Hiiraan Online

It is true Islam guides us (Muslims) on all aspects of life such as legal, social, political, financial (banking) etc. However, separation of religion from modern politics is not distancing from the path of Allah. It is to safeguard the position of religion as the moral guardian of society. It is also to spare both religion and politics from damaging one another. Modern politics attracts evils such as greed, envy, corruption, selfishness and many more. Mixing religion and politics will benefit neither religion nor politics.

Let us not bring Umar Ibn Al-Khattab into this. The reverence of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab did not come by accident.  Umar Ibn Al-Khattab was not egoistic, tribalist, money-minded and a lover of the limelight.  He was not after power per se. He was an exemplary man: a Khadim: servant of the people — as every politician should be. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab was a righteous man and an able leader. He was never after worldly possessions. He was anointed by the Prophet to carry forward his legacy.

The world today is a different place from the days of Umar Ibn Al-Khattab. In those days the people were pure hearted. The followers in those days were receptive to their leaders. It is true, even then there were mischief-makers such as the Khawarij who went against Ali Ibn Abi Talib (the Caliph and inheritor of the Prophet’s legacy) and called him an apostate (Mushrik). [1]

There were also the mischief-makers who murdered the Prophet’s grandsons Hassan and Hussain. Didn’t they also murder Othman Ibn Afan, the Caliph? The world today is even more awash with troublemakers. Worse mischief-makers are today on the march in multitudes with no Caliph to stop them. They are everywhere packaging themselves as true Muslims. What are they? They are conniving murderers who lust after power and affluence.

The Prophet himself foresaw the tribulations and trials of this modern era. He warned Muslims that charlatans will emerge from within. The examples are all around us. Today, the biggest challenge in the Muslim World is the threat coming from the enemy within. These individuals are driven by conflict. Their agenda is to dominate and oppress. It is the nature of extremists to disrespect civil liberties and deprive others of their freedom. In pursuit of power at any cost, the extremists have forgotten the one cardinal message of the Qur’an that Islam requires a Muslim to be a good person! They take things out of context and misuse the message of Allah to indulge in crimes against humanity.

We have seen how back home hundreds have been murdered in cold-blood in the name of religion. Ironically, many were gunned down as they exited from mosques. What type of Muslims are those who murder when the faithful finish their prayers. Where does the Qur’an permit the killing of the innocent? One of the latest examples of such senseless and incomprehensible crime is the brutal murder of Osman Ali Ahmed, the head of the UNDP on 6 July 2008 in Mogadishu. Osman Ali Ahmed has remained in the capital amid the 18 years of violence and destruction to distribute relief and aid to the needy. His life was snuffed out as he emerged out of a mosque.

It is a fact of life that humans interpret or misinterpret things to their liking, dislike or understanding. People can distort or take things out of context. The Prophet was aware of this human deficiency. Didn’t he say: What I fear most for my nation is a man who mis-explains the Qur'an and takes it out of context."[2] It is true that people have different capacities of understanding for similar things. The more knowledgeable an individual, the better one’s understanding. Many things require intellectual understanding. This enables the person to see things from different perspectives.

Judgment is for judgment day. Let Allah judge the deeds of His creation. In reaction to my last article, I received many correspondence covering myriad issues. There were many wise and positive suggestions. One person has suggested stoning those who commit adultery. First and foremost, the Qur’an says no one should be convicted without a complete proof. No less than four persons are required to have witnessed the act of adultery. Otherwise, one will be guilty of slander. How is one going to prove this? Who can place cameras in every building?

Another person has suggested anyone who did not fast during Ramadan should be severely punished. I pointed out: “What if the fast was broken because of illness?” So what are the obligations of a Muslim state in a modern world? A balance should be struck between the wellbeing of society and civil liberties. During Ramadan no one should be allowed to eat in public. Those caught once should be cautioned. Those caught again should be re-educated. It is possible that such individuals did not have a family life or good upbringing. The state should rely more on educating than using the stick. It should never resort to draconian ways. What about the needy masses who have little to go by? The state has moral duty to provide for the needy.

There is a difference between what we see and what the extremists see in the Qur’an. What we see is beauty, His Grace and Infinite Wisdom, Guidance, Compassion and Mercy. Another important aspect is repentance. It is repeated in the Qur’an that those who repent after wrongdoing are forgiven: “Do they not know that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms and that Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful?” Sura 9. [3]

The state has the obligation to look after its citizens. It has no time chasing after petty matters. The state is required to guide, regulate, facilitate and care for its society. The sick need caring. The homeless and the displaced need looking after. The hungry need feeding. It is immoral to allow people to go hungry under their flag. The state has also the duty to fight public immorality. Public immorality is obscenities committed in the open. For that matter no government should tolerate kerb-crawling or the practice of selling one’s dignity or body.

