Post by Islamic Revival on Dec 26, 2004 2:39:11 GMT -5
An Islamic Political Analiyst
Dr. Fahmi Amhar
A Lecturer of University of Paramadina (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Hizbut Tahrir (Liberation Party) is a unique phenomena In Indonesian politics. From more than one hundreds political parties which participate national event, HT is probably the oldest one. Established in 1953 in Jordan, HT from the very beginning has called itself a political party, not just a da’wah group . Its cosmopolitan and international character, makes HT exists everywhere. In Indonesia, it exists by the name of HTI (Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia). To understan it, the following items are something “unique” in a nutshell about HT.
1. Da’wah group – but also political party
HT is a da’wah group, which is ordered to give admonition to whoever (QS 3:104), while the one which is deserved to be given advice is the ruler, who takes care of community problems (without restriction). Therefore this kind of dakwah can be called political activities, and the group can be called a political party.
2. Politics – but smart & smarting the people
However political activities of HT are “high politics” or “smart and smarting people”. HT educates people to be aware of their right and duties in Islam so that they can watch over their rulers to govern according to Islamic values. It is enough for HT that people and the ruler go together in Islamic way without needing to govern itself.
3. Political party – but extra parliamentary
Even though HT is a political party, HT chooses to work outside the parliament. That is why HT has no interest to take part in the election, even though it has a large number of followers.It is because HT judges parliament in a democracy system is not compatible with Islam, and will not give way for the establishment of Islam wherever it is. Historical facts in many countries have shown that revolutionary changes will never and can not and not necessary with parliament.
4. Revolutionary – but starts in the mind
Even though HT wishes of revolutionary changes, it is not in the style of a socialist revolution. The ideal revolution is a thinking revolution. The corrupted way of thinking in the society is the cause of the corrupted system and degenerating rulers. Therefore the corrupted way of thinking must be substituted y with the bright thinking of Islam which is -in the right time- able to enlighten the people so that they can choose the enlightened rulers. The thinking ability which can activate changes – even revolution – in every field (QS. 13.11).
5. Social change – but not forgetting individual
Although HT fights for the people changes, this thing is not “dropped” from the top, nor it is leaped up from the bottom (individual-to-individual). People are not only the accumulation of individuals but rather they are the individuals who interact on another and are bound in their thinking, feeling and given the same regulations. Therefore HT educates individually its cadres while at the same time do the interaction to the people to change public opinion. If the cadres, by chance, have the power, while the pubic opinion has already conducive to Islam, the systematic change will run smoothly. Furthermore , the new Islamic system will accelerate more Islamisation, without needing to change everyone into its cadre.
6. Fundamental – but not dogmatic
As a movement which wishes of establishing Islamic law which is believed as the only alternative to overcome the multi dimensional crisis, HT can be categorized in the group of “fundamentalist “, or “ revivalist”. HT, however, is not a dogmatic movement. Even only about aqidah (for the question : why should believe in Islam ?), HT uses just a rational method. No wonder some movement – also from fundamentalist movement – has ever misunderstood HT as neo-mu’ tazilah. In fiqh, HT traces the Islamic proposition deeply, without needing to follow a certain mazhab.
7. Islamic law – but not just article 29 (in Indonesia’s context)
Even though HT calls for the applying of Islamic law, HT, different from others, is not trapped only to include Jakarta Charter in the amendment of 1945 constitution, or to the jargon Madinah Charter. HT proposes a new planned constitution in which the articles are all taken from Islam, and perceives Jakarta Charter or Madinah Charter as the small parts of the Islamic Law. HT considers Islamic law as an integral solution (politics-economics-culture- defense and security). Therefore Islamic law is not just law (=sanction) of Islam, such as hand cutting for the thieves or stone throwing for the adulterers. Even in economics matters, the syariah of economics is not just economics anti interest plus zakat (alms), but furthermore starting from its paradigm, the ownership theory, price theory, the role of the state and so on.
8. Islamic State – but not a theocracy
HT judges a country which adopts Islamic law and its security is in the hand of moslems as an islamic country. But the country is not a theocracy which is ruled by the priests who rule in the name of God. An Islamic country is a worldly country, which is inhabited by pious people as well as by wicked people , moslems or non moslems. In an Islamic country, even though its sovereignty is in the hand of syariah, the power is in the hand of people, while its benefit is directed to the universe.
9. Unity of Ummah – but not unity of party
A state will only establish if all the moslems unite. But, according to HT, the unity of ummah doesn’t mean to unite the parties. The existence of multi parties is permitted (sunnatulah), because there are many premonitions which can be interpreted in various ways. If there is a caliphate, he is the one who decides which opinion is going to be legislated and binds everyone, including those who have different opinion. But this is only for social related problems. Even the different opinions can be learned. Therefore the fiqh mazhabs can still alive, even though at that time the caliphate legislates only one mazhab.
10. Khilafah – but not just group leader
And about the figure of a caliphate, HT perceives that a caliph is not only a leader of jamaah such as in Ahmadiyah or Hizbullah guerillas. The caliph is a head of state and government. Caliphate is not a post which can be passed on, because it is like a However, what happened in the past, must be Examined thoroughly, and history is not a binding premonition law.
