Leaders Who Do Not Apply Islamic Law Are A Source Of Disaster
Zil Hajj 26, 1432 A.H, Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Alhamdulillah, all praise be to Allah.
Salawat and
salam may be showered upon Rasulullah,
his family and Sahabahs.
Indonesia is rich in natural wealth, but is also rich in a variety of disasters
and conflicts. Just count them since the appointment of the current Indonesian
president, how many big disasters have happened to this country. Not only those
that afflict physically, the disaster of the
aqeedah and akhlaq is also
getting more rampant. The misguided ideologies of pluralism and secularism that
deaden the hearts are also increasingly able to find a place. Splinter sects of
Islam are also more protected. On the contrary, the
da'wah movements for the establishment
of the laws of Allah in the land of Indonesia are fought against and projected
as a terrorist ideology. In fact, their notable figures are murdered, imprisoned
and their good names smeared.
Famine and prolonged drought are two of the calamities that are currently
threatening. Many people have trouble getting clean water that is fit to be
consumed, used for shower and washing. The drought that causes crop failures
have happened to thousands of hectares of rice fields in some areas. It had been
told in the previous writing, “Prolonged
Drought Due To Human Sin, What's The Solution?” that the withholding of
the rainfall until famine and drought happen is the result of human sin. While
humans are social creatures that live under one leadership/government that sets
the rules for themselves. Whether the rule is good or bad, it will affect their
righteousness. If the rules applied are not based on
iman and not aimed at actualizing
taqwa (piety), then the society would
not be righteous. Not to mention if the rules legalize the
munkar and protect it, then the society
would be sinners. Hence, calamities and disasters will come down as a result of
it.
Narrated from Ibnu Umar Radhiyallahu ‘Anhuma,
he said : Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alaihi
Wasallam once stood in front of us and then said:
“O gentlemen Muhajireen, there
are five things that if they happento you, and I seek refuge in Allah from you
coming across them:
1. Indecency (such as
zina, homosexual, murder, robbery, gambling, drunkenness, consumption of illicit
drugs and others) does not spread in a people to the point that they do it in
daylight, except that the disease of tha’un (a certain kind of Cholera) and
hunger, that never existed on the previous generations, will spread in their
midst.
2. They are not reducing the measurements and the scales except they shall be tormented with prolonged drought, difficult livelihood, and tyranny from their rulers.
3. They do not hold paying zakat except the rain from the sky will be withheld from them. And were it not for the animals, the humans will not be given the rain.
4. They do not violate the promise of Allah and His Rasul, except that Allah will make their enemies (from amongst the kuffar) reign over them, then they seize some of the wealth that they have.
5. And their leaders (the
Muslims) do not follow the law of others besides the Kitabullah and select what
Allah has sent down (Islamic Sha'riah), except that Allah will cast hostility
amongst themselves.” (HR. Ibnu Majah and Al-Hakim with saheeh sanad).” (HR Ibnu
Majah and made saheeh by Sheikh al Albani in as-Saheehah no. 106)
In the above hadith, tyranny by their
rulers are mentioned as “a result of the society's evil.” However, at the end it
was mentioned that the leaders who do not implement the
Shari'ah will cause a rift and animosity
in the society. Besides themselves being the result, they are also the cause.
Because, evil deeds will not spread and be done in daylight in the midst of the
society, if the leaders are firm in implementing the Islamic law. There will be
no adulterers and prostitutes who advertise if the leaders implement the Islamic
law in the form of flogging and stoning. Let alone the
zina, all the means which lead to it
will be banned. Unlike this country, prostitution are protected, legalized and
localized in a place protected by the laws. Anyone who uphold the
amar ma’ruf and
nahi munkar there, are considered as
committing crimes for violating the laws. In fact even its name is replaced with
“Pekerja Seks Komersial” (PSK) or
Commercial Sex Workers, as if it has become an official a means of living, in
the same class as the construction workers, salesman, civil servants, etc.
Withholding and not paying zakat will not happen extensively if the government
implements the Islamic law. Because their main interest i.e. establishing the
law of Allah, will guide the society towards having
taqwa and put in order the welfare of
their world. However, if it is not the Islamic government that are in control
and it is not the Islamic law that is implemented, managing
zakat is not a part of their interest.
If there is anyone who withholds and does not pay it, it is not a violation, but
on the other hand if anyone does not pay the tax, then it is considered as a
violation. Whereas, taxes are not known and not obligatory for the Muslims,
unless they live under the authority which is other than their own.
Reasons For The
Barakah (Blessings) To Come
Indeed, Allah will send down barakah for
the inhabitants of the land if they uphold iman
and taqwa. Including conforming
the contents of the religion of Allah and applying it in the midst of the
society. The objective is, so that they are right in giving worship to their
true Creator, namely Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
“And if only the people of the
cities had believed and feared Allah , We would have opened upon them blessings
from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized
them for what they were earning.” (QS. Al-A’raf: 96)
The above verse explains that, if the inhabitants of the lands or cities believe
with true iman in their hearts, as
evidenced by their deeds, surely Allah will open the blessings from the heavens
and the earth. Namely, by commanding the sky to send down heavy rain and
regenerate plants from the earth for their subsistence, as well as for the
animals.
The form of this iman is, truly
believing in the teachings of Islam that was conveyed by Rasulullah
Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, being
submissive and obedient to it. And then they have
taqwa to Allah
Ta’ala, both outwardly and in their
inner self, by performing obediences and keeping away from what Allah forbids.
On the other hand, if the people of a country disbelieve in Allah and His Rasul,
deny His religion, refuse to submit, obey and have
taqwa to Him, surely Allah will punish
them with the removal of the barakah,
the sending down of musibah
(misfortunes), calamities and various fitnah
as a consequence of some of their sins.
Allah told us about the country of Saba’ which was fertile and rich in its
natural potency:
“There was for [the tribe
of] Saba' in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right
and on the left. [They were told], "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be
grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord. But they turned
away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced
their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and
something of sparse lote trees. [By] that We repaid them because they
disbelieved. And do We [thus] repay except the ungrateful?”
(QS. Saba’: 15-17)
The Urgency Of An Islamic Leadership
Indeed, leadership is very important. Islam also pays very big attention to it.
In fact, it is even included as the biggest part of the objectives and
obligations that are to be actualized by religion. Where its function is as a
replacement for the prophetic role in maintaining this
dien and regulate the world. To the
point that the Muslims must appoint a imam
who regulates them with the Kitabullah
(Islamic Sha'riah), such as in
His verse:
“Indeed, Allah commands
you to render trusts to whom they are due.”
(QS. Al-Nisa’: 58)
The context of this verse is that, the khitab
(percipient) in the verse is general in nature, which requires them to
perform a variety of amanah (trust),
which includes the amanah of
legislating. The Muslims are obliged to carry out this
amanah and give it to those experts who
will establish it correctly.
Indeed, many Shari'ah obligations cannot
be realized without the existence of an Islamic rule, such as the establishment
of hudud and implementing the Islamic
law, guarding the border, preparing and sending troops, maintaining the
security, appointing of judges and others. Any obligation cannot be complete
except with its existence, it thus becomes mandatory, especially in terms of its
urgency to prevent serious danger that occurs amidst the chaos and the
non-establishment of the Islam rule, so the commandment to actualize an Islamic
leadership becomes very mandatory. The actualization of it becomes the most
urgent requirement of Shari'ah. Due to
that, there is no excuse to abandon and underestimate this obligation.
Submitted by a Mujahid