Can a democratic system of government go hand
in hand with Khilafah Government?
Democratic system of government is one of many way to
govern society, democracy based on Abraham Lincoln it is system of government comes from us, by us,
and for us. So in this case society has a great contribution to do it. Based on
Franz Magnis Suseno, there are 5 characteristics of democratic state; 1.
Constitutional state 2. The government which is controlled by society 3. Free
General elections 4. Majority principle 5. The guaranty of democratic rights. In
indonesia democratic has been applying for long time, it was started since Ir.
Soekarno’s government. All of us know
that democracy is the better way to govern society because every aspiration and
assumption can be reached. Democracy is important to be known, because nowadays
every principle of democracy doesn’t applied well. We know that majority of
society in Indonesia is Islam. But in fact the system which is used is
Democratic not khilafah government. So I questioning whether a democratic
system of government can go hand in hand with khilafah government. And the
following paragraph will tell you about the case furtherly.
Khilafah
and democracy government system as the way to govern society. Khilafah is a form of
government which was started when our prophet Muhammad SAW passed away. It was
created based on the law of God, it is not the empire government which take the
wealthy of the other state. The character of leadeship doesn’t not rigid, it is
prove that khilafah doesn’t imperialist power. The leadership and government in
Khilafah State is sentralistic while the administration is desentralistic. The
state has several province which is lead by a governor. The method which was
used to choice a ‘Khalifah’ is islamic oath by; 1. Free election by Muslims 2.
Appointment by the representative of muslims who is influence. Abu Hurairah
Said that our prophet Muhammad SAW said “ in truth the leader like a shield,
where the people will be war behind him and take cover with him “ (HR. Muslim).
The principle of Khilafah government is uniqe, you will not arranged by the law
and rule of a system which is created by human. There are 4 principles of
khilafah government;
1.
The
souverignty comes from Syara. Based on Al-qur’an (Q.S al-anam [6] : 57)
“deciding the law is God authority”. It means that there is no tolerance in
law. The power of law can’t be change by human hands.
2.
The
governance in human hands. Abdullah bin Amr bin al-Ash told that Muhammad SAW
said : “ whoever had been done Islam oath an imam, then he gave a helping hand,
so he was asked to obey as long as he can. When someone who wanted to grab his
dominance, so cut his head. “(HR. Muslim). Actually, the leader has responsible
to us not to himself. The people had chosen him to be a leader and the people
can stop him too if he doesn’t follow the rule and law.
3.
Elect
the leader is the obligation to all muslims. Abu Said al-Khudri told that
Muhammad SAW. Said : “ if two Khalifah were elected, so killed the last
one “ (HR. Muslim)
According too islam
perception, The Muslims in the wolrd must be combined under one leadership as
long as the leader follow the rule and law of Islam. He can be followed by the
people, they would not disagree.
4.
Khalifah
has the special authority to adopt ‘syara’. It is just Khalifah which has
authority to determine the ordinance and constitution. Based on Al-qur’an (Q.S
an-nisa [4]: 59) “ the believers, obey God and obey the propehet and the clergy
arrounds of you”.
Those are the certainty of the Khilafah reference. One of
them will be same with democratic principle. In democratic system we elect the
leader and we can contribute in it. We must follow our leader and in democratic
we can be a leader. Democratic and khilafah government system are the same
government elect the leader, and it can replace by the other who can full the
qualification. We can be a leader In democratic government system if we have
many people who are loyal to us. It will be same with Khilafah government which
can elect a Khalifah by representative to the influence people. Democratic system can be applied well if we
adopt several principles of khilafah government. It can decrease the bad image
of democracy which is identical with capitalism, we know that democracy follows
the will of people so whenever it can be changed by the hand human. Actually,
the principle of democracy is accepted by the people. But the practical of it
does not consequence with it. Here we can see the the power of that system is
law. Because it has created by human, it will be different if the law follows
the God’s law. Although not all of the principles can’t reference to khilafah but
several principles which are same have to be fixed.
Democratic
and khilafah had created by the people, they have each period which has marked
themselves. We know that khilafah government has created since ‘Khulafaur
Rasyidin’, it happened based on the asking of our prophet Muhammad SAW. Even
when our prophet passed away, the Muslims especially his best friend ‘Khulafaur
Rasyidin’ decided to elect the leader first. It was the importance of Muslims
and the reference of him. Meanwhile, if we are talking about democracy, we will
talk about the freedom. We can say our aspirations and we can contribute in it.
But because there is no the power of law which is rigid, democracy is identical
with liberalism and capitalism. Everyone who had anything can change the system
of democracy; even he can buy the law. The power of law there is in human
hands. Actually, Khilafah and democracy have been created by people. They have
similar destination commonly, to make their state and people wealthy; everyone
has same occasion and justness. Even though there is a distinction between
them, but it has a same goal. And Khilafah has a way to face the secular. Based
on (Q.S. An-nisa: 591) said “when you are debating about something, so it must
return to God law (Al-qur’an) and Sunnah of the prophetic, if you are really
faith to the last day”. Even though that Indonesia is a pluralistic state with
several religions, it doesn’t mean that Khilafah government system impossible
to be applied. If we learn to the history, when our prophet led the government,
the Christian which saw the advance, they were agreeing to follow it. It teaches
us how to tolerance the other faith. In Islam teaches everything about our
life; economy, politic, life style and etc. Once again I tell that Khilafah which
is containing about the rule and law of God can guide democracy. Islam is
democratic in the sense that it is against dictatorship (istibdad),
against absolutism, and against authoritarianism. [Democracy] does not mean the
parliament's decision to abrogate [the legal status of] gambling and
pornography and as to whether the myths (khurafat), idolatry (kemusyrikan), etc., should be discussed democratically.
