Political Equality: Democracy
We will not elaborate on democracy here, as our discussion on it is reserved for the forthcoming book titled "Islam: Democratic and Socialist." Just as socialism is the outcome of the long struggle between "the haves and the have-nots" in the material realm, democracy is likewise the result of the struggle between "the haves and the have-nots" in the political sphere. It aims to ensure that people are partners in power, just as they are partners in the wealth of the land.
Democracy and socialism are two counterparts - together, they form the two wings of society. Just as a bird cannot soar through the air with only one wing, society cannot achieve stability without both democracy and socialism. Democracy emerged before socialism because socialism requires a higher level of collective awareness than democracy does, which can, in its early stages, be initiated by a small group of intellectuals. Moreover, socialism necessitates a developed and prosperous capitalist foundation as a prerequisite. It is also a product of industrialization, meaning it could not have preceded it - modern machinery only came into existence relatively recently. This discussion pertains to scientific socialism. As for primitive, naïve socialism, its origins stretch far back into history.
Democracy was born in ancient Greece, specifically in Athens, which was the most culturally advanced of the Greek city-states. Each city in Greece functioned as an independent government, and since these states, represented by the cities, were small, it was easy for the people to practice direct governance through the assembly of its individuals. This resulted in a system of direct democracy, without the need for a parliamentary or executive council as we know today. There were no permanent officials in this system; instead, officials were elected annually, and often, the election was conducted by voting. The Athenians believed that participation in the discussion and policy of public affairs was both a right and a duty for every citizen - they did not consider women and slaves as citizens.
Pericles, the greatest orator speaking of Athenian democracy, famously described this system in his Funeral Oration, delivered in 430 BCE during a public ceremony honoring those who died in the war against Sparta. In his speech, he portrayed Athenian democracy as follows:
"Our government is called a democracy because it is in the hands of the many, not the few. Our laws ensure equal justice for all in private disputes, and our public opinion honors talent, in every accomplished work, not for any sectarian reason but purely on the basis of merit. We also provide an absolute opportunity for everyone in public life, and we maintain the same spirit in our daily interactions with one another. And we are not angered against our neighbor for doing as he pleases, nor do we direct toward him resentful looks, which may not harm, but are undesirable”
"We adhere strictly to the boundaries of the law in our public conduct, even as we remain frank and friendly in our private relations. We recognize the obligations of respect: we obey our rulers and the laws, especially those that protect the oppressed, as well as the unwritten laws whose violation brings undeniable shame.
Yet, our city does not impose on us to labor alone throughout the day. No other city offers the same means of relaxation that we do - festivals and sacrifices, throughout the year, along with the beauty of our public spaces, which uplift the spirit and delight the eye day after day. Moreover, our city is vast and powerful, attracting the wealth of the entire world, making foreign goods as familiar to us as our own local products.
We love beauty without extravagance and pursue wisdom without forsaking courage and dignity. We use wealth not as a means for vanity and arrogance but as an opportunity for service. Acknowledging poverty is no disgrace; the true disgrace lies in failing to make any effort to overcome it."
"No Athenian citizen neglects public affairs due to being too absorbed in his private matters. We do not consider a person who avoids public engagement as ‘peaceful and quiet’ - rather, we see him as useless."
"And while only a few among us may formulate policy, all of us are capable judges of it. In our view, the greatest obstacle to work is the lack of sufficient information, which is gained from discussion before taking action, not the discussion itself."
This is how Pericles described Athenian democracy - an insightful portrayal. From the days of Athens, democracy has continued to grow, evolve, and take diverse forms across the world, but it stems everywhere from principles that aim to clearly demonstrate it as a distinctive and unique approach to life - one that upholds human dignity and attempts to manage human affairs with justice, fairness, and acceptance of the people.
The development of modern democracy has produced principles, the most important of which can be summarized as follows:
1. Recognition of fundamental equality among people.
2. The value of the individual above the value of the state.
3. The government as a servant of the people.
4. The rule of law.
5. Guidance by reason, experience, and expertise.
6. Majority rule, with respect for the rights of the minority.
7. Democratic processes and means are used to achieve the goals of a democratic state.
Democratic procedures and institutions are not ends in themselves; rather, they are means to a purpose. Democracy is not merely about having a legislative body, an executive authority, and a judiciary - these are all tools for achieving human dignity. Democracy is not just a system of governance; it is a way of life in which the individual is the ultimate goal, and everything else is merely a means to serve that purpose. A democratic system of governance holds value in the eyes of the people only because it is the best means of ensuring human dignity. In the current democratic approach, the error is much less than the one that Marxist communism got entangled in. However, we will not delve into it here, but rather leave it for its time, in the forthcoming work "Islam: Democratic and Socialist."
