Salaam, I am Politician from the and was elected a few years back. Before I got into Politics I got Mashwara from yourselves, now some groups in the are targeting me and saying that Politics is Shirk and Kufr. Please see the email they sent me and please do reply.
There first email-
I came across your labour profile online, brother to stand for this Man Made Law Is Shirk and Kufr, it is something that takes you out of the fold of Islam, I have passed onto you the Hujah (evidence), please take time out to read these evidences with an open mind and heart, I pray Allah swt guides you to the straight Path.
My response was your fatwa-
Fatwa # 13855 from Date: Tuesday, January 31st 2006
And their response-
We live in a day and age where we can window shop for all sorts of fatawas, not putting Mufti Ebrahim Desai down in any way but the fatwa does not qoute a single verse of the Holy Quran or a Hadith of the Prophet (saw), You have said you will not partcipate in next years elections but the Hujjah has been established on you, meaning to partcipate in this years Elections or to vote for this Kufr Law of Democracy is an act of agression against Allah swt, it is an act of shirk, it is an act of associating partners with Allah swt. It make one Mushrik, Murtadeen, Kafir.
The Hukm (Law, Order, Legislation) is for Allah alone, 12.40
Ive got hold of your number, Insha’Allah i will give you a call and discuss it further with you.
Ma asalama
The Ballot Box of Shirk
The season of voting is again upon us. As Muslims the first question we must ask ourselves is what does Islam say about voting. Part of our Tawheed is believe in the names and attributes of Allah (swt) exclusively e.g. Ar-Raheem (the Merciful), Al-Malik (the King), As-Samad (The Self-Sufficient), Al-Aleem (the All-Knowing) to ascribe any one of the Names & Attributes of Allah (swt) to anyone or anything is an act of shirk. One of the Names is al-Hakam al-Adl (the Divine Just legislator). Clearly from this angle alone we can see that by voting you would be ascribing a Name and Attribute of Allah (swt) to man. This act has been described as, another god being taken instead of Allah (swt) and become a MUSHRIK.
Allah (swt) says The command (or the judgement) is for none but Allh… [12:40].
The fact is that by voting you are willingly accepting legislation from a secular source and rejected the right of Allah.
Allah (swt) says He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule.” [18:26].
The general elections are the process by which the MPs legislate and decide whats good & bad. Democracy is the rule of the people, for the people by the people. So whatever the majority want they will get.
Common Arguments- A person may say it is the lesser of two evils, but how is selecting a candidate who lives by manmade law be a lesser evil than committing shirk. Allah (swt) says Allah (swt) does not forgive Shirk (making partners with Allah (swt) but He (swt) forgives what is less than that to whomever His (swt) wills. [4:40]
People also say if we don’t vote the BNP will gain power but how can you justify the greatest crime (the shirk) in order to protect your privileges of living amongst disbelievers when Rasuallah Said I am free from any Muslim who lives amongst the disbelievers and does not distinguish himself. (Ahmed & Darimi), but rather we should have full Tawaqull (trust) in Allah (swt) for what He has destined for us.
They say we must obey the law of the land but Allah (swt) has clearly stated O Prophet (Muhammad SAW)! Keep your duty to Allh, and obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Verily, Allh is Ever AllKnower, AllWise. [33:1]
Many people also follow scholars and say that they vote or my mufti said its ok to vote. If we look to the Book of Allah (swt) we can see that similar mistakes were made by the nations of the past, and what status they gave their scholars. Allah (swt) said They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allh (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allh) (9:31)
Another spurious argument is that the majority of people vote, but Allah (swt) says Do not follow the majority because Allah (swt) has said And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allh’s Path. They follow nothing but conjectures, and they do nothing but lie. [6:116]
Allah (swt) has given us a divine way of life (i.e. Islam) that covers all aspects of life. So why are we going out and committing the biggest crime of shirk, when we already have the perfect system to live by. The modern day shirk is manmade law and we have to revert back to the Tawheed and follow the path of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) to gain the pleasure of Allah (swt). Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allh, the Lord of the ‘Alamn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)! [7:54]
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh
The claim made by the ignorant Muslim brother is completely false and baseless. It is most unfortunate that we have these modern-day groups such as the Salafis, Hizb al-Tahrir and others who do not even have the most basic comprehension of the Shariah or any of the fundamental Islamic sciences required to give a juristic ruling, yet they have no fear in branding Muslims striving to elevate the status of Islam as Kafirs or Mushriks.
