Islam_in_Focus_text

age as such constitute no significant part. The candidates
may be chosen by public consent through general elections,
or they may be selected and authorized by public leaders,
who are, in mrn, entrusted to leadership by the free accord of
the various sections of society. Thus, an Islamic State can
have as many representative councils or municipal govern-
ments as desired. The right of election or selection and the
conduct of administration are governed by the Law of God
and must be aimed at the best interest of society as a whole.
Prophet Muhammad said:
"Whoever entrusts a nian to public office
where in his society there i s a bettcr man
than this trustee, he has betrayed the Trust
of God and His Messenger and the Muslims".
In a political sense this means that the electorate cannot,
morally speaking, be indifferent to public events and that
they, whenever they cast ballots, vote after careful investiga-
tions and premeditated choice, In this way the State could
have the best possible safeguard of security and responsible
citizenship, something which many democratic states of
modernity lack.
7. After the people make their choice through election
or selection of their ruler, every citizen is enjoined to super-
vise, with his means, the conduct of the administration and
question its handling of public affairs, whenever he sees
anything wrong with it. If the administration betrays the