Friday, January 19, 2007

Caliphate in the 21st Century

From Elmasry Elyoum>> Brotherhood MP Confesses: The Brotherhood was established to bring back Islamic Caliphate [read article]

It's such a disgrace when you hear somebody talking about "Caliphate" (Khilafa) in the 21st century. YA NAS YA HOOH, how come this bunch of mentally retarded people live among us and control our lives in many fields. How come this person doesn't realize we're in the year 2007, or let's say 1428 hijri (kol sana wento tayebeen)? Ya3ni all the values that humanity has struggled for through the ages will go with the wind kedda, just because the Brotherhood wants to bring back Calihpate! To hell with democracy, development, free thinking, freedom of speech, women liberation, human rights, and everything that leads to the advancement of nations. Let's go back in history, whilst we already suffer from the huge gap between us and the "First World". The real tragedy is that hallucination has its audience nowadays. Unfortunately, there are some people who listen to this talk and wonder "why not?"! These are people who live in a coma without making the slightest effort to wake up.
Why?! Because Caliphate was never part of our religion. Prophet Mohamed was a messenger of God, not a president of the Islamic World, and he never mentioned anything about Caliphate in his life. Because Caliphate involves no democracy (he is chosen by a few members of Shura) and is not elected by the people. Because no one can dare object to his rule or question his methods. Because there are no clear qualifications for earning the position of Caliph (Khalifa). Because, as the Brotherhood Murshed said, anyone can be a Caliph as long as he is Muslim (Rosalyousef 12/4/2006); which means that an Indian Muslim can rule Egypt; and which means that he doesn't even have to speak Arabic (that was the actual case with the Ottoman Caliph), which means, again, diminishing local identity and cultural variety. Because Caliphate did not protect Islamic countries against foreign attacks or occupation. Because of other numerous reasons.

Before we jump up in rage and overreact whenever there is an air of ridicule about Islam; please, take a minute to look around and see what Muslims do. Take a minute and think about those like Mr. Mohamed Shaker, who is an MP, and who is supposed to represent us as Egyptians. He represents you and me, like it or not. Yes. He got his seat in parliament via our votes, or cause we didn't care enough to vote, either ways led to the same outcome. Take a minute to think about what Mohamed Omara wrote in his last book concerning Christians. This man has earned several important positions in our religious institutions, and he is currently a member in the Islamic High Council, so he shouldn't be easily considered as someone babbling nonsense. This is a serious issue.

Take a minute to think about Muslims who kill one another in Iraq and Somalia. Take a minute to think about those who were unsuspectedly allowed inside a country and then killed thousands of its civilians in the name of Islamic Jihad. Take a minute to think about women in Arab countries and how they are made to look like black ghosts, and treated like second class citizens, facing laws that ban them from voting or driving. Take a minute to think about how some slaughter young girls (through circumcision) in the name of ethics. Take a minute to look at how our culture doesn't show any tolerance for the Other. Take another minute to think about why we neglected reading, modern sciences, arts, and social development; while men are growing their beards and women are covering their heads. Why haven't our countries yet known democracy, on the macro and micro levels alike? Why do we detest dialogue and fear freedom? Why do many of us still believe in superstitions? Why haven't we invented anything useful to the world while we thrive on consuming their products and making use of their technology? Why and why and why?

The problem was never in Islam. But Muslims give their religion a bad reputation, through their practices. And yet we want the civilized world to respect us. Hya eih? 3afya?.. Let's look at ourselves from the inside. Let's try to criticize ourselves and CHANGE before the coming generations condemn us. Tayeb bzemetak, dear reader, do you respect Hindus and Buddhists, who together make up half the world population? Although they have never threatened us in any way or shown any disrespect towards us. Our culture, which is totally manmade and, hence, transformable, simply didn't teach us to respect them. We didn't learn that anywhere. Not at home, nor our school, nor our mosques, nor our media, nor our literature; it isn't there. I wish we would start now to learn this lesson. It's already too late, but better late than never. And instead of denouncing those who criticize us, let's take it as an opportunity for analyzing our weaknesses and facing them. We can't hide anywhere. We can't stop the clock and just decide to escape to Caliphate. We can't avoid history from writing us in its worst pages, unless we write a new and better final chapter.

5 comments:

Fadfadation said...

"all the values that humanity has struggled for through the ages will go with the wind kedda"

What does Caliphate have to do with humanity?
I am with you we should elect him no inheretence in being a caliphate or president (which as you said has nothing to do with Islam).
But i look at Claiphate (or any other name you want to call it in these current times) as a way to get all muslim or at least arab counrty to have one leader.
Unity ya3ny min el a7'er.
That's what Caliphate (if applied nowadays) should be like.

"To hell with democracy, development, free thinking, freedom of speech, women liberation, human rights, and everything that leads to the advancement of nations"

still can't see the resemblence..

