The relationship between religion and politics in Muslim societies has been the focus of discussion among Islamic scholars. Some consider Islam to be a pure religion that does not have the right to rule or the ability to regulate the daily issues of human life; however, others see Islam not only as a religion but also as a social system that encompasses all areas of human life, including government and law.
These researchers base their arguments on the guidelines of the Qur’an, pointing to political implications and various Qur’anic terms such as “property” and “nation,” which carry political significance. For example, the Arabic word “sultan,” mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an, implies the concept of authority and rulership and has been used to refer to government since the beginning of Islam. Similarly, the terms “judgment,” “governing,” “judging,” and related derivatives, such as the rulings of a ruler and a judge, are explicitly mentioned over 250 times in the Qur’an, each with its own political connotation. For instance, the Qur’an states to the Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “We have revealed this book to you in truth so that you may judge between people with what Allah has revealed to you.” Furthermore, the Qur’an commands, “We have made you a successor in (our) land, so judge between people with truth.”
In the cited verse, the expression “اُحْكُمْ (command)” is a verb that orders the leader to judge and rule justly.
Both Hazrat Dawoud (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) were leaders and judges by divine appointment, granting them full judicial authority.
However, entrusting the affairs of the caliphate and judicial matters to them does not imply that they judge and rule based on personal desire; rather, their rulings must be based on divine texts, primarily the Qur’an. If there is no explicit or implicit Qur’anic text on a given issue, the prophets announce their Sharia opinions according to the revelation inspired by Allah.
The amount of Qur’anic texts available is sufficient to demonstrate the governmental and legal implications of the Qur’anic term “command.”
