Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Yūsuf (Joseph) | FROM PRISON TO PALACE
their opponents, and gives them victory as He did with the first Muslim community.
This means the birth of a new Islamic system in some part of God’s land. At this
point, the movement will have travelled from the point of beginning to the point of
establishing an Islamic society, and in the meantime it will have sorted out its
advocates into different grades based on faith and the standards and values they put
into effect. These will not need to nominate themselves for positions of power,
because their community, which fought the campaign of jihād with them, will have
recognized their abilities and recommended them.
Some may argue that this only applies in the initial period. That it does not extend
to the next period when Islamic society is well established and well settled. This
notion betrays a complete lack of awareness of the nature of Islam. This faith of Islam
will never stop its movement, because its goal is to liberate all mankind throughout
the whole world from submission to tyrannical power. This means that the
movement will continue and distinction in the movement will remain the criterion
for recognizing those who have talent, ability and dedication. It will not stop unless
there is a deviation from Islam. The rule that prohibits self-promotion for positions of
government will remain operative within its environment, just as when it was first
put into effect.
It may also be said that when the community gets larger, people will not know
each other and those who have abilities and talents will need to stand up and speak
about themselves, seeking position and authority. Again such an argument is
fallacious, influenced by the present-day set up. In a Muslim community, the people
of every neighbourhood will know one another well, because that is intrinsic to the
Muslim community and its qualities. Hence, every locality will know those of them
who have talent and ability, and they evaluate these by Islamic standards. It will not
be difficult for them to choose those who are dedicated and hard working for the
sake of the community to represent them in local councils or in parliament. As for
positions of government, the ruler, who is chosen by the whole community on the
recommendation of community leaders or parliament, will fill them with people
from among those who have already been identified on the basis of their dedication
and ability. As we have said, the movement will continue in Islamic society and jihād
will continue for the rest of time.
A Maze of Our Own Making
Those who think or write about the Islamic system and its structure today place
themselves in a maze, because they try to implement the Islamic system and its rules
and values in their present social set-up. Compared with the Islamic system, such a
set-up is like a vacuum which provides no room for the implementation of any
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