Abu Sulayman

The ruling on general elections: By Shaykh Abu Umar as Sayf رحمه الله: Among the basic principles of the democratic system is the choosing of the head of state and the members of parliament by means of general elections. This method of selection is among the paths and ways of the disbelievers, and it is not permissible to attribute it to the deen of Islam. The evidences for the prohibition of general elections are as follows: First: Sovereignty (hakimiyyah) in Islam belongs to Allah, the Most High, and not to the people or anyone else. What is obligatory upon the people is only submission to the command of Allah and His judgement, as He, the Most High, said: "And He shares none in His judgement." And He, the Most High, said: "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, that they should have any choice in their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone astray." Second: Nullifying the Shari'ah conditions that must be fulfilled by the Imam or the members of the shura, nullifying the Shari'ah method of selection, and replacing it with democratic elections, is a form of seeking judgement from the taghut and a changing of the judgement of Allah, the Most High. Allah, the Most High, said: "Have you not seen those who claim that they believe in what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They wish to seek judgement from the taghut, though they were commanded to disbelieve in it, and Satan wishes to lead them far astray." Third: The objective of the Imamate is the establishment of the Shari'ah of Allah, the Most High, in all affairs of life, the establishment of justice, the commanding of good and forbidding of evil, and jihad in the path of Allah. To achieve this objective of the Imamate, the Shari'ah came with conditions that must be fulfilled by the Imam, such as justice, knowledge, courage, and other conditions. The work of the ahl al-hall wa al-'aqd in this case is to choose the best of those in whom the conditions of the Imamate are found. Their work resembles the work of judges in a court: they follow justice and truth in the selection and do not follow their own desires. As for general elections, they are built upon the whims and desires of the people. Most people elect only the one who fulfils their whims, without regard to the conditions of the Imamate. Yet Allah, the Most High, commanded us to follow His command and not to follow the whims of the people. He said: "Never will the Jews or the Christians be pleased with you until you follow their deen. Say: Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [true] guidance. And if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah neither protector nor helper." And He, the Most High, said: "And judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires, and beware of them lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allah only intends to afflict them with some of their sins. And indeed, many of the people are defiantly disobedient. Is it then the judgement of jahiliyyah that they seek? And who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain?" And He, the Most High, said: "Then We put you on an ordained way concerning the matter, so follow it, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know. Indeed, they will never avail you against Allah at all. And indeed, the wrongdoers are allies of one another, but Allah is the ally of the righteous." Continued ⏬️ ⏬️