Purpose of Islamic State:
To live in a society of different types of people, there will always be conflicts of interest and benefit. One’s ambitions will compromise others’ rights. Therefore, to resolve this issue, Islam introduced its purpose and duties of the Islamic State. The Islamic State is established for the following purposes.
- Promotion of right and prohibition of wrong: To establish the laws and create an environment in which people cannot take others’ rights and live together with peace and harmony. This system is also necessary for encouraging people to do good deeds and avoid evil ones.
- كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ
You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. [3:110]
- Social Justice: There should be social justice among the people. So that, they do not get involved in bad things such as immorality, theft, fighting, etc., As Allah loves justice, so he wants us to establish justice as well.
- Rule of Law: A rule of law in an Islamic society is necessary to fulfill the potential of every person to do their work and live in peace. It is difficult to live in a society in the absence of a rule of law. E.g., Prophet said, “if my daughter Fatima commit theft, I would also have cut off her hands.”
- Economic Equality: Islamic society is necessary to ensure economic equality for people in different domains of life. Everyone gets equal rights and opportunities to achieve something that he likes.“For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned”.(Equal Rights to Earnings (4:32))
- Extension of Human Rights: Basic rights of everyone whether Muslims or non-Muslims should be fulfilled by the state. Islamic State is also required for practicing different beliefs because it does not discriminate. In his Farewell Sermon, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated: “No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. Nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man, or the black man any superiority over the white man…”
Duties of Islamic State:
Following are the duties that are important for an Islamic state.
- Executive:
- Sovereignty with Allah: Everyone who is administering the state should believe that sovereignty only belongs to Almighty Allah. They must believe they are the representative of Allah and will be held accountable for their duties. They should fulfill all the political and economic duties that Allah has ordered.
- ALLAH says in the Holy Quran, “Say, ‘O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.'”Surah Ali ‘Imran (3:26-27)
- Legislature
- Laws in the light of Shariah: The lawmakers must not deviate from Islamic teachings but establish and follow the laws that are under Islamic Shariah.
- Judiciary
- Equality for all: They will be equal in front of the law.All people should be treated fairly and equally regardless of their status. E.g., Prophet said, “If my daughter Fatima commits theft, I would also have cut off her hands.”
- Cultural
- Propagate Islamic values: It is the responsibility of the Islamic state to establish a society based on Islamic values such as honesty and trustworthiness. The state also ensures the elimination of evil practices such as immoral acts, corruption, moral decay, etc.
