There is a vast ideological vacuum in the entire world, which is apparent in the West, as much as it is in the Muslim world, including Pakistan. The Law of Man, manifested in our time as secular, liberal democracy, is under assault for its monumental failings. The Law of Man has led to an immense concentration of wealth in the hands of a select power elite, both through the very mechanics of Capitalism itself and corruption. The world’s richest saw their wealth climb 27.5% to $10.2trn (£7.9trn) from April to July this year, according to a report from Swiss bank UBS. In contrast, extreme poverty is set to rise for the first time in more than two decades, the World Bank reported on 7 October 2020. There are now reformatory calls for redistribution of wealth, through philanthropy and substantial taxation on the wealthy, alongside revolutionary calls, including the call for Khilafah (Caliphate) that is now emanating more strongly than ever from the Muslim World.
It is also clear that Democracy is not “of the people, for the people,” as its advocates claim. Law making is of the power elite, for the interests of the power elite. The power elite has supremacy over law making to suit its interests, through a fusion between immense wealth and law making. It is the power elite alone that has sufficient capital to fund astronomically expensive election campaigns, launching its selected candidates into legislation, as garishly exemplified by the current US presidential campaign. Reciprocating, the elected legislators then ensure the passage of legislation to favor their financial backers and benefactors, ensuring supremacy for the power elite. As a local parallel, conflict over civilian or military supremacy within Pakistan is a mere power struggle between competing factions, who take turns to secure supremacy for their interests.
The core failing in secular, liberal democracy is that law is made by man. What is lawful or unlawful is determined by the human mind, according to limited human reasoning and swayed by human whims and desires. The Law of Man opened the door for manipulation by the power elite for its vested interests. The power elite makes laws according to its own self-serving bias, in addition to their limited knowledge and wisdom. The Law of Man is the reason for the legislator John Dalberg-Acton’s saying, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Unlike the Western World, Democracy is not a compulsion for the Muslims. The horrific, pre-reformation experience of the Law of the Church, made the Westerner permanently rebellious of any notion of the Law of God. However, the Muslim World’s experience of the Law of Allah (swt), through Islam’s ruling system, the Khilafah, is worlds apart. Whilst in Democracy, “rule is of the Law of Man, for the power elite,” in the Khilafah, “rule is of the Law of Allah (swt), for the people.” The lawful and the unlawful are determined by Allah (swt) and His Messenger ﷺ alone, closing the doors for manipulation by those in power.
Thus, under the Law of Allah (swt), those in power could never manipulate law for self-interest, as they were bound to implement law derived from the Quran and Sunnah. Under the Law of Allah (swt), those in power are all subject to the Law of Allah (swt), with no immunity from prosecution. Under the Law of Allah (swt), al-Hakeem, al-‘Aleem, the Islamic economy ensures distribution of wealth due to its very rulings. For centuries, the Khilafah provided a high standard of living for all its citizens, regardless of their religion, including free healthcare and education.
Indeed the Islamic Ummah is blessed by the Law of Allah (swt). The current global vacuum is ideal not only for the restoration of the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of Prophethood, it is ideal for the Khilafah to present itself as an example for all humanity, that has tired of being burdened by the Law of Man. Allah (swt) said, أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ “Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?” [Surah al-Mulk 67:14]
Musab Umair – Pakistan