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Governance and Politics

حُكْمٌ وَسِيَاسَة

Governance and politics (hukm wa siyasah) in Islam are understood not merely as exercises of power, but as sacred trusts aimed at establishing justice and fostering societal well-being. The Quran emphasizes that true authority ultimately rests with Allah, who grants [sovereignty to whom He wills], often based on qualities like wisdom and knowledge. Believers are called to [obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you], provided these leaders govern according to divine guidance and uphold righteousness. A fundamental aspect of Islamic governance is the commitment to justice, consultation (Shura), and accountability. The responsibilities of those entrusted with [authority in the land] include establishing prayer, giving zakat, and enjoining what is right while forbidding what is wrong. This holistic approach, exemplified by figures like Prophet Joseph who sought to be a [knowing guardian] for the people, ensures that leadership is dedicated to serving humanity and creating a thriving society rooted in divine principles.

Quran 7 verses

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوٓا۟ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ ٱلْمَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسْطَةً فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ وَٱلْجِسْمِ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤْتِى مُلْكَهُۥ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Wa qaala lahum Nabiy yuhum innal laaha qad ba'asa lakum Taaloota malikaa; qaalooo annaa yakoonu lahul mulku 'alainaa wa nahnu ahaqqu bilmulki minhu wa lam yu'ta sa'atamminal maal; qaala innallaahas tafaahu 'alaikum wa zaadahoo bastatan fil'ilmi waljismi wallaahu yu'tee mulkahoo mai yashaaa'; wallaahu Waasi'un 'Aleem

And their prophet said to them, "Indeed, Allah has sent to you Saul as a king." They said, "How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?" He said, "Indeed, Allah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing [in favor] and Knowing."

اور پیغمبر نے ان سے (یہ بھی) کہا کہ خدا نے تم پر طالوت کو بادشاہ مقرر فرمایا ہے۔ وہ بولے کہ اسے ہم پر بادشاہی کا حق کیونکر ہوسکتا ہےبادشاہی کے مستحق تو ہم ہیں اور اس کے پاس تو بہت سی دولت بھی نہیں۔ پیغمبر نے کہا کہ خدا نےاس کو تم پر فضیلت دی ہے اور (بادشاہی کے لئے) منتخب فرمایا ہے اس نے اسے علم بھی بہت سا بخشا ہے اور تن و توش بھی (بڑا عطا کیا ہے) اور خدا (کو اختیار ہے) جسے چاہے بادشاہی بخشے۔ وہ بڑا کشائش والا اور دانا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary 1. Verse 246: إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَّهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ (When they said to a prophet of theirs: "Send us a king so that we may fight in the way of Allah)." These people from the Bani Isra'il had abandoned the injunctions given by Allah Almighty. ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Then their prophet said to them ‘Verily God has raised up Saul for you as king’ They said ‘How can he be king over us when we have better right than he to kingship since he is not of the tribe of monarchs or that of prophets; he Saul was a tanner or a shepherd; seeing he has not been given amplitude...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): When the Israelites asked their Prophet to appoint a king over them, he appointed Talut (Saul), who was then a soldier. But, Talut was not a descendant of the house of kings among them, which was exclusively in the offspring of Yahudha (Judah). This is why they said: أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَ...

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا

Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanooo atee'ul laaha wa atee'ur Rasoola wa ulil amri minkum fa in tanaaza'tum fee shai'in faruddoohu ilal laahi war Rasooli in kuntum tu'minoona billaahi wal yawmil Aakhir; zaalika khairunw wa ahsanu taaweelaa

O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.

