Chapter I

Introduction

A group of people who have the power to make and enforce laws

for a country or area is recognized as government. In default of

government, what would happen to a country, or to the people in a

country or state? Would there be any laws? Governments make laws

and even if there were laws, who would enforce them without

government?

In Section 4 of the Article II in the 1987 Constitution of the

Republic of the Philippines stated that; “the prime duty of the

Government is to serve and protect the people.” It does so by

maintaining order within a country and by protecting the country’s

borders from outside attack (The 1989 Constitution of the Republic of

the Philippines).

Islam is the true and perfect religion that can light up the

darkness of obliviousness of human race. Islam is also said as a

perfect way of life in a reason that it deals with the whole thing and it

includes the ruling of governance.

People have developed several different types of government

over the course of history but in Islam, the form of government is

exclusively adhered to Shari’a, or Islamic law. And the political aspects

of Islam are derived from the Qur’an the sacred book of Allah (S.W.T.)

1
and from the Sunna which is the sayings and living habits of Prophet

Muhammad may the peace and blessings be with him.

2
Statement of the Problem

1. Do Muslims need to get involve in politics?

2. What is Government?

3. What form of government does Islam prescripts?

Objectives of the Study

1. To determine whether Muslims need to get involve in politics.

2. To ascertain what Government is.

3. To come to know what form of government does Islam

prescripts.

Statement of Hypothesis

Muslims have their freedom to exercise to choose there own

leader that they think responsible to be a Caliph.

3
Significance of the Study

The aim of this study is to help people understand the Islamic

views about the form of government. The data will enlighten the minds

of those unaware of the issue on the forms of government within the

religion of Islam. The readers will learn the do’s and don’ts in Islam.

Scope and Delimitation

This study will be conducted in Western Mindanao State

University, Baliwasan Normal Road Zamboanga City with twenty (20)

selected Muslims and non-Muslims respondents ten (10) female and

ten (10) are male at the age of 18 to 30 years old.

The aim of this study is to know the form of government and its

political aspects under the religion of Islam, further more, there is only

one form of government in Islam which is the Islamic State and the

Qur’an and the Sunna as its political aspects.

4
 Chapter II

Review of Related Literature

Matthew J. Nelson (March, 2010) launches a historically embedded

analysis of shari'ah in Pakistan's largest and most influential province,

Punjab, to highlight the relationships among Islam, Islamic law, and

democracy and the ways in which different cultural and historical

contexts transform each entity. Nelson begins with colonial and

postcolonial efforts to introduce shari'ah into an environment tied to

"tribal" custom. He then examines the way in which electoral

accountability came to privilege those who could simultaneously

sustain Islamic law "in theory" and customary law "in practice."

Drawing attention to the interaction of formal and informal legal and

political institutions over time, Nelson argues that a deeper

understanding of the relationship between Islam and democracy

requires a more sophisticated appreciation of the complex legal

strategies adopted by individual Muslims (In the Shadow of Shari’a:

Islam, Islamic Law, and Democracy in Pakistan).

Tayeb El-Hibri (October, 2010) privileges the literary and artistic

triumphs of the medieval Islamic chronicles and maps the origins of

5
Islamic political and religious orthodoxy. Considering the patterns and

themes of these unified narratives, including the problem of measuring

personal qualification according to religious merit, nobility, and skills in

government, El-Hibri offers an insightful critique of both early and

contemporary Islam and the concerns of legitimacy shadowing various

rulers. In building an argument for reading the texts as parabolic

commentary, he also highlights the Islamic reinterpretation of biblical

traditions, both by Qur'anic exegesis and historical composition

(Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs).

Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im (2006) discusses the problems of

implementing constitutionalized forms of government specific to Africa,

from definitional to conceptual and practical issues. The role of Islam

in these endeavors is open to challenge and reformulation, and should

not be taken for granted or assumed to be necessarily negative or

positive, An-Na'im asserts, and he emphasizes the role of the agency

of Muslims in the process of adapting constitutionalism to the values

and practices of their own societies. By examining the incremental

successes that some African nations have already achieved and An-

Na'im reveals the contingent role that Islam has to play in this

process. Ultimately, these issues will determine the long-term

6
sustainability of constitutionalism in Africa (African Constitutionalism

and the Role of Islam).