Human dignity arises from the fact that humans are the most capable of all living beings in learning and progressing. Likewise, the dignity of democracy stems from its ability, as a system of governance, to provide the individual with opportunities to attain honor and dignity. The human being learns from his mistakes, and that is the best way to acquire knowledge. In a dictatorship, however, the government prevents individuals from experimenting or acting independently, thereby stunting their intellectual, emotional, and moral growth. This growth depends on engaging in actions, taking responsibility for mistakes in both speech and action, and then learning from those mistakes.
In contrast to dictatorship, democracy is based on the right to make mistakes - not because mistakes are desirable, but because freedom necessitates the ability to choose between different courses of action. A person cannot be truly democratic without learning how to choose wisely, how to refine their choices, and how to correct the errors they inevitably make.
In reality, all human behavior and the exercise of freedom as a whole consist of a series of individual actions in choice and execution - or, in other words, freedom of thought, speech, and action. The only condition is that individuals must bear the consequences of their mistakes in speech and action in accordance with constitutional law.
Democracy is the right to make mistakes. At the highest level of this definition, the Infallible (the Prophet) said: “If you did not err and seek forgiveness, God would bring forth a people who do err and seek forgiveness, and He would forgive them.”
Part of human dignity in God's sight is that individual freedom has no appointed guardian - not even the Prophet himself, despite his noble character and perfect virtues. This is evident in God's words: “So remind, you are only a reminder. You are not over them a controller.” (30:21-22). The people addressed here are the polytheists who rejected the worship of God and devoted themselves to idols, offering sacrifices to them. Yet, even over them, the Prophet was forbidden from exerting control. This same Prophet, who sought no dominance on earth and whom God described as being “of great moral character” (29:4), was not granted authority over others’ freedom.
From this, we understand that no individual is so perfect as to be entrusted with the freedoms of others. The price of individual freedom is constant vigilance over it. Indeed, individual freedom is a fundamental right, and it comes with the responsibility of exercising it wisely. Because the community of believers was not yet ready to fully exercise individual freedom in choice and action, the Prophet was made their guardian - to prepare them for the responsibility of absolute personal freedom. Yet even in this role, he insisted on allowing them the right to make mistakes whenever possible, without burdening or oppressing them. In doing so, he was preparing them for democracy, for the time when they would mature in thought and capability.
This aligns with God's command: “So by mercy from Allah, you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from around you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in matters. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely upon Him.” (3:159)
This is the verse of shura (consultation). And shura, wherever it is mentioned, whether in this verse or in His saying: “And those who respond to their Lord, and establish prayer, and conduct their affairs by mutual consultation among themselves, and spend from what We have provided them.” (42:38), is not a verse of democracy. Rather, it is a verse that descended from the verse of democracy to prepare people to become worthy of democracy when its time arrives.
Thus, shura is not a fundamental principle but a branch. And it is not democracy, but rather the rule of the wise individual who prepares the nation to become democratic. The foundation of democracy lies in the two verses: “So remind. You are only a reminder. You are not a controller over them.” (88:21–22).
Likewise, zakat with fixed amounts is not socialism, but capitalism. Its verse, “Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cleanse them, and pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is tranquility for them.” (9:103), is not a fundamental verse but a branch. Its purpose is to prepare people, psychologically and materially, to become socialists when the time for socialism arrives. The fundamental verse from which the fixed-amount zakat verse was derived is His saying: “They ask you what they should spend. Say: What is beyond need (al-‘afw).” (2:219). We have already pointed this out.
And since the Second Message is based on the elevation from the branch verses to the fundamental ones, which are the verses from which the derivatives descended due to the conditions of the time and the limited capacity of society, both materially and humanly, it is necessary to elevate the legislation by developing it to be based on the fundamental verses. In this way, the era of socialism and the era of democracy begin, and the path opens toward the realization of absolute individual freedom, practiced both in worship and in daily dealings.
This is the Sharia of the Muslims, the Sharia of the Muslim nation that has not yet come into existence, and for whose arrival the earth is now preparing. It is upon the people of the Qur’an to prepare their path and to make their emergence possible and facilitated. And it is for this reason that this book was written.