مومنو! خدا اور اس کے رسول کی فرمانبرداری کرو اور جو تم میں سے صاحب حکومت ہیں ان کی بھی اور اگر کسی بات میں تم میں اختلاف واقع ہو تو اگر خدا اور روز آخرت پر ایمان رکھتے ہو تو اس میں خدا اور اس کے رسول (کے حکم) کی طرف رجوع کرو یہ بہت اچھی بات ہے اور اس کا مآل بھی اچھا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The Proof of Ijtihad اِجتِھاد and Qiyas قیاس Finally, let us now refer to the statement: فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُ‌دُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَالرَّ‌سُولِ in verse 59 (Then, if you quarrel about something, revert it back to Allah and the Messenger.) This 'reverting back to Allah and the Messen...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: O you who believe obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you that is rulers when they command you to obey God and His Messenger. If you should quarrel disagree about anything refer it to God that is to His Book and the Messenger while he lives and thereafter refer to his Sunna ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Necessity of Obeying the Rulers in Obedience to Allah Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah, أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِى الاٌّمْرِ مِنْكُمْ (Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority.) "Was revealed about `Abdullah bin Hudh...

قَالَ ٱجْعَلْنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآئِنِ ٱلْأَرْضِ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ

Qaalaj 'alnee 'alaa khazaaa'inil ardi innee hafeezun 'aleem

[Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian."

(یوسف نے) کہا مجھے اس ملک کے خزانوں پر مقرر کر دیجیئے کیونکہ میں حفاظت بھی کرسکتا ہوں اور اس کام سے واقف ہوں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Thereupon, Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) said: اجْعَلْنِي عَلَىٰ خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْ‌ضِ ۖ إِنِّي حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ that is, ` appoint me to the treasures of the land (which includes the produce of the land) for I am indeed a knowledgeable keeper (fully capable of conserving and guarding it, and aware of ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: He Joseph said ‘Place me in charge of the storehouses of the land the land of Egypt. I am indeed a skilled custodian’ one worthy of custodianship thereof and knowledgeable in such affairs — it is also said that he meant I am indeed a competent scribe and accountant.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Yusuf's Rank with the King of Egypt Allah states that when he became aware of Yusuf's innocence and his innocense of what he was accused of, the king said, ائْتُونِى بِهِ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِى (Bring him to me that I may attach him to my person.), `that I may make him among my close aids and asso...

ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُوا۟ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا۟ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَلِلَّهِ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْأُمُورِ

Allazeena im makkan naahum fil ardi aqaamus Salaata wa aatawuz Zakaata wa amaroo bilma'roofi wa nahaw 'anil munkar; wa lillaahi 'aaqibatul umoor

[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.

یہ وہ لوگ ہیں کہ اگر ہم ان کو ملک میں دسترس دیں تو نماز پڑھیں اور زکوٰة ادا کریں اور نیک کام کرنے کا حکم دیں اور برے کاموں سے منع کریں اور سب کاموں کا انجام خدا ہی کے اختیار میں ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Qur’ anic prophecy about the Rightly Guided Caliphs ( خُلفأے راشدین ) and its fulfillment الَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ (Those who, when We give them power in the land - 22:41) In this verse the word (those) refers to those people who have been mentioned in the preceding verse: الَّذِ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: those who if We empower them in the land by granting them victory over their enemies maintain the prayer and pay the alms and enjoin decency and forbid indecency this last is the response to the conditional clause which together with the response constitute a relative clause of the relative noun ‘th...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Duties of the Muslims when They attain Power Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Uthman bin `Affan said, "The Ayah: الَّذِينَ إِنْ مَّكَّنَّـهُمْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَـوةَ وَأَمَرُواْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْاْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ (Those who, if We give them power in the lan...

وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُۥ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ ٱلْخِطَابِ

Wa shadadnaa mulkahoo wa aatainaahul Hikmata wa faslal khitaab

And We strengthened his kingdom and gave him wisdom and discernment in speech.

