I have a book on my shelf on the History Of Muslim Political Philosophy. These young Egyptians don't know their own culture..brought up on Hollywood, they think they can will anything. At one time it was nationalism, now it's democracy....Don't they realise they can't change their culture of 1,400 years? All they will achieve is a score of dead bodies and a date - and things will remain the same.
Every time we've overthrown a dictator in Bangladesh and erstwhile East Pakistan, we've repented at leisure. And Bangladesh is prime exhibit of how a 'democracy' can be ruled from Washington and Brussels through corruption of the intelligentsia. The only difference is that violence escalates under a democracy.
And the Egyptian people have been deluded into western modes of thought by the opposition. Since Ibn Hanbal and al-Ashari, nonresistance has been Sunni political doctrine. A veneer of democracy may emerge, as in Bangladesh and Pakistan, but the deeply rooted culture will remain.
What a pathetic spectacle!
Showing posts with label Al-Ashari. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Al-Ashari. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Muslim Political Philosophy
Sunni political philosophy crystallized around 1000 AD. The philosophy can be summarized in one word: nonresistance.
Ibn Hanbal affirmed our duty of absolute obedience to a ruler except under two rare and extraordinary circumstances: apostasy and failure to ensure communal prayer. Indeed, so long as these conditions are met, even a usurper, if successful, must be obeyed. The only criterion, then, is military success.
Al-Ashari denounced 'those who hold it right to rise against the leaders whenever there may be apparent in them a falling away from right...We are against armed rebellion, and civil war."
This was the culmination of an earlier theory of government, which was criticised by the Mutazilites. Al-Jahiz, for one, held that a tyrant may be deposed and criticised the Traditionists as 'innovators of our time...[who] pretend that to speak against bad government is tantamount to civil war, and that to curse tyrants is tantamount to heresy (bida')". Indeed, resistance finally did become tantamount to bida'.
Al-Mawardi and Al-Ghazzali became major proponents of nonresistance.
Today, we have come under western influence and have become rational Mutazilites again. As a Muslim country, we must abandon the seditious philosophy of the west, and reclaim our political heritage.
Ibn Hanbal affirmed our duty of absolute obedience to a ruler except under two rare and extraordinary circumstances: apostasy and failure to ensure communal prayer. Indeed, so long as these conditions are met, even a usurper, if successful, must be obeyed. The only criterion, then, is military success.
Al-Ashari denounced 'those who hold it right to rise against the leaders whenever there may be apparent in them a falling away from right...We are against armed rebellion, and civil war."
This was the culmination of an earlier theory of government, which was criticised by the Mutazilites. Al-Jahiz, for one, held that a tyrant may be deposed and criticised the Traditionists as 'innovators of our time...[who] pretend that to speak against bad government is tantamount to civil war, and that to curse tyrants is tantamount to heresy (bida')". Indeed, resistance finally did become tantamount to bida'.
Al-Mawardi and Al-Ghazzali became major proponents of nonresistance.
Today, we have come under western influence and have become rational Mutazilites again. As a Muslim country, we must abandon the seditious philosophy of the west, and reclaim our political heritage.
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