"anyone can be a Caliph as long as he is Muslim "

As muslims we beleive that there is no difference between any muslim and another. And since (in my view) the khilafa should be through election and it means UNITY, then there will be a Muslim from one part of the Islamic countries elected as a ruler of all.

"local identity and cultural variety"

Our Islamic history shows that this is not true. Evey counrty had it's own ruler (7akem) but all answer to the Khalifa. Another thing is that all arab or islamic countries after being ruled by many rulers never lost their identity.

What some of the MBs or even Mohamed Omara did or said is wrong tab3an... but, as fair people... lets not generalize.

All the bad things you mentioned are there tab3an, and are a pity.
But, again throughout our Islamic history these things (and worse) were around. That does not mean to throw the whole idea of a United Islamic Nation away.
Evil, fanatics..etc will always be there. We can not just say:"everything is bad, mafysh fayad".

"The problem was never in Islam. But Muslims give their religion a bad reputation"

%100 right!

"Hindus and Buddhists, who together make up half the world population? Although they have never threatened us in any way or shown any disrespect towards us"

Seems you have no idea what's happning in Inda, Kashmir!! or even the history of that area...it is very bloody between muslims and
Hindus for instance.

But that doesn't mean we have to live along as GOd told us to.

Nice post :)

Fadfadation said...

Sorry..the last part was :

"But that doesn't mean we can not live along, as GOd told us to."

Om Luji said...

Fadfadation:
Wow, What a comment! I see you read that posting thoroughly and that makes me glad. However, by quoting me, I feel obliged to answer to each point for clarifying matters.

1. "The values that humanity has struggled for" refer to the long way people have travelled to develop their world through history.
In my opinion, Caliphate has no place in today's world, no matter what modern attire it takes. People have worked hard to put tangable laws and rules to which all can abide, aside from their religious or ethnic differences. These rules and laws guarantee that the same noble values, which are at the soul of every religion, be defended.(democracy, freedom, human rights ...etc.)
2. You take it for granted that Muslims don't have differences within themselves. How come? Those negative practices I refered to in my posting are not carried out by a minority of individuals, there are many groups that have their own ideolgies and understanding of Islam. And each group think that they are the sole owners of truth.
3. Why do you think we need one ruler for the whole Islamic World? I don't think it is the way for achieving unity. And unity in its turn doesn't have to be on the governmental level.
4. By Hindus and Buddhists, I meant the followers of Hinduism and Buddhism. Political considerations are another issue. And if you think they are hostile towards Muslims in general, you'd better think again.

Hope this explains more.
Looking forward to more of your comments.

Fadfadation said...

Nice talking to you...

1- "These rules and laws guarantee that the same noble values, which are at the soul of every religion, be defended"

having an islamic rule does not mean these values (whcih we all value) will be comprimized.
The proofs of that are many from within our Islamic history.

2- "each group think that they are the sole owners of truth"

Spot on, that is the real problem we are facing these days!

To solve that, we have to have a true democracy and everyone lays his (parties) idea on the table and we let "REAL" polls and ballot boxes decide which way to go.

Islamic Fikh is vast and has many Ijtihadaat which can solve any issue. The point is which to choose. Again polls..etc.

3- "Why do you think we need one ruler for the whole Islamic World?"

Well, i don't think that and actually i don't think that will happen. My argument was "why not".

But since we mentioned it, i hope to see an Islamic (or at least Arab) union like the EU for instance. On ALL levels.

The thing is, we have to start somewhere...sometime!

4- "And if you think they are hostile towards Muslims in general, you'd better think again."

Seyatek there have been very bloody wars. Too meany to mention the many incidents where both sides were guilt (muslims and others). Does burning a mousque a few years ago ring a bell?
Remember the massacares that happened during Ghandi's time??

It is not political only ya fandem :)

aaaaah, te3ebt min el 2raya weel ketaba ...lol

Anonymous said...

"Why haven't we invented anything useful to the world while we thrive on consuming their products and making use of their technology?"

That shows your ignorance about Islamic history with regards to innovation and the sciences. It is typical of a conquered, brainwashed person by the West to cite all the problems of Islamic society yet praise the West in every aspect. Remember, these people, who you so envy, occupied our lands and destroyed our unity (politically speaking).
The Caliphate should be established, maybe not as one monolithic nation but a union of sorts similar to the EU or a nation with different autonomous republics. Who says it will be governed by the backward, illiterate culture put forth by militant groups? I see a desire not by only the ultra-fundamentalist but also the mainstream Muslim intellectual who are beginning to realize our strength was in our unity not in our division. If the masses rally, surely a modern, progressive, yet distinctively Islamic society can be achieved. With the help of Allah, even if the whole world desists it can be achieved.

Inshallah....