The Economic System of Islam — Page 8
8 the State with integrity and competence. He should be the best leader, committed to promoting general welfare. The latter part of the verse, ‘And surely excellent is that with which Allah admonishes you!’, tells us that divine injunctions are not like those of some rulers who issue orders without due consideration or thought, instructing people to behave one way or the other. Instead, this injunction comes from your Creator and Master and is for your own good and welfare. If you appoint rulers who are good, who appropriately discharge the affairs of the state and understand the importance of the trust reposed in them, then it is all for your own benefit. If rulers protect people’s lives and wealth, make decisions based on justice and fairness, do not discriminate against indi- viduals or communities, treat the weak and the strong equally, maintain order within the State, and do not tread the path of rulers who show favouritism and bias, then they would not only be carrying out God’s commandment, but would themselves benefit from this conduct. The Holy Quran further states ‘Allah is All-Hearing, All- Seeing’, meaning that God watched as people were trampled upon and destroyed by tyrannical and ruthless rulers who usurped the people’s rights. God witnessed this state of affairs and His sense of justice and fair play was aroused as mankind continued to suffer cruelty while the rulers did whatever their whims dictated. There- fore, God decided to give instructions on these matters Himself. When injustice reached its zenith and the people pleaded for mercy with agony that, ‘O Lord! Such rulers are being imposed on us who do not grant us our rights. ’ God then decided that in his next shariah, [religious law] He would ordain that rulers be appointed