THE MESSENGER MUHAMMAD (SAW) IS OUR

EXAMPLE – DID HE EVER VOTE?

If we consider the nature and reality of voting in the current elections

and then look at what Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an we will realise that

ayat like Qul yaa ayuhal kaafiroon have no meaning if you vote for the

kuffar and support their parties, such as the Labour, Conservatives,

Liberals, Respect or Independent parties. Rather if you vote for them

you will be granting all the deeds that they subsequently do to yourself

under the Islamic principle of Wilaayah i.e. representation. Hence

Muslims must not vote for anyone in the present election, even if they

say that they are going to get you some schools or other benefits for the

Muslim community.

Moreover the fact that some people go to Parliament or local councils and

legislate and others vote for them to go there and do so, is clear-cut Shirk in

Islam and a matter, in fact, which is known from Islam by necessity and over

which there is no difference of opinion. How can a Muslim say that there is no

legislator except Allah (SWT) (which is incorporated in the part of the kalima

Laa Ilaaha Illalah) and then vote for someone else to legislate Kufr law and

order? Rather every Muslim’s Tawheed dictates that he keeps Allah (SWT)’s

sanctity exclusive i.e. to obey, worship and follow him exclusively. As every

Muslim knows Allah (SWT) has 99 names, hence there are 99 ways for

someone to become kaafir if he associates with any of Allah (SWT)’s name

another. One of those names is Al-Hakam i.e. that A llah (SWT) is the only

legislator – therefore if you consent to another to do what is Allah (SWT)’s

attribute and right - you will become Mushrik.

Further Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:

‘So whosoever does good (Khairann) equal to the weight of an atom (or

a small ant), shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of

an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.’ [EMQ 99: 7-8]

In the Tafseer ul-Qurtubi on the above – the word Kahirann in this ayah is

what is based on the shari'ah, as stated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) on the

ayah, therefore if you vote it will never be accepted from you because, quite

simply, it is not based on the shari'ah. Rather only actions based upon the

Shari'ah are accepted by Allah (SWT) and certainly the Messenger

Muhammad (saw) never voted for anyone in the Quraish parliament in his

time - such as Abu Lahab or Abu Jahl!

Insha’allah, if Muslims read and understand the verse Qul Huwallahu Ahad

maybe Allah (SWT) will spark the correct understanding in their hearts – that

Allah (SWT) is indeed the only legislator. What is As-Shirk if not for the

creation to worship, follow or obey another creation. Rather the only one we

worship, follow or obey exclusively, is Allah (SWT) and to take a partner with

Allah (SWT) in his Ruboobiyyah, Uluhiyyah or his functions is Shirk. Shirk has

also been defined as ‘To offer any ritual act to different than Allah (SWT).’

One of these ritual acts (apart from salat, Siyyam and Hajj etc…) is Tahaakum

i.e. for us to arbitrate in any dispute to Allah (SWT) alone. Hence At-

Tahaakum ila taghout i.e. to refer in legislation or to arbitrate to the British

court or laws is considered a matter of Shirk. Ibn Taymiyyah – in his Majmou’

Al-Fataawa defined at-Tahakum as one of the ritual acts and said that

whoever arbitrates to different than Allah (SWT)’s Deen is a Mushrik. If

someone argues that they did not know that voting for the kuffar is that

serious then let us take a lesson from Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) – who said that

‘and the people will become kaafir without to know’ so this is seen not to be

an excuse for Shirk Akbar such as this – otherwise we could say that the

Hindus are not Mushriks because they do not know that they are committing

Shirk as well!

In addition Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) stated that shirk is not only to make someone

equal to Allah (SWT) but for a man to do some of the actions which Allah

(SWT) says are only for him (SWT). Further, for those who try to bring

spurious arguments to get people to vote today, we must remind them that

none of the four Imams (Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shaafi or

Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal (ra)) said that we can vote for the Kuffar in this

regard.

There are many ayat negating this action of voting for the Kuffar and declaring

those who partake in them Mushriks, which are too numerous to mention

here, for example:

‘Or have they partners with Allâh (false gods), who have instituted for

them a religion which Allâh has not allowed. And had it not been for a

decisive Word (gone forth already), the matter would have been judged

between them. And verily, for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers),

there is a painful torment.’ [EMQ 42:21]

For a surety those who go to parliament legislate law and order and refer in

their disputes to their own whims and desires. In regard to this Allah (SWT)

says:

‘If you dispute in any matter refer it to Allah (SWT) and his the

Messenger if you are indeed believers’ [EMQ 4: 59]

‘Allah (SWT) is the only one who judges and no one should dare to

comment over his commands’ [EMQ 13: 41]

Even if the rule (that Parliament legislates) agrees with the Islamic rule, for

example if tomorrow Tony Blair says that we should cut the hand of the thief –

because it was not made in submission to Allah (SWT) it is still considered to

be a kufr law. This is in line with the established principle in Islam that

‘whatever agrees with Islam is kufr and whatever disagrees with Islam is kufr’.

Finally the British parliament is taghout without doubt and Allah (SWT) says:

‘Declare Kufr on Taghout and then believe in Allah (SWT)’ [EMQ 2: 256]

this declaration includes believing it to be Taghout, keeping our distance from

and hating the taghout, rejecting it and having animosity towards it. After all

this how can any Muslim go to the Parliament and sit with the Tawagheet

(MP’s and Lords) or ask or vote for another person to do so? NB. Taghout is

anything you arbitrate to, obey or worship different to Allah (SWT).

O Muslims, We have begun to follow behind the Jews and Christians into the

‘Lizard hole’, as foretold by the Messenger Muhammad (saw). In the time of

Ibraheem (as) - he said of those who used to make Idols and then followed

them ‘Do you worship what you make with your hands?’ by analogy today -

the people worship the law and order that they make with their own hands in

parliament.