Principles of Governance, Freedom, and Responsibility in Islam

Abstract

I. Introduction
Although I have been directly involved in a political process that seeks to
establish an Islamic state, I am not going to describe the forms that an Islamic
government might take in any particular country. Rather, I will try to describe
the universal characteristics of an Islamic state. These derive from the
teachings of the Qur'an as embodied in the political practice of the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), and constitute an eternal model that Muslims are bound
to adopt as a perfect standard for all time. The diversity of historical circumstances,
however, in which they try to apply that ideal introduces a
necessary element of relativity and imperfection in the practice of Islam.
An Islamic state cannot be isolated from society, because Islam is a comprehensive,
integrated way of life. The division between private and public,
the state and society, which is familiar in Western culture, has not been known
in Islam. The state is only the political expression of an Islamic society. You
cannot have an Islamic state except insofar as you have an Islamic society.
Any attempt at establishing a political order for the establishment of a genuine
Islamic society would be the superimposition of laws over a reluctant society.
This is not in the nature of religion; religion is based on sincere conviction and
voluntaiy compliance. Therefore an Islamic state evolves from an Islamic
society. In certain areas, progress toward an Islamic society may be frustrated
by political suppression. Whenever religious energy is thus suppresed, it
builds up and ultimately erupts either in isolated acts of struggle or resistance,
which are called terrorist by those in power, or in a revolution. In circumstances
where Islam is allowed free expression, social change takes place
peacefully and gradually, and the Islamic movement develops programs of
Islamization before it takes over the destiny of the state because Islamic
thought - like all thought - only flourishes in a social environment of freedom
and public consultation (shura) ...