The Quranic Teachings

The following criteria can be derived from the Quran for electing or appointing people in authority: (1) integrity (taqwa)[1], (2) honesty[2] & trustworthiness[3] (amanat), (3) knowledge (ilm)[4], (4) wisdom (hikma)[5], (5) sound judgement (hukman) [6], (6) decisiveness (fasl-al-khitab)[7], (7) safeguarding of national interests (hafeez)[8], (8) physical capacity (jism, quwat)[9], (9) good intelligence quotient (istimbat)[10]. People in the executive authority should be conscious of Allah’s commands and not prone to follow their personal desires instead of the will of the Almighty[11];…

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The Believers (in the Islamic Ideology) have been told categorically in the Quran that all of them are a single brotherhood[1]. They are enjoined to hold Allah’s rope (i.e. His Book) firmly all together and do not become divided into sects[2]. Dividing Ad-Deen into various sects is tantamount to associating partners with Allah which is unforgivable[3]. The believers have been warned in the Quran that if they divide themselves into sects, then Allah’s Prophet (s.a.w.) will have no concern whatsoever…

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Nationality and citizenship are two legally distinct concepts in a number of countries. For example in Israel, there are Israeli citizens of diverse religions but Jewish nationality is distinct from Israeli citizenship[1]. The definitions and criteria of nationality and citizenship differ according to the laws of different countries. But wherever these concepts are distinct, nationality and citizenship entail different rights and obligations for their holders. Muslim Nationality is not based on birth within a particular geographical area or on having…

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Three essential powers for running a state are the legislative power (to make laws), the judicial power (to interpret the laws and decide matters accordingly) and the executive power (to implement the law and the decisions thereby). As far as the judicial power or authority is concerned, the Quran clearly states that the ultimate judicial authority belongs to the Almighty[1]. However, the Quran also clearly establishes the judicial authority of the Messengers delegated to them by their Lord[2], who must…

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During the lifetime of the last Messenger (s.a.w.) of Allah, the interpretation and application of the Islamic Laws was not a problem whatsoever as the Messenger (s.a.w.) was vested with the Supreme Judicial Authority and his interpretation and application of the Islamic Laws was final and definitive. It was rightly so because he was the direct recipient of the Divine Code from the Almighty and no one could know and understand better than him the letter and spirit of the…

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The Quran puts absolutely no restrictions on the participation of women in the Islamic government. Some of the key tasks of the Islamic government mentioned in the Quran include establishment of the socio-economic system of salat and zakat, commanding/implementing what is lawful (al-ma’roof) and proscribing/preventing what is unlawful (al-munkar)[1] according to the Islamic Law. The Quran clearly says that men and women are allies and associates (Auliya) of one another in this regard and both of them take part in…

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Public participation is an essential attribute of the Islamic political system. There is no place in Islam for such a political order where only a single person or a specific set of persons have authoritarian or totalitarian rule. Even the Prophet (s.a.w.) (i.e. the highest authority in Islam) was commanded by the Almighty God to have consultation with the community of believers and extract their opinion in public matters[1]. Similarly, it has been categorically pointed out in the Quran that…

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