Rasulullah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) had prophesized,
“Amongst the signs of the last hour will be that knowledge will be lifted up and ignorance will become rampant.” (Sahih Bukhari)
إِنَّ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ الْعِلْمُ ، وَيَكْثُرَ الْجَهْلُ
In another narration, Rasulullah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) stated, “Verily Allah will not snatch away knowledge from the people (i.e. from their hearts) rather He will reclaim (the souls of) the scholars (through their demise); thus, knowledge will be lifted with them. He will allow the ignorant to remain who will pass verdicts without any knowledge, thus being misguided and misguiding others.” (Sahih Muslim)
إن الله لا ينتزع العلم من الناس انتزاعا ولكن يقبض العلماء فيرفع العلم معهم ويبقى فى الناس رءوسا جهالا يفتونهم بغير علم فيضلون ويضلون
These misguided and ignorant groups are claiming that participating in elections by voting is a form of shirk (i.e. ascribing partners to Allah); thus, those who participate in the elections have become kafirs and mushriks. We seek refuge in Allah with the words of Musa (Alayhi Salam) from such ignorance
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
“I seek refuge in Allah that I become among the ignorant.” (Holy Quran 2:67)
This misguided brother claims in his letter to you,
“Part of our Tawhed is to believe in the names and attributes of Allah (swt) exclusively e.g. Ar-Raheem (the Merciful), Al-Malik (the King), As-Samad (The Self-Sufficient), Al-Aleem (the All-Knowing) to ascribe any one of the Names & Attributes of Allah (swt) to anyone or anything is an act of shirk. One of the names is al-Hakam al-Adl (the Divine Just legislator). Clearly from this angle alone we can see that by voting you would be ascribing a Name and Attribute of Allah (swt) to man. This act has been described as, another god being taken instead of Allah (swt) and become a MUSHRIK.”
This line of reasoning and deduction is so flawed and fallacious that it baffles the mind. The statements made by such people show the tremendous dearth and deficiency of their academic qualifications for issuing Islamic verdicts.
In rebutting his argument, the first thing to understand is that Allah Ta’ala has two types of names and attributes. The first type consist of such names that are exclusive to Him alone and cannot apply to any other being or entity e.g. Al-Khaliq (the Creator).
The second type consists of such names that belong to Allah in the most supreme and perfect sense; however, they can also be shared by others in a lesser degree e.g. Al-Malik, Al-Raheem, Al-Hakam etc.
In regards to this second type, in order for a person to truly commit shirk or to become a mushrik, he or she would have to attribute to another being the name or quality in the exact same degree that they do for Allah. On the other hand, if they attribute the same name or quality to another being, but to a lesser degree than Allah, then this will not qualify as shirk.
For example, as the brother mentioned, one of the names of Allah is Al-Malik (the King). Despite this being one of Allah’s sacred names and holy attributes, Allah uses it in the Holy Quran for other people. In Surah al-Hashr, Allah uses the name for Himself and mentions, “He is Allah, the one whom none has the right to be worshipped but He, the King (Al-Malik) …”(59:23)
هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ
In Surah Yusuf, Allah uses it for others and mentions regarding the king of Egypt, “And the king (al-Malik) said: “Verily, I saw (in a dream) seven fat cows, whom seven lean ones were devouring (12:43)
وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ إِنِّي أَرَى سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ
With the rationale and deduction of this misguided brother, he would be forced to declare shirk on Allah Himself since Allah ascribes one of His holy names and attributes for a disbelieving king of Egypt. However, as any sane and logical Muslim would conclude, Allah is far above such deficiency; and that in reality, the deductions made by the misguided are fallacious and corrupt.