اور ہم نے ان کی بادشاہی کو مستحکم کیا اور ان کو حکمت عطا کی اور (خصومت کی) بات کا فیصلہ (سکھایا)

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The word: الْحِكْمَةَ (al-hikmah) appearing in verse 38:20: وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ (and gave him wisdom, and a decisive speech), as obvious, means wisdom, that is, 'We had blessed him with the precious assets of reason, insight and vision.' Some elders have suggested that it me...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We strengthened his Kingdom We reinforced it with guards and hosts every night there thirty thousand men would be standing guard at his sanctuary; and gave him wisdom prophethood and sound judgement in all matters and decisive speech the ability to formulate a satisfactory statement for a decisi...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Allah tells us that His servant and Messenger Dawud, peace be upon him, was endued with power Al-Ayd means strength in knowledge and action. Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said, "Al-Ayd means strength." Mujahid said, "Al-Ayd means strength in obedience to Allah." Qa...

إِذْ دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ دَاوُۥدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَٱهْدِنَآ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلصِّرَٰطِ

Iz dakhaloo 'alaa Daawooda fafazi'a minhum qaaloo la takhaf khasmaani baghaa ba'dunaa 'alaa ba'din fahkum bainanaaa bilhaqqi wa laa tushtit wahdinaaa ilaa Sawaaa'is Siraat

When they entered upon David and he was alarmed by them? They said, "Fear not. [We are] two adversaries, one of whom has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not exceed [it] and guide us to the sound path.

جس وقت وہ داؤد کے پاس آئے تو وہ ان سے گھبرا گئے انہوں نے کہا کہ خوف نہ کیجیئے۔ ہم دونوں کا ایک مقدمہ ہے کہ ہم میں سے ایک نے دوسرے پر زیادتی کی ہے تو آپ ہم میں انصاف کا فیصلہ کر دیجیئے اور بےانصافی نہ کیجیئے گا اور ہم کو سیدھا رستہ دکھا دیجیئے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: About Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) ، it was said in verse 22: فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ (and he was scared of them). The reason of being scared was quite obvious. Two men barging into one's privacy in that manner at an odd hour beating the security cordon can only be because of some bad intention in most ca...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: When they entered upon David and he was frightened by them. And they said ‘Do not fear; we are two disputants some say that this means ‘two groups’ in order to agree with the plural person of the verb dakhalū ‘they entered’; others say ‘two individuals’ with the plural person actually denoting these...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Story of the Two Litigants In discussing this passage, the scholars of Tafsir mention a story which is mostly based upon Isra'iliyat narrations. Nothing has been reported about this from the Infallible Prophet that we could accept as true. But Ibn Abi Hatim narrated a Hadith whose chain of narra...

يَٰدَاوُۥدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَٰكَ خَلِيفَةً فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا نَسُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْحِسَابِ

Yaa Daawoodu innaa ja'alnaaka khaleefatan fil ardi fahkum bainan naasi bilhaqqi wa laa tattabi'il hawaa fayudillaka 'an sabeelil laah; innal lazeena yadilloona 'an sabeelil laah; lahum 'azaabun shadeedum bimaa nasoo Yawmal Hisaab

[We said], "O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah." Indeed, those who go astray from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account.

اے داؤد ہم نے تم کو زمین میں بادشاہ بنایا ہے تو لوگوں میں انصاف کے فیصلے کیا کرو اور خواہش کی پیروی نہ کرنا کہ وہ تمہیں خدا کے رستے سے بھٹکا دے گی۔ جو لوگ خدا کے رستے سے بھٹکتے ہیں ان کے لئے سخت عذاب (تیار) ہے کہ انہوں نے حساب کے دن کو بھلا دیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Not only that Allah Ta’ ala had made Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) a prophet, He had also placed a government and state at his command. Accordingly, in this verse, he has been entrusted with a basic guideline for the conduct of governance and politics. Three things have been said in this g...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: ‘O David! We have indeed made you a vicegerent on the earth managing the affairs of people; so judge justly between people and do not follow desire that is the desires of the soul that it then lead you astray from the way of God that is to say from the proofs that indicate the truth of His Oneness. ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Advice to Rulers and Leaders This is advice from Allah, may He be exalted, to those who are in positions of authority. They should rule according to the truth and justice revealed from Him, they should not turn away from it and be led astray from the path of Allah. Allah has issued a stern warning o...

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