Mazin Abdul-Adhim. Photo: screenshot YouTube Mazin Abdul-Adhim
Canadian Imam: “Islam and democracy are contradictory, absolutely incompatible”
Mazin AbdulAdhim, a prominent Imam of Iraqi descent in
London, Ontario who is affiliated with the radical Islamic global
movement of Hizb ut-Tahrir, asserts that “Islam and democracy are contradictory and absolutely incompatible.”
AbdulAdhim’s statement comes in response to a video
posted by Mehdi Hasan, a British political journalist, broadcaster and
author, in who he argues that Muslims accept democratic values and
argues Muslims not to listen to “experts” who claim otherwise.
The following is the transcript of Mehdi Hasan’s video (shortened version) that was broadcast on Al Jazeera TV:
“Muslims, Islam, democracy, elections – they just don’t go together. Do they? At least that’s what we’re told by some of the faiths biggest critics most
[Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Author, “Infidel”]: “Most Muslim countries are dictatorships. There is no democracy.”
“But look at the big picture. Sure the Arab world is home to plenty of kings, generals, dictators, but the majority of the world’s Muslim population doesn’t actually live in the Arab world.
“In fact, it’s the Asia Pacific region that’s home to 62 percent of all Muslims and of the top five countries in the world with the biggest Muslim population Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria.
“Not only are none of them in the Middle East, but they’re all democracies too. Flawed democracies, yes, but democracies nevertheless, in which hundreds of millions of Muslims, regularly go to the polls to elect their rulers.
“And support for democracy goes beyond these 5 countries as the pollsters from Pew noted in the exhaustive study of 39 countries and 38,000 Muslims: “Most Muslims around the world expressed support for democracy.” And, yes, that includes those ordinary Arab Muslims, yes, the ones living under kings and generals. Remember 2011 when people across the region rose up in the Arab Spring.
“But, Arabs prefer a strong man in charge right? Wrong! Between 54 to 81 percent of Muslims from 5 Arab countries said they support having a democratic government over a leader with a strong hand.
“Just look at Tunisia which sparked the Arab Spring. Tunisians ousted a dictator, passed a relatively progressive constitution, elected a president from a secular party and chose a parliament comprised of both secularists and “Islamists”.
“Then there are the 50 million Muslims living in the West. Most of them seem perfectly happy to vote in and even stand in free and fair elections. The new directly-elected mayor of London, one of the world’s biggest greatest cities, is a Muslim
“In 2015 the U.K. increased its number of Muslim members in parliament from 8 to 13. Canada elected 11 Muslim MPs in the same year, and in the US, which has two Muslim congressman, Muslim voter registration is up ahead of the presidential election.
“So the next time some pseudo expert tells you Muslims don’t like democracy or Islam is incompatible with democracy, remember the hundreds of millions of Muslims, in fact the majority of the world’s Muslims, who prove that expert wrong.”
In response Mazin AbdulAdhim wrote among other things the following:
“This video does not discuss whether Islam is compatible with democracy, rather he is discussing whether Muslims can handle living under a democracy. These are two very separate issues.
“If we are going to discuss whether *Islam* is compatible with democracy, we need to define the two systems properly first.In an online study group on July 29, 2016, Mazin AbdulAdhim called on Canadian Muslims to stick to the Islamic law, reject secularism, work together to spread Islam, re-establish the Islamic State (Caliphate) and implement the rulings of Islam (Sharia Law).
“More specifically, we must defined:
“1) Who is the “sovereign” (meaning, who has the right to legislate laws) in both systems, 2) who has “authority” (meaning, who has the right to choose the ruler) in both systems.
“The issue is very simple:
“1- Sovereignty: In a democracy, man is the sovereign legislator, so laws are legislated based exclusively on the will of the people. In Islam, on the other hand, Allah (swt) is the Sovereign Legislator, so laws are legislated based exclusively on the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah; the people have no right or capability to make Halal into Haram, or Haram into Halal, no matter how many people vote in favor of it.
“2- Authority: In a democracy, man has the right to elect his ruler. In Islam, man has the right to elect his ruler.
“So, people tend to confuse these two things. Yes, people can elect their ruler in both Islam and democracy, but no, people cannot legislate their own laws in Islam, whereas they can in a democracy.
“Therefore, Islam and democracy are contradictory and absolutely incompatible, because Islam forbids mankind from legislating laws in the place of the Creator, even if the overwhelming majority of the people vote in favor of it…
“The Khilafah [Islamic State – Caliphate] system is the system of government designed by Allah (swt), and no amount misuse of it by bloodthirsty militias will change that fact. We should call for it, and work toward re-establishing it – and its return is a promise from Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw).”
ICNA Canada contradicts Trudeau: “Islam is totally incompatible with western democracy”
ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Canada is an Islamic nationalwide organization striving “to
build an Exemplary Canadian Muslim Community” by “total submission to
Him [Allah] and through the propagation of true and universal message of
Islam.”