Moreover, many of the countries where the so-called “scholars” of these misguided groups live are ruled by kings, e.g. the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They refer to their leader as al-Malik (king), will it then not be shirk for them to attribute one of the names of Allah, for their king? Why don’t such misguided salafis call the Arabian government and their state-sponsored “scholars” mushriks?
To present an additional example, another attribute of Allah is Al-Raheem (the Most-Merciful). Allah mentions regarding Himself in the Holy Quran, “All praise belongs to Allah, lord of the worlds, the Most Gracious, the Most-Merciful.”
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
However, Allah also uses this attribute to describe Rasulullah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam). In Surah Tawbah, Allah mentions, “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst you. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad SAW) is anxious over you; for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful (Raheem).” (Holy Quran 9:128)
لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ
In regards to the divine attribute, al-Hakam, Allah does not use it for Himself in the Holy Quran. We have come to know that it is one of His attributes through various Ahadith. Nevertheless, Allah uses it for mankind in the Quran stating in Surah al-Nisa, “If you fear a breach between them (the man and his wife), appoint an arbitrator (Hakam) from his family and another arbitrator (Hakam) from her’s…
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِنْ أَهْلِهَا
From the above-mentioned examples, we come to know that the matter of shirk is not as elementary as the misguided brother portrays. Rather, we see that if he and people of his group actually read and understood the Holy Quran, they would have never come to such ridiculous and perilous conclusions.
This ignorant brother further makes the following claim;
“…meaning to partcipate in this years Elections or to vote for this Kufr Law of Democracy is an act of agression against Allah swt, it is an act of shirk, it is an act of associating partners with Allah swt. It make one Mushrik, Murtadeen, Kafir.”
For substantiation, he uses the following verse of the Holy Quran,
إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ
then translates it as “The Hukm (Law, Order, Legislation) is for Allah alone, 12:40”
He then further mentions, “The fact is that by voting you are willingly accepting legislation from a secular source and rejected the right of Allah.”
It is quite apt, remarkable and amazing that the misguided people of today are using the exact same ignorant line of reasoning as well as misusing the exact same verse as the misguided people of the past, namely, the khawarij.
The khawarij were among the first people to separate themselves from the main body of the Muslim Ummah, branching away from the beliefs and practices of the Sahabah and Ahl al-Sunnah.
The khawarij wanted to use this very verse against Ali (Radiya Allahu anhu) and the rest of the Sahabah when they wanted to set up arbitrators to judge between the case of Ali (Radiya Allahu anhu) and Muawiyyah (Radiya Allahu anhu). Each had laid claim to the khilafah and some turmoil had disrupted among the ranks of the Muslims. As Ali (Radiya Allahu anhu) was about to defeat Muawiyyah (Radiya Allahu anhu), Muawiyyah (Radiya Allahu anhu) ordered his troops to attach copies of the Quran to their spears, calling for arbitrators to judge between both sides based on the book of Allah. The Khawarij, who up until then had sided with Ali (Radiya Allahu anhu), did not like his decision and agreement to the arbitration and began their dissent by misusing the above-mentioned verse. They misinterpreted the verse in a very literal sense, similar to the misguided groups of today; with the end result being that they deemed Ali (RA) and other Sahabah (RA) as mushriks for trying to set up Hakams (arbitartors) to judge between the two factions. The repeatedly chanted the verse,
إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ
Ibn Sireen (rahimahu Allah) has mentioned in regards to the khawarij, “They took the verses which were revealed to warn the mushriks and directed it them against the Muslims; thus, they came up with the verbal innovation of declaring (Muslims) as kafirs due to sins (they commit). The Harooriyyah (khawarij) said to Ali (radiya Allahu anhu) on the day of arbitration, ““The Hukm is for Allah alone”. Ali (radiya Allahu anhu) replied, “(this is) A true word from which he intends falsehood.”
