Legislating According to Desires

Have you not observed he who has styled his god out of his desires and whom Allah [there- upon] misled on the premise of [his false] knowledge, sealing his hearing and his heart, and placing an obfuscation over his vision? Who, then, can guide [such a person] after [he himself abandoned] Allah [the only one who has the capacity to guide]? Can you not have an awareness [of this type of misconduct]? [Al Jathiya, 45:23]

The secrets of the Epstein scandal haven’t all been revealed yet: pages have been corrected, names taken off, it is clear that this is only the tip of the iceberg. More importantly, the roots of this scandal are directly related to the current political system, the one which does not recognise the Supreme Creator as having the right to legislate.

It is the imperfect ideology that is democracy, born from man’s brain. Saying that the one who does not reject democracy does not believe in Allah, could shock. One needs to understand the real nature of a subject before drawing any conclusions. The term “democracy” does not appear either in the Qur’an, or the Sunnah or the teachings of Salaf Salih. Its definition should therefore be understood per the way its believers define and practice it. In simple terms, it is a system where people hold power and legislate. The general idea, the concept of democracy, is the same in all countries which adopt this imperfect system: the legislative authority belongs to the people rather than Allah (SWT)

Democracy therefore means power to the people. The people govern, the people legislate. The fact that legislation and powers are exercised by the masses or the majority, or by elected representatives does not change anything. The fundamental principle remains the same: Allah (SWT) does not have any place therein.

The Qur’an is superior to any previous Scriptures. Allah (SWT) informs us that the Qur’an trumps any previous Scriptures, repeals them. The Qur’an, the law of Allah (SWT), hold ultimate authority on any Scriptures He has revealed before. If the Qur’an trumps any previous Scriptures, how can human desires have authority on Him?

Adhering to democracy deprives Allah’s (SWT) laws from its supreme authority and places them in the hands of man. It turns human desires into supreme law. Most Muslims will never place an object or a book on the Qur’an, not even a volume of hadith, out of respect for Allah’s (SWT) words. Accepting democracy and the idea of human legislation which contradicts Allah’s (SWT) laws is similar to placing an impure book on the Qur’an.

In secular and democratic nations, people’s wishes and desires are the authority. Democracy proclaims the people as supreme legislators. This explains the chaos and instability in democracies. Human laws obey desires. When legislation is done by humans, it obeys desires and is prone to injustice. For instance, the proliferation of indecency and immorality is the fruit of man’s freedom of choice.

Allah’s (SWT) laws are perfect, fair and unwavering. The same laws that Allah (SAW) detailed for us 14 centuries ago are still perfectly adapted to humanity today, for the Creator knows better than anyone what laws are best suited for his Creation, the latter ignores what suits it.

Allah (SWT) orders his Messenger (SAW) to judge Allah’s (SAW) revelations, he talks to the Messenger (SAW) and this order is addressed to all believers.

[…] for they who do not judge in accordance with what Allah has bestowed from on high are, indeed, deniers of the [divinely revealed] truth! [Al Maidah, 5:44]

[…] And they who do not judge in accordance with what Allah has revealed are, indeed, the evildoers! [Al Maidah, 5:45]

[…] for they who do not judge in the light of what Allah has bestowed from on high, it is they, they who are truly degenerate [in their relationship with their Sustainer]! [Al Maidah, 5:47]

Those who follow and believe in democracy are in contradiction with these verses. Them not verbally expressing so reflects on their true nature, and their acts are confirmation.

Democracy, secularism and ideologies of the same category which place human desire above Allah’s (SWT) guidance do not stop there. Allah (SWT) hasn’t left any space for doubt. Those who follow the religion of democracy in this Ummah, have established it as their God in the place of Allah (SWT).

Democracy has become one of the greatest idols of our times. Let’s see what Allah (SWT) says concerning the Jews and the Christians.

They have taken their rabbis and their monks — as well as the Christ, son of Maryam — for their lords beside Allah, although they had been bidden to comply and conform to none but the One God, […]  [At Tawbah, 9:31]

The Jews and Christians have not adored their rabbis and monks by prostrating in front of them. They did not pray to them, did not offer any sacrifices. They adored them, like Allah (SWT) says, by obeying them on matters which they legislated, going against Allah’s (SWT) legislation. They followed their rabbis and monks when the latter elaborated laws declaring legal what Allah(SWT) prohibited, by obeying their rabbis and their monks, on these same laws. In fact, they considered them Gods other than Allah (SWT), which is why Allah (SWT) said they took their monks and rabbis as Gods other than Him.

Similarly, obeying the democratic system means taking it as God and adoring it. The undisputable basis of democracy is the right to legislate given to humans, people themselves. They are elevated to the position of source of law and supreme legislation authority. It means attributing a right which belongs exclusively to Allah (SWT) to the creation.

Democracy is a modern idol which some worship and which goes against the very essence of Islam. It contradicts the goals for which we have been created, which is submission and obedience to the laws of Allah (SWT). A system like democracy, which places human legislation above the law of Allah (SWT) , has gone beyond its limits.

The one who does not reject or dissociate from it hasn’t truly believed in Allah (SWT). Democracy contradicts the Qur'an and Sunnah. Even if it adopts certain rules, its basis is not submission to Allah (SWT). It does so because these rules correspond to its concept of democracy and secularism. It allows only what the people want.

They do not base themselves on the Qur’an or the Sunnah because they are sacred, not because Allah (SWT) has ordered it, but because people want it, because the public approve it, because Parliament and its representatives have consented to it, because it conforms to their constitution. Allah (SWT) knows better than us.

May Allah (SWT) help and guide us.