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Democracy vs Dictatorship

ByShaykh Haytham Tamim

When is a democracy a dictatorship?

The Quran is filled with ayahs that tell us to be just. Allah says:

‫كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣰ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِینَ وَمُنذِرِینَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِیَحۡكُمَ بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِیمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِۚ

Mankind used to be one community, then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and as forewarners. And He sent down with them the Book with the truth to judge between mankind regarding whatever they differed over.  (2:213)

Allah sent the divine Books to establish justice among people, nations, cities and families. The essence of all messages is the same – the oneness of Allah and establishing justice between people. Justice giving Allah His due, and establishing justice between us and others. For each we have rules. Allah is keen for us to establish and maintain justice and to be just.

Justice is justice

Allah tells us to be just in all circumstances and towards all people – rich or poor and even to the extent that you bear witness against yourself or your parents. Justice has to be served.

‫ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّ ٰ⁠مِینَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُهَدَاۤءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَ ٰ⁠لِدَیۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِینَۚ إِن یَكُنۡ غَنِیًّا أَوۡ فَقِیراً فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِهِمَاۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلۡهَوَىٰۤ أَن تَعۡدِلُوا۟ۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُۥۤا۟ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِیراً

O you who believe, always stand for justice, as witnesses for the sake of Allah, even if against yourselves or the parents or the close relatives. Whether a person is rich or poor, Allah is worthier as a patron of both. So do not follow prejudice and thus deviate [from justice]. But if you twist (your testimony) or disregard (giving it) —then indeed Allah has always been All-Aware of what you do. (4:135)

‫یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّ ٰ⁠مِینَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاۤءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا یَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰۤ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوا۟ۚ ٱعۡدِلُوا۟ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِیرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ

O you who believes, stand firmly for Allah (as) just witnesses, and let not the hatred of any people provoke you to be unjust. Be just—that is nearer to mindfulness (of God). And be mindful of Allah; indeed, Allah is All-Aware of all that you do. (5:8)

‫ فَإِن جَاۤءُوكَ فَٱحۡكُم بَیۡنَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡۖ وَإِن تُعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ فَلَن یَضُرُّوكَ شَيئاً وَإِنۡ حَكَمۡتَ فَٱحۡكُم بَیۡنَهُم بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِینَ

So if they come to you, then judge between them or disregard them. And if you disregard them, then they will not harm you in any way. Yet if you judge, then judge between them justly. Indeed, Allah loves the just. (5:42)

‫إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَكۡفُرُونَ بِـَٔایَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَیَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ بِغَیۡرِ حَقٍّ وَیَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلَّذِینَ یَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فَبَشِّرۡهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِیمٍ

Indeed, those who deny Allah’s signs and unjustifiably kill the prophets and kill those of mankind who command to justice—give them glad tidings of a painful punishment. (3:21)

These are the main verses in the Quran that tell us how to establish, implement and maintain justice. This is what we have to do in order for everyone to get the rights they are entitled to. When justice is not served, then oppression will prevail. And when oppression prevails then all sorts of troubles attack us – whether it is within the family, or within the community, or at an international level. When anyone crosses the limits, it is oppression. Then we need justice to be served.

Where is democracy in the United Nations?

After the Second World War, the United Nations was established and now comprises 193 member states. While democracy is the rule of the majority, and the UN is made up of the majority of the world’s nations – it is dominated by the UN Security Council, which has five permanent members: the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and China. Their veto power allows them to override the majority. When I asked AI to describe a scenario where a minority rules against the will of the majority, it identified it as a form of dictatorship. When the Security Council can act unilaterally, such a system is not a democracy. Yet the Western nations keep lecturing the world on democracy, while practicing a form of dictatorship.

Time to reform the UN Security Council

There are many calls for the reform of the UN Security Council, but they have failed. This year the president of Finland suggested three proposals to reform the UN Security Council. However, the sad irony is that when you read the charter, no one can stop the veto of the five members of the Security Council unless they themselves agree. This is ridiculous. It is like asking your oppressors not to oppress you.

The failure of the United Nations to fulfil its aims and purposes

According to the Charter, the United Nations has four purposes:

•  to maintain international peace and security;

• to develop friendly relations among nations;

•  to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;

• to be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations.

Yet the UN Security Council has failed to maintain peace and security, as we see in Gaza and Lebanon. When it suits their interests, the UN acts, but when it does not, the UN disregards it. This is completely wrong. Instead of creating justice it is creating injustice; instead of creating peace it is creating terrorism and massacres and breeding hatred. It is leading to all sorts of problems, including famine.

What role, then, does the UN serve? While the world is being constantly told to follow democratic principles, this system is anything but democratic; it is the rule of power, not the rule of law. This structure must be reformed. Justice is not being served, and it is imperative to form alliances with those leaders and organisations committed to promoting genuine human rights, peace and justice. Though such leaders are few, they champion truth and justice—not just the appearance of it.

The UN Charter must be reformed, starting with the removal of oppressive veto power, which has only allowed suffering on a horrific scale. If the system cannot be changed, an alternative that truly promotes justice and peace for all humanity must be created. Of course, this is not easy, but we must work towards it.

Bring an end to the violence

It is unacceptable that every day there are more and more casualties, and more killing. What is the UN Security Council doing? It is not creating the peace that it was set up to protect. It is not fulfilling its own charter.

If the killing continues, the massacres will only deepen resentment and fuel cycles of violence, creating a beast that will haunt the oppressors. This is the reality we face. It is imperative to work toward a ceasefire today, not tomorrow.

May Allah make us from among those who call for and work towards establishing justice. Ameen.

Based on the Khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim 25th Oct 2024