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This chapter is taken from the book “Political Thoughts”
The political medium is that which exists among those who keep up with the political news, political activities and events so as to give their views regarding them and care for the peoples affairs according to these views. In other words, this is the medium of politicians, whether rulers or not. The medium in which they live and act is what is referred to as the political medium.
The political medium varies with the difference in ideas by which people are ruled and by which their affairs are cared for. It also varies according to the difference in the level of civilisation. So, the countries that are ruled by capitalist ideas have a political medium different from that of the country which is ruled by communist ideas, and different from that of the countries which are ruled by Islamic ideas. Also, the countries that have a flourishing civilisation will have a political medium that is different from that present in the country where civilisation is weak or lagging. Thus, the political medium in a country like France is different from that in a country like Russia, and the political medium in a country like Abyssinia is different from that in a country like Canada. However, the political medium in a country such as the United States is similar to that in a country like Lebanon, even though these countries vary in the degree of liberation and independence. As stated above, the political medium is that of those who keep up with the news and judge it in accordance with the points of view and ideas they have about peoples affairs and how to care for them. The politicians in a country like the U.S. carry the ideas of freedom and capitalism. Their goal is the individual achievement in life. Therefore, they are fully liberal. They consider accounting the ruler as an inseparable part of their political life and the aggressive criticism of their rulers and others as one of their rights. This differs from the politicians in a country like Russia in the days of Communism and the Soviet Union, where they carry the ideas of collective achievement, not individualism and the idea of communism. Their primary concern is the protection of their group. They view others as enemies and opponents. As a result, one finds in the political medium of America opposition and plots against the rulers there, as well as against other countries even if they were capitalist like them.
This medium is different from the political medium in Russia, where there is no opposition. Political criticism of their rulers or of other states is not allowed. Therefore, the political medium in the U.S. is not restricted to the rulers and those who care for the peoples affairs. Rather, it is inclusive of the rulers and others. It includes also those who care for the peoples affairs in practice or care for their affairs in speech and thought.
Therefore, the political medium addressed here is that which can be lived in and is amongst it’s people. It is not that which is exclusive to the rulers. In other words, it is the open political medium which any person can enter. It is not the closed political medium that is not open to the public.
There is no Islamic political medium today due to the absence of countries that are ruled by the Islamic thoughts. A quick look at the Islamic history, especially in the first era, shows that there used to exist an Islamic medium when Muslims used to rule by Islamic thoughts. This was especially the case when Islam was understood as it was by the successors of the Prophet (saw) in their first era, when they succeeded the Messenger (saw) in reality and were Khulafaa and not merely rulers.
Since the Islamic state will certainly be re-established and it is merely a matter of time, it is mandatory upon those who work to establish the rule of Islam to first envisage the Islamic political medium. Also, they must work to establish such a medium so that they do not go astray from the Islamic political medium as they did from the ruling system of Islam.
A quick look at the thoughts of Islam, part of which are the thoughts related to the ruling system, reflects that they are political thoughts. This is especially true since they were established in life as political thoughts. Even thoughts which are related to the Aqeedah are political thoughts. Therefore, the entire Islamic political medium is almost a political medium. Furthermore, in the country that is ruled by Islam, an Islamic political medium will naturally and inevitably exist. This is true historically as well as in the reality that must be lived in by Muslims. Therefore, envisaging the Islamic political medium that existed in the past is possible by studying the events of political mediums. It is also possible presently by studying the Islamic thoughts. As for working to create this medium, especially once the Islamic state is established, it requires attention and requires engaging in and practising political awareness and exercising it in life.
The first step in working to create the Islamic political medium is to have people who keep up with the political news, actions and events in the world. They should keep up with the news to comprehend it and then try to care for the people’s affairs according to it, whilst being committed to the meaning of this caring from the viewpoint of Islam. Once such people with these qualities exist, then the first step in creating this medium and what is related to it has taken place. Whilst the state will definitely lead to it’s existence and it’s presence or creation is required for the state, the basic issue is to have pursuance of political news and this should be used to foster peoples affairs according to the thoughts of Islam.
Needless to say, that the goal of following up the news and analysing it is to give the people an opinion regarding it. Whoever does not keep up with news can not be a politician. Consequently, such a person cannot work to create a political medium, for one cannot give something if he does not have it.