قال ابن سيرين في الخوارج : إنهم عمدوا إلى آيات الوعيد النازلة في المشركين فوضعوها على المسلمين فجاءوا ببدعة القول بالتكفير بالذنب وقد قال الحرورية لعلي رضي الله عنه يوم التحكيم ( إن الحكم إلا لله ) فقال علي ” كلمة حق أريد بها باطل
Ibn Abbas (radiya Allahu anhu) states, “When the Harooriyah separated themselves and were on their own, I said to Ali (radiya Allahu anhu), ‘O leader of the believers, delay the Salah so that I may approach these people and speak with them.’ He said, ‘Verily, I fear they will cause harm upon you.’ He said, I replied, ‘By the will of Allah that will never happen.’ So I wore the best Yemeni clothes that I was able and then I approached them whilst they were resting in the midday heat. I approached some people; I had never seen anyone more strenuous in their worship than them. Their hands were as if they were (similar to) the calluses of camels; their faces were marked with the traces of prostration. So I entered and they said, “Welcome O’ Ibn Abbas. What has brought you here?” He said, ‘I have come to speak to you regarding the companions of Rasulullah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam); revelation descended and they are the most knowledgeable in regards to its interpretation. Some of them said, “Don’t speak to him” and some of them said, “We will most definitely speak with him.” I then stated, “Tell me what angers you about the cousin and son-in-law of Rasulullah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam), the first one to believe in him and the one whom the companions of Rasulullah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) are with?” They replied, “We are angry with him due to three things.” I said, “What are they?” They replied, “The first is that he has set up men as Hakams (arbitrators) in the religion of Allah whilst Allah has assuredly stated, ‘The judgment is only for Allah.’ ….
…I then said, “Tell me, if I recite unto you the explicit (verses of) the Book of Allah and narrate to you from the traditions of your Prophet which you would not reject, will you return?” They said, “Yes.” I then stated, “As for your statement that that he has set up men as Hakams (arbitrators) in the religion of Allah, then Allah has stated, ‘O you who believe, do not kill game while in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. If any of you do so intentionally, the compensation for it is an offering, brought to the Ka’ba, of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed, as adjudged (yahkumu) by two just men among you; (5:95). He has also stated in regards to a woman and her husband, “If you fear a breach between them (the man and his wife), appoint an arbitrator (Hakam) from his family and another arbitrator (Hakam) from hers”(4:35). I implore you by Allah, is the Hukm (arbitration, judgment) of men in an attempt to spare their blood and lives as well as reconciling their relationship more worthy or a rabbit whose value is a quarter of a dirham? They replied, “in the attempt to spare their blood and reconciling their relationship.” I then said, “Have I come out of this (first objection)?” They said. “Yes.”…(Majmau al-Zawa’id v. 6 pg. 239, Ilmiyyah)
وعن ابن عباس قال لما اعتزلت الحرورية وكانوا على حدتهم قلت لعلى يا أمير المؤمنين ابدد عن الصلاة لعلى آتى هؤلاء القوم فأكلمهم قال إنى أتخوفهم عليك قلت كلا إن شاء الله فلبست أحسن ما قدرت عليه من هذه اليمانية ثم دخلت عليهم وهم قائلون في نحر الظهيرة فدخلت على قوم لم أر قوما أشد اجتهادا منهم أيديهم كأنها ثفن (1) الابل ووجوههم معلنة من آثار السجود فدخلت فقالوا مرحبا بك يا ابن عباس لا تحدثوه وقال بعضهم لنحدثنه قال قلت اخبروني ما تنقمون على ابن عم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وختنه وأول من آمن به وأصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم معه قالوا ننقم عليه ثلاثا قلت ماهن قالوا أولهن أنه حكم الرجال في دين الله وقد قال الله تعالى (ان الحكم إلا لله) قلت وماذا قالوا قاتل ولم يسب ولم يغنم لئن كانوا كفارا لقد حلت أموالهم وان كانوا مؤمنين لقد حرمت عليه دماؤهم قال قلت وماذا قالوا ومحى نفسه من أمير المؤمنين قال قلت أرأيتم إن قرأت عليكم من كتاب الله المحكم وحدثتكم من سنة نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم مالا تنكرون أترجعون قالوا نعم قال قلت أما قولكم إنه حكم الرجال في دين الله فانه تعالى يقول (يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تقتلوا الصيد وأنتم حرم) إلى قوله (يحكم به ذوى عدل منكم) وقال في المرأة وزوجها (وإن خفتم شقاق بينهما فابعثوا حكما من أهله وحكما من أهلها) أنشدكم الله أفحكم الرجال في دمائهم وأنفسهم وصلاح ذات بينهم أحق أم في أرنب ثمنها ربع درهم قالوا اللهم في حقن دمائهم وصلاح ذات بينهم قال أخرجت من هذه قالوا نعم
