booke

452chapter sixenlightened political culture in the Arab-Muslim world, since undera dictatorial, autocratic regime the radical seizure of power is theonly way to participate in the political process, while in a society inwhich democracy, human rights, and the values of freedom of religionare fully implemented in the political culture, the radical seizureof power is the least viable way for full political participation. Butthe fatal closeness of the traditional, religious establishment to thosein power has left a lethal legacy in the minds of modern Islamists asthey, just like the old fuqah§", believe that to mix religion into politicsand to concoct an Islamic version of theocracy, teaming up H§m§nwith Pharaoh and the Q§rån of this world (i.e., the financial oligarchs),is the shortest path to success. This legacy is also the reasonwhy we, after the abolition of the Caliphate, still lack a viable theoryof a modern state.Reasons for the Corruption of al-qit§lAfter having defined the aims and conditions of al-qit§l, we finallyneed to explain the reasons for its corruption, that is, its erroneousapplication or false practice. Inasmuch as one can invalidate thebenefits of a charity donation if it is done through illegal channels(‘O you who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of yourgenerosity or by injury…’, Al-Baqara 2:264), a fight is corrupt andfails to fulfil its proper aims if it is done in violation of the Book’sinjunctions. This applies to all kinds of al-qit§l, including the fight inGod’s way, mutual competition (in self-defence, for national security,or political interests—for example, a political mandate over anothercountry, etc.), or the withdrawal from a battle, from troops, or fromdeployment in the field, that is, the withdrawal from fighting, theoffering of peace; the avoidance of excessive retaliation; the accusationof infidelity and other forms of ‘fights’. There are five thingsthat make a fight invalid:1. O you who believe! When you meet the [ al-k§firÊn] in hostile array,never turn your backs to them.* If any do turn his back to them onsuch a day—unless it be in a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop(of his own)—he draws on himself the wrath of God, and his abodeis Hell—an evil refuge (indeed)! ( Al-Anf§l 8:15-16)These two verses are from the Book’s section of definite verses( al-muÈkam§t) in MuÈammad’s (ß) messengerhood ( al-ris§la) thatcontains orders and prohibitions. Both verses prohibit the Muslim-