When “Political Islam” is Used as Scarecrow

By Ramadan Ahmed
Many Muslims have fallen into the trap of demonising Islam — a trap laid by its adversaries — by dividing it into “Political Islam” and some so-called neutral, non-political Islam. The truth is: there is no such thing as political and non-political Islam. Islam is the embodiment of absolute justice — justice that makes no room for privilege: not for the strong over the weak, nor the wealthy over the poor, nor men over women. And that is precisely what those who dominate the world do not want.
In this article, we shed light on the key aspects of Islam that address humanity’s current reality, and why the world today is in desperate need of Islam — especially after the failure of all human-made systems to guarantee a dignified life. We also examine how political tyranny in Muslim lands has weaponised Islam to serve oppression, and how that very tyranny acts to preserve Western interests in the Muslim world. Finally, we explore the root of Western hostility toward Islam, which ultimately aims to prevent humanity from benefiting from its noble values.
The Importance of Islam in Today’s World
First: The form of Islam most viciously suppressed by authoritarian regimes is the Islam that denounces tyranny and calls on rulers to have compassion towards the ruled. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“O Allah! Whoever takes charge over the affairs of my Ummah and makes things difficult for them, make things difficult for him. And whoever takes charge over the affairs of my Ummah and treats them kindly, be kind to him.”
(Narrated by Muslim, authenticated by al-Albani)
God Almighty rebuked Pharaoh for his arrogance and his oppression of the people in the following verse:
“Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their sons and sparing their women. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.”
(Surah Al-Qasas, 28:4)
This is why tyrannical regimes have focused so much on promoting ritualistic religiosity, while deliberately neglecting behavioural religiosity — the kind that would demand accountability from rulers. Hence, we witness strange paradoxes: some Muslims weep during Friday sermons, yet go out and engage in fraud, deception, broken promises, and illicit profiteering. Despite Islam’s clear stance on such matters, this disconnect persists — because the ruler himself often exemplifies this corrupted behaviour, which sadly becomes embedded in the broader culture.
This tamed, neutered version of Islam — one that coexists with corruption and tyranny — is the true opposite of what’s pejoratively labelled as “Political Islam”.
Second: Islam is centred around justice, achieved by protecting five essential human needs: life, ownership, belief, progeny, and intellect.
Human life, in Islam, is sacred — whether the person is Muslim or not. “Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one — it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:32)
The protection of ownership means safeguarding lawful individual earnings. Every person is obliged to seek sustenance through permissible means.
The protection of belief reflects Islam’s respect for freedom of conscience. No one may be compelled to embrace a faith — not even Islam — and this does not diminish their rights as a citizen under a Shari’ah-governed system.
The protection of progeny underscores Islam’s emphasis on family as the foundational unit of society. Islam forbids illicit relationships due to their destructive impact on families and societal continuity. Parents, both father and mother, are essential pillars in nurturing the next generation.
The protection of intellect is vital because it is the very basis of moral and legal responsibility. Islam prohibits anything that harms or clouds the mind — even temporarily.
These five universal needs are not just vital for Muslims, but for all people. They could serve as ethical benchmarks in scientific research and technological innovation — especially in the age of artificial intelligence, where ethical boundaries are often lacking. In fact, the maqasid (objectives) of Sharia could well serve as a robust ethical framework for AI.
Islamic Jurisprudence: A Comprehensive System
Islamic jurisprudence addresses every facet of life — from personal conduct to family law, economic transactions, spiritual beliefs, and even humanity’s relationship with nature. There exists no comprehensive system on Earth comparable to Islam.
It is not surprising, then, that various European constitutions — especially the French constitution — have borrowed heavily from the Maliki school of jurisprudence.
How Has the Global Order Failed?
The Western colonial order, which dominates the world today, has imposed its own standards on international relations. Despite the lofty principles enshrined in the League of Nations and later the United Nations, and despite the grand language of international treaties, the global system remains fundamentally unjust.
The strong dominate the weak, imposing their self-serving agendas with little regard for morality. This includes colonisation, the enslavement of Africans, the extermination of indigenous peoples, and the installation of authoritarian regimes in vulnerable nations to plunder resources and impoverish populations.
Before the advent of the internet, such injustices may have remained hidden — but now, everything is exposed in the age of open spaces.
The global system is failing not only at the international level, but even within the so-called superpowers themselves — notably the United States. Despite housing the highest number of billionaires, at least 11% of Americans live off rubbish.
Why Do the West and Its Allies Oppose Islam?
Western hostility — and that of its allies — towards Islam is no surprise. Islam promotes human dignity by empowering the individual to be an agent of social progress. The Western model, however, values the individual primarily for productivity and tax contribution. Beyond that, a person becomes a burden.
The family structure is also discouraged in Western systems, as it might instil values at odds with those desired by the state or the capitalist elite. Thus, extra-marital relationships are promoted so that the state — not parents — becomes the primary educator. Furthermore, in the West, the state is everything, and it has the power to revoke citizenship.
In contrast, Islam sees society as the core, with the ruler or state merely a servant of society. If the ruler fails to facilitate their role in society, they should be replaced. Islam does not grant the ruler any form of sanctity or immunity.
Lessons from Malaysia and Turkey
When the Western model is implemented in Muslim countries, the outcome can be different — particularly when leadership represents the will of the people. We’ve seen this in the Malaysian and Turkish experiences.
Though the West succeeded in sabotaging some Muslim countries’ democratic experiments, it failed to derail Turkey’s, which became deeply rooted and fiercely defended by its people — even in the face of multiple attempted coups.
What sets the Malaysian and Turkish models apart is the eradication of poverty. Why? Because the state operates under the will of society. Civil society organisations bridge the gap between rich and poor through zakat, charity, and endowments — all of which are underpinned by Islamic principles of communal responsibility, which extends even to the care of animals, let alone non-Muslims.
The World Needs Islamic Values Today
The world needs Sharia-based principles and Islamic values — not only to combat poverty or limit the domination of the powerful, but to uphold human dignity, ensure justice, and empower people to utilise their own resources.
That’s why I salute Professor Wael Hallaq, a Christian of Palestinian origin and Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, who has dedicated his life to presenting Islamic legal principles as an alternative to modernity.
Professor Hallaq argues that Muslims have misunderstood Sharia by reducing it to penal codes, when in fact it is a comprehensive ethical system concerned with non-Muslims as much as Muslims. It is a system that guarantees the minimum standard of justice the world is so desperate for today.

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