Due to the explanation of Ibn Abbas (radiya Allahu anhu), approximately two thirds of the 12,000 men who had left the camp of Ali (radiya Allahu anhu) and branded the Muslims as muskriks returned to the correct path. Others stubbornly and ignorantly maintained their position until Ali (radiya Allahu anhu) fought them in a separate battle.
We find it apt to use the exact same response forwarded by the great Sahabi, Ibn Abbas (radiya Allahu anhu) to the khawarij of his day for the khawarij of our times, those who wish to brand Muslims as kafirs and mushriks by misinterpreting and misapplying verses of the Quran just as these people’s forefathers had done to none other than the Sahabah of Rasulullah (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam).
We also quote another verse of the Holy Quran that proves that passing a judgment can be done by other than Allah. Allah mentions, “Allah commands you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; And when you people judge (Hakamtum) between people, that you judge with justice:” (4:58)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ
These verses and narrations prove beyond any shadow of doubt that those who consider voting as shirk based upon the said ayah are completely misinterpreting the verse. Thus, they have no suitable substantiation to consider voting as shirk.
For further substantiation, another incident is mentioned in the Holy Quran. In Surah Yusuf, Allah Ta’ala mentions,
At length when he (Yusuf) had furnished them forth with provisions for them, he put the drinking cup into his brother’s saddle-bag. Then a crier shouted out: “O you (in) the caravan! behold! you are thieves, without doubt!” They said, turning towards them: “What is it that you are missing?” They said: “We are missing the great beaker of the king; for him who produces it is (the reward of) a camel load; I will be bound by it.” (The brothers) said: “By Allah you know that we did not come to make mischief in the land, and we are not thieves!” He said: “What then shall be the penalty of this, if you are (proved) to have lied?” They said: “The penalty should be that he in whose saddle-bag it is found should be held (as a slave) to atone for the (crime).This is how we punish the wrong- doers!” So he began (the search) with their baggage, before (he came to) the baggage of his brother: then he took it out of his brother’s baggage. Thus did We (i.e. Allah) plan for Yusuf. He could not take his brother by the law of the king except that Allah willed it (so).We raise to degrees (of wisdom) whom We please: but over all endued with knowledge is one, the All-Knowing. (Surah Yusuf, 70 -76)
فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُمْ بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ السِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ (70) قَالُوا وَأَقْبَلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ مَاذَا تَفْقِدُونَ (71) قَالُوا نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ وَلِمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ (72) قَالُوا تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ (73) قَالُوا فَمَا جَزَاؤُهُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ كَاذِبِينَ (74) قَالُوا جَزَاؤُهُ مَنْ وُجِدَ فِي رَحْلِهِ فَهُوَ جَزَاؤُهُ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ (75) فَبَدَأَ بِأَوْعِيَتِهِمْ قَبْلَ وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِنْ وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ كَذَلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ الْمَلِكِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَنْ نَشَاءُ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
Allamah Ibn Kathir mentions in the commentary of these verses,
Yusuf had the bowl placed in Binyamin’s bag while they were unaware, and then had someone herald,(O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!) They looked at the man who was heralding this statement and asked him, (“What is it that you have lost” They said: “We have lost the bowl of the king…”), which he used to measure food grains, (and for him who produces it is a camel load;), as a reward, (and I will be bound by it.), as assurance of delivery of the reward.
