Islam & Politics

by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani

What does an authentic Islamic government look like and how does it operate? In this concise but wide-ranging book the renowned scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani provides an authoritative survey of the guidance given by the canonical Islamic sources in matters of politics. In six chapters he examines: the role and conduct of politics and political activity in Islam in the light of the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah; the Islamic concept of government; guidelines for the process of forming a government; rules and procedures for running a government; the Islamic injunctions concerning defence and foreign policy; and the circumstances in which it may become permissible to remove a ruler or government from office. The book is rounded off with two articles by the same author, on political affairs with specific reference to Pakistan. Islam and Politics is essential reading for those seeking a readable and reliable account of the basic teachings of Islam concerning politics and government.

Genres: Islam, Politics, Religion

220 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Adil Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an alright read. If I'm honest I forced myself to stick with it and get to the end. Not that there was anything wrong with the formatting, translation or anything like that but it lacked a bit of a narrative and flow. That said it's always a pleasure to get a feel for the mind and thinking of Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani and this book was no different. Some of the key takeaways for me were (1) the discussion of whether politics is a means to a higher purpose or whether politics itself is the actual purpose of religion, (2) the discussion of whether the Quran and Sunnah have drawn up a detailed plan of exactly what an Islamic government should look like or whether the shape of an Islamic government is flexible as long as it adheres to the base rules and principles of the Shariah, and (3) an increased appreciation of Surah 22, Verse 41: "Those who, if We give them power in the land, establish the prayer, pay Zakat, enjoin goodness, and forbid evil; and with Allah rests the end of all matters."

[Masrur · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was quite disappointing. It was very vague and only offered a high-level framework. The most valuable part of the book is the appendix, which contains some constitutional drafting and work.

The author is deeply influenced by Pakistani politics, which makes it almost unpalatable to a western reader. For example, in the section on taxation, the discussion on the ruler's lifestyle and transparency left me scratching my head as a Brit. Where the author attempts criticism of western politics, it is often vague, unfounded and highly questionable. It would be more apt if this book was entitled "How Pakistan can become an Islamic state".

The editing of the book is also very poor to the point that I didn't want to read on. Typos and mistakes crop up every few pages. It is very apparent that nobody proofread this before it was published. I have made the publishers aware, but they may have already fixed them since I bought my copy a few years ago.

[Yaseen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid overview. More work needs to be done in this field.

[Syed Ikramullah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is recommended to people who are beginners in politics and want to read introductions to different political systems. After discussing various political systems, the Islamic system (Shari'a) is discussed in an easier and interesting way.This book is indeed a brilliant work by a brilliant mind of our times. You would love it.

[Mohammad Numan]

Good

[Hafsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely insightful and informative even though politics is not a topic that interests me. Definitely recommend everyone to read this book.

[• AJ •]

Textbook like

[Abid Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

اس بار

[Aamina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I have seen available discussing what a true Muslim state would look like- Mufti Taqi uses the examples of the rightly guided caliphs to show how the Muslim state is not a dictatorship, rather a caring and compassionate one which is constantly seeking to establish justice and close the gap between rich and poor. He also emphasises the importance of character building and humility first, for anybody wanting to go into politics in the future.