Voting in the Western World, is it permissible?

**Intisar** · 08-08-2007

brothers and sisters I hope you're all in good health and imaan insha'allah.

From many people I've come across, I've heard that voting in the Western world isn't permissible I just wanted to know whether it's true and why.

**guyabano** · 08-08-2007

Voting for what and specifically as a muslim ?

**Joe98** · 08-08-2007

Originally Posted by Sister-Ameena

From many people I've come across, I've heard that voting in the Western world isn't permissible I just wanted to know whether it's true and why

You're in Toronto and as far as I know, it's in the Western world and Canadians vote.

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**Salaam** · 08-08-2007

insha'allah you should refer to the scholar's in your own country, regarding if it is allowed to vote or not.

**Intisar** · 08-08-2007

Good morning to you too..

lol Well, I'm asking this question as a Muslim, because as far as I'm concerned I consider myself a Muslim before anything. I was wondering if it's halal (permissible) to vote in secular states aka the Western World.

**InToTheRain** · 08-08-2007

Bro Salaam is right, you need to ask this question to those qualified in matters of Fiqh to answer this insha'allah. Unfortunately no one in this forum is qualified to answer this, but they can give another scholars opinion.

Check this out:
http://www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.p...84b10f8731fe67

**Salaam** · 08-08-2007

there are different situations in different countrys, ie in the uk the scholars have said that it is allowed to vote. refer to the following artical (this artical is only concerning uk residents) http://www.islam21c.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18367&It emid=44

so you should ask the scholars in your country, becuase the scholar's in other countrys dont know the sitution of the muslims in your country.

**Intisar** · 08-08-2007

Yeah, I was wondering in general thanks for the links tho, I'll definitely check them out and ask the advice of a person with higher knowledge in the deen. Salaam.

**Ebtisweetsam** · 08-08-2007

Originally Posted by Sister-Ameena*

brothers and sisters I hope you're all in good health and imaan insha'allah.

From many people I've come across, I've heard that voting in the Western world isn't permissible I just wanted to know whether it's true and why.

I asked our Imaam in Australia and he said of course we have to vote- in fact he said it is like an amaaanah that we do. We need to desperately have an opinion in these sorts of matters.

**Haidar_Abbas** · 08-08-2007

its better as a believer to not take part in haram form of govt and to obstain from it inshaAllah...just think of this...you vote in a western govt and in one way or another they undermine the ummah and even do far worse things to us...if that doesnt crush your heart with guilt then i dont know what will lolll (thats not my intention sister)...also another aspect its better for the believers to not be accustomed to being ruled by anything other than shariah... Allahu Alaam, migrate if you have the means to the land where the athan is heard 5 times aday and live amoung beleivers inshaAllah..

**Woodrow** · 08-08-2007

Originally Posted by Haidar_Abbas

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its better as a believer to not take part in haram form of govt and to obstain from it inshaAllah...

True

just think of this...you vote in a western govt and in one way or another they undermine the ummah and even do far worse things to us...if that doesnt crush your heart with guilt then i dont know what will lolll (thats not my intention sister)...also another aspect its better for the believers to not be accustomed to being ruled by anything other than shariah...

However, the act of not voting is a vote. It is a positive vote in agreement with those who win.
To not vote against something is an automatic acceptance of voting for it. By not voting we vote to accept the will of the voters we disagree with.

Allahu Alaam, migrate if you have the means to the land where the athan is heard 5 times aday and live amoung beleivers inshaAllah..

**Encolpius** · 08-08-2007

People who pass up the opportunity to vote get the government they deserve.

**Ebtisweetsam** · 08-08-2007

Originally Posted by Haidar_Abbas

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its better as a believer to not take part in haram form of govt and to obstain from it inshaAllah...just think of this...you vote in a western govt and in one way or another they undermine the ummah and even do far worse things to us...