When it comes to human correction, I am from a household where my late father has never flogged anyone — but taught and guided by example. Abuse can harm children and turn them into damaged adults. A government should never flog its citizens as though they were cattle. It should never depend on punishment alone to keep its citizens in line. In this modern age, flogging is not acceptable. Those who have committed crimes should be sent to correctional facilities for re-education. Let us not forget that people do not grow on trees. Let us also keep in mind that humans are the most precious assets on this Kingdom of His Majesty.

Running a nation in a modern and complex world will require special qualities, knowledge and talent. Everything depends on knowledge. Even simple horse-riding requires training. That is why there are trainers who make a living out of their professions. It is a dangerous belief if our people think that it takes nothing to run a nation. While we should uphold our Islamic religion, values and heritage, separation of religion and politics will make the state function effectively and accountably.

Somali politics is unclean and tainted. Let us not bring opprobrium to our religion by throwing it together with politics. If we put religion and politics together — religion will be used as a loophole to remain in public office and escape from public eviction. In all functioning democracies public confidence is withdrawn without delay from those who abuse power. One of the reasons why the system of democracy has become the success it is, is because of its checks and balances. This would not have been possible without separation of religion and politics. In the UK, the Westminster Parliament (the oldest functioning institution) is 700 years old. It has never been stronger. Mechanisms are in place to reform and correct the system. The independent media is at the forefront of accountability in public life. When you mix religion and politics, how can anyone go after those who breach trust?

Politics is my field but I know my religion from my good upbringing. Our dedication is to our nation. What we have learned, we have learned to contribute to the wellbeing of our nation. One of the crimes committed against the Somali nation by individuals, is the wasting away of our human resources. In our prime, when we should have been looking after the nation and its interests, half of the nation has been exiled.

We know politics has not delivered yet for the Somali nation. This does not mean politics is the wrong application. The main reason why politics has failed to deliver for the nation is because Somali politics has not been about honesty and integrity as it should be. Power has become a much sought after commodity. It is seen as the quickest route to wealth and privilege. The solution is to establish accountability and the mechanism to safeguard the practice of clean government.

We are not examining issues from a shallow point. Without politics there can be no functioning society. Unfortunately, the profession of politics has Achilles heels. It attracts crooks, the same way a drop of honey attracts insects. We are also aware that anyone can hide behind the cloak of respectability of religion. We have seen how anyone can abuse the honourable position of Imams. It is only the Almighty who has the power to know the inner being and feelings of His creations. In progressive politics accountability is a must. What we need is to hold those who go into our political system (public domain) — accountable.

Leaders are the product of their time. We cannot compare past leaders with today’s leaders. While technology has enhanced the quality of life, the fast pace of life is fuelling greed, selfishness and decadence. That is why Somali politics is tainted and unclean. It is only separation which can make it possible for religion to retain its position as the moral guardian of society. It is imperative that the judiciary of the nation is independent and free from state manipulation. That way it will ensure our society to be governed by laws and not by men.

In this age, Fatwa is one of the most abused words in the Muslim world. Our purpose in life is not to instigate conflict, disharmony and division. These are the work of Shaydan (the devil). Somalia may be in a terrible state, but at least what has been damaged is not our religion. For the past 18 years what we have been robbed of is not our religion but our homeland, nationhood, security etc.

Fanaticism has no place in Islam. Islam is the religion of moderation. Islam commands us to desist from transgression. This is not a monolithic world. This is a diverse and interdependent world where there are multi-nations and faiths with which we share common humanity. A common religion on its own does not guarantee peace and harmony either. The best example is Somalia where Muslim Somalis fight one another on the lines of clan and sub-clan. Let us not delude ourselves. Your true brother is anyone who wants your wellbeing and progress.

Our politics has become like a muddied pond in which anyone can have a go. Stateless Somalia has become like the Somali proverb: Nin jirran boqol u talisay. (A sick man gets advice from a hundred). No-one in their right mind is suggesting the formation of a government which denies Muslim Somalis to live in accordance with our religion. What we want is a forward-moving nation which upholds our religion. A nation that is at peace with itself and with the rest of mankind: a government that will meet the needs of its people.

We know what works! In a modern world Somalia shall require modern governance. We have the knowledge of our divine obligations. Islam has laws which regulate followers — individually as well as collectively. What we also know is that power can corrupt the individual. Humans have also the capacity to abuse. Without mechanisms to ensure sound governing, the trust of public office will be abused. Mixing religion and politics will bring neither sound politics nor spare religion from the stain of modern politics. Somali politics is a mess. It has been so for a long time. What we are endeavouring for is to find a way, to one day establish the mechanisms to clean our politics. If we throw religion together with politics the outcome will make both religion and politics worse of. These are the realities of modern statecraft!

Notes:

1. Ali Ibn Talib was the son-in-law of the Prophet .He was the first intellectual Muslim thinker.

2. Bukhari narrated by the route of Ibn 'Umar, that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, described the Khawarij as those who took the verses revealed about the blasphemers and attributed them to the believers!

3. Sura 9, verses 102-106 more on repentance.

Abdullahi Dool
E-mail: [email protected]