Reality of Elections

al-mufasid (harms and evils)

1. Setting up Partners with Allaah: Elections enter into Shirk of Obedience, since they are a part of democracy, and democracy gives the right of rule to the people. [Note takfeer is not made of those who enter into them, unless they believe the correctness of this way. But some of the Innovators consider this a means that can be adopted, and they have doubts in this regard (see later below)]

2. Suspecting the Sharee'ah of being deficient

3. Wasting the principle of loyalty and disownment (i.e. by agreeing to cooperate with others who maybe astray, or innovators, or even kuffaar)

4. Submitting to secular statutes, constitutions

5. Causing doubt and confusion over the Muslims

6. Elections only serve the Jews and Christians

7. It is a forbidden means

8. It destroys the unity of the Muslims

9. It destroys the Islamic Brotherhood

10. It creates despised partisanship

11. It aids partisanship and bigotry

12. Using wealth for other than Sharee'ah objectives

13. The Candidate only strives to please the voters

14. The Candidate is put to trial by wealth

15. Being concerned with quantity (of followers) not quantity

16. Being concerned with reaching the top without look at the corruption aqeedah

17. Using the Sharee'ah texts out of place

18. The Candidate's acceptance of legislative conditions (that may oppose the Sharee'ah)

19. The tribulation of women in elections

20. Encourageming the people to be present in the gatherings of falsehood

21. Cooperation upon sin and oppression

22. Wasting efforts without any benefit

23. Empty promises

24. Mixed and confused alliances (with others)

Shubahaat

1. Their claim that Democracy, generally speaking agrees with Islaam [Shurocracy?!!!]

2. Their claim that elections were at the beginning of Islaam

3. Their claim of the permissibility of taking a small part of the Jaahili organisational arrangement (nidhaam)

4. Their claim that elections are a matter of Ijtihaad

5. Their claim that elections are from the affairs of public interest (al-masaalih al-mursalah)

6. Their claim "We have entered into elections, desiring nothing but good"

7. Their claim "We have entered into Islaam in order to establish an Islamic State"

8. Their claim that establishing the Islamic State occurs in gradual changes

9. Their claim that they will turn away from (i.e. change) the secular constitution to an Islamic constitution

10. Their claim that they do not wish to leave the room open for the enemies

11. Their claim that they are compelled and forced to enter elections and parliaments

12. Their claim that they have entered them dut to necessity

13. Their claim that they have entered into elections as it is the lesser of two evils

14. Their claim that those who are given verdict for the permissibility or legality of elections are Noble Scholars

And the statement of Shaykh al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) concerning political work and entering into parliaments that was quoted in the book "Madaarik un-Nadhar":

When asked about this allowance of entry into elections (which was actually only a restricted and one-off allowance for the Algerians, due to what they portrayed to him). He was asked, "We have heard that you said - O Shaykh - that it is permissible to enter into parliamentary elections, but with conditions?!"

Shaykh al-Albaanee replied, "No it is not permissible. These conditions - when they are any - are purely theoretical and speculative, and not knowledge-based. So do you remember my conditions that I stated?"

The questioner said, "The first is that a person should protect his own self (i.e. protect his religion)". The Shaykh asked, "And is this possible?" The questioner replied, "I have never exercised this (so I do not know)". The Shaikh said, "And if Allaah wills you will not exercise this! It is not possible to meet these conditions. And we observe many of the people who at the beginning of their lives - we could see from their appearance, from their clothes, from their beards - and then when they entered the Parliament, then their appearance changed! And following that they began to justify it… And likewise we would see people entering the Parliament with Islamic Arabic clothing and then after a few days they changed their clothing!! So is this an evidence of corruption or of rectification?!"

They questioner said, "Shaykh, I mean the brothers in Algeria, and their work there and their entry into the Political arena?" The Shaykh replied, "We do not advise this! We do not advise political work these days in any of the Islamic countries…" "Silsilah al-Hudaa wan-Noor" (1/352)