Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
4. The Concept of the State in Islam
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view that a government’s fulfilling its social, economic and religious
responsibilities was more important than this or that political
structure.
That is why in later history we find that although the Muslim
scholars did not react to this dynastic rule, they did speak out
openly about their responsibilities towards social justice.
The religious scholars (Ulama) never shirked their role of
reminding the kings of their social duty. Most of the scholars
refrained from accepting any government post so that they might
not have to yield to any undue pressure. They thought that by
remaining independent they would be able to play their role of
censuring the policies of the government and of reminding the
rulers of their duties. Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid
Alf Sani, provides an excellent example of what role the religious
scholars had to play to keep the kings in check.
That is why in later periods of Islamic history, when dynastic
rule had become the order of the day among the Muslims, the
rulers, more or less, could not deviate far from the Islamic
principles of justice. For instance, the ruler had to come to the
mosque to pray with the public, he had to spend the money of the
Treasury to fulfill the requirements of the public, he had to
discharge his religious responsibilities and see to it that the public
had no difficulty in discharging its religious rites. Anyone could
approach the kings to register his or her complaint. And there was
a proper arrangement by the government for the free religious
education of the people, etc.
