Skip to main content

On Confusing Popes and Caliphs

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

News Comment
On Confusing Popes and Caliphs

The Express Tribune in Pakistan ran an opinion piece on 23rd March by Pervez Hoodbhoy: "On choosing popes and caliphs" which criticized Hizb ut Tahrir's work to revive the caliphate as "impossibly difficult." Before refuting this claim, we object to three words that are so out of place in the writer's introduction to his argument that they cannot be left without contention: "Today, several Muslim groups are marketing the idea that restoring ancientglories is contingent upon reviving the caliphate".

1.    The word "ancient" is rejected when referring to the Islamic caliphate! That word, according to the dictionaries of English and the historians of antiquity, refers to the period from the beginning of recorded human history to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, a full two centuries before the birth of Islam and the establishment of the righteous caliphate. If, however, a figurative meaning is intended, then the word "ancient" is used mischievously to distance Muslims from their very recent past. A past that was not only glorious, it was abiding and dominated the world stage for thirteen centuries; its demise was an aberration of history, a disaster for humanity and a humiliation for the Muslims, while its return shall render our current subjugation to the crony rulers of the capitalist west, a fading memory as from the time between sleep and wakefulness.

2.    The word "idea" is rejected, because here it implies either an uncertainty or an alternative where none exist. It is ironic that, in addition to Hizb ut Tahrir, Osama bin Laden was mentioned as a proponent of the caliphate, and yet there is no mention of Pakistan's inglorious impotence as American forces killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and unmanned drones continue to kill and main thousands of civilians, with impunity, on either side of the British-drawn Durand line. Wherever we turn, under Western hegemony there is disgrace and defeat; only the caliphate could reverse this and bring glory, hence our rejection of the word "idea" in this connection.

3.    The word "marketing" is likewise rejected, because its misuse places the caliphate on a par with a product and those who work for it on a par with those who twist words to deceive and belittle the truth.

Revival of the caliphate is an Islamic duty, and, as Allah does not oblige the impossible upon Muslims, we persevere with this noble task in adherence to the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger (saw).

Pervez Hoodbhoy, in order to adduce the "impossibility" of reviving the caliphate, enumerates many sources of difference between Muslims: too many sects, schools of thought, location of the caliphate's city, individual rivalries, race, colour, ethnicity, and adoption of a language of state; to which we say: "So what!" Indeed, we insist upon reminding the writer that the caliphate is not only for Muslims, it is also for non-Muslims!

The writer's contention of impossibility appears to stem from his overextension of the comparison of popes and caliphs. He writes: "the new pope speaks for 1.2 billion Catholics" and then asks: "Who should speak for the 1.5 billion Muslims today?" "The problem" he says, "is that the caliph is generally understood to be both the spiritual as well as temporal leader." However, that which is "spiritual" about the caliphate is not its leadership, but the simple realization by Muslims of the source of its legitimacy: it as an Islamic obligation upon the ruler and the ruled. As for the caliphate's global leadership, it is neither pontifical nor spiritual, rather, it is intellectual. The enlightened Muslim thinkers and politicians will share the caliph in propelling Islam to the centre stage of world affairs and debate.

The caliphate will govern the territory it controls and impose rules for organizing life's affairs, as do all states; so why the scaremongering? And who, except for those who pant after the West, would imagine that a caliph from a ‘different' school of thought or colour of skin could be less acceptable than the vile and corrupt cronies and despots that now rule Muslim lands by the dictates of America?

The caliphate is a political and executive authority; it follows the axioms of politics, and is understood easily by the politicians and statesmen, and the only ones that should fear it are its enemies. And fear it, they certainly do.

Dr Abdullah Robin


01 Jumada II 1434
11/04/2013

Source

Comments

Anonymous said…
An excellent response to Pervez Hoodbhoy; The man has an obvious agenda and little academic acumen and relies in tabloid journalism to belittle and malign.

Trying his level best at his own brand of "marketing" of an "acient idea" (read Batil"
Umm Khadija said…
SubhanAllah! This is quite a coincidence that I was, for the first time watching this man on you tube, debating with Hamza Tzortzis and from all that I could rationally conclude, this man spoke or debated with very poor knowledge of Islam and the Islamic history and now this article really makes me think that the man just wants to be in news and the tool that he uses for it are his wrong baseless concepts.

Popular posts from this blog

An advice to Muslims working in the financial sector

Assalam wa alaikum wa rahmatullah wabarakatahu, Dear Brothers & Sisters, We are saddened to see Muslims today even those who practise many of the rules of Islam are working in jobs which involve haram in the financial sector. They are working in positions which involve usurious (Riba) transactions, insurance, the stock market and the like. Even though many of the clear evidences regarding the severity of the sin of Riba are known, some have justified their job to themselves thinking that they are safe as long as they are not engaged in the actual action of taking or giving Riba. Brothers & Sisters, You should know that the majority of jobs in the financial sector, even the IT jobs in this area are haram (prohibited) as they involve the processing of prohibited contracts. If you work in this sector, do not justify your job to yourself because of the fear of losing your position or having to change your career, fear Allah as he should be feared and consider His law regard

Q&A: Age of separating children in the beds?

Question: Please explain the hukm regarding separation of children in their beds. At what age is separation an obligation upon the parents? Also can a parent sleep in the same bed as their child? Answer: 1- With regards to separating children in their beds, it is clear that the separation which is obligatory is when they reach the age of 7 and not since their birth. This is due to the hadith reported by Daarqutni and al-Hakim from the Messenger (saw) who said: When your children reach the age of 7 then separate their beds and when they reach 10 beat them if they do not pray their salah.’ This is also due to what has been narrated by al-Bazzar on the authority of Abi Rafi’ with the following wording: ‘We found in a sheet near the Messenger of Allah (saw) when he died on which the following was written: Separate the beds of the slave boys and girls and brothers and sisters of 7 years of age.’ The two hadiths are texts on the separation of children when they reach the age of 7. As for the

Q&A: Shari' rule on songs, music, singing & instruments?

The following is a draft translation from the book مسائل فقهية مختارة (Selected fiqhi [jurprudential] issues) by the Mujtahid, Sheikh Abu Iyas Mahmoud Abdul Latif al-Uweida (May Allah protect him) . Please refer to the original Arabic for exact meanings. Question: What is the Shari’ ruling in singing or listening to songs?  What is the hukm of using musical instruments and is its trade allowed? I request you to answer in detail with the evidences? Answer: The Imams ( Mujtahids ) and the jurists have differed on the issue of singing and they have varying opinions such as haraam (prohibited), Makruh (disliked) and Mubah (permissible), the ones who have prohibited it are from the ones who hold the opinion of prohibition of singing as a trade or profession, and a similar opinion has been transmitted from Imam Shafi’i, and from the ones who disliked it is Ahmad Ibn Hanbal who disliked the issue and categorised its performance under disliked acts, a similar opinion has been tran