A question from some brothers regarding the impermissibility of entering parliaments, and the fact that Yusuf (peace be upon him) and our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were under the rule of a disbeliever.
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The Shaykh : Recently, we were discussing elections and that they are not legitimate, and the involvement of some Islamic groups in entering parliaments that are based on ruling by other than what Allah has revealed. One of those present raised an objection similar to yours, saying, "This is Yusuf (peace be upon him) [Yusuf 12:55] If he was a ruler under the authority of a polytheist ruler, namely al-Aziz, why is it not permissible for Muslims to enter these parliaments?" My answer was from two aspects or more. The first aspect is that Yusuf (peace be upon him) did not enter and did not reach that high position through illegitimate elections, but rather Allah (Mighty and Majestic), with His perfect wisdom, tested him with the wife of al-Aziz, and what happened between them—I do not say between him and her what happened—was that as a result of that, he was thrown into prison. And among the details of his stay in prison was his story with the two men; eventually, one was killed and the other became the cupbearer to the king. As you know, the king saw that vision [Yusuf 12:43] and so on [Yusuf 12:43-46] and so on. He conveyed this interpretation to the king, and it pleased him, and he said: [Yusuf 12:54-55] So Yusuf (peace be upon him) did not take a path to reach a goal and a high place, nor did this thing cross his mind. Rather, our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) decreed upon him these various events until the king himself chose him and made him a minister over his state. So he began to rule by his Shari'ah, by the revelation of his Lord, and not by the Shari'ah of the disbeliever. This is from one side. As for us today, we knock on polytheistic doors, pagan and disbelieving doors. Far be it from Yusuf (peace be upon him) that it would cross his mind to knock on them, let alone to knock on them practically. Elections, as you know, are consistent with disbelieving systems in which there is no distinction between believer and disbeliever; all people are equal in their eyes, and there is no distinction between man and woman; the woman has the same right as the man, and so on. And on this basis, when elections open their doors, the believer and the disbeliever, the man and the woman, the righteous and the wicked, enter and nominate themselves in them. And in the result, usually the worst of creation are elected. Do we find it suitable to take this disbelieving path and argue for it with something like the story of Yusuf (peace be upon him)? And the difference between that and the reality of our electoral life today is vast. I said this, and then I added to it finally: This is a Shari'ah from before us, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says: Sahih al-Bukhari 438 So it is not of knowledge at all for a student of knowledge to take as an indication a verse that relates to a Shari'ah from before us. Once we know this reality, we return now to say: We are arguing now with what 'Isa (peace be upon him) said. And after we have known the source of the doubt in your mind, we say: Do you know that in the Shari'ah of 'Isa (peace be upon him) there was something like what is in our Shari'ah, from the saying of Allah the Exalted: [An-Nisa 4:48] such that it is not permissible in our Shari'ah for us to ask our Lord to forgive the disbelievers of our Ummah? Was this present in the Shari'ah of 'Isa, as you know? If so, the doubt falls from its root.
The questioner : There may be a principle here, which is that we know that no polytheist enters Paradise.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is in our Shari'ah, but
The questioner : It is the text of the verse.
The Shaykh : Allow me, where did you take this knowledge from?
The questioner : From our religion.
The Shaykh : Okay, was this in the religion of those before us?
The questioner : The context of the verses that speak about the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : My brother, the verses in our religion, there is no disagreement in them.
The questioner : ... They speak about a matter that will happen to all nations.
The Shaykh : I am asking you, did the nations know this ruling? In other words, was everything we know in our Shari'ah known to those before us?
The questioner : No
The Shaykh : Did not Allah the Exalted say:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] Here is the point [Al-Baqarah 2:286] They carried a heavy burden and shackles, and therefore this Islam came to remove the shackles that had been placed before. So even the heavy rulings that our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) lightened for this Ummah were established and known before, let alone unseen news; it is not far-fetched that they did not occur to them, because they did not know except what was revealed to the prophets, to their prophets. So the fact that this is a scientific reality for us does not necessitate that it is a scientific reality for them. In any case, take it as a principle of jurisprudence that is certain: do not negate it for a doubt that arises for a person merely because of a text, even if it is in our Shari'ah, because this is of the category of [Ali 'Imran 3:7] meaning, always the person takes the clear principles and leaves what are the ambiguous verses or Prophetic hadiths. What did you get from this verse?
Al-Halabi : We learned from that time.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct.
Al-Halabi : The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Hud 11:106-107]
The Shaykh : Yes, here now is the verse, and in order to complete the benefit, look at how the text differs regarding the people of Paradise.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Those who were blessed.
Al-Halabi :[Hud 11:108]
The Shaykh : So now, does this exception contradict the verse of 'Isa (peace be upon him)? What is the end of the verse?
