WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER SUPPORT VOTING

FOR MPs IN DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS

With the European elections round the corner many of you will see your streets littered with election
posters. In fact, election time is one of the most important times for MPs, as its their moment to get into
power and push through their policies.
Sadly, voting in the democratic process is championed by a lot of so-called Muslim leaders, even though it
goes against the core fundamentals of Islam, and its because of this that we have created this short article
to explain in simple words why it is not allowed to vote for MPs in secular elections:
1. What is the meaning of voting in Islaam?
Voting means when you delegate someone to act on your behalf in a specific manner; when you vote for
someone it is as if you are delegating him/her to carry out actions on your behalf i.e. the person becomes
your wakeel (representative), and this is why they call him naaib in Arabic member of parliament. Any
action that is taken by your wakeel/naaib; you will be accountable for. For example, if you send someone to
steal something, youre both accountable.
2. Why does voting (for man-made law) amount to Shirk?
Shirk by definition is associating someone/something else with Allaahs Names, Attributes or Functions. By
voting, you will be giving the right of legislation, which only belongs to Allaah (swt) alone, to man. In the
same way that no one would accept the idea of David Cameron being The Creator and Allaah being the
Creator; it should be equally as absurd to approve of the concept of David Cameron being the Legislator as
well as Allaah (swt). For Allaah alone belongs the right to legislate.
3. Isnt it too harsh to call it Shirk? Can we not call it difference of opinion/haraam?
A difference of opinion only applies in the matters of Fiqh, not in the issues of Aqeedah and Shirk. So a
difference of