The Ruling on Participating in Elections and Legislative Councils
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah inform you, what is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding elections in which the one with the most votes is chosen over the others? If it is like the legislative councils that make their decisions by majority, is it permissible to enter into these elections and these councils?
Answer:
This is not the guidance of Islam; it is not the guidance of Islam in governance. The guidance of Islam in governance is that the people of authority and decision (ahl al-hall wa al-'aqd) choose an Imam for them, just as they chose Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Or, the Imam who is appointed chooses a successor to be after him, just as Abu Bakr chose 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Or, the Imam entrusts specific people from the people of consultation, from the people of opinion and knowledge, to choose the Imam. The number should be small, but an elite group, and they choose the Imam. Once they have chosen him, obedience to him becomes obligatory upon the community, just as 'Umar entrusted the six remaining from the ten promised Paradise, who are the people of consultation, and they chose 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), so the people were obligated to obey him.
This is the guidance of Islam. There is a fourth type: if the Imam overcomes the people with his sword and strength and they submit to him, obedience to him is also obligatory, and his Imamate is established thereby to unite the word and the leadership. Just as the Muslims agreed upon 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, who took power by the sword. This was during the time of the Tabi'un and the great Imams; they submitted to him and obeyed him to unite the word, end the shedding of blood, and avert fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Thus, his Imamate is valid thereby, as long as he is a Muslim and has overcome by his sword, for obedience to him is obligatory. These are the matters of establishing authority in Islam.
As for these democratic systems, as they call them, these are systems of disbelief (kufr) and have no voice in Islam. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah inform you, what is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding elections in which the one with the most votes is chosen over the others? If it is like the legislative councils that make their decisions by majority, is it permissible to enter into these elections and these councils?
Answer:
This is not the guidance of Islam; it is not the guidance of Islam in governance. The guidance of Islam in governance is that the people of authority and decision (ahl al-hall wa al-'aqd) choose an Imam for them, just as they chose Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Or, the Imam who is appointed chooses a successor to be after him, just as Abu Bakr chose 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Or, the Imam entrusts specific people from the people of consultation, from the people of opinion and knowledge, to choose the Imam. The number should be small, but an elite group, and they choose the Imam. Once they have chosen him, obedience to him becomes obligatory upon the community, just as 'Umar entrusted the six remaining from the ten promised Paradise, who are the people of consultation, and they chose 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), so the people were obligated to obey him.
This is the guidance of Islam. There is a fourth type: if the Imam overcomes the people with his sword and strength and they submit to him, obedience to him is also obligatory, and his Imamate is established thereby to unite the word and the leadership. Just as the Muslims agreed upon 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, who took power by the sword. This was during the time of the Tabi'un and the great Imams; they submitted to him and obeyed him to unite the word, end the shedding of blood, and avert fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Thus, his Imamate is valid thereby, as long as he is a Muslim and has overcome by his sword, for obedience to him is obligatory. These are the matters of establishing authority in Islam.
As for these democratic systems, as they call them, these are systems of disbelief (kufr) and have no voice in Islam. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 3/2/14 شرح مسائل الجاهلية / الشريط الثالث / جزء٢ — youtube.com (14:41)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.