The one who pursues the news without analysing it is like the one who pursues the news merely for the purpose of knowledge; this person harms himself and his Ummah, for when he gives his opinions according to how the news appears and without analysis, he becomes misled and misleads others. Therefore, analysing the news is necessary to keeping up with it. However, limiting oneself to pursuing the news, analysing it, and then reporting it to the people does not make the person a politician. Such a person would not be able to work to create the political medium nor function in it, and merely makes him a news reporter and analyst, i.e. a source of news and good understanding of it but not a politician. Therefore, one must link pursuance and analysis of the news with giving ones opinion regarding the news to the people. Consequently, it becomes clear that the goal of following and analysing the news is to give an opinion regarding it to the people. This is self evident or must be so.
Giving an opinion regarding news should not be from a neutral point of view or a mere presentation of an understanding. Rather, it must be based on a particular point of view about life. In other words, it must emanate from or be based on political awareness. Only then will the given opinion be a political one that has weight and value. Giving one’s opinion in this fashion is what makes it caring for the peoples affairs.
Therefore, for any person to be a politician and be able to work to create or function in a political medium, four conditions must be fulfilled;
(a) Political news
(b) Analysis of the news
(c) Give his opinion regarding it to the people
(d) Have this opinion result from or be based on a particular viewpoint of life.
Unless all of these four points are present, the Islamic political medium will not exist nor is it possible to function in any political medium. Whilst following up the political news is the first step, political awareness or giving an opinion from a particular angle related to the viewpoint of life, is what makes the first step exist completely.
Needless to say, the disbelieving states have not only eliminated the Islamic political medium but also filled the Muslims with aversion to politics itself and distanced them away from following up the news. This is clear to everyone. Also, it is needless to say that the current political medium closes it’s gates to anyone who gives the political opinion based on the Islamic point of view of life; and then it is not opened for him willingly. Even though this might not be noticed by the people in a tangible way, those who pursue the news and try to give the Islamic opinion, witness how the gates of the political medium are shut in their faces, even in the countries that claim they call for freedom. Accordingly the issue is not merely following up and analysing or even giving the opinion from a certain angle, but rather is to enter into the political medium in the Islamic countries even against the will of those who close it’s gates, and even if it costs dearly to enter.
An issue that must be made the subject of discussion and attention is the creation of the Islamic political medium in the Islamic countries. The Islamic political medium will definitely come into existence once the Islamic state is established. However, entering the political mediums before the establishment of the state or the annexation of an Islamic country to it, is mandated by working to establish Islam in life and specifically in the political medium. Consequently, working to enter the political medium in any Islamic country is fundamental for anyone who works politically for Islam.
Political mediums in non-Islamic countries are corrupt. The least to say about them is that they function in accordance with the slogan, the ends justify the means, and that they are Machiavellian in nature and method. In addition, selfishness and personal interests are manifest in their men. Therefore, there is nothing good in them that tempts us to imitate them. Moreover, we carry a message to save their countries and peoples. As for the political mediums in the Islamic countries, not only do they have the corruption of the Western political mediums, but also they contain agents and imitators fascinated with the Kufr systems and policies, who are filled with hatred, grudges and contempt for Islam. Therefore, it is not sufficient to attempt to enter this medium but we must work to destroy it and convert it to an Islamic medium. It is true that it is possible to work for this from outside these mediums, but working for this from within is easier and more productive. However, even though the men of the political mediums in the Islamic countries are of no significance in comparison with the men of the West and the Western political mediums, they are considered great in the Islamic countries. As a matter of fact, they are giants in the eyes of their people, because they are the rulers or the leaders or those who have great influence on the life of the people and their living. Also, they have enough intelligence, knowledge and expertise to put them ahead of the people, and sufficient shrewdness and improvisation to adapt themselves to any situation. Thus they pray in the first line in the masjid the five daily prayers if Islam is what dominates the society. So, it is possible that in the Islamic state, such people may become the first who work for it and become leaders of the Islamic movement. It is clear that these people have no sincerity and are skilled in hiding their hypocrisy. Also, they are most capable in causing destruction and the most experienced in leading countries and sincere politicians to collapse. Once the Islamic state is established, if these politicians still exist, they might show the Ummah sincerity and understanding that would make them leaders in the political mediums. Therefore, their influence must be terminated to shield ourselves from their threat.