Al-Halabi :[Al-Ma'idah 5:118]
The Shaykh :[Al-Ma'idah 5:118]
Al-Halabi :[Al-Ma'idah 5:118]
The Shaykh :[Al-Ma'idah 5:118]
Al-Halabi :[Al-Ma'idah 5:118]
The Shaykh : Ah, so here, regarding the two groups: those who were blessed, the people of Paradise, and those who were wretched, the people of the Fire, it said "except what Allah wills." The scholars differed greatly in the interpretation of this verse, but the apparent, and Allah knows best, is that linking the fate of the two groups, the blessed and the wretched, to the will of Allah is to draw the attention of the servants of Allah to the fact that all of this is not by the judgment of a ruler over Allah, but rather by His will, and He is effective in what He wills. So we can say that when 'Isa (peace be upon him) said this word, he proceeded from this perspective: if you do what you will, even if it means that those who associated partners with Allah (Mighty and Majestic) [are included], you are effective in what you want, and Allah knows best.
[Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian."
قال اجعلني على خزائن الأرض إني حفيظ عليمIndeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean
إني أرى سبع بقرات سمان يأكلهن سبع عجافO eminent ones, explain to me my vision, if you should interpret visions." (44) They said, "[It is but] a mixture of false dreams, and we are not learned in the interpretation of dreams." (45) But the one who was freed and remembered after a time said, "I will inform you of its interpretation, so send me forth." (46) [He said], "Joseph, O man of truth, explain to us about seven fat cows
يا أيها الملأ أفتوني في رؤياي إن كنتم للرؤيا تعبرون قالوا أضغاث أحلام و ما نحن بتأويل الأحلام بعالمين قال الذي نجى منهما و ادّكر بعد أمة أنا أنبأكم فأرسلون يوسف أيها الصديق أفتنا في سبع بقرات سمانBring him to me; I will appoint him exclusively for myself." And when he spoke to him, he said, "Indeed, you are today established [in position] and trusted." (55) [Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian."
ائتوني به أستخلصه لنفسي قال اجعلني على خزائن الأرض إني حفيظ عليمEvery Prophet used to be sent to his nation exclusively but I have been sent to all mankind.
و كان النبي يبعث إلى قومه خاصة و بعثت إلى الناس كافةIndeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك به و يغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاءThe questioner : There may be a principle here, which is that we know that no polytheist enters Paradise.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is in our Shari'ah, but
The questioner : It is the text of the verse.
The Shaykh : Allow me, where did you take this knowledge from?
The questioner : From our religion.
The Shaykh : Okay, was this in the religion of those before us?
The questioner : The context of the verses that speak about the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : My brother, the verses in our religion, there is no disagreement in them.
The questioner : ... They speak about a matter that will happen to all nations.
The Shaykh : I am asking you, did the nations know this ruling? In other words, was everything we know in our Shari'ah known to those before us?
The questioner : No
The Shaykh : Did not Allah the Exalted say:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها لها ما كسبت و عليها ما اكتسبت ربنا لا تؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأنا و ربنا و لا تحمل علينا إصرا كماlike that which You laid upon those before us
كما حملته على الذين من قبلناthey will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]
يتبعون ما تشابه منه ابتغاء الفتنة و ابتغاء تأويلهAl-Halabi : We learned from that time.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct.
Al-Halabi : The saying of Allah the Exalted:
(106) As for those who were [destined to be] wretched, they will be in the Fire. For them therein is [violent] exhaling and inhaling. (107) [They will be] abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will. Indeed, your Lord is an effecter of what He intends.
فأما الذين شقوا ففي النار لهم فيها زفير و شهيق خالدين فيها ما دامت السموات و الأرض إلا ما شاء ربك إن ربك فعال لما يريدThe Shaykh : Yes, here now is the verse, and in order to complete the benefit, look at how the text differs regarding the people of Paradise.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Those who were blessed.
Al-Halabi :
And as for those who were [destined to be] prosperous, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will - a bestowal uninterrupted.
و أما الذين سعدوا ففي الجنة خالدين فيها ما دامت السموات و الأرض إلا ما شاء ربك عطاء غير مجذوذThe Shaykh : So now, does this exception contradict the verse of 'Isa (peace be upon him)? What is the end of the verse?
Al-Halabi :
If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants
إن تعذبهم فإنهم عبادكThe Shaykh :
If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants
إن تعذبهم فإنهم عبادكAl-Halabi :
but if You forgive them
و إن تغفر لهمThe Shaykh :
but if You forgive them
و إن تغفر لهمAl-Halabi :
indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
فإنك أنت العزيز الحكيمThe Shaykh : Ah, so here, regarding the two groups: those who were blessed, the people of Paradise, and those who were wretched, the people of the Fire, it said "except what Allah wills." The scholars differed greatly in the interpretation of this verse, but the apparent, and Allah knows best, is that linking the fate of the two groups, the blessed and the wretched, to the will of Allah is to draw the attention of the servants of Allah to the fact that all of this is not by the judgment of a ruler over Allah, but rather by His will, and He is effective in what He wills. So we can say that when 'Isa (peace be upon him) said this word, he proceeded from this perspective: if you do what you will, even if it means that those who associated partners with Allah (Mighty and Majestic) [are included], you are effective in what you want, and Allah knows best.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.