BY TAJI MUSTAFA Pardon criminals? Obama and Clinton did it. Yes, Trump is doing it. There is a way to commit the ‘perfect crime’ in America. No it’s not to kill, rape or murder and not get caught. It’s OK to get caught, just make sure you know a president who can pardon you afterwards or commute your sentence.

These are extracts from the book “Accountability in the Caliphate” by AK Newell. It should be noted that the Caliphate is an ideological Islamic State. This means all elements of the state work towards achieving Islamic objectives not material objectives. Before any of the state accountability mechanisms take effect the Caliph is restrained by his Islamic belief and taqwa. Secular democracy emanates from the belief that religion should be kept separate from politics. The ruler in a democratic system is therefore not restrained from tyranny by fearing God or divine accountability. With this fundamental aspect of accountability missing i.e. consciousness of God (taqwa) the ruler in a democratic system is prone to tyranny if he isn’t restrained by the mechanisms of government.

Sheikh Abu Iyas Mahmoud bin Abdul Latif al-Uweida from Jordan answers this question. He says, There are no clerics in Islam like those found in Judaism and Christianity. Every Muslim is commanded to carry the call of Islam, spread it, guard it, and abide by its rules. The ulema (scholars) and fuquhaa (jurists) are only there to teach people about Islam. They have no religious powers like those of the Jewish and Christian clergy, such as accepting the repentance of penitents, granting forgiveness, baptizing followers, legislating, and so on.