Dr. Fahmi Amhar
A Lecturer of University of Paramadina (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Hizbut Tahrir (Liberation Party) is a unique phenomena In Indonesian politics. From more than one hundreds political parties which participate national event, HT is probably the oldest one. Established in 1953 in Jordan, HT from the very beginning has called itself a political party, not just a da’wah group . Its cosmopolitan and international character, makes HT exists everywhere. In Indonesia, it exists by the name of HTI (Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia). To understan it, the following items are something “unique” in a nutshell about HT.
1. Da’wah group – but also political party
HT is a da’wah group, which is ordered to give admonition to whoever (QS 3:104), while the one which is deserved to be given advice is the ruler, who takes care of community problems (without restriction). Therefore this kind of dakwah can be called political activities, and the group can be called a political party.
2. Politics – but smart & smarting the people
However political activities of HT are “high politics” or “smart and smarting people”. HT educates people to be aware of their right and duties in Islam so that they can watch over their rulers to govern according to Islamic values. It is enough for HT that people and the ruler go together in Islamic way without needing to govern itself.
3. Political party – but extra parliamentary
Even though HT is a political party, HT chooses to work outside the parliament. That is why HT has no interest to take part in the election, even though it has a large number of followers.It is because HT judges parliament in a democracy system is not compatible with Islam, and will not give way for the establishment of Islam wherever it is. Historical facts in many countries have shown that revolutionary changes will never and can not and not necessary with parliament.
4. Revolutionary – but starts in the mind
Even though HT wishes of revolutionary changes, it is not in the style of a socialist revolution. The ideal revolution is a thinking revolution. The corrupted way of thinking in the society is the cause of the corrupted system and degenerating rulers. Therefore the corrupted way of thinking must be substituted y with the bright thinking of Islam which is -in the right time- able to enlighten the people so that they can choose the enlightened rulers. The thinking ability which can activate changes – even revolution – in every field (QS. 13.11).
5. Social change – but not forgetting individual
Although HT fights for the people changes, this thing is not “dropped” from the top, nor it is leaped up from the bottom (individual-to-individual). People are not only the accumulation of individuals but rather they are the individuals who interact on another and are bound in their thinking, feeling and given the same regulations. Therefore HT educates individually its cadres while at the same time do the interaction to the people to change public opinion. If the cadres, by chance, have the power, while the pubic opinion has already conducive to Islam, the systematic change will run smoothly. Furthermore , the new Islamic system will accelerate more Islamisation, without needing to change everyone into its cadre.
6. Fundamental – but not dogmatic
As a movement which wishes of establishing Islamic law which is believed as the only alternative to overcome the multi dimensional crisis, HT can be categorized in the group of “fundamentalist “, or “ revivalist”. HT, however, is not a dogmatic movement. Even only about aqidah (for the question : why should believe in Islam ?), HT uses just a rational method. No wonder some movement – also from fundamentalist movement – has ever misunderstood HT as neo-mu’ tazilah. In fiqh, HT traces the Islamic proposition deeply, without needing to follow a certain mazhab.
7. Islamic law – but not just article 29 (in Indonesia’s context)
Even though HT calls for the applying of Islamic law, HT, different from others, is not trapped only to include Jakarta Charter in the amendment of 1945 constitution, or to the jargon Madinah Charter. HT proposes a new planned constitution in which the articles are all taken from Islam, and perceives Jakarta Charter or Madinah Charter as the small parts of the Islamic Law. HT considers Islamic law as an integral solution (politics-economics-culture- defense and security). Therefore Islamic law is not just law (=sanction) of Islam, such as hand cutting for the thieves or stone throwing for the adulterers. Even in economics matters, the syariah of economics is not just economics anti interest plus zakat (alms), but furthermore starting from its paradigm, the ownership theory, price theory, the role of the state and so on.
8. Islamic State – but not a theocracy
HT judges a country which adopts Islamic law and its security is in the hand of moslems as an islamic country. But the country is not a theocracy which is ruled by the priests who rule in the name of God. An Islamic country is a worldly country, which is inhabited by pious people as well as by wicked people , moslems or non moslems. In an Islamic country, even though its sovereignty is in the hand of syariah, the power is in the hand of people, while its benefit is directed to the universe.
9. Unity of Ummah – but not unity of party
A state will only establish if all the moslems unite. But, according to HT, the unity of ummah doesn’t mean to unite the parties. The existence of multi parties is permitted (sunnatulah), because there are many premonitions which can be interpreted in various ways. If there is a caliphate, he is the one who decides which opinion is going to be legislated and binds everyone, including those who have different opinion. But this is only for social related problems. Even the different opinions can be learned. Therefore the fiqh mazhabs can still alive, even though at that time the caliphate legislates only one mazhab.
10. Khilafah – but not just group leader
And about the figure of a caliphate, HT perceives that a caliph is not only a leader of jamaah such as in Ahmadiyah or Hizbullah guerillas. The caliph is a head of state and government. Caliphate is not a post which can be passed on, because it is like a However, what happened in the past, must be Examined thoroughly, and history is not a binding premonition law.