Brother the voting will go on with or without ur vote.... the Imaam instructed us to vote because it is better for a minute Muslim Ummah to have an opinion and get the B]BETTER[/B] of the two parties be goverment/president, rather than the worse of the two. The prophet taught us to first speak with our mouths, but the weaker stay silent.

if that doesnt crush your heart with guilt then i dont know what will lolll (thats not my intention sister)...also another aspect its better for the believers to not be accustomed to being ruled by anything other than shariah... Allahu Alaam, migrate if you have the means to the land where the athan is heard 5 times aday and live amoung beleivers inshaAllah..:sl: [/FONT]

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Believe me i tried that brother and i saw more ignorance in a so-called muslim country than i eva did in Aust. I am a muslim first ..... when u see poor muslim's' hands being chopped off because they stole, and the govt that steals everyday, getting away with murder... it gets you thinking , which shariah are they talking about...

**Intisar** · 08-09-2007

Originally Posted by Haidar_Abbas

its better as a believer to not take part in haram form of govt and to obstain from it inshaAllah...just think of this...you vote in a western govt and in one way or another they undermine the ummah and even do far worse things to us...if that doesnt crush your heart with guilt then i dont know what will lolll (thats not my intention sister)...also another aspect its better for the believers to not be accustomed to being ruled by anything other than shariah... Allahu Alaam, migrate if you have the means to the land where the athan is heard 5 times aday and live amoung beleivers inshaAllah..

Akhi you're right we should abstain from supporting governments and politicians that undermine the Ummah, but I'm just asking this question on a personal level because insha'allah Ta'ala I am turning 18 soon. Unfortunately I do not have the opportunity of moving to a Muslim country of which you made sound so appealing

. I'm wondering though, don't you feel like you need to stand up for things that you don't agree with? I mean by not voting (like brother Woodrow said) you're agreeing with the very same people that you disagree with.

**E'jaazi** · 08-09-2007

I read, and I truly believe, that it is not permissible to vote for those who will legislate by other than what Allah has ordained. I was on two websites back in the 2000 elections - one was called muslims for bush and the other muslims for kerry. I put forth the same arguement and got a few negative responses. When I asked each site what it was that they thought that bush or kerry was going to do for Islam and the Muslims, I got NO response. And we see what the end result has been!

**Joe98** · 08-09-2007

Originally Posted by Sister-Ameena

....because as far as I'm concerned I consider myself a Muslim before anything. I was wondering if it's halal (permissible) to vote in secular states aka the Western World.

You would not want to take the risk of offending Allah. Just don't vote.

Have a nice day

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**Joe98** · 08-09-2007

And of course who ever wins the election it is the will of Allah.

So if you don't vote is doesn't matter.

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**Malaikah** · 08-11-2007

Originally Posted by Haidar_Abbas

its better as a believer to not take part in haram form of govt and to obstain from it inshaAllah...just think of this...you vote in a western govt and in one way or another they undermine the ummah and even do far worse things to us...if that doesnt crush your heart with guilt then i dont know what will lolll (thats not my intention sister)...also another aspect its better for the believers to not be accustomed to being ruled by anything other than shariah... Allahu Alaam, migrate if you have the means to the land where the athan is heard 5 times aday and live amoung beleivers inshaAllah..

What if we don't vote and then because of that the party who wins start doing evil stuff that the other party would not have done?

Originally Posted by Joe98

And of course who ever wins the election it is the will of Allah.

So if you don't vote is doesn't matter.

That is not the mentality of a Muslim. We do our best to enjoin good and forbid evil, and if we fail, then we accept that it is by the will of Allah- we are rewarded for our efforts and punished for the lack there of, not for the outcome, because the outcome is not in our hands, but our choice to act is in our hands.

**Intisar** · 08-11-2007

Originally Posted by Malaikah

What if we don't vote and then because of that the party who wins start doing evil stuff that the other party would not have done?

That's exactly what I was thinking sis, if we don't vote then it's a vote in a sense...right?:rolleyes:

**Woodrow** · 08-11-2007

Originally Posted by Sister-Ameena*

That's exactly what I was thinking sis, if we don't vote then it's a vote in a sense...right?:rolleyes:

Correct. If you live in a country that is run by popular vote. It is impossible not to vote. You can refuse to go to the polls . But, that is also a vote. Your stated vote is you agree to accept the results.

Sadly, many politicians do there best to promote a low voter turn out and win the election by a very small minority.

Voting is not just electing officials, it is also the turning down or approving of governing laws.