In the recent history, we have seen that when America attempted to remove the British from some of the Islamic lands, it attempted to eliminate the old political medium. It struck against the old political medium in Egypt and Iraq by assassination, imprisonment and threatening their livelihood. It was, to a certain degree, able to dilute their threat and limit their harm, but was unable to eliminate them completely. Thus, the old political medium continued to exist in Egypt and Iraq, even though hidden like fire under the ashes. This was due to the fact that America and it’s agents did not create a political medium to replace the old one. Regardless of the attempts to eliminate the political medium and prevent it from surfacing, the regime can not wipe it out. This is because the political medium is the twin of every rule like a shadow to man. Therefore, wherever there exists authority, a political medium will exist.
Upon the arrival of the Messenger of Allah r in Medinah, the political medium was created by embracing Islam and readiness to support it. The old political medium collapsed, that of Abdullah ibn Ubai and his likes. When the Messenger r conquered Makkah, he eliminated the then existing political medium by war, and stripped those who survived from any influence. Muslims replaced them and became the leaders and consequently the new political medium was created and the old one was eliminated.
The Islamic state must remove all political mediums by any means necessary, such as striking peoples necks or threatening their livelihood or eliminating their political and moral entities, among other means. This is mandated by the laws of the universe and required by establishing Dar ul-Islam and terminating Dar-ul-Kufr. This, however, is not sufficient until political Islamic mediums exist, composed of the aware and sincere Muslims, and not the hypocrites. If the aware and sincere Muslims limited themselves to keeping up with, and analysing the news, they can not form a political medium with that alone. Those who were in the political mediums in Dar-ul-Kufr and managed to survive, will be more capable to lead the new political mediums, let alone creating them and entering them. Then, the seed of the destruction of the state would be sown as soon as the state is created.
Not only are the aware and sincere Muslims prevented from entering the political medium, even in the Islamic state, but also the hypocrites would be encouraged to create and lead the political mediums. Therefore, if the sincere and aware Muslims do not go beyond following up the news and analysing it and giving their opinion from a particular angle and then attempting to enter the political mediums, it is feared that they would stay outside the house, even though it is theirs, which they created and is exclusive to them.
The issue today, for the sincere and aware Muslims, is no longer becoming politicians. The issue for them now is to attempt to create the Islamic political medium. Regardless of how long it takes, the Islamic state will definitely be established. It is feared that once the Islamic state is established, people of the current political medium and the insincere politicians may precede them in creating the Islamic political medium, which must be created and composed of them alone. Also, prior to the establishment of the Islamic state, the sincere and aware Muslims live on the margins of society and the people. Unless they are able to establish Islamic political mediums or enter the current political mediums for the purpose of changing them, they will continue to be on the margins, and they will have no presence, effective or other. Therefore, the present, with all it’s pain and deprivation, and the future with all that it carries of hope and glory, mandate that the aware and sincere people realise the importance of being politicians, especially that their party forces itself upon the people as a political party, and not merely as an aware movement. It is true that the Messenger (saw) did not create the political medium except in Medinah, after the establishment of the state. And it is true that the savage persecution against the Shabab of the Hizb by the rulers in every Islamic land does not enable the sincere and aware people from moving politically. It is also true that the bulk of the aware and sincere people are not from the influential or educated class, or from the aged and experienced. But the Sahabah in Makkah still attempted to enter into the political medium. The discussion between Abu Bakr (ra) and the leaders of Quraysh about the issue of the Persians and the Romans was an attempt to enter the political medium. And the statement Umar made to the people of Makkah, “Once we become 300 persons either we throw you out of it (Makkah) or you throw us out”, was also an example of the struggle to look after the affairs of the people. The savage persecution and harm inflicted by Quraysh upon the Muslims needs no elaboration. As for whether they were from the high class in Makkah or not, Abu Bakr (ra) used to carry old clothes on his shoulders in the markets to sell them. None of them were from the influential people except Hamza (ra) and Umar (ra). Yet, once they became Muslims they lost that status. As for the sincere Sahaba being young in age, youth does not prevent people from being intelligent.
Therefore, there is no excuse for the sincere and aware people not to work to be politicians, and attempting to enter the political medium. Time runs fast and must be beaten. The enemies and opponents of Islam are the enemies and opponents of the sincere and aware in the first instance. The aware and sincere must be as strong in their ideas as they are in their Aqeedah, and as daring in their attitude as they are in their understanding and comprehension. Otherwise, victory might come to other than them, even though they paved the way for victory; and they may remain away from the true battlefield of life.
Consequently, following up the news, analysing it, giving an opinion regarding it, and making sure that such an opinion is always given from a specific angle, this would ensure that it is the aware and sincere who represent the moment, future, and the awaited hope for the people.
