Trafalgar, Tiananmen & Tahrir Squares

Following Tunisian political hegemony, several neighboring Arab countries felt the uprising prowess of the people becoming more undeniable whilst some leaders fear over such trend is turning inevitable. Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Jordan are seemingly next neighbors to get caught by the same stir in some political analysts’ anticipation. Is it merely a passing trend that blows in the wind?

Pros and cons critics upon what’s currently going on are flying across conventional and alternative media channels all over the world. Concerns on humanitarian as well as political directions of Arab nations grew alongside expectation towards betterment by democratic and liberalist’s definition. Although not so popular, some skeptics are contemplating over someone else’s “bigger agenda” involving ideological indoctrination similar to the world’s previous historical conundrums.

Although this time Muslim entities are directly involved in driving rallies and demonstrations that cry out democracy and liberalism in Tunisia and Egypt, pure religious concerns remain second in public opinion. Priority is given to governance under nationalistic interest rather than genuine Islamic social system. On one hand, this has garnered support from renowned pro-democratic nations especially within the scope of western civilization but on the other hand, idealism is overtaking religion.

Political retaliations involving street demonstrations are not new to human sophistication. Many have stood their ground in similar notion even though in different situations. Be that in central London, Beijing and the recent in downtown Kaherah or globally known as Cairo, human continues to write histories about freedom fighters with multiple fatalities every time they were demanding reforms.

Trafalgar Square in Westminster London has witnessed “Black Monday” and “Bloody Sunday” back in the late 19^th century when protesters clashed in their plight against unemployment. More or less a hundred years later, June Fourth Movement took place in Tiananmen Square Beijing, where pro-democratic movement led to a massacre of probably a few thousands lives. At the moment this article is being written, death toll in Tahrir Square Cairo keeps increasing.

It seems pretty common to us by now that the costs for freedom of expression and democratic preference in most parts of this world are not cheap. Many who believed in it have been sacrificed in the course. Unfortunately plenty more who didn’t even understand it were victimized in the process to attain such ideals. Despite the uncountable losses of lives, obsession towards absolute freedom in the heart of mankind continues to roam.

The idea of being communal to human kind has always been smeared with clashes between contending idealisms, involving power of the authoritarian, ever since people learned to settle down in a society. Over time we’ve seen people squabbling to become the one in command regardless either it is for commendable reason towards greater good of fellow mankind or it is for the sake of selfishness towards taking advantage on their own kind.

If we are to rationalize the innate virtuous nature or ‘Fitrah’ of human inability to govern themselves without Godly intervention, it should be crystal clear to justify the reason why ALLAH sent His Prophets with Divine Guidance for us. Similarly, if we learn how our human ancestors got diverted from Godly Guidance in life, we will see a pattern of human behavior with violence and arrogance that kept on recurring every time ALLAH is not regarded as the One True Master of the World.

Human rationale alone may assume that we are fit to live by our own set of rules just like western democracy. Truth is, liberty to embrace ultimate freedom and unguided liberalism actually will only lead to unopposed human preference over what ought to be or seemingly likeable to collective individuals. Take some western societies who acknowledged gay marriage for instance; it is democratically liberal to them allowing homosexuals to marry each other although the Creator of mankind never even proposed that as the way it should be.

Collectively, human can agree and favor things although it’s not supposed to be. Repeatedly, history shows that the only government ever existed with justice and benevolence were the times when human truly followed Divine intervention as their ultimate Guidance. It was a period of wholesome peace, harmony and equilibrium when Prophet Sulaiman a.s (Solomon), Yusuf a.s (Joseph), Daud a.s (David) and so on until Muhammad s.a.w lead human as they governed.

Come to think about it, the fight for democratic freedom shouldn’t occur in the first place if only ALLAH’s rules and regulations were followed precisely in the manner it ought to be because by then all human rights are going to be taken cared responsibly in its truest freedom sense. Many unbelievers can challenge this statement by pointing out the downfall of Islamic empires but not many of those who would argue on that ground can genuinely differentiate between uncorrupted Islamic governance versus mere Muslim governments.

Basically Islam permits democracy to a certain degree. Nobody is going to be forced to become Muslim since Islam respects other religions as a matter of personal choice and individual rights. Nevertheless, as the only complete religion bestowed to mankind, there are rules to be observed in a community in respect of individual as well as societal rights. The whole Islamic system as a governing religion should be referred to ways of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the companions succeeding him; Abu Bakar, Umar, Uthman & Ali (radhiyallahu 'anhum).

Yes, it is true that battles and wars were still fought throughout Prophetic and Caliphate’s period but take a look at the people at large who benefited from sincerely honest governing mechanism practiced during those times. When Islam rule the land throughout that period, the wars and battles were fought against tyrannical elements that oppressed and prohibited people from getting the truth about God. Furthermore let the truth be told that all those wars were fairly fought and gloriously won by Islam.

Perhaps today some ‘liberal Muslims’ would quote that the world is no longer in the era when Islamic values alone would suffice. Adding on, some of them would say, "As we can see, today’s modern civilizations emphasize on human rights beyond Islamic jurisprudence". Sorry to say our dear liberal Muslim brothers and “Sisters in Islam” but as a true Muslim, that argument is certainly unacceptable because if one really embrace this religion mentally and spiritually as much as physically, Islam is the most relevant lifestyle that preserves the sanctity of human rights to the utmost, every time, every where, without exception on races, colors, tribes or nationalities.

“People’s Power” slogan has been gaining incremental popularity of lately. Freedom of choice should let people’s majority to decide on behalf of the society. With all channels of diffusing information ready to shout and spread truth, lies and deceit, get ready for a new chapter of world-class democracy in the land of Muslim majority. This time around, the only boundary shall be voices of the many. In the name of liberal democratic society, sooner or later it won’t be too difficult to deny rights of the Almighty.

Coming back to the cry for democracy, liberalism and political reforms, the question a Muslim who really cares for Islam must ask is whether this fight is heading towards the right direction? Should the protesters’ demand wins, where will it leads to? Assuming a liberal democratic Muslim government is established as an aftermath of the struggle, would the Sunni, Syi’ite, leftist and secularist Muslims be regarded as "OneMuslim" in accordance to ‘democracy’?

By: Towil