Thought for the day . . . . TFTD.ws

"Teddy? What is meaning zis word?"

TFTD: The Islamic notion of justice appears itself to be on trial recently, albeit by the media, after a few high-profile judgements (eg in Saudi Arabia and Sudan), made by Muslim judges in Muslim states according to what is seen as Sharia law, were greeted with almost universal outrage and condemnation.

Q: Given the centrality of justice to any political ideology, what PR tricks do we need to maintain a semblance of credibility?

Breaches of the peace

TFTD: Just as it is prohibited for people to rebel against a legitimate ruler and to engage in any form of sabotage or guerrilla combat, shouldn't it also be prohibited for the ruler to permit (by action or inaction) such rebellions and uprisings?

Shouldn't ensuring political grievances do not escalate into "breaches of the peace" be an essential part of the Method?

Isn't documenting these arrangements the primary function of a state's constitution?

Isn't ensuring the smooth implementation of these constitutional arrangements the main business of politics?

One for all...

TFTD: The Islamic texts attach great emphasis to the issue of Muslim political unity, with severe admonition for any move that might undermine unity, allegiance or obedience to the ruler.

Yet the formation of diverse political schools and factions is inevitable and part of human nature. It is a sad fact that despite the texts, from the time of the 3rd of the Khulafaa Rashidoon these political differences manifested themselves in the form of insurgency, mutiney, insurrection, assasination, civil war and disintegration.

Q: Surely the command to maintain unity and allegiance should, by extension, obligate the exploration and introduction of such procedures, mechanism and structures that would safeguard our unity and prevent such violations..?

Truth by democracy?

TFTD: Last night's disrupted debate at the Oxford Union (including such controversial figures as the BNP's Nick Griffin and historian David Irving) itself sparked a wider debate about freedom of expression.

Those who boycotted or disrupted the event are of the view that giving bigots a platform lends legitimacy to their arguments and permits them to be propagated.

Supporters and organisers oppose the notion of "truth by democracy" and advocate exposing rather than silencing fascist arguments, thus favouring debate.

Q: Where should the line be drawn in terms of what can and cannot be said? Perhaps more importantly, who draws that line?

"We don't DO God"

TFTD: "The public might have been less willing to give him the triumph of three consecutive general election victories if they'd known the extent to which ethical values would overshadow pragmatism," said Menzies Campbell about Tony Blair's religious convictions.

To Campbell, politics is about pragmatic pursuit of ideals, with no place for arbitrary ethical values such as those imposed by religion.

Q: To what extent would you agree, if at all?

Ultimate limbo

TFTD: Lebanese president Emile Lahoud stepped down last night at the expiry of his term, plunging the beleaguered country into yet more uncertainty, as a bitter dispute erupted as to who now holds executive authority.

Before midnight, the president passed authority to the military, as he did not recognise the government as legitimate. The Prime Minister rejected this move, declaring direct executive authority should lie with cabinet until a successor was elected.

The opposition in parliament are determined to thwart attempts to call such a vote, bringing the country into what has been describad as "the ultimate state of political limbo". Civil war looms ominously on the horizon.

Q: Don't such events strengthen the case for a single ruler possessing all the powers of the state? Doesn't this show the failure of the doctrine of separation of powers and limited terms of office?

Like a beacon

TFTD: For almost a millenium, the Muslim world served as a source of enlightenment and inspiration for the rest of the world, with Muslims excelling in the the arts and the sciences at an unprecedented scale.

Like a beacon, the Muslim caliphate and kingdoms guided and attracted scholars from the four corners of the globe, and Muslim books were translated into many languages, serving as the foundation for subsequent institutions of knowledge. Indeed the Muslim contribution to knowledge over the ages cannot be denied even by our worst enemies.

Q: Was the Muslims' contribution more notable in the field of Hadaara or Madanniya?

Not again!

TFTD: The legacy of the tribal Arab mentality that shaped the identity of the early khilafah contributed to centuries of political fossilisation and later intellectual stagnation. This reflected itself in almost all aspects of public life, particularly in the Ottoman state.

It is a sad fact that toward the end of the 19th century the caliphate, to many, had become synonymous with backwardness, dogma, oppression, xenophobia, Turkish imperialism, exploitation and ignorance: a political system fit for the middle ages.

Q: Given that the caliphate lacked the political means to address the problems of its time, isn't it strange that generations after its abolition, we should be looking back to it as a solution to the political problems of today?

Like Kryptonite

TFTD: Like Kryptonite, exposure to civilised Europe in the 19th century sapped what little energy the floundering Ottoman giant still had. At this point it was widely recognised as being politically, intellectually and militarily unfit for purpose, and beyond repair.

Several last-ditch efforts were made to salvage the situation, most of which involved bulk imitation or adoption of European models. These revitalist efforts culminated in the formation of new nation states following the occupation of most Ottoman territory and the inevitable abolition of the sultanate.

Q: How come Islam wasn't proposed as an ideological solution to the political problems of the ailing state?

Politics? Now that's a thought!

TFTD: For centuries, the Muslims were perfectly happy not to busy themselves with matters of ruling and politics, leaving this instead to the aristocratic ruling clan. This total lack of interest in politics is reflected (by its absence) in eleven centuries of our literary heritage.

This changed in the wake of the Enlightenment era in Europe, as we witnessed for the first time, political accountability, separation of powers, constitutions and active civil society.

Q: Was it any wonder then that by the end of the nineteenth century the Ottoman state had all but collapsed?