Located at 391 Burnhamthorpe Rd., East, Oakville, Ontario, ICNA Canada emphasizes
that “the propagation of true and universal message of Islam is only
possible in Canada when whole Canadian Muslim Community transformed into
a Dawah community by practicing and propagating the true Islamic Way of
Life. With the vision of building an exemplary Canadian Muslim
community it is very important to spread the word of Islam…”
Zunera Ishaq, the woman that stood at the centre of the “niqab debate” in the Canadian election campaign, works/ed for the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).
On its official website ICNA Canada shares with its members, followers and supporters the book “Riyad us Saliheen” (“The Gardens of the Righteous” رياض الصالحين) compiled by Imam Zakaruya Yahya Bin Sharaf An-Nawawi, a Sunni Shafi’ite jurist and hadith scholar who lived in 13th century.
The Gardens of the Righteous (Arabic: Riyadh as-Salihin), is a compilation of verses from the Qur’an and hadith by Al-Nawawi. It contains a total of 1905 hadith divided across 372 chapters, many of which are introduced by verses of the Quran.
The book “Riyad us Saliheen” (“The Gardens of the Righteous”) which appears on ICNA Canada site adds modern commentary to the verses from the Qur’an and hadith.
The following are excerpts from the book which deal with
the question whether Islam in compatible with the values of Western
democracy.
“[Hadith]:
673. Abu Bakrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, “He who insults the rulers Allah will
insult him.”
[At-Tirmidhi].
“Commentary: To affront and degrade the ruler means to disobey him and to by-pass his orders. This impairs his power, honour and dignity.
“Believers have been told to obey and
support rulers for the sake of national interest and welfare,
understanding that they desist from committing an overt disbelief and
maintain congregation Salat and other duties of religion.
“The political system of Islam is totally incompatible with western democracy.
“The concept of government party and the opposition is alien to Islam.
“All belong to one Ummah with only one goal and pursue the same aims and objects of Islamic guidelines!”
“[Hadith]:
668. `Abdullah bin `Amr (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: We
accompanied Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on a journey. We halted at a place
to take a rest. Some of us began to set right their tents, others began
to graze their animals while others were engaged in competing with one
another in archery when an announcer of Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
announced that people should gather for Salat. We gathered around the
Messenger of Allah and he ((PBUH)) addressed us, saying, “Every Prophet
before me was under obligation to guide his followers to what he knew
was good for them and to warn the evil thing which he knew. As for this
Ummah, it will have sound state and in its early stage of existence; but
the last phase of its existence, will be faced with trials and with
things you do not recognize. There will be tremendous trials, one after
the other, and to each the believer will say, `That is it’. Whenever a
trial arrives the believer will say: `This is going to bring about my
destruction.’ When this passes, another calamity will approach and he
will say: `This surely is going to be my end.’ Whosoever wishes to be
removed from the Fire (Hell) and admitted to Jannah should die with
faith in Allah and the Last Day; and he should treat others as he wishes
to be treated. He who swears allegiance to an Imam, he should give him
the pledge in ratification and the sincerity of his heart. He should
obey him to the best of his capacity. If another man comes forward as a
claimant (when one has already been installed), behead the second.”
[Muslim].
“Commentary:
Here `its early stage’ means the period of the Companions, of the
Successors (of the Companions), and of the Followers (of the
Successors). In another Hadith, it has been called as the best era. In
comparison with all the succeeding periods, this period is surpassingly
good, peaceful and blessed. Later would emerge, it was prophesized,
mischief after mischief, each being worse than the preceding one. Today,
everybody sees the truth of this prophecy like the light of day. By
predicting the emergence of mischief, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) wanted
to warn his followers that they should keep themselves aloof from them.
To them he further explained in advance the precautionary measures, that
is, to keep faith in Allah, to remain firm-footed in the belief in the
Hereafter and to deal with people fairly, attempting to be polite to
them at the same time.
“Besides, prophecy has been made about the abundance of the power-hungry people with a remedial note. In the first instance believers are supposed to swear allegiance to the caliph,
and by extending their cooperation to him they should kill another
claimant to the caliphate because it is only in this way that the unity
of the Muslim Ummah can be maintained, free of chaos and discord.
“Yet, unfortunately,
the power-orientated groups have found a plaything in the shape of
democracy, turning peace and unity into a legend of the past.
What a pity that despite all that they seek stability and progress! Is
it the miracle of time or the quirk of the vested interests that has
reversed the whole scheme of things? There is little hope of the
improvement of the Muslim world’s affairs. Indeed, it faces an ironical
situation.
Trudeau insists: “Islam is not incompatible with Western secular democracy”
In two separate interviews to CBC during
recent months, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau firmly maintained that
Islam is compatible with Western open and secular democracy:
(November 24, 2015): “Canadians are quick to point out that ISIS is wrong, that Islam is not incompatible with the Western secular democracy, a free place like Canada.”
(January 31, 2016): “But on the other hand, we need to make sure that we’re working with communities like the Muslim community for example to demonstrate that Islam is not incompatible with free and open Western societies.”
About Jonathan D. Halevi
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