The elections in the UK are almost upon us, and many Muslims are once again having the same reality-defying optimism; namely, that voting really will change the system, laws and injustices of British politics, writes Abdullah al Andalusi.
It does not matter to them, that every single leader the Muslims have voted for in the past have, without fail, supported wars, spying and detention of Muslims globally. But no, this will not even dent the unwavering ‘faith in Democracy’ for Muslims, not even when most non-Muslims are sceptical about change. The Muslims democrats always know how to out-do others in ignoring political reality.
The reality is that the politicians of the UK, who claim to listen to the people, have always despised and looked down upon the opinions of the voter they so claim to be concerned for.
“The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.” (Winston Churchill)
Voting does not change the underlying system, interests and aims of the capitalist country that uses it – rather it merely selects the figurehead that would represent the system:
“Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame.”
(Bertrand Russell)
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“Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.” (Robert Byrne)
If anyone was to say that not voting will not achieve anything, can they explain how voting will force the successful candidate to enforce his election promises? Is there a law that makes the candidate stick to their pledges to the public? The answer is no.
“Democracy consists of choosing your dictators after they’ve told you what you think it is you want to hear.”
(Alan Coren)
The latest weapon of pro-democrat Muslims is the recent defection of some local Imams and scholars to the cause of voting, under the pre-text of ‘the lesser of two evils’. Now the slogan we hear is ‘the majority of scholars say voting is Halal, only Hizb ul Tahrir say otherwise!’
Firstly, accusing non-HT members of being part of HT just because they don’t agree with pro-democrat Muslims is a pathetic argument. Many Muslims, and non-Muslims, who think for themselves and engage their own intellects, have come to these conclusions independently. Secondly, there is no shame being part of HT, or any other peaceful Islamic group that works for Islam, be they Ikhwan, Tanzeem or Jamaat e Islami…etc, in fact quite the contrary, as the Quran says [translation]: “Not equal are those who stand, to those who sit”.
Lastly, there is a big deception in the statement ‘the majority of scholars say voting is Halal’, since this is not actually the case. There are many scholars and Imam’s in the UK who reject voting as Haram. But the true majority of the Muslim scholarship lies outside the Western world, and they reject voting in democracy categorically. For those who would like some names, here a just a few…
1. Shaykh Hamood bin Uqlaa ash-Shu’aibee (Saudi Arabia)
2. Shaykh Ahmed Muhammad Shaakir (Egypt)
3. Shaykh Muhammad Qutb (Egypt)
4. Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd (Saudi Arabia)
5. Shaykh Jafar bin Muhammad al-Kataanee (Morocco)
6. Shaykh Umar Abdur Rahman (Egypt)
7. Shaykh Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen al-Albanee (Syria)
8. Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibraaheem Aal-Shaykh (Saudi Arabia)
9. Shaykh Abdur Raazaq Afeefee (Egypt)
10. Shaykh Muhammad Ameen ash-Shanqeetee (Morocco)
11. Shaykh Muhammad Haamid al-Faqee (Egypt)
12. Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas (Egypt)
13. Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee al-Waad’ee (Yemen)
14. Shaykh Ali bin Khudar al-Khudayr (Saudi Arabia)
15. Shaykh Abdul Qaadir bin Abdul Azeez (Sayid Imaam ash-Shareef) (Egypt)
16. Shaykh Abdur Raheem at-Tahaan (Syria)
17. Shaykh Abdul Hafeedh al-Doosaree (Saudi Arabia)
18. Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisee (Jordan)
19. Shaykh Ahmed bin Hamood al-Khaalidee (Saudi Arabia)
20. Shaykh Rifaa’ee Suroor (Egypt)
21. Shaykh Mustafa Shaamiyaah (Egypt)
22. Shaykh Abdul Kareem bin Saalih al-Hameed (Saudi Arabia)
23. Shaykh Abdul Hakeem Hasaan (Egypt)
24. Shaykh Ahmed as-Sabeyahee (Egypt)
25. Shaykh Haamid bin Abdullah al-Alee (Kuwait)
26. Shaykh Naasir bin Fahd al-Umar (Saudi Arabia)
27. Shaykh Hamid bin Abdullah al-Hameedee (Saudi Arabia)
28. Shaykh Yusuf al-Uyayree (Saudi Arabia)
29. Shaykh Abdul Azeez bin Saalam al-Umar (Saudi Arabia)
