Personality
and Democracy
Human race which is, on one hand,
the noblest creation of Allâh the Almighty, and the served of the entire
universe, has in his nature on the other, to treat any exalted and powerful
being as the center and an object of worship, and this demand of human nature
leads him to the concept of Oneness of God and to worship one God by rejecting
all other false gods. The greatest satanic cunningness and deception was that
man put heredity and lineage as precondition for getting throne and forming
government. It resulted in undeserving persons not capable of kingship to
become kings and look down upon those who really deserved it. This blunder of
mankind gave birth to many evils, corruption and disruption and the children of
Adam had to bear the brunt thereof.
The Noble Quran after being revealed
and Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
after being commissioned as Prophet, remedied the evil; and this embodiment of
the total human qualities, himself led the people of the state and thus put
before the world at large best example of the blend of Prophet-hood and
temporal rule at a time. He explained to the human kind the duties of a king
and his realm of power. After him, his foremost trained and benefited band,
i.e., the noble Companions ( رضى الله عنهم
) elected the best among them to rule over them in line with the teachings of
the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
Thus, for the first time, broke the
satanic spell that heredity could ever play a role in making one a ruler. The
choice of Umar Fârooq ( رضى الله عنه
) after Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
( رضى الله عنه ) was governed by the
same principle. Although Uthmân Ghani ( رضى الله عنه
) was also chosen without any consideration of heredity and lineage, but some
individuals and sections of the people had some reservation about it, and
Uthmân Ghani ( رضى الله عنه ) himself did some
favor to his relatives and the people of his own tribe. Hence, his period was
not without trials and tribulations.
Thus, it may be safely said that as
the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
presented his example as a Messenger for 23 consecutive years to redeem
humanity, so also from 1 to 10 AH, i.e., for about 10 years, he put before the
world glaring example of righteous rule. And as the 23 years of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) are worth following
for mankind, so the Madnian life of the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم), the caliphate of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) ( رضى الله عنه ) and the caliphate of Umar Fârooq ( رضى الله عنه ) put together and spreading over a span
of 23 years, are also worthy of being emulated.
At the end of the Righteous
Caliphate, human weakness and satanic swindling once again made hereditary
relations necessary for succeeding to the kingdom or rule. And the rule, instead
of going to the able and deserving, was unfortunately came to be considered as
the right of some particular dynasties. Thus, the unworthy sons of worthy
fathers appeared 'gracing' the thrones or seats of power. The people of those
period had to undergo untold miseries and sufferings to get rid of such evil
and despotic rulers.
At last, their patience being
exhausted, they took recourse to the democracy practiced in France and America
etc., today; although like hereditary autocratic rules, democracies also cannot
prove a source of blessing for mankind. The only type of government
corresponding to human nature and a source of peace and blessing for mankind is
one whose model came to be seen in the first four centuries of the Hijrah era.
And that is, in fact, the system that lies between democracy and autocracy.
Democratic
Rule
In a democratic setup, a person is
elected by the people for a period of three or five years and he is called
either the President of the republic or the Head of the democratic government.
But the President of the republic does not enjoy the same powers which is
required by an affectionate ruler of mankind. Even in some ordinary matters the
President feels helpless and has to work against his will. It means the
government has no real center of power, and government affairs are divided in a
manner that they go to belong to all the people of the state.
When seen from a distance, this
system of government looks pleasant. And since, the people generally find
themselves ruling over themselves and feel that the chains of despotism or
tyrannical rule are broken, they are happy with the system, but ultimately they
are put to great loss as well.
Human sense of nobility lies against
unbridled freedom. This is the reason that in France and America etc., where
democratic system is working, the spiritualism desired by the religion is going
to the dogs. High morals taught by religion cannot grow and flourish in a
country where the flood of democracy is surging. Democratic system of
government seeks to put man on a path of such an unnatural freedom that he can
no longer retain his Divine values. Pure democratic system is, in fact, a very
strong movement of atheism and secularism. As nothing grows in a desert, fish
can't live out of water, and man cannot keep healthy in a dark place and
polluted air, in the same way, religious thoughts, restraints and prayers
cannot stay and grow in a democratic system of government.
The fundamental principle of
religion is restraint and obedience. And one's following of a true religion
keeps intact the true feeling of human nature that every high and respectable
being is to be given a high place and shown respects, and since, Allâh the
Almighty is the Highest of all, one should bow down before Him saying Subhâna Rabbiyal-A'la
(Glorified be the Lord, the Most High). Every Messenger, every Prophet and
every guide in the world has rightly demanded that all men should obey him and
carry out his command. And none can deny that human race has always achieved
success simply by following and obeying those Messengers, Prophets, guides and
leaders.
It is a fact that human race has
reached the stage of progress and development from the lowest level of disgrace
and depravity. Thus, the system of government which is injurious to the
righteous course and sets humanity free from all decent and reasonable
restraints, can never prove healthy and beneficial to mankind. Every father
wants his son to obey him and it also behooves the son to do so. Every teacher
wants his pupils to obey him and the same is demanded of disciples, followers
and soldiers, and they must respond to the call in their own interest. But,
under the effect of democracy every son, pupil, disciple, follower and soldier
looks upon obedience to his father, teacher, saint, leader and commander as a
matter of an unpleasant duty to be performed against one's will. And, by and
by, all these things are so dissolved that man finds before him nothing but
atheism and secularism which ultimately lead to barbarism.
Democracy is basically against sense
of religiosity, and hence the more this sense is injured, the more there is
chance for peace to go out of sight. Real peace can be established on earth
only through religion, but governments have always eaten humble pie in this field.
Inside houses, in forests, deserts and pathways, a man is free from the
watchful eyes of the police. It is religion alone and not the government which
can hold one back from indulging in evil acts of murder, theft, adultery etc.
If all the inhabitants of the earth turn secular, it will become a hell for
mankind by freely adopting the course of killing and carnage, theft, adultery,
lies, deception, mischief and unmannerly behavior.
In the democracies of Europe and
America, we find nothing which could create a sense of envy in us. These are
the countries where more irreligiousness is found. In these very countries,
human society is more inclined to immodesty, and it is here that breach of
promise, disloyalty, self-centeredness, falsehood, deceit etc., have become
ingredients of their character. Democratic government can never give birth to
any Napoleon, Kaiser, William, Julius Caesar, Temur, Hannibal, Salahuddin,
Sulaiman Qanuni, Sher Shah, Alamgir. And, in case one is born, he cannot remain
alive, what to speak of the birth of Khâlid bin Walid.
It is, perhaps, the most ugly
example of human depravity that, we, today, find even Muslims desiring of
European and American type of democracy, which is totally against the teachings
of Islam and something highly injurious to mankind. Such a shift in Muslim
thought is the result of the timidity and lack of courage, and it is reduced to
such a state because of ignorance and ignoring the teachings of the Quran and
Hadith.
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