The Mind of PAS President
POLITICS THAT IS GUIDED BY ALLAH
Allah said:
﴿۞إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُكُمۡ أَن تُؤَدُّواْ ٱلۡأَمَٰنَٰتِ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمۡتُم بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ أَن تَحۡكُمُواْ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦٓۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرٗا٥٨ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنكُمۡۖ فَإِن تَنَٰزَعۡتُمۡ فِي شَيۡءٖ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ وَأَحۡسَنُ تَأۡوِيلًا٥٩﴾
“Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between people that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He who heareth and seeth all things (58). O ye who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best, and most suitable for final determination (59).” (Surah Al-Nisa’: 58-59)
Islam is founded upon the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet. It is a guidance throughout the life journey of man in this world before stepping into the eternal realm of the afterlife.
This is the kind of guidance that we requested from Allah in every step of the prayer, be it the obligatory prayer or the voluntary one, including the funeral prayer with no ruku’ and sujud.
The terms ‘honesty’ and ‘justice’ are some of Islam’s ideal concepts. They should not be regarded lightly just because they sound nice and everyone else is using them as a label for their organizations or political parties which are either Islamic, secular or non-Muslim by nature. Islam emphasizes that the concept of honesty and justice can only be implemented with the presence of steadfastness.
Steadfastness is the condition to be met for Allah to grant victory to those who are able to fulfill it. The key is to abide by the comprehensiveness of Islam that encompasses every teaching about human life which includes the relationship between man and Allah, man with other man, and man with other beings in order to achieve his vision towards the afterlife.
Islam can also overcome all changes that are considered the laws of nature including man’s way of life. In Islam, the conditions and the pillars will always remain fixed especially in things that are considered the most essential foundations or pillars of that particular matters.
One of the most challenging aspects in fulfilling trust and upholding justice is using politics to manage worldly affair with Islam in order to safely bridge mankind into the afterlife.
The kind of politics that the prophets were involved in were as stated by Prophet Muhammad:
كَانَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ تَسُوسُهُمُ الأَنْبِيَاءُ، كُلَّمَا هَلَكَ نَبِيٌّ خَلَفَهُ نَبِيٌّ، وَإِنَّهُ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي، وَسَيَكُونُ خُلَفَاءُ فَيَكْثُرُونَ. قَالُوا: فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا؟ قَالَ: فُوا بِبَيْعَةِ الأَوَّلِ فَالأَوَّلِ، أَعْطُوهُمْ حَقَّهُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَائِلُهُمْ عَمَّا اسْتَرْعَاهُمْ. (رواه البخاري(
“The Israelis used to be ruled and guided by prophets: Whenever a prophet died, another would take over his place. There will be no prophet after me, but there will be Caliphs who will increase in number.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! What do you order us (to do)?” He said, “Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first. Fulfil their (i.e. the Caliphs) rights, for Allah will ask them about (any shortcoming) in ruling those Allah has put under their guardianship.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3455)
The Muslims are obliged to return to the Quran and the matters that are specifically elaborated in the sunnah, which is the practice and the guidance of Prophet Muhammad in all matters that are recorded by scholars in riwayah (in the order it was received from one person to another) and dirayah (understanding it according to the way it is supposed to be understood in terms of the Quranic language and the definition of knowledge in all aspects).
The honorable education that the scholars received as well as the culture of knowledge have successfully preserved the truth of the Quran and the sunnah so that it cannot be misled, intentionally or otherwise, and exposed those who are trying to misinterpret it.
Their education is not similar to the way it is today that prefers the easiest way of doing things without taking the Islamic guidance into account. It is solely reliant upon the human mind without any guidance from Allah, obtained either through reading or by a direct request to Allah. In fact, they only take the path led by high-funded mainstream media with those whose only purpose of living is to satisfy their need for material consumption and completely disregard the question of right and wrong, or lawful and unlawful.
They also get their information from the social media of those who share their opinions in a careless and ignorant manner without any guidance to lead them. This happens because they had disrespected the boundary that Allah has set through His words:
﴿وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسُۡٔولٗا٣٦﴾
“And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).” (Surah Al-Isra’: 36)
Let those who disbelief and misbehave to continue to go astray along with their compound ignorance.
