities between the rioters and the bankers reeking havoc on their respective markets - which therefore points to a more fundamental, underlying cause.

Greed - Whether it’s the latest iphone or the next Porche - pure material greed motivated both the rioters and the bankers.

Contagion - The devastation of the rioters just like the bankers spread from one market, one town centre to the next causing millions and billions of economic damage in its wake.

Mob rule - Mob rule took over as the markets were attacked in waves by rioting gangs and bankers on mass as soon they felt the vulnerability and weakness in their victims.

The thrill of the kill - Common accounts of rioters and bankers getting pleasure from the exhilaration of pushing the limits and going to the extreme.

Utter disregard for society - The rioters and bankers both showed utter contempt of society and the impact and consequences of their actions on individuals, families or communities.

Failure of policing - The Metropolitan Police failed to control the rioters just as the Bank of England, Financial Services Authority and the UK Treasury were unable to regulate the bankers.

The above similarities cut across racial and class boundaries between the rioters and the bankers and illustrates something more deeper underlying the cause of the riots of today and the havoc reeked during the financial crisis of 2008/09.

This deeper underlying cause is the fundamental values system of capitalism founded on individualism and materialism which then “governs” the behaviour of all those who adopt it resulting in the mayhem we’ve seen which seem worlds apart but are more similar than we care to accept.

Courtesy- blogger -Islamic Revival.

What happens to body during fasting?

Dr Noreen A Kassem

During a fast, your body generates its own energy by burning stored resources made from excess fats, carbohydrates and sugars to produce energy. The liver is the most significant organ in this economical process; it converts the fats into chemicals called ketone bodies which are three water-soluble compounds that are then used as a source for energy.

Detoxification is one of the most important benefits of fasting. A regular body process, detoxification occurs as the colon, liver, kidney, lungs, lymph glands and skin eliminate or neutralize toxins. This process speeds up during fasting as the body breaks down fats. Chemicals and toxins absorbed from food and the environment are stored in fat reserves and released during fasting.

Fasting is also a healing for the mind, body and soul in more ways than one. At a physical level, energy and resources are diverted from the digestive system (which is constantly in overuse as we graze on food) to the immune system and metabolic processes allowing the body to heal, rebuild and replenish itself.

Medical studies show that during a fast, abnormal tissue growths such as tumours become starved for nutrients and are hence more susceptible to being broken down and removed from the body. Fasting allows the body to tap its resources to their fullest potential and focus on rebuilding from a microscopic level as DNA and RNA genetic controls become more efficient in transcribing the proteins and tissues the body needs. This revamped protein synthesis results in healthier cells, tissues and organs.

Other changes in the body during a fast include a slight decrease in core body temperature due to a decline in metabolic rate and general bodily functions. Blood sugar levels also drop as the body uses the reservoir of glycogen in the liver and the base metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced in order to conserve energy. The digestive system, which is very often overloaded, and ceaselessly put to work, also cleanses itself for more efficient digestion and nutrient absorption.

The lining of the stomach and intestines are allowed to restore glands and muscle, and remove waste matter.

Other processes that sustain the foundational infrastructure of the body are increased during fasting, for example hormone production is increased as well as the release of anti-aging growth hormones.