Shadee Elmasry – Should Muslims Be Involved in Politics
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How should we approach taking positions in politics? If we know
that politics involves bad character, bad virtues, etc?
That's a beautiful question. And it is a question that comes from a
good place. But for the most part, I think that when we look into our
theological tradition, when we look into the spirit of the
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu, alayhi, salam, and even the Koran
itself, we have examples of use of it sit down, for instance, taking
up a position as Minister of Finance in the UK Government, and
then also using his position to then bring his brother and then
using even some type of political maneuvering and tactics with his
brothers, you know, placing the gold copper grill in their in
their bags, so he can ensure that they will return not giving his
identity away.
Billy, there's all types of political maneuvering that he
uses, which for us to consider is that just as the Prophet Muhammad
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is that, you know, when it comes to
politics, when it comes to war, right, that there is a level of
deception that is required, but but the key I think, for us is
oppression, that you are sincere in your engagement that you are
using some level of
tactic or maneuvering, but ultimately you're doing it for
kind of the good cause or the greater cause. And it is kind of
dirty, but everything has some type of dirt in it, hence why we
pays a cat on our money.
Even our money has some level of well, you know, what is this thing
actually worth? This thing is the work that I actually put in value
that this thing, what is the level of goodwill and sincerity that I
have towards this work that I'm earning this money, there's always
a level of potential harm, if not just worldliness. And so we kind
of pay off any potential harm through Zakat and it's ultimately
beneficial to everyone. But we know that the Prophet Muhammad
Sallallahu
restricted some of his Sahaba from engaging in politics without the
alongside the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
said that he considered him kind of weak, and that he would not be
able to kind of endure the strain and the stress of power. And we
know that when two men had come to the Prophet Muhammad salallahu
alayhi salam as authentically related in Buhari, that they came
to him asking for positions of power. And he said to them, that
anyone who asks for a position of leadership will not have it given
to them. So we do know that some people in a sense are built for
it. And it also requires a great level of training in order to
withstand those things. But ultimately, as long as we return,
US power dollar to tell in Dober then we pray that Allah subhanaw
taala, forgive us. But it's not easy. It's not easy at all. But
you have to do what you can from where you are, and not just
fantasize about an ideal world, but you do what you can from where
you are, it'd be a great book or even a PhD thesis for someone to
write because there's so much material on how to rule principles
we could say, you talked about setting the use of that's one of
the best is your you have a prophet and a non believing
country. So then you have of course the Sierra then you have,
of course, the qualifier, Russia, Dean, then you have of course, all
of the few verses here and there regarding the behavior of
different kings in the Quran, such as medikit Saba, the queen, queen
of saba. So there are a lot of principles that people can draw.
And I think the best summaries and you met you touched on it is that
the politics of the Muslims is the politics of the oppressed, whoever
is oppressed at this given time in in regarding the priority and the
definition give it about oppression in the Quran and
Hadith, right, so not anybody, as Prophet use of brothers came
crying, they were guilty. Next time they came bold, they were
innocent. So not anyone who cries oppressed, is oppressed, oppressed
by the standard of the shittier. And of course, the priorities
there are we have a fifth of priorities. A couple of years ago,
there was an oppressed gorilla who was killed there are oppressed
humans who are killed. So what's the what's the priority? You
remember her rhombi
right. Okay. So then so you have there in a case where we have to
have ask what are our priorities right? Something could be
oppression, but it's maybe level 15 on our priority.
Right other things are or not