We must return to the Quranic verses mentioned in the beginning of this article (Surah al-Nisa’: 58-59). These verses provide guidance in upholding the foundations and the concepts of Islamic politics, either in the matters that are fixed with no room for debate or the matters that are flexible and change according to new developments in human life, in order to peacefully spread the Islamic message to every people so that they can directly observe Islam from valid sources.
The decision to convert to Islam, embrace the Islamic concept of living in pluralistic community without converting to Islam or remain hostile towards Islam, is up to them.
Allah SWT allows the Muslim to form relationship with the non-Muslims even though they, in theory, are the enemy by coming up with a slogan that promotes the approach of ‘The Culture of Mature and Peaceful Politics’.
Rasulullah SAW had preached and implemented it in practice in two stages. During the first stage in Mecca, it happened when the Muslims were weak and powerless but in the second stage in Medina, it happened when the Muslims were in their strongest state and had become the major power in the world during the Conquest of Mecca.
Before taking over Mecca, Prophet Muhammad pbuh rejected the offer of power at the expense of Islamic politics. At the same time, he cooperated with the non-Muslims who were not hostile towards Islam. The alliance was in the name of Tahaluf (understanding), Himayah (protection from injustice) and Taawun (helping one another in the spirit of humanity in the matters of welfare, not in committing sins and transgressions).
Once the alliance had been disrespected, everything will be annulled because loyalty towards foundations and goals is something that should not be interfered with. Everyone should patiently stick to it even if they have to make sacrifices and wait for a long period of time until several generations have passed and some of their comrades have passed away in the middle of the journey, either during the fight or after leaving the fight.
Allah said:
﴿لَوۡ كَانَ عَرَضٗا قَرِيبٗا وَسَفَرٗا قَاصِدٗا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُۚ وَسَيَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡنَا لَخَرَجۡنَا مَعَكُمۡ يُهۡلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ٤٢﴾
“If there had been immediate gain (in sight) and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them. They would indeed swear by Allah “If we only could, we should certainly have come out with you” they would destroy their own souls; for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.” (Surah At-Tawba: 42)
When some of the Mecca leaders came to visit Prophet Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib who had always remained by the Prophet’s side, to propose an offer of high-ranking position and a large sum of money to the Prophet to change his foundation and goal, Prophet Muhammad had sternly declined the offer by saying, in response to his uncle:
يَا عَمِّ! وَاللهِ لَوْ وَضَعُوا الشَّمْسَ فِي يَميْنِي، وَالْقَمَرَ فِيْ يَسَارِيْ، عَلَى أَنْ أَتْرُكَ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ حَتَّى يُظهِرَهُ اللهُ أوْ أهلِكَ فِيْهِ مَا تَركْتُهُ
“O my uncle! By God if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand on condition that I abandon this course, until God has made me victorious, or I perish therein, I would not abandon it.” (Sirah Ibn Hisyam, Book 1, pg. 266)
Prophet Muhammad PBUH applied the same concept during the peak of his power when he was leading the government that had full command over the city of Medina. The concept of promoting peace was still prioritized by the Prophet while the room for negotiation was opened for everyone as long as it did not put Islam in jeopardy. However, the concept of flexibility had made the steps more flexible in terms of its approach.
Its foundation began with the unification of the Muslims along with the participation of non-extremists from the non-Muslims. At the same time, any cooperation that affects the foundation and the goal will be rejected.
The first thing is to stick with the group of Muslims who are the pillars of the multiracial society and the country based on the concept that Allah had mentioned:
﴿وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعٗا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْۚ…١٠٣﴾
“And hold fast, all together by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves…” (Surah Ali-Imran: 103)
Allah said:
﴿وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَٰزَعُواْ فَتَفۡشَلُواْ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِيحُكُمۡۖ وَٱصۡبِرُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ٤٦﴾
“And obey Allah and His Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (Surah Al-Anfal: 46)
Cooperation with the non-Muslims is also permitted by religion based on the word of Allah:
﴿۞عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَجۡعَلَ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَ ٱلَّذِينَ عَادَيۡتُم مِّنۡهُم مَّوَدَّةٗۚ وَٱللَّهُ قَدِيرٞۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ٧ لَّا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمۡ يُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَتُقۡسِطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ٨﴾
“It may be that Allah will grant love (and friendship) between you and those whom ye (now) hold as enemies: for Allah has power (over all things); and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (7). Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah love those who are just (8).” (Surah Al-Mumtahanah: 7-8)
As for cooperating with the non-Muslims that are extreme towards Islam, Allah said:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخۡرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ وَظَٰهَرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ إِخۡرَاجِكُمۡ أَن تَوَلَّوۡهُمۡۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ٩﴾
“Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances) that do wrong.” (Surah Al-Mumtahanah: 9)
The first step that Prophet Muhammad pbuh took when he was in Mecca and after his migration to Medina was uniting the Muslims from among the groups of Muhajirin that had left their family, their homeland and their properties for the sake of upholding Islam.
