Explanation of At-Takattul al-Hizbi (Party Structuring) - Part 13

Sharh At-Takattul Al-Hizbi (Explanation of Party Structuring) by Sheikh Mohammad Al-Hawarey (rh). 

This is a translation from Sheikh Hawarey's explanation of the unique book by Sheikh Taqiuddin an-Nabhani. 

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As a result of this the society in the Islamic world including the Arab countries became upon a condition that did not enable a sound Takattul to be established from it. It was natural that all of the movements and party structures in name would fail because they were not established upon the basis of a deep thought which would lead to a precise organisation and a preparedness that could be trusted in and counted upon. And it is unfortunate that even to this day they have not attempted to establish a basis for themselves despite the confirmation of failure. It was also natural that these movements and structured parties would be disjointed or disconnected because they were no established upon an ideology (Mabda’a). Whoever follows them will see that they were established in occasions of emergency in which circumstances dictated the establishment of structured parties. These circumstances then disappeared and so these political parties disappeared as well or they weakened and faded away. 

The examples for this are many and I will present as an example what happened in Jordan in 1956 as circumstances dictated at that time the opening up of room for political parties to work as a result of the prevailing circumstance from the spread of Nasserism and the raising of the degree of freedom and liberation in the land. So the State permitted the work of the political party and as a result seven political parties were permitted legally. Then when the circumstance that was the reason for their establishment came to an end due to the fabricated conspiracy by the officers who were agents of the palace (Ali Al-Hayaariy and Ali Abu Nawaar) which resulted in the imposition of the martial law and the freezing of political activity which was then followed by the end of the political parties or their weakening or fading away. And what happened in Jordan also happened continuously in all parts of the Islamic world. So not long ago Zia Al-Haqq the President of Pakistan announced the cancellation of the martial law and permitted the work of political parties. As a result a large number of political parties were formed including 10 that were officially permitted, most of which had not previously existed. So how were they formed so quickly had they not been established for temporary and selfish interests? Or they were established between groups of people who were connected through friendship or benefits that they wanted to achieve by way of a political structure. For this reason a correct structural bond did not exist amongst these people and their structuring was not upon an ideological basis.

The effect of the previous Takattulaat (Party structures):

These party structures despite their large number, the progress of their presence and what they expended in terms of effort and activity, their presence was not only completely free of a benefit but were in fact a harm that afflicted the Ummah. 

This was because:

1) Their presence in the society prevented the existence of the correct party structure or delayed its coming in the very least. This is because the Muslim with his nature and Aqueedah would incline towards the Takattul, collective work and activity. So when these Takattulaat sprung up in front of them they engaged with them, got affected by their atmospheres and their energy that drove them to engage in work was drained from them. As a result they ended up at a point that was worse than that they had begun with and started to disbelieve in political parties and structures until it prevailed over the minds of the general masses that the existence of political parties was a terrible harm upon the Ummah and the hearts of the people was filled with doubt.

2) The people began to beware of every party movement and even if it was correct. It became easy to cast an accusation upon any party structure that appeared in the society and this was a result of what the people had experienced from the previous political parties and structures. 

3) The result of the establishment of these political parties upon the bonds that we have mentioned and the nature of their work in regards to competing over interests and securing demands or their establishment upon tribal, regional or nationalistic thoughts meant that they would inevitably clash leading to feuds and grudges. This was because none of them had a specific culture of specific thoughts by which they would engage with others and struggle for. The natural result of this was the existence of feuds and grudges.

4) As long as these political parties were established for the sake of realising benefits and attaining gains, then it was only natural for these thoughts to be transferred to their members and as a result to the society in which they were established. And when you see the individual in the society moving from one party to another based on a goal that he wants to achieve or a position that he desires to have, then the presence of the ideas of hypocrisy, revolving around interests and fluctuations in respect to the work, are a natural result of the existence of this type of political party.

Due to all of the above they corrupted the natural purity of the masses and embedded in them negative thoughts that became a new burden upon any correct Takattul that appeared in the like of this society. As we have said, as long as the Aqeedah of the Muslim pushes him towards the party structure, collective work and forbids him from complacency, then it the inevitable presence of a correct structure is just a matter of time and it is inevitable for this correct party structure to appear.

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