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Islam and Politics
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Today, many countries have drawn a fine line between the institution of religion and the institution of government. Yet there are still certain countries where religion and government are closely tied, and the country is not only run but its governing forces but also by major religious leaders. There are also certain countries that have separated the church from state, but their predominant religion still impacts major decisions that are made. Religions that are closely tied to their state have an effect on society that is unparalleled to the effects of society caused by government alone. Islam, a religion originated in the Middle East and led by the prophet Muhammad, is still an active ruling power in many countries today. Its reigning law, the Shari'a, governs all aspects of Islamic life, from legal statutes to personal regulations. Modern day Islamic countries *Afghanistan *Albania *Algeria *Azerbaijan *Bahrain *Bangladesh *Benin *Brunei *Burkina Faso *Cameroon *Chad *Comoros *Djibouti *Egypt *Gambia *Guinea *Guinea-Bissau *Guyana *Indonesia *Iran *Iraq *Jordan *Kazakhstan *Kuwait *Kyrgyzstan *Lebanon *Libya *Malaysia *Maldives *Mali *Mauritania *Morocco *Mozambique *Niger *Nigeria *Oman *Pakistan *Palestine *Qatar *Saudi Arabia *Senegal *Sierra Leone *Somalia *Sudan *Suriname *Syria *Tajikistan *Tunisia *Turkey *Turkmenistan *Uganda *United Arab Emirates *Uzbekistan *Western Sahara *Yemen Origins The very foundations of the Islamic government sprang out of the religion itself. It wasn't until after the death of Muhammad that caliphs were elected and regulations began taking place. The Rightly Guided Caliphate after the death of Muhammad consisted of four consecutive leaders that led the Muslim people. Their leadership was directly influenced by the Quran, the sunna, and the hadith, all three of which focused on the prophet, his revelations, and his customs and sayings. Out of this religious leadership sprang the foundations of the Islamic state. The Shari'a The Shari'a is Islamic law, but not only in the legalistic sense; it also refers to rituals, customs, and manners. As Malise Ruthven writes in Islam: A Very Short Introduction, “There is no church, no separate institution or body distinct from the rest of society charged with the task of conveying God's will, or the Prophet's teachings, to the ordinary believer. In Islam, 'God has not revealed his nature, but rather his law.'” The Shari'a is considered to be the will of God, used to sustain the good of society and to assist others in attaining salvation. The four roots of Islamic law, which comprise the Shari'a, are: the Quran - the word of God spoken to the prophet Muhammad; the Sunna - the prophet's customs; the Ijma - the consensus of the Muslim community; and the Qiyas - analogical reasoning. Countries with a major Muslim population (see above list) rely on the Shari'a just as strongly as countries such as the United States of America rely on their constitutions. Because of this, citizens of Islamic countries are subject to law created by God rather than law created by man. As the literal meaning of “islam” in Arabic means “submission,” citizens submit their daily life practices, customs, and traditions to the governing forces of religion. Footnotes <references/> See Also
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