Islam Essay, Research Paper
The political system of Islam is based on the three principles of Tawhid (Oneness with Allah (God)), Risala ( Prophet hood), and Khilafa ( Caliphate). Tawhid means that Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer, and Master of the universe and of all that exists in it- organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or forbid, and worship and obedience are due to him alone. The Islam’s believe that it is not for them to decide the aim or purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have the rights to make these decisions for them. These rights rest only with Allah. This principle of the “Oneness with Allah,” makes meaningless the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings. No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah. Allah alone is the ruler and his commandments constitute the law of Islam. Risala, is the medium in which Islam’s receive the law of Allah. They have received two things from this source: the Koran ( the book in which Allah has expounded his law), and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of that book by the prophet Muhammad ( blessings of Allah and peace be upon him), through word and dead, in his capacity as the representative of Allah. The Koran laid down the broad principles on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The combination of these two elements is called the Shariah (law). Khilifa means “representation” of man, according to Islam, is the representative of Allah on earth. Khilifa also means that no individual or dynasty or class can be the law: “the authority of Khilfa is bestowed on the whole of any community, which is ready to fulfill the conditions of representation after subscribing to the principles of Tawhid and Risala.” Such a society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one of its individuals shares in it