30. Shaykh Ahmed bin Saalih as-Sanaanee (Saudi Arabia)
31. Shaykh Hamid bin Hameed ar-Ras (Saudi Arabia)
32. Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghunaymaan (Saudi Arabia)
33. Shaykh Muhammad Abdus Salaam Faraj (Egypt)
34. Shaykh Umar Mahmood Abu Umar (Palestine)
35. Shaykh Muhammad Ismaa’eel al-Maqdam (Egypt)
36. Shaykh Sayid Saeed al-Ghabaashee (Egypt)
37. Shaykh Abdul Aakhar Hamaad (Egypt)
38. Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazaazee (Morocco)
39. Shaykh Muhammad Mustafa al-Muqree (Egypt)
40. Shaykh Haanee as-Sabaa’ee (Egypt)
41. Shaykh Muhammad bin Sulaymaan as-Sameya’ee (Egypt)
42. Shaykh Saalih al-Awfee (Saudi Arabia)
43. Shaykh Abu Hafs al-Mureetaanee (Mauritania)
44. Shaykh Khaalid Fakree (Egypt)
45. Shaykh Ahmed Yusuf (Egypt)
46. Shaykh Abdul Majeed as-Shaadhalee (Egypt)
47. Shaykh Abdul Majeed al-Faqee (Egypt)
48. Shaykh Khaalid al-Faqee (Egypt)
49. Shaykh Muhammad Taamir (Egypt)
50. Shaykh Muhammad Sharif (Egypt)
51. Shaykh Ahmed an-Najaar (Egypt)
52. Shaykh Jamaal Abdul Haadee (Egypt)
53. Shaykh Usaamah Mansoor (Egypt)
54. Shaykh Abdul Munim Haleemah (Syria)
55. Shaykh Abul Hasan al-Qaaree (Egypt)
56. Shaykh Mujadee Kamaal (Egypt)
57. Shaykh Muhammad Jameel Ghaazee (Egypt)
58. Shaykh Mustafa al-Adwee (Egypt)
59. Shaykh Usaamah Abdul Adheem (Egypt)
60. Shaykh Mustafa Kaamal (Egypt)
61. Shaykh Usaamah Haafidh (Egypt)
62. Shaykh Fawzee as-Saeed (Egypt)
63. Shaykh Shareef Hazaa’e (Egypt)
64. Shaykh Ja’far Idris (Sudan)
65. Shaykh Saeed bin Zu’ayr (Saudi Arabia)
66. Shaykh Abdullah ar-Rashood (Saudi Arabia)
67. Shaykh Taqi-ud-Deen an-Nabahaanee (Palestine)
68. Shaykh Abdul Qadeem Zaloom (Palestine)
69. Shaykh Ahmed ad-Da’oor (Jordan)
70. Ustaadh Mahmood Abdul Kareem al-Hasan (Lebanon)
71. Shaykh Ahmed al-Qasos (Lebanon)
72. Shaykh Ali Saeed Abul Hasan (Sudan)
73. Shaykh Haafidh Saalih (Jordan)
74. Shaykh Ataa’a Khaleel (Jordan)
75. Shaykh Isaam Ameerah (Palestine)
76. Shaykh Abdullah Khaatar (Saudi Arabia)
77. Shaykh Abdur Razaaq bin Muhammad al-Hamid (Kuwait)
78. Shaykh Taariq Abdul Haleem (Egypt)
79. Shaykh Ahmed Fareed (Egypt)
80. Shaykh Muhammad Yaaqoot (Egypt)
81. Shaykh Abdul Qaadir Arnaoot (Syria)
82. Shaykh Shu’aib Arnaoot (Syria)
83. Shaykh Abu Abdullah Abdul Fataah al-Afreeqee (Nigeria)
84. Shaykh Abdul Azeez al-Badree (Iraq)
Democracy can only live, when people still believe in it, if people wake up and realise that it is about as artificial as the paper money printed out by banks to denote ‘credit’, people will rise up and demand a better form of government from the corrupt politicians and business men behind them. I suggest people should keep their hands clean of a system that causes death and destruction:
“Democracy… while it lasts is more bloody than either [aristocracy or monarchy]. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” (John Adams)
This is democracy, the system that believes Man is the rightful ruler and sovereign of their own destiny, and not the Creator of the universe. Democracy, in a real sense, is the modern day polytheism (or Pantheism).
Electing an MP seems innocuous enough, yes, but one could argue that bowing to an idol is merely lowering one’s head to a stone object. But we all know there is a clear subtext behind all actions. Participate in Elections, and you justify sovereignty to man over sovereignty to God. Not all polytheism involves ritual spiritual actions. By not voting, it not only absolves us from propping up the system, but our absence makes a conscientious objection to the corrupt system of secular politics.
“Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses.” (Henry Louis Mencken)
On polling day, unplug yourself from the Matrix, and make the biggest political statement you can, not voting. Not voting is actually a Vote of No confidence in the secular democratic political system. Let us show humanity a different way, a better way – the Sovereignty of God.
To those Muslims, so insistent in their blind faith to Vote – remember the following words, when the leaders you vote for kill, maim, torture and have been exposed for corruption: “We told you so” won’t be the only words you here, but “you’re contributed to it”.
“Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.” (Benjamin Franklin)
Abdullah al Andalusi is an international lecturer, thinker, speaker and debater on Islamic and Muslim issues.
@AbdullaAndalusi
