Islamic Political Thought: The Sunnite Theory,The Theory of al-Mawardi
Islamic Political Thought
Islamic political thought has developed mainly from practice in actual history which in turn was developed on an ad hoc basis. The main trend has been the provision of legitimacy to whoever was in power. Legitimisation of rule became more prominent from the Umayyad dynasty (661-750) onwards.
Muslim thinkers and men of letters set out to legitimize not only the position of the ruler but also his decrees and his rights to succession.
It was not until the eleventh century that a theory of Islamic political thought was written. This was long after the establishment of the institution of Khilafa in 632 AD.
This in itself throws some light on the small amount of literature on Islamic political thought before the eleventh century and poses the question why did such an attempt to work out a political theory took place at that particular time and not before?
The Sunnite Political Theory
A brief examination of the main concepts in the writings of three of the most prominent Islamic political thinkers might suggest the reason for the general trend in Islamic political thought. These are:
- The Ordinances of Government, written by Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi, an Asharite (d. 1058), a treatise considered to be the first standard account of the political thought of Islam.
- Al-Siyasa al-Shariyya, andMinhaj al-Sunna al-Nabawiyya, written by Taqi-el-Din Ahmad Ibn Taymiyya, a Hanbalite (d. 1328).
- Al-Muqaddima, (The Introduction to History), written by ‘Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406).
The political writings referred to above represent the trend of the Sunnite political thought, and are considered to be the standard theories of Islamic political thought. These three Islamic writers dealt with the institution of the ruler, what was demanded of it, the form which it took and the delegation of authority.
The theory of al-Mawardi:
Al-Mawardi considered the institution of the Imamate (imam: leader), as an obligation demanded by Shar‘(Arabic: Shari‘a: Islamic legislation). The ruler (Imam) is appointed by the divine will.
The imam is the successor of the Apostle of God. In him all secular and religious powers are vested. He is the one to decide the affairs of the Muslims and his decisions must be obeyed as part of obedience due to God.
Al-Mawardi writes:
‘God, glory be to His power, assigned to the Umma a chief-leader who is a successor to prophethood. He made him the embracer of Religion, and delegated to him the management of public affairs so that the decisions will be in accordance with the standard Religion, and that a consensus of opinion may be reached to follow the decided decision.
Thus the Imama is the fundamental grounds on which the rules of religion are based, and by which the interests of the Umma are organized, until all public affairs are fixed by it.'1
Accordingly the Imam is an obligation and a necessity for the management of the public affairs of the Muslims. The function of the Imam is to watch over the Shari‘a and to decide issues related to the temporal affairs of the Muslims:
‘The Imama is established to succeed prophethood in guarding religion and managing secular public affairs.'2
Appointing the Imam
Al-Mawardi explains how the Imam should be elected. This, he writes, is done by those who ‘tie and loose' (Arabic: ahl al ‘aqd: presumably these are the elite of the Muslims, i.e. the notables, those versed in religion matters and those who are thought to be just). The mechanism of selecting the Imam is to create groups, the first group consists of an elite- a handful of Muslims, maybe five in number as when Abu bakr (the first Caliph) was elected- endowed with qualities of justice, knowledge of who is best for the post, wisdom and right opinion to choose the best.
The second group comprises those who are potential Imams. This group must be endowed with the following qualities to be eligible for the post: justice, knowledge of Shari‘a, healthy senses, healthy physique, and the right opinion leading to the management of the interests and affairs of the people, courage and protection and finally kinship with the tribe of Quraysh (the tribe of Prophet Muhammad). 3
The second way of appointing the Imam is by designation. The future Imam can be elected while his predecessor is still in office. The Imam in Office can designate his successor provided that the newly elected Imam has the right qualities. Two or more successors can be designated by an Imam in office.
According to Mawardi the representatives of the Muslims (the handful closed circle) must swear allegiance to the newly elected Imams approving thereby of their future governorship. These designated successors are Caliphs (Arabic: successors) to the Imam in office.
Al-Mawardi explains further the necessity for administrative personnel to execute the decisions of the Imam in managing public affairs, e.g. Vesirs, Emirs as governors of regions and towns, and Emirs as warlords and governors of treasury and alms collecting, also a body of Qudat (Arab: plural of Qadi: judge), to look into and judge in legal matters according to Islamic Shari‘a.
1. Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi,The ordinances of Government(Cairo: M. Halabi, 1973), p. 3.
2. Ibid., p. 5.
3. Ibid., p. 6.
