Conscious Manipulation Posted January 25, 2004 Politicians are liars and politics is the art of deception. This is the common perception the general populace has regarding the men who run our world today. US President George W. Bush seems to be the foremost example of this after just one term in office. With an international political arena overrun by crime and greed, one cannot blame the masses for holding this view. From the government-backed international dominance of western multinational corporations, to hidden agendas behind the occupation of sovereign nations and overthrowing elected officials, to the killing of thousands of innocent civilians and then calling this “collateral damage”, trust seems to be all but lost in anyone even remotely related to politics. But is this understanding of politics true? Does the dominance of corruption in any one facet of society make it inherently evil? Is there any hope of reforming the field of politics so that it might be run by those who are not bent on genocide and world domination? The answers to these three questions lie in the history of Islam; specifically, in the history of Islamic state, the Islamic Khilafah. The first and second questions are answered directly from the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Rasool Allah (saw) said: “The prophets used to manage the affairs of Banu Israa’eel”. In this Hadith, the Messenger (saw) used the word “Tasoos-hum”, which is the verb tense of the Arabic word “Siyasa”, meaning “politics”. Thus, our own Messenger (saw) used the word “politics” as “the management of the affairs of the people”. Hence, politics is merely an area of life which can be administered either based on the laws of Allah (swt), making it good, or based on man-made laws and greed, making it evil. This dichotomy of political patterns is illustrated in the examples of American and European presidents and prime ministers in history, versus the long history of Islamic Khaleefahs (rulers) throughout the period of the Islamic state. To better elucidate this contrast, a comparison chart will be used to evaluate the differences between the two sides, as follows: Western Ruler Quote or Action Muslim Leader/Khaleefah Comparison Abraham Lincoln US President (1861-1865) Quote: “I can conceive of no greater calamity than the assimilation of the Negro into our social and political life as our equal.” August 14, 1862 The Messenger of Allah: Muhammed bin Abdullah (saw) Founder and first leader of the Islamic Khilafah (621-632) Quote: “An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white man has no superiority over a black one, nor a black man has any superiority over a white one- except by piety and good action.” William J. Clinton US President (1995-1999) Performed indecent sexual acts with a White House intern, then lied, under oath, about his doing so. Umar bin Abdul-Aziz 12th Khaleefah of the Islamic State (720-723) Was well-known for his chastity, honor, and truthfulness. He would even lower his gaze when women passed by, out of respect for them and fear of Allah. Western Ruler Quote or Action Muslim Leader/Khaleefah Comparison Winston Churchill British Prime Minister (1940-1945 and 1951-1955) Quote: "It is sheer affectation to lacerate a man with the poisonous fragment of a bursting shell and then to boggle at making his eyes water by means of a lachrymatory gas”. "I am strongly in favor of using poisonous gas against uncivilized tribes" where it could "spread a lively terror". Abu Bakr Assiddeeq (ra) 1st Khaleefa of the Islamic State (632-634) Quote: "I advise you ten things (when fighting Jihad): Do not kill women or children or an aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees. Do not destroy an inhabited place. Do not slaughter sheep or camels except for food. Do not burn bees and do not scatter them. Do not steal from the booty, and do not be cowardly." George W. Bush US President (2000-Present) All-time record holder for highest number of vacation days taken per year, taking the entire month of August 2001 off, as well as most campaign fundraising trips of any US president in history, all paid for using taxpayers’ dollars. Ali bin Abi Taalib (ra) 3rd Khaleefah of the Islamic State (635- A man came to Ali bin Abi Taalib (ra) in his study, and Ali (ra) asked him whether he comes for a state-related matter or a personal matter. The man replied “a personal matter”, so before the man could speak, Ali (ra) blew out a candle that was lit and lit another candle nearby. When the man asked Ali (ra) why he did this, Ali replied “The first candle was paid for using state funds, whereas the second one was paid for using my own personal funds”. Where are the rulers today from the examples set by such honorable men in the history of the Islamic Khilafah? These examples clearly show that not only can politics be run in a moral and honest manner, but it was run in a moral and honest manner for over 1300 years in the Muslim world. It must also be said that, like any facet of life occupied and managed my humans, this period in the Islamic world was not flawless. The area of politics is most coveted by the corrupt amongst us, as it allows them to change policies and further facilitate their fraudulent ways. Hence, the possibility of a number of corrupt individuals entering the field of politics, within an honest and morally run government, is not unheard of. When this is applied to our political reality today, a reality where felons fill almost every influential station in government, it is no wonder that we are taught from a young age that politics is only for those amongst us who are superior at deception and dishonesty. How else would you expect the honest and trustworthy be kept out of their way? It is also not unexpected that any sincere individuals who attain influential government positions are either forced to resign or are only allowed insignificant roles until they prove themselves worthy of working with the fraud elite. Undoubtedly, we live in dark times today, but the possibility of change is very strong. The likes of Ariel Sharon, Husni Mubarak, Vladmir Putin and George W. Bush will soon be nightmares of the past. Every corrupt empire throughout the history of the earth has fallen, and our modern-day empires are no different. It is in the very nature of the universe that good always overcomes evil in the end. The Messenger of Allah (saw) himself foretold the coming of dark times and corrupt rulers, and the subsequent rule of the trustworthy and the sincere. Islam will rule the world with justice once again. The return of Islamic Khilafah is a promise from Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). It is just a matter of time. The one question that remains is whether we will take up the challenge of this honorable work. Whether we will stand up to these regimes and work with sincerity and belief in Allah (swt) to uproot these fetid rulers and replace them with the guidance of Islam and the integrity of the Khulafaa’ of yesterday. The challenge remains, and Allah (swt) has control over all affairs, but most men know not. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haashim Posted January 25, 2004 Thanks C.M for this beautiful contribution. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
