لطفا منتظر باشید ...
What is an Islamic Republic?
In the Name of the All Mighty Allah
Letter written to Ayatullah Baqir As-Sadr
"The Revered Ayatullah
Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatoh
You know very well that the scheme of the Islamic Republic,the banner of which has been unfurled by Imam Khumayni hascaused much sensation throughout the world, and has made a definiteand marvellous impact not only on the Muslim countries but theworld over. Any how, the materialistic circles are not willing to accept the idea of the amalgamation of the government and Islam.They think that it is meaningless to consider the question of governmentto be a religous question.
They assert that the government is a worldly affair and has nothing to do with religon, and that every effort in this regardis a hollow slogan.
In view of the fact that your skill in Islamic law and your erudition in Islamic sciences are recognized in all Muslim countries and you are considered to be an authority on the modern ideologies, it is hoped that you will elucidate this question and will explain to us as to What is the intellectualbasis of Islamic Republic?"
Respectfully yours,
Shaykh Muhammed Jaffer Shams al-Din, Sayyid Muhammed al-Gharawi,Shaykh Raghib Harb,Shaykh Hassan Hariri.Shaykh Ali Tuhayri
Dated : 28th Safar 1399 A.H.
This article was written by Late Ayatullah Muhammed Baqir As-Sadrfrom Najaf al-Ashraf (Iraq) in reply to questions put to him by agroup of the Lebanese religious Scholars.
It has been transalated from Arabic to English by the IslamicSeminary.Answer of His Eminence Ayatullah Baqir As-Sadr to the Above Question
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
May Allah bless His Prophet, Muhammed SAWS, the guide of humanity,andthe eminent Imams of his House. May Allah bless the virtuous companionsof the Holy Prophet SAWS.
I very much appreciate the interest you have shown in the program launchedby Imam Khumayni which has delighted the hearts of all Muslims.
In the following lines I try to say something which may be found usefulat present and may help to bring out Islamic ideas and formulating workableschemes. In this connection I would like to emphasize that the gallant Imam who has initiated this movement and led it to success is fully capableof laying down a judicious program. We are convinced that as he has successfullydestroyed the evil forces and pulled Iran out of darkness, he will also beable to lead this great triumph to its logical conclusion and will strike the whole world with great astonishment by enforcing the Islamic systemfully.
Government is an important social phenomenon of human life. It came intoexistence through divine Prophets and heavenly missions. Its sound and healthy form which aims at preserving the unity of mankind, leading humansocieties along the correct lines and developing them on the basis ofjustice and truth, has been derived from the teachings of the prophets.
Allah says:
"The people were one nation. Then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of goodtidings and as warners, and revealed with them the Scripture with truth so that it might decide where the people differ. None disputed it except those to whom it was given, and that also after clear signs had come to them. Theydisputed because were envious of one another. Then Allah guided by His willthose who believed in the truth which had been disputed; and Allah guides whom He will to a straight path".(Surah al-Baqarah, 2:213)
This verse indicates that in the beginning all people had uniform position.At that time the pure innate human nature ruled over them. Their outlookon life was limited and their needs were simple. Social activities unfoldedtheir talents and hidden capabilities. New potentialities came into existence.The field of man's vision widened. Needs became complex with the advance of knowledge. Thus differences arose. Contradictions between the powerful and theweak began to appear. To regulate the social life it became necessary thatthere should be a law which might determine the rights, maintain justiceand gurantee the unity of society within a healthy framework. A law was neededto put the talents which had developed as a result of tussel in life, on a course ending in peace, stability and prosperity of all instead of beingallowed to lead to strife, disunity and exploitation.
It was at this critical juncture that the Prophets initiated the schemeof governments and made efforts to set up a healthy adminstration. As we readin the above quoted verses, it was Allah who laid the foundation of a rightfulgovernment.
Each of the Prophets of Allah in his own way tried to set up a virtuousgovernment as a part of his mission. Some of them like Daud and Sulaymanwere themselves at the helm of affairs. Some others like Musa passed theirwhole life in making efforts in this direction.