No! This is not the right of Parliament to discuss. (Natsir 2001: 89)
There
are several similar principles both of democratic and khilafah government. Democracy
which gives priority to togetherness, everything is for citizenry. It can be
looked from the principles; a. The contributions of society decide politics
decisions, b. The similar authority of the society, c. The freedom which were
admitted and used by society, d. The admiration to the law supremacy. The principle of democracy is defended on the
concept above (rule of law); a. There is no dominance misgovernment, b. There
is no distinction in front of law, c. The human right is protected by statue.
Meanwhile the principles of khilafah government system are like that I’ve said
above. The same principles are like the conference for agreement, the same
level in front of law; we are free to say every aspiration. Even in Islam there
is no force to believe a faith. Democracy can go hand in hand with Khilafah,
based on the majority the people in Indonesia is Islam and most of them who had
battled for Indonesia freedom are Muslims.
Khilafah
follow God's law, while democracy follows the will of the people. Khilafah and democracy are
same, but they have some differnces actually. As I said above, Khilafah is a
rule or law which comes from our prophet Muhammad by reflecting the God’s law. I know that democracy is the way to express
the will of people, and islam give a freedom to do something as long as it
doesn’t contradictory. Islam follows the development of period isn’t it? And we
the thinking about Islam doesn’t rigid. There is innovation; liberalism,
Fundamentalism, moderate. There are many perceptions about the way to follow
God’s law. God’s law doesn’t have to rigid; we can show it by the other way,
for example; in the last two decades, Indonesian Muslims
have enthusiastically been involved in various democratic activities. Islamic
organizations such as Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have actively been
supporting the empowerment of civil society and the process of democratization
in the country. Even more importantly, Muslim leaders from both organizations
have been enthusiastically engaged in the intellectual and political discourse
to effectuate a more moderate and more liberal Islam. Hence, not only were they
were against the idea of Islamic state or the implementation of Islamic laws,
but also endorsing a more moderate and 'secular' platform of the state.
The
concept of Khilafah enable will grow many perceptions from every genre of
Islam. So far, Islam has many genres; even it has begun since the leadership of
Ali bin Thalib. There are several thinking about Islam at that time; Khawarij,
As-ariyah, Maturidiyah, Syiah, Mu’tazilah. But in this period, those of them
had been changing to the organization. Especially As-ariyah which is called by
Ahlu Sunnah Waljamaah, it has grew many organization which each islam thought
(Mazhab). There are; Nahdatul Ulama (NU), Persis, Muhammadiyah. Although there
are distinction of them and but their point of view can be same in the rigid
law of God. The rule of law khilaafah can’t be changed anymore. Based on the (Q.S. Ali Imran : 103). “ and hold on you all to the God’s religion
and do not you separated with the other ”. It means that however we are different in point of
view about something but we can’t judge that the concept of khilafah can change
because following the development of period. Khilafah is khilafah, it will not
change until whenever. The law of Khilafah is Al-qur’an, and comes from God. No
one has an authority to change God’s law.
Khilafah
will not be accepted easily because we are pluralistic state. In Indonesia,
khilafah will not be easy to be applied, because there are several religion and
different point view about the government system. But it doesn’t mean that it
is impossible, we can see from history,” Khilafah has led world for 13 years
“. The Christian can do the
‘Renaissance’ and ‘Aufklarung’ in Europe. It is a fact, why the system of
Khilafah Abbasiyah can open the door of knowledge, science, architecture, etc.
Because one things, Islam has Al-qur’an which it’s containing about everything.
Whatever can be found in it, so although the pluralistic in Indonesia are hard
to unite, Khilafah government System can give the answer how to govern society
well.
So
far, we know that the distinction between democracy and Khilafah government are
in the point of view. I am aware that Indonesia is pluralistic state, but we
need to try the real concept which no one can change it. It is Khilafah government
system, based on Al-qur’an (Q.S. al-maidah [5] : 3) ‘ today had I made perfect
your religion and had I made enough your grace and had been I willing Islam be
your religion “. And there is a system of government which has elected based on
Al-qur’an and Hadits. It is Khilafah government system. We can learn for the
history when khilafah had led the world for 13 century. The characteristic of
Islam is universal and it is for all people who live in this world. The
pluralistic in Indonesia just a little problem, we can apply the system of
Khilafah government. We are just waiting for the time.
Bibliography
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Jalal “mengenal system islam” Pustaka
Thariqul Izzah. 2004
As’ad
Muhammad “system pemerintahan islam “ 2006
Al-qur’an
Assyaukanie Luthfi. ‘Democracy and the Islamic State Muslim Arguments for
Political Change in Indonesia’. The Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies 20•2004
Anwar M. Syafi’i “
pemikiran dan aksi islam Indonesia “ Paramadina Jakarta 1995.
