State and authority in Islam is not an end in itself, but a means to an end which is to establish justice so that people can freely worship Allah, fulfil His obligations and refrain from His prohibitions. Allah ta’ala says,

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلْقِسْطِ

“We sent Our messengers with clear signs, the Scripture and the Balance, so that people could uphold justice.”[1]

Ibn Ashur (d.1973) explains the meaning of balance (مِيزان) here as “conveying the command to be just (العَدْل) among people. The balance (مِيزان) is a metaphor for justice among people in distributing their rights, as one of the requirements of the balance is the presence of two parties whose equivalence is to be ascertained. Allah ta’ala says, وإذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النّاسِ أنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالعَدْلِ ‘And when you judge between people, judge with justice.’ [An-Nisa’: 58]”[2]

Aisha Bewley says, “In fiqh, the principal function of government is to enable the individual Muslim to practise the deen and fulfill his obligations to Allah – which, of course, also entails certain societal obligations. This is, at the bottom line, the sole purpose of the state for which purpose alone it is established by Allah, for which purpose alone those in authority possess any authority over others.”[3]

Al-Mawardi (d.1058CE) lists comprehensive justice (عَدْلٌ شَامِلٌ) as one of his six principles of reforming society. He says, “comprehensive justice, results in social harmony and obedience (to the ruler) and makes possible the building of the nation, economic prosperity, population increase and the safety of the ruler. This is why al-Hurmuzan[4] said to Umar when he saw him sleeping with very modest clothes without guards: ‘You practiced justice, earned safety now take a nap (without guards).’

There is nothing that destroys a nation faster, and is more corrupting for the minds of people than injustice because it knows no limits. Every measure sets a pattern of corruption that increases until corruption engulfs everything.”[5]

Imam Ghazali said, “religion and authority are twins” (الدين والسلطان توأمان  ad-deen was-sultan tawaman).[6] This is because you cannot have one without the other, as Ibn Taymiyyah says, “The Ummah is the safeguard for the shar’a.”[7] Ibn Taymiyyah also mentions that “If authority and wealth were intended to make one come nearer to Allah, and were virtually dispensed in His cause, then that would lead to the establishment of deen and to prosperity in worldly affairs. If, on the other hand, authority was divorced from deen or deen was divorced from authority, then the whole affairs of the people would be spoiled.”[8]

While sovereignty and authority are twins, ultimately it’s the sharia (sovereignty) which underpins the nature and legal limits of authority within an Islamic state. Al-Mawardi says, “It is the Law however, which has delegated affairs to those who wield authority over them in matters of the deen- Allah, may He be exalted, has said: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ‘O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you’.[9]Thus, He has imposed on us obedience to those in authority, that is those who have the command over us.”[10]

Ka’b al-Ahbar (d.652 CE) gives a nice analogy of the relationship between sovereignty (Islam), authority (ruler) and the safeguard of the authority which is the people.

مثل الإسلام والسلطان والناس: مثل الفسطاط والعمود والأوتاد. فالفسطاط الإسلام، والعمود السلطان، والأوتاد الناس. ولا يصلح بعضهم إلا ببعض

“Islam, the ruler, and the people are like a tent, a pole, and pegs. The tent is Islam, the pole is the ruler, and the pegs are the people. Each is useful only with the others.”[11]

Notes

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[1] Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Hadid, ayah 25

[2] https://tafsir.app/ibn-aashoor/57/25

[3] Aisha Abdurrahman Bewley, ‘Democratic Tyranny and the Islamic Paradigm,’ Diwan Press, 1st edition, 2018, Kindle Edition, p.89

[4] Persian general who was captured as a prisoner of war after the battle of Qadisiyyah and taken to Madinah

[5] Al-Mawardi, Adab al-Dunya wa al-Din, https://shamela.ws/book/765/118#p1 translation based on the book ‘Living Wisely – Teachings of Mawardi on Ethics and Human Wellbeing. An Abridged Translation of Mawardi’s Adab al-Dunya wa al-Din,’ by Dr. Ahmed Bangura, Turath Publishing, 2024, p.115

[6] Al-Ghazali’s Moderation in Belief: Al-Iqtiṣād fi al-I‘tiqād, translated by A M Yaqub, University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 2013, p.229

[7] ‘Ad-Dawlah Wa Nizhaam Al-Hisbah in the view Ibn Taymiyyah, Muhammad Al-Mubaarak: 38

[8] Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘The Political Shariyah on Reforming the Ruler and The Ruled,’ Translation of as-Siyasah ash-Shari’ah fi Islah ar-Ra’i war-Ra’iyah, Dar ul Fiqh, UK, p.256

[9] Holy Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa, ayah 59

[10] Abu l-Hasan al-Mawardi, The Laws of Islamic Governance, translation of Al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyah, Ta Ha Publishers, p.10

[11] Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, ‘The Unique Necklace,’ translation of Al-‘Iqd al-Farid, Volume I, ‘The Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization,’ Garnet Publishing, 2006, p.6; Arabic original: https://shamela.ws/book/23789/12