The Prophet of Islam SAWS gave the best possible concrete shape to the efforts of the past prophets by establishing the purest government of history.The establishment of Islamic government is a turning point in human history.It has all the charcteristics of a perfect government. Though most of the caliphs who succeeded the Holy Prophet SAWS were not fit to be the head of anIslamic State and did not abide by the high ideals of Islam, the Imamate whichis a continuation of Prophethood, made ceaseless efforts to bring back thedeviating Muslim governments to the straight path. For this purpose the Imamsmade tremendous scarifices. The martydom of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon Him)ibn Ali (Peace be Upon Him) and his great companions (Peace be Upon Them) is a manifestation of this remarkable struggle.
As Imamate was continuation of Prophethood, similarly after the majorocculation Imamate ended in marjaiyat' (religious authority of the eminent divines).
The eminent divines shouldered the responsiblity of this great mission,and in multifarious ways continued to make great efforts through long period of time to achieve their object.
The Shia divines with the help of the virtous and downtrodden Muslims passed their whole in fighting against falsehood in various ways. They continued tostrive for the establishment of a government of the Prophets and the Imams,which was the only true and just government and for which all the good people of every age and the lovers of humanity have always struggled and fought.
As the brave Muslim people of Iran were more than other under the influenceof the Shia divines and had received their religous knowledge from this source, they could remain firm in the path of the Prophets and the Imams and were able to knock out the basis of the perpetuity of evilforces.
The sacred movement of the Muslim nation of Iran under the leadership of Imam Khumayni, who at present occupies the highest position among the Shia divines with regard to his knowledge of Islam's mission and itspolitics, fought a bitter battle against the evil forces of infidelity. Itmade a bold stand against the neo-Pharaoh and inflicted the worst defeat onhim and on other partisans of infidelity and imperialism in the Muslim lands.
After this event it is but natural that the faith of the Muslim nation in its mission should increase and its determination to derive its powerfrom Islam should become firm. It is owing to Islam, the sruggle lanched by the Muslim divines and the hard work of Imam Khumayni that the Iranian people have been able to break off the strongest fetters and get ridof the shackles of servitude. Therefore Islam is not merely a message, but itis also the only force of resistance which has led this nation to victory.Hence the scheme of the Islamic republic formulated by this revered divine is a living expression of the Islamic goals and ideals cherished by the Iranian society. The natural result of this sacred struggle should be thatthe Iranian people continue to advance on that path which should entitle them to recieve the help promised by Allah.
By setting up an Islamic republic the great Iranian nation not only hasensured its own revival, but its action will also make a pleasant impacton the whole world, especially the Muslim countries which at this dark junctureof their history are looking forward to a saviour, who may deliver them fromthe domination of the West and its imperialistic culture and put an end to the expolitation of one man by another man.
In these grand moments of their history which are full of heroic struggle,the Muslim people of Iran are expecting complete success in bringing about atrue revolution. It is for the first time in so many centuries that they are planning to set up an Islamic government and are determined to put the divinesystem to a successful test. They have roused the conscience of the world and haveshaken the false materialistic values to their very foundation by successfullybringing out the real values through their long struggle. The prospect of thepractical application of Islam's message and the illumination of the world with the light of Islam has once again roused the conscience of misguided humanityand has inspired millions of people with enthusiasm. The man of the West and his lackleys never wanted the Islam should shed its lustre once more. They inorderto maintain their supremacy and to keep the Muslim East as the tail bearer of western culture, tried to keep the Muslim world away from the light of Islamthrough the use of military force, by making a misleading cultural displayand through the distortion of the doctrinal tenets of Islam.
Islam which had been incarcerated in dark dungeons by the force of bayonets and political jugglery and which had been painted by each group as it wished, has been released by the Iranian Muslims from that suffocatingatmosphere. The tyrants are now frightened of Islam, which has become a symbolof the unity of a heroic nation. A sword has been drawn to be used againstthe oppressors and the partisans of imperialism, and a foundation has been laid for the rebirth of a nation. Imam Khumayni by unveiling the hidden face of Islam has not only furnished the best proof of the vigour of Islam but has also exposed the gravity of the crime of those who do notallow Islam to be used as a marvellous constructive force. It is hoped that therevival of Islam by the Iranian Muslims will soon unmask those governments also which fraudulently exploit the name of Islam, as it has already unmaskedthe anti-Islamic governments.
Article taken from book Islamic Political System' published by
Islamic Seminary. Author:Ayatullah Baqir-As-Sadr.
Transalated to English: M.A.Ansari.
