How do the Taliban and radical Islamic movements, primarily the Salafis, want to subjugate the Muslim people?
Author: Professor Mohammad Moheq
The basis of the legitimacy of systems in the new world is the vote and the will of the people, and a system that was established by popular vote has the legal right to use coercive force to enforce the law. The Taliban and similar fundamentalist groups do not believe in elections and the will of the people and make a submission to their rule a religious aspect. To force people to obey, they refer to verse 59 of Surah Nisa, which says: "Obey God, and the Prophet, and your patrons." Their goal of linking this issue with religious teachings is that people are faced with the issue of faith and do not find room for arguments. Many ordinary Muslims who do not specialize in religious matters remain confused on this issue because they cannot ignore religious teachings, and cannot believe in the legitimacy of authoritarian rule.
Is it obligatory to obey the one who calls himself Ulul-amr? To find out who Ulul-amr is, you need to look at what the interpreters of the Qur'an understood from this Qur'anic text. Qurtubi said in his tafsir: “Akrama says that Abubakr and Omar were ulul-amrs. Mujahid says that they (ulul-amrs) are companions. The Shiites said that Ali and Ahl al-Bayt. Jabir says they are followers of the Koran. Ibn Kaysan says those who have wisdom and prudence. Also, Ibn Kathir said in his tafsir: "Ibn Abbas said that it means trustworthy and religious people." Mohammad Abdo said in Tafsir al-Manar: "They are commanders, judges, scholars, army elders, and influential figures to whom people turn on problems and public issues." Therefore, all who have an opinion and are competent in any field, their decisions are valid within the framework of the law, and they are considered part of the Ulul-amr. This obedience does not have the aspect of worship and is intended only for the organization of public affairs.
As can be seen, the word "Ulul-amr" originally means a professional, that is, a person appointed to work in terms of experience or on the basis of a legal mechanism, and is considered competent in this field. This word is very common and has many examples, from a ruler elected by the people, to a minister appointed by them, to chiefs and administrators elected by ministers, to commanders of armies, to other institutions with power and responsibility in the state and public life. In fact, this word does not refer to a specific person, but the meaning of this verse is that matters must be entrusted to your people, and in the area where the people decide, their decision should be respected so as not to cause confusion, chaos, and disputes.
If the system is not formed on the basis of the consent of the people, even if it calls itself Islamic, it will not gain legitimacy, and obedience to it is not necessary. Qurtubi cites the opinion of one of the ancient scholars named Ibn Havizmandad about the rulers of his time, who were also Muslims and, apparently, ulul-amrs, who said: “The rulers of our time can be disobeyed, not to cooperate with them, and not respect them.” Instead of using religion as a tool, it is better for governments to succumb to the will of the people and thereby achieve their legitimacy.
The philosophy of the emergence of the political system, in the words of Thomas Hobbes (Leviathan), is an important basis for understanding statecraft in the modern era.