(By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) `Ever since you knew us, you, due to our good conduct, became certain that, (we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) They said, `Theft is not in our character, as you came to know.’ Yusuf’s men said, (What then shall be the penalty of him), in reference to the thief, if it came out that he is one of you,'(if you are (proved to be) liars) They asked them, `What should be the thief’s punishment if he is one of you’ (They said: “His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment. Thus we punish the wrongdoers!”) This was the law of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, that the thief be given as a slave to the victim of theft. This is what Yusuf wanted, and this is why he started with their bags first before his brother’s bag, to perfect the plot. (Then he brought it out of his brother’s bag.) Therefore, Yusuf took Binyamin as a slave according to their judgment and the law which they believed in. So Allah said; (Thus did We plan for Yusuf) and this is a good plot that Allah likes and prefers, because it seeks a certain benefit using wisdom and the benefit of all. Allah said next, (He could not take his brother by the law of the king,) as a captive, for this was not the law of king of Egypt, according to Ad-Dahhak and several other scholars. Allah only allowed Yusuf to take his brother as a captive after his brothers agreed to this judgment beforehand, and he knew that this was their law. This is why Allah praised him when He said, (We raise to degrees whom We will,) just as He said in another Ayah, (Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe.) [58:11] Allah said next, (but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing.) Al-Hasan commented, “There is no knowledgeable person, but there is another person with more knowledge until it ends at Allah the Exalted and Most Honored. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir v. 4 pg. 400, Dar Tayyibah)
From this incident, we come to know that one of the main Prophets of Allah, leave aside voting for a government official, served as a government official in the government of a disbelieving king. The king later accepted Islam, but during this incident, he had not yet accepted Islam. It is for that reason that there was a different set of laws to which Allah Ta’ala refers. Yusuf (alayhi Salam) knew that he could not enslave his brother Binyamin under the king’s law and as a government official; he had to obey that law. Thus, he contrived this ingenious plot to keep his brother and still maintain obedience to the law of the king. Had serving under a non-Muslim government or obeying and recognizing a secular law been an act of shirk and kufr, would Allah have allowed one of his beloved Prophets to commit such a heinous crime and still praise him for his wisdom and ingenuity?
We should take a lesson from this incident and implement it for our own benefit. We too, like Yusuf (alayhi Salam), should attempt to infiltrate positions of authority in the secular governments to advance the cause and position of the Muslim Ummah. Yusuf (alayhi Salam) used Hikmah (wisdom) and diplomacy without contravening any of the tenets and laws of the Shariah to spread the message and Deen of Allah. We too, should implement the same wisdom and diplomacy to further our cause. However, in doing so, we should be extremely cautious in refraining from contravening any tenet of the Shariah. Only such Muslims should enter the political arena who have a firm understanding of Islam and who maintain a close link with the true pious Ulama that can guide them in their affairs. The Muslim citizens of such secular countries should then lend their full political support by way of votes etc to elect and empower such Muslim politicians. These Muslim politicians will then strive to forward the cause of the Muslims, safeguard their rights, and open the doors to spread the message of Islam within the country
And Allāh Ta῾āla Knows Best
Wassalāmu ῾alaykum
Mufti Yusuf bin Yaqub,
Dārul Iftā, USA
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Dārul Iftā, Madrasah In῾āmiyyah