Islam and Human Rights — Page 172
Isl am and Hum an R ights 172 the people, you must do so equitably and with justice. Surely, excellent is that with which Allah admonishes you. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing” (4:59). This shows that sovereignty, in this context, is vested in the people and they are admonished to commit its exer cise into the hands of those who are best fitted to discharge its responsibilities. The obligation thus laid upon the people to choose their representatives wisely, is balanced by the corresponding obligation laid upon those who are entrusted with authority to exercise it justly and equitably. These two obligations, if duly discharged, would ensure good and beneficent administration of public affairs. The concluding portion of the verse implies that the Muslims might from time to time be tempted to depart from these two funda - mental principles and to try other experiments; but they are warned that what Allah has admonished them with is alone the most excellent and the most beneficent method of discharging these responsibilities. Allah will watch over the process and will call to account those responsible in respect of any default committed by them. Islam has not prescribed any particular method for the exercise of the franchise and has left the people free to adopt such method or system as in any particular