Relationship between Religion and Politics in Islam — Page 5
The Relationship Between Religion & Politics 5 is hypocrisy to remain contented with those claims. They should follow the logical conclusion and enact Shariah law and make it the only law valid for the country. Now, this is what is being said on the one side. On the other side, many difficulties are pointed out such as proposed legisla- tive problems—very serious constitutional problems—as well as very serious problems in almost all spheres of the enactment of Shariah. So, let me first briefly tell you why Shariah law cannot be exercised or imposed on a people, who practically, as far as their normal way of life is concerned, are not ideal Muslims, much to the contrary. In those areas where they are free to practice Islam, they fall so much short that one wonders: When they willingly cannot exercise Islam, how could they be expected to do it by coercion and by force of law? This and many others axe the areas when debate is being carried on and pursued hotly, but I’ll now very briefly enumerate the points to make you understand all the sides of this issue. Personally, I have also been participating in this debate which was going on in Pakistan and many a scholar, who came to London or who wrote to me for guidance, were helped by me. Though I did not entirely dictate notes to them but to a great degree they were helped by me to understand the problem in larger perspec- tive. Thus, many an article that have been published in Pakistan did have my opinion also expressed in them. Shariah is the law and there is no doubt about it; the law of Islam; the law for Muslims. But the question is how far this law can be transformed into legislation for running a political government. On top of that, many other issues get involved in it. For instance, if a Muslim country has a right to dictate its law