Democracy has failed to bring liberation to our people. Neither socialism nor any other political ideology has succeeded. There is only one path that guarantees solutions to all human problems: implementing the divine system given by Allah.
At Hezbut Tawheed, we firmly state that the eternal, flawless, and error-free system given by the Creator is the only path to solving humanity’s crisis in every sphere. In today’s world—where democracy, republics, socialism, monarchies, and emirates have all proved inadequate—we aim to present some evidence of how successful Islam has been as a complete system. It is up to the reader to assess the relevance of Islam after reading this article.
Establishing National Unity:
Before the advent of Islam, Arab society was plagued by chaos. The time is known as “Ayyam al-Jahiliyyah”—the Age of Ignorance. Arabs were deeply divided into tribes that constantly fought and shed blood.
Much like today’s divisions along political, ideological, and sectarian lines, pre-Islamic Arabs were also fractured and hostile toward each other. Tribal feuds lasted for generations, with revenge passed down like an inheritance.
Then came Islam, erasing all divisions and forging a single identity: “We are all the creation of Allah. We are all humans. We are brothers.” The Arabs united under the declaration “La ilaha illallah”—No law except Allah’s law. A once-fragmented tribal society became a powerful and united nation.
We believe that today too, all ideological and sectarian divisions can be erased if we unite under that same declaration. No other ideology can unify our broken society the way this can.
Eradicating Poverty and Establishing Economic Justice:
Arabs were once a starving and impoverished people. Their faces and clothes reflected hunger and poverty.
But when Islam was established, and Allah’s economic system was implemented, massive changes followed. Islam outlawed interest (riba) and encouraged the rich to give the poor their due. Charity and zakat were made compulsory.
In just about a decade, economic disparity disappeared. Wealthy people roamed around with zakat in hand, unable to find anyone poor enough to accept it.
This is not a claim—it’s a historical fact. During Caliph Umar ibn Abdul Aziz’s reign, such a situation occurred. No other system in history has ever eliminated inequality so effectively.
Good Governance:
An example of justice under Islamic rule is found during Caliph Umar’s time. Amr ibn al-As (RA) was the governor of Egypt. One day, a non-Muslim Egyptian traveled to Medina to complain to Caliph Umar that Amr’s son had wronged him. After investigating, the son was found guilty.
Caliph Umar ordered that the man strike Amr’s son in public. Afterward, Caliph Umar shocked everyone by asking the man to strike Amr himself, as it was his position of power that gave his son the courage to oppress. Though the man declined, the principle stood clear: no one is above justice.
Even non-Muslims were protected under Islamic justice. As Caliph Umar famously said: “Even if a dog dies of hunger on the banks of the Euphrates, I, Umar, will be answerable to Allah.”
Transformation in Military Strength:
Before Islam, Arabs were militarily backward. They feared the mighty Roman and Persian empires. But Islam transformed them. The rise of military leaders like Ali (RA), Khalid ibn Walid (RA), and others turned the tide.
Within a decade, the Arabs—who once feared Rome and Persia—defeated both and established an Islamic caliphate across half the known world. This wasn’t for conquest or wealth, but for a principle—a vision—that made the weak mighty.
Advancement in Knowledge and Science:
At the time of the Prophet (SAW), only about 40 of his companions were literate. Arabs were generally considered illiterate and superstitious. But Islam inspired them to seek knowledge. When Europe was in its Dark Ages, Muslim lands became centers of science and learning.
A simple Google or Wikipedia search for “List of Medieval Islamic Scientists” will reveal hundreds of names across fields like astronomy, biology, psychology, chemistry, economics, geology, mathematics, physics, medicine, and philosophy.
No other civilization could rival this contribution. After the Mongol invasion of Baghdad, even the few surviving manuscripts influenced European Enlightenment. Baghdad, once mocked as the land of illiterate Bedouins, became the knowledge capital of the world.
Establishing Women’s Rights:
Those who claim Islam is an obstacle to women's rights are mistaken. Pre-Islamic Arabia had no rights for women. Daughters were buried alive. Women had no family or societal status. Islam pulled them from those graves and gave them full citizenship.
Women attended mosques, prayed alongside men, managed markets and hospitals, and even went to war. No woman was denied responsibility just for being a woman. Compare that with the West—women in England didn’t get equal voting rights until 1928!
Judicial Independence:
A famous example: Caliph Ali (RA) found his lost armor being sold by a Jewish man in Kufa. Ali took the case to the judge. The judge asked for evidence. Ali presented his son and servant as witnesses.
The judge ruled their testimony inadmissible due to a conflict of interest and returned the armor to the Jew. The man was so moved by the fairness of the judgment that he admitted the truth and accepted Islam on the spot.
Such was the impartiality and independence of Islamic justice—even the Caliph could not influence a judge.
Accountability of Rulers and Corruption-Free Governance:
Once, Caliph Umar distributed fabric from the treasury. Everyone got one piece. But on Friday, Umar appeared wearing a larger garment.
A man stood up and questioned this publicly. Umar’s son, Abdullah, explained that he had donated his share to his father due to Umar’s inability to afford new clothes. Only after this explanation was Umar allowed to give his sermon.
Even a ruler of half the world had to account for a single piece of extra cloth. Such was the transparency of Islamic governance.
Conclusion:
Islamic rule ensured justice, equality, freedom of expression, rights for all professions, and a system of governance unmatched by any ideology.
In contrast, modern systems like democracy or socialism mostly succeed in books or talk shows, not reality. Ironically, those same failed systems are repeatedly presented as solutions while Islam is dismissed as outdated.
We believe that in today’s broken world, it’s time to reevaluate the relevance and applicability of Islam in building a prosperous, dynamic, and just society.
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