The Islamic Ruling System is based upon a unique system of unity ordained by Allah (swt). It is not a federal, democratic, republican, monarchical or dictatorial system at all. It has no similarity to any man-made ideology.
The Islamic State considers people under its authority as citizens, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. All have their rights guaranteed by Islam. There is no concept of ‘ethnic minority’ as people are not discriminated against at all due to their colour, race or religion.
Al-Qurafi and Ibn Hazm (prominent scholars of Islam) reported:
“That it would be our duty to protect the people of dhimma (non- Muslim citizens) if aggressors attacked our land, and we should die protecting them if necessary. Any neglect of such a duty would be a breach of the rights of the dhimma.”
The standing army of the ‘Uthmani Khilafah was at one stage 60 million strong. The mentality of the Muslim soldier (mujahid) makes him undefeatable. If he is killed in battle he achieves martyrdom, and if he wins, his army is victorious. This is why in the battle of Mu‘tah, 3000 Muslims were prepared to face 200,000 better equipped Roman soldiers. The battle cry of the Muslims was, “Oh Allah! I am coming to you!”
When the Crusaders attacked al-Sham (Syria), they were fought by the army of the Islamic State, where 80% of the country’s Christians were fighting along side their Muslim fellow citizens.
Islam imposes disciplines upon soldiers even in times of war. The purpose of Jihad is not to kill people or force them to change their belief. Nor does it aim to humiliate, exploit, plunder resources or punish the enemy. Rather it is a means of removing the physical barriers which prevent the people from having access to the call of Islam. These barriers include exploitative and corrupt leaders as well as the privileged few who have vested interests, and their supporters.
There are no borders within the Islamic State. All people regardless of race or colour are united under the banner of one leader.
The Khilafah is not an empire, like the old British or French colonialists who stole the wealth of other nations and returned them to their capitals. In all the places that were occupied by non-Muslims, the inhabitants curse their occupiers, while in areas that were opened to Islam, the people still long for its return, and are prepared even to die to achieve it.
The job of looking after the affairs of the Ummah is restricted to the Khaleefah (head of state) and those he delegates to assist him. No other group, individual or organisation can involve themselves in this issue.
Non-Muslims cannot be mistreated or unjustly discriminated against. Nor can their places of worship (e.g. Churches, Synagogues etc.) be attacked or destroyed. This is why we see areas in the Muslim world with Churches and temples that have lasted for centuries under Islamic rule, such as those seen in Egypt, Iraq, the Balkans etc.
No groups, organisations or opposition parties based on non-Islamic principles can exist or be propagated in the Islamic State. However, those based on Islam need no permission to exist, and can be many in number.
The centre of decision making, strategy and consultation is done in the capital city of the Khilafah. Throughout the history of Islam there have been five main capitals :
Muhammad (saw) - Madinah
‘Ali (ra) - Kufah
Ummayads - Damascus
Abbasids - Baghdad
‘Uthmanis – Istanbul
The leadership of the Khilafah changed from place to place and was held by Muslims of different racial origins throughout Islamic history. This bears testimony to the fact that the Khilafah is not an imperialistic entity, which steals wealth from other nations to return it to its capital. Its purpose is to convey the deen of Allah (swt) to all mankind.
Leadership and ruling in an Islamic State is centralised, whereas administration is decentralised. The State is made up of a number of wilayaat (provinces) headed by governors.
The main officials of the State are appointed by the Khaleefah. Every decision must emanate from the head of State. This negates any corruption and confusion within the ruling system. The Khaleefah is ultimately responsible.
The method of appointing a Khaleefah is through the process of bay‘ah (contract between the people and ruler), where the people are to obey the ruler as long as he implements Islam.
The method of appointing a Khaleefah is through the process of bay‘ah (contract between the people and ruler), where the people are to obey the ruler as long as he implements Islam.
The bay‘ah may be contracted after either :
- a general vote of the Muslims, or
- by appointment from the representatives of the Ummah and influential people.
Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind which the people fight and by which they protect themselves.” (Muslim)
Khaleefah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul Aziz was once found by his wife weeping after his prayers; asked if anything had happened to cause him grief, he replied:
“O Fatimah, I have been made the ruler over the Muslims and the strangers and I was thinking of the poor that are starving, and the sick that are destitute, and the naked that are in distress, and the oppressed that are stricken, and the stranger that is in prison, and the venerable elder, and he that has a large family and small means, and those of them in the countries of the earth and the distant provinces, and I felt that my Lord would ask an account of them at my hands on the day of resurrection, and I feared that no defence would avail me and I wept.”
The Ummah elects representatives from among itself to stand on the Majlis al-Ummah (Council of the Ummah), which scrutinises the Khaleefah in his implementation of Islam, and advises him on the affairs of the Ummah. There are two types of Majlis al-Ummah - one is central and the other is provincial.
There is no country existing in the world today that implements the system of government ordered by Islam. Rather, all the Muslim countries in the world are ruled by laws of kufr (non-Islam) even though the majority of their populations are Muslims.