the Muslim citizens are the extended caliphs -
khulafa of
Allah fil Ard (representatives of God to humanity on earth)
who have a duty to ensure the Caliph stays within the limits of the constitution - even if it means with arms:
After the ummah gave their allegiance to the first Caliph Abu Bakr (ra), he said this:
O People! I have been put in authority over you and I am not the best of you.
So if I do the right thing then help me and if I do wrong then put me straight.
Truthfulness is a sacred trust and lying is a betrayal.
The weak amongst you is strong in my sight. I will surely try to remove his pain and suffering.
And the strong amongst you is weak to me I will – Allah willing – realise the right from him fully.
When obscene things spread among any nation, calamities generally continued to descend upon them.
As long as I obey Allah and His messenger, you should obey me,
and if I do not obey Allah and His messenger, then obedience to me is not incumbent upon you.
(Now prepare for prayer).
In Islam - the common person more interested in the latest music album - or the next episode of x-factor i.e people who have no knowledge of major affairs - as can be seen here:
- do not elect the person in the person in highest position,
it works upwards,
the locals elect the person whom they deem best able to handle these affairs from among them and it continues upwards.
as can be clearly seen from when the Prophet (pbuh) would ask that they elect leaders from among them to speak with him - right from the first pledge where the Prophet (pbuh) would consult with the accepted leaders of their people.
the job of the jurists (legislative branch) is to ascertain that the proposed Caliph fulfills all the requirements.
the Shura council is the council of leaders and knowledgeable people with whom the leader consults in affairs of moment.
"Those who hearken to their Lord, and establish regular Prayer; who (conduct) their affairs by
mutual consultation among themselves; who spend out of what We bestow on them for Sustenance" [are praised]
Quran 42:38
even the Prophet (pbuh) was instructed to set up consultation.
Thus it is due to mercy from God that you deal with them gently, and had you been rough, hard hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around you; pardon them therefore and ask pardon for them, and
take counsel with them in the affair; so when you have decided, then place your trust in God; surely God loves those who trust.
Quran 3:159
the leader makes the ultimate decision after listening to all points of view, and they hear and obey - if they have an issue - they can bring it up and attempt to resolve it, or if they see he is not living up to it they can depose him. but while they accept him as leader there is no disobedience.
format_quote Originally Posted by
Novice
If the caliphate wrongs, how is he removed?
it can be seen from the history of Islam that the right of the people to keep and bear arms was not infringed in the land, the only exceptions were the sacred precincts.
so when Abu Bakr says:
"So if I do the right thing then help me and if I do wrong then put me straight."
it actually means something.
Caliph Umar has been reported to have been sitting in a gathering and said:
"O Muslims, straighten me with your hands when I go wrong",
and at that instance a Muslim man stood up and said "O Amir al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Believers)
if you are not straightened by our hands we will use our sword to straighten you!".
Hearing this Caliph Umar said
"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) I have such followers."
the leaders continue to lead as long as they continue to remain within the limits of God and as long as they are physically able,
this way problems are more easily attributed to the leadership than to continuously changing political parties who may publicly blame each other for all the ills of society while mutually working for a shadow elite.
it can be seen from recent events that leaders are seen with contempt by the end of their term with talks of revolution appearing - and then a new leader making promises of change is put into the same position who may do exactly the same or worse as the previous leader, and by the time people are about to overthrow him - the next election is up.
it doesn't matter that they break every single promise - because the people just wait for the next election rather than getting up and doing something about it - and the cycle continues.
a great method for appeasement - but not a great way of sincerely running a nation since the people are more concerned with the changes and new promises than the actions. the fact that people prefer to suffer and wait it out than jump in is even acknowledged in the us declaration of independence.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;
and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
here's an interesting piece from over a century ago:
4. WHEN WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OUR COUP D'ETAT WE SHALL SAY THEN TO THE VARIOUS PEOPLES:
"EVERYTHING HAS GONE TERRIBLY BADLY, ALL HAVE BEEN WORN OUT WITH SUFFERING.
WE ARE DESTROYING THE CAUSES OF YOUR TORMENT
- NATIONALITIES, FRONTIERS, DIFFERENCES OF COINAGES. (watch "invisible empire" a new world order defined - on youtube)
YOU ARE AT LIBERTY, OF COURSE, TO PRONOUNCE SENTENCE UPON US, BUT CAN IT POSSIBLY BE A JUST ONE IF IT IS CONFIRMED BY YOU BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY TRIAL OF WHAT WE ARE OFFERING YOU." ... THEN WILL THE MOB EXALT US AND BEAR US UP IN THEIR HANDS IN A UNANIMOUS TRIUMPH OF HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS. VOTING, WHICH WE HAVE MADE THE INSTRUMENT WHICH WILL SET US ON THE THRONE OF THE WORLD BY TEACHING EVEN THE VERY SMALLEST UNITS OF MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE TO VOTE BY MEANS OF MEETINGS AND AGREEMENTS BY GROUPS, WILL THEN HAVE SERVED ITS PURPOSES AND WILL PLAY ITS PART THEN FOR THE LAST TIME BY A UNANIMITY OF DESIRE TO MAKE CLOSE ACQUAINTANCE WITH US BEFORE CONDEMNING US.
5.
TO SECURE THIS WE MUST HAVE EVERYBODY VOTE WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF CLASSES AND QUALIFICATIONS, in order to establish an absolute majority, which cannot be got from the educated propertied classes.
In this way, by inculcating in all a sense of self-importance, we shall destroy among the GOYIM the importance of the family and its educational value and remove the possibility of individual minds splitting off, for the mob, handled by us, will not let them come to the front nor even give them a hearing; it is accustomed to listen to us only who pay it for obedience and attention. In this way we shall create a blind, mighty force which will never be in a position to move in any direction without the guidance of our agents set at its head by us as leaders of the mob. The people will submit to this regime because it will know that upon these leaders will depend its earnings, gratifications and the receipt of all kinds of benefits
here's a good example:
the problem with a man made constitution is that people will eventually amend it - and when they keep amending it - it doesn't mean anything anymore - either the majority will change it due to a desire or accept changes through psychological and statistical manipulation - or a certain group will seize major events to declare a state of emergency and carry out their planned objectives.
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