Then, they were united with the Ansar that consisted of the believers from Medina with whom they formed an Islamic brotherhood and shared a common goal, followed by the believers from other tribes and nations. This is based on the concept of religious brotherhood mentioned by Allah through His words in the Quran:
﴿إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ إِخۡوَةٞ فَأَصۡلِحُواْ بَيۡنَ أَخَوَيۡكُمۡۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ١٠﴾
“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers: And fear Allah that ye may receive Mercy.”
The scope is then expanded to include the non-Muslims that are willing to embrace the concept of multiracial society promoted by Islam:
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٖ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ شُعُوبٗا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ أَكۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَىٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٞ١٣﴾
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” (Surah Al-Hujurat: 13)
This verse emphasizes the concept of multiracial society that is sophisticated without jeopardizing the religion and the nation, and are free from racist chauvinism.
The trait of racism that is chauvinist and evil in nature does not exist among the Malays that practice the true Islam because they had wholly accepted the existence of multiracial society in Malaysia.
Thus, it is unfair if the Malays are still accused of being a racial fanatics when in reality, it would be absurd if the Malays do not have compassion towards their own people for fear of being racist, even the animals know their own species.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH had annulled the treaty with the Jews after they had betrayed his loyalty and broken the agreement to form a mutual understanding with each other by expressing hostility towards Islam and taking the side of the enemy of Islam and their supporters.
The Prophet rejected the help of the non-Muslims during the Battle of Badr even though the Muslims were in a desperate and weak state. On the contrary, the Prophet requested the help of the non-Muslims after the Conquest of Mecca when the Muslims were in their strongest state and were able to face all challenges. This action shows the need to be flexible in order to maturely adapt to changes.
PAS that is founded on Islam began its first step with any political parties from the Malays, Chinese, Indian and others as long as they are Muslims, as well as the moderate non-Muslims.
PAS rejects those who are too extreme to the extent that they mistreated other races with different religious beliefs and ethnicities.
PAS also rejects those who are extremely apologetic that they can no longer be considered as Muslims or members of their own race although they are Malays by nature and believe in Islam. In fact, they try to remove the trace of their own race for fear of being racist. Their Islamic identity had been diminished to the degree that they are able to let Islam be insulted and their own race be oppressed by other parties.
The change in the approach taken by PAS is not because of changes in leadership but because of changes in circumstances, reality and the ability to predict the ups and downs of politics from our side as well as from the other side, be it from our friend or foe.
PAS has the ability to see everyone’s true color without any error.
PAS also cannot be deceived by trickery and deception.
PAS adheres to the concept that the most evil Muslim who is still a believer will be forgiven by Allah whereas the best form of conduct by the unbelievers will still be rejected in the Day of Judgment.
Allah SWT had given a stern warning to Prophet Muhammad pbuh through His words:
﴿وَلَقَدۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ وَإِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ لَئِنۡ أَشۡرَكۡتَ لَيَحۡبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ٦٥﴾
“But it has already been revealed to thee, as it was to those before thee, “If thou wert to join (gods with Allah), truly fruitless will be thy work (in life), and thou wilt surely be in the ranks of those who lose (all spiritual good).” (Surah Al-Zumar: 65)
Allah said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَٰلَۢا بَعِيدًا١١٦﴾
“Allah forgive not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him: but He forgive whom He please other sins than this: one who joins other gods with Allah, hath strayed far, far away (from the Right).” (Surah An-Nisa: 116)
PAS, a party that is founded on Islamic faith, is a dynamic political party, not a rigid and narrow-minded one.
PAS’s direction does not stray in the face of hurdles and obstacles throughout this long fight.
PAS remains mature in politics and is able to predict human development that is constantly changing because we are living in a world where changes are inevitable.
The principle to remain steadfast with Islam makes PAS able to resist from lying and from being lied to for lying is forbidden and being lied to is dumb.
ABDUL HADI AWANG
PAS President
Date: 18 Syawwal 1441 / 10th June 2020
