Will A Khalifa Solve The Muslims' Problem?
By Imam Zaid Shakir · June 22, 2015
This is brief response to recent comments about the need for a Khalifa. Brothers and sisters, do not think, simplistically, that the mere existence of a Khalifa will solve the Muslims problems. The Khilafa (office of the Khalifa) was ended by the order of Kemel Ataturk in 1924. At that time, all of the problems currently affecting Muslims existed, some to a greater extent than they do today. For example, the existence of a Khalifa did not prevent the colonization and division of the Muslim world. A Khalifa did not prevent the rise and consolidation of western economic hegemony over Muslim lands. A Khalifa did not prevent the ideological colonization of Muslim minds. A Khalifa did not prevent the emergence of dominant secular elites in Muslim lands, epitomized by Ataturk himself. A Khalifa did not prevent the emergence of a gap in military technology between the Muslim and Western worlds that has culminated with the ability of the West to annihilate the Muslim world, through nuclear bombardment, were they to choose to do so (may Allah stay their hands). A Khalifa did not prevent the rise of a globalized materialistic worldview, one so deep that it even defines the way most Muslims currently view Islam. In other words, we had a Khalifa and it did nothing to prevent the emergence of these and many other problems currently impacting our Ummah.
The solution to these problems is a lot deeper than the mere existence or non-existence of a Khalifa. That solution begins with addressing the lack of knowledge, ethical commitment and spiritual emptiness that is affecting far too many Muslims. These are issues that must be addressed at the individual level before we can even begin to think that change at the level of political systems will have any meaningful or lasting impact. To put the proverbial cart before the horse, as they say, by demanding a Khilafa as a caricatured symbol of an Islamic state, but refusing to do the hard work needed to make our internal states Islamic, can become a form of escapism, which only deepens the crisis we find ourselves dealing with as an Ummah.
Comments (6)
MohammadDenmark
June 22, 2015
Mashallah I completely agree. infact it will just be misused, just as we're seeing it with Isis, a fake Khilafah
Mohammad Abdul
June 24, 2015
I don't think the above is an accurate description of the Khilafah, to me it sounds like nothing more than a caricature. To judge the effectiveness/postive contribution of the Khilafah based upon the last centuries of its existence is very disingenuous. No one is arguing that the Khilafah will be an angelic state with no oppression in it, if that was the case than a penal system would not be required. The Khilafah is a state run by humans, and so mistakes and injustices will still occur. But I find it strange that there is no mention of the postive contributions the Khilafah has made historical, which has been well documented by Muslims and non Muslims alike and we should not judge the Khilafah based upon what ISIS are doing today for they are not a Khilafah. However, the more fundemental issue is that whether the Khilafah solves problems or not, we are still required to have it as it is an obligation, as has been highlighted by the scholars, unless you disagree with this point, and this is were the real discussion should be, if the Khilafah is an obligation then how must be fulfill that obligation?
Mustufa Akram
June 26, 2015
I agree with Muhammad Abdul.
Badarul hassan
July 20, 2015
The powers of the khalifa are now inherited by the elected assemblies in a democratic set up. The elected representatives represent the will of the people. Yes, there is a need to improve the electoral process to ensure fairness and to elect honest people
Mohammad Abdul
July 24, 2015
There is no Khilafah in existence today, the Muslim world is plagued with tyrants and dictators, with afew democracies. However these democracies and a Khilafah are two completely different systems, the most fundemental difference being that in a democracy parliament is sovereign and is the law making institution, which in reality means that elected humans decide upon the law upon what they believe to be right or wrong, whereas in the Khilafah the law is based upon the text of Quran and Sunnah, which are limited and in many cases are not subject to change like the Hudood punishments.
Deandra
April 19, 2016
This ariltce is a home run, pure and simple!
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