According to the study of Akbar S. Ahmed (1993) that there is a belief

that Islam is a comprehensive way of life, that it includes society,

politics and economics. There is also a belief that the failure of Muslims

is due to their departure from the straight path of Islam and their

infatuation with Western secularism and its materialist ideology. Then

it is felt that the renewal of society necessitates a return to Islam,

which draws its inspiration directly from the Qur'an and the Prophet.

Many Muslims also believe that, in order to create a truly Islamic

order, the present Western-inspired civil and criminal codes must be

replaced by more Islamic ones (Islam in the Age of Western Media).

According to Taher Bhaisaheb Ezzuddin it is a well-known fact that

Islam has a value-system applicable to government and politics. This

is a powerful theme that raises spontaneous opposition from the West

due to the West's own historical experience of the renaissance when

the state and church were painfully separated. However, there a

number of reasons which compel Muslims, even those who are aware

7
of the Western experience, to consider politics, even modern politics,

as being part of practical Islam. These are:

1. Islam does not separate the secular from the spiritual. It is a

comprehensive way of life. To this effect, it provides man with

theoretical and practical guidance covering all aspects of life, of

which the political aspect is but one. The world, in its view, is a

place of preparation of the soul for the hereafter and that this

preparation fulfils the purpose of creation of man. One cannot

therefore consider parts of worldly life as having no meaning

with regards to that final purpose.

2. The majority of Islamic injunctions apply to the Islamic ummah

rather than the individual. The importance of society and laws

governing social interaction in Islam therefore becomes obvious.

The rulership of such a society requires Islam to provide

guidelines for the establishment of a just government and the

running of the state machinery.

3. When Prophet Muhammad established the first Islamic state in

the city of Madinah, he personally laid down principles by which

an Islamic state would run, including the unity of religious,

political and legal institutions. The idea of that original Islamic

state, governed by a perfect ruler enjoying direct communion

8
 with God has remarkable potency for the Muslim even after

fourteen hundred years.

4. The Islamic world was ruled for at least five centuries by some

form of Islamic government partly or fully based on the original

idealized model. A vast amount of material for such governship

thus exists in the classical literature. There is a great attraction

in looking into these texts to find means of developing the

methods then used into something that would be applicable in

contemporary times.

Taher Ezzuddin also talks about the head of the state and according to

him there can be no doubt that the type of government espoused by

Islam is a form of theocracy in which the head of state has ultimate

decision-making powers. It is not a theocracy of the kind that once

existed in Europe, as the suzerainty of God is not translated to an

arbitrary rule of a priestly class but is invested in a single head whose

rule operates within the divine injunctions of revelation, that is the

Qur'an and the practice of the Prophet. He is the final interpreter and

guardian of religion and its very embodiment, one to be emulated and

one who provides the moral basis for law. His predecessor through an

act of designation can only make his appointment (Ideals of the

Islamic State).

9
 The Conceptual Framework

Forms of Government and Political Aspects in Islam

Independent Variables

1. Caliph (Leadership)
2. Qur’an
3. Hadith
4. Ijma
5. Ijtihad

Dependent Variables

1. Peace, Equality, and

Justice
2. Spiritual Guidance
3. Elucidation
4. Unification
5. Harmonious Relation

10
 Chapter III

Research Methodology

This study will use a descriptive approach, analytical and

statistical method.

A. Research Locale

This study will be conducted in Western Mindanao State

University, Zamboanga City. With this area is about a kilometer away

from the Zamboanga National Airport, and more than three (3)

kilometers away from the City Hall of Zamboanga City.

B. Research Design

This study shows the form of government and its political

aspects towards Islam of some respondents of Western Mindanao

State University.

C. Respondents

There shall be a total of twenty (20) respondents, both Muslims

and non-Muslims with age bracket from eighteen (18) to thirty (30)

years of age.

11
 D. Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher will go to Western Mindanao State University to

gather data using a prepared material such as questionnaire, checklist

and etc.

 Construction of Questionnaire

The researcher shall prepare or construct the questionnaire properly

as research tool to collect the information or data. The first part

indicate the socio-demographic and the second part is question’s

proper.

 Administration of Questionnaire

The questionnaire is administered to respondents by the researcher

in coordination with the University officials in the area in order to

insure a proper and smooth conduct of the survey.

 Collation and Tabulation of Responses

The data shall be collated and tabulated in order to arrange the

data in a tabular and systematic form.

 Statistical Treatment of Data

The data shall be treated according to the following:

1. Frequency

2. Percentage

3. Ranking

12
Bibliography

Al-Mubarakpuri, Safiur-Rahman. The Sealed Nectar. (Revised Edition).

