The Ruling Concerning Participation

[bamalli]

Imam Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaanee

Translation by Maaz Qureshi1
Version 1.0

[Q]: What is the ruling concerning participating in the elections of parliament and voting
therein?

[A]: Indeed, participating in the elections is reliance upon those who have transgressed (i.e.
the disbelievers). That is because the electoral system is believed in. So according to what I
know, every Muslim who has with him something from correct Islaamic education, every
Muslim knows that the electoral system and the parliamentary system is not an Islaamic
system. However, at the same time, I think that many of those who have a type of
undertaking in something from Islaamic education falsely think that the parliament is like
the advisory council (majlis shooraa) when the affair is not like that unrestrictedly. Some of
them falsely think that it is the parliament, which is introduced as a majlisul-ummah
(parliament), is like the majlisush-shooraa.
The shooraa is that which we have been commanded with in the Book of Allaah and in the
hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), but the affair is definitely
not like that. And that is apparent to every Muslim who has insight into his Religion from
many viewpoints. The most important of these viewpoints is that the parliaments have not
been established upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). Rather, we are able to say that they have not been established
upon a madhhab from amongst the Islaamic madhaahib that are followed, as was the case
during the Ottoman era.
So during the Ottoman era, they would rule by the madhhab of Imaam Aboo Haneefah
(rahimahullaah), and this is despite the fact that we do not follow him or exalt him above
what we call the people to from ruling by the Book and the Sunnah. However, what a
difference there is between that ruling that is ruled by a madhhab from amongst the
madhaahib of the Muslims which were established upon the opinion of one the mujtahideen
whose knowledge is trusted and between these parliaments which are established upon the
1 Refer to cassette-tape (no. 660) from the Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor series.



systems of the disbelievers who do not believe in Allaah and His Messenger at all. Rather,
they are the first of those who comprise the likes of the statement of Allaah the Blessed and
Exalted,
"Fight against those who do not believe in Allaah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that
which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger and those who do not
acknowledge the Religion of truth amongst the People of the Book until they pay the
Jizyah (protection tax) with willing submission and feel themselves subdued." [Sooratut-
Tawbah 9:29]
So how odd is it that the Muslims want to join the parliament and they want to rule by the
laws of these ones whom we have been commanded to fight! So what a difference there is
therefore between the system of those who rule by the parliament and those who seek to be
parliamentarians (mutabarmaleen) – if such an expression is correct – and between the
Islaamic majlisush-shooraa; this is the first issue.
Secondly, not every Muslim participates in the majlisush-shooraa. Only the elite of the
Ummah participate in the majlisush-shooraa. Rather, perhaps we are able to say that only the
most elite from the elite of the Ummah participate in the parliament and they are the
Scholars and the eminent ones. As for the parliament, then everybody and his brother
participate in it. Rather, even the polytheists (mushrikeen) participate in it. Rather, even
the atheists (mulhideen) participate in it. This is because the parliament is established upon
elections and in the elections anyone from amongst the men who wishes to put himself
forth can do so. Rather, recently the women can do so as well; from the Muslim men and
the disbelieving men and the Muslim women and the disbelieving women.
So what a difference there is between the majlisush-shooraa in Islaam and between what is
referred to as 'parliament' today. Then, if the affair – the affair of elections comes, as they
say, with total and complete freedom – that is, that the nation as they say chooses with
their unadulterated freedom and their will who will represent them, in terms of who they
raise their issues and problems to; if such an affair is presented to them, then the current
reality will be much worse than what it is. So what about the fact that in every country, no
Muslim or disbelieving country can be excluded here, the votes there can be sold and the
minds can be bought? So how can the Muslims rule by the likes of these elections, which
what we have mentioned is only one part of their description?