Call me loquacious or disputatious, I believe some matters are better pointed out than left out. Politics is one of them. But before we delve into this matter, Muslims should know that their participation in elections in a non-Muslim country is one of the Islamic political matters in which the ruling is determined in the light of weighing up the pros and cons, and rulings concerning it differ according to time, place and circumstances. Yes…this will be our acid test.
When it comes to making real mess-ups in politics, It will take a ‘genius’ to think that Muslim politicians are but angels in this matter.I implore Muslims and anyone who has a little humanity for people to consider the following points.
Casuistry(political trickery) – many parties and politicians have been using this art to con people into voting for them. Muslim politicians are not spared in this category. In fact, many of Muslim politicians are ‘connoisseurs’ in this game.
Corruption – it’s noteworthy that corruption reached an alarming level whilst we had some of our well known Muslim politicians in power (and still is relatively high, up to this time). Seeing that some of these politicians, including Muslims, got immensely rich just after being elected into power, you will have to first damage my brain cells to prevent me from asking the how-questions.
Favouritism or nepotism – as for favouritism and nepotism, well…I don’t think I should comment on something that is even pretty known by my grandmother who doesn’t spend much time to read, watch or listen to news. How she knows it? It’s your food for thought.
Crimes and Abuse – this act is many years old. Even though some of our ruling parties may comprise a good number of noticeable Muslim politicians, they are achingly professionals when it comes to magicking away people (sometimes including students) who happen to challenge their authority. Of course, I am not incriminating individual Muslims in this case, but mine is the wish to demonstrate to people that no party in Malawi is holy or automatically consecrated just because some Muslims happen to be a part of it.
As for those who go around with their propaganda to different Islamic gatherings (including mosques) and ‘force’ their ideas on innocent worshippers to vote for some candidates just because the candidates are Muslim or Christians anointed by certain Muslim politicians, I say to them; so what If the candidates are Muslims or/and anointed by certain Muslim politicians?
If the candidates are corrupt, nepotistic, cheaters, crooks or of those from devil-may-care attitude, then to what benefit will they be to us? I am sure that in the eyes of those who possess an iota of intellect and knowledge of religion, such candidates can not be saved even if it be by the ‘religion card’. Nowhere in our religion does it say that we should vote for such knaves. Indeed, if we were to do that, undoubtedly we would be from among their abettors.
Muslims are supposed to absolutely abstain from the bad points listed above. In this non-Muslim land, I believe that if Muslim (or Christian) politicians are to observe their religion well, people will automatically vote for them, not because of their religious affiliations, but because they are productive in their communities and the country as a whole.
The matter is very simple; if you are a Muslim and happen to deliver politically, then why not voting for you? But if you don’t, why voting for you?
Written by Abdulaziz Kaisi
The views expressed in this article are solely for the author and does not necessarily represent those of this website nor its staff members