Riyadh: Darussalam.

Calingancion,P.B. The 1989 Constitution of the Republic of the

Philippines.

Rules of Court. (2005 Edition). Quezon City: Rex Printing Company,

inc.

http://www.cup.columbia.edu

http://www.analyst-network.com

www.Wikipedia.com

http://www.babylon.com

http://canadafreepress.com

http://www.jihadwatch.org

http://www.islamfortoday.com

http://www.islam101.com

http://www.cup.columbia.edu

http://www.upenn.edu

http://www.helium.com

http://muslim-canada.org

13
Biography

THE RESEARCHER is a Filipino citizen

from Campo-Islam, Zamboanga City,

Philippines. He was born on December 24,

1989 at Doctor Hospital, Zamboanga City. He

is in the age of twenty-one while conducting this thesis proposal. He

was inspired to choose the topic “Forms of Government and Political

Aspects in Islam” due to the differences of Muslims point of views

when it comes to governing a state, particularly in southern

Philippines. Abu Sayyaf, MILF, MNLF and the new existing group of

Muslims in Mindanao who are pushing for Sultanate. These groups of

Muslims are advocating for there views for what they think is right.

The researcher was able to asked himself and wish to share it all for

the world that, despite of different point of views of Muslim groups in

Mindanao, have they ever forget that they are still Muslims, on whom

must follow the religion of Islam, a Muslim who must believe that Allah

is the only one who is Most Knowledgeable of all the unseen and the

seen, where Allah puts a guidance to be followed by all human races?

At present, he is studying in Salamat Islamic Institute (SII), in

San Roque village, Zamboanga City, at the level of grade 7. It is an

14
Institute of Sheikh Abdulwakil S. Tanjilil, a graduated of Shari’ah

course in Damascus, Syria, the director general and at the same time

the founder of the said Institute. The researcher is recently a

graduating student in Western Mindanao State University taking the

course of Bachelor of Science in Islamic Studies in the College of Asian

and Islamic Studies, Baliwasan Normal Road, Zamboanga City. He

took his primary education at Zamboanga East Central School, San

Jose Road, Zamboanga City. And for his secondary education, he

graduated at Zamboanga National High School West, R.T. Lim

Boulevard, Zamboanga City.

He also took certain vocational courses which genuinely develops

his skills and knowledge. He took the OWWA-Microsoft Tulay Program

at OWWA Regional Welfare Office IX, Zamboanga City on June 26,

2010 where he became more conversant in utilizing the computer. He

also graduated at TESDA-Armm of English Language and Culture at

Veterans Highway, Zamboanga City on May 15, 2009 which makes

him fluent in speaking English in an American accent, and leads him to

become an excellent in English verbal communication.

And the researcher has the purpose to take his Master of Arts in

Islamic Studies at the Institute of Islamic Studies at the University of

the Philippine, Quezon City.

May Allah help him for his study and guide him to the right path.

15
 Western Mindanao State University
College of Asian and Islamic Studies
Zamboanga City

Name: __________________________

Age: 18 – 24 yrs. Old Gender: F M

25 – 30 yrs. Old

Religion: Islam Marital Status:

Christian Single Widow

Others Married Widower

Occupation:

Student

Instructor/Professor

Others

_________________________________________

SA – Strongly Agree SD – Strongly Disagree

A – Agree D – Disagree

UD – Undesirable

_________________________ 1. Through the Islamic law

_
we can accomplish peace.
Peace
_________________________
_

SA A UD SD D

16
 Spiritual Guidance
_________________________
_
_________________________
_
1. Not only Muslim who
Equality
_________________________ appreciate the beauty of
_
Islam, even non-Muslims

1. Islamic law is not only do.

more useable than

commonly thought in

some country, it is also a

law that gives equality to SA A UD SD D

all human being, both

Muslim and non-Muslim.

_________________________
_

Justice
_________________________
_

1. Islam gives the rightful

vote to choose there own

leader.

_________________________
_

17
 1. Some courts of Muslim

nation apply not only the

state regulations but also

the opinion of respected

scholars.

_________________________
_

Harmonious Relationship
________________________ _________________________
_
Elucidation
_________________________
_ 1. The law in Islam gives

1. The Hadith clearly state freely sufficient

that Muslim must behave agreement to all.

decently towards non-

Muslim. Does it mean

SA A UD SD D
Shari’ah has no right to be

implemented in a non-

Muslim country?

_________________________
_

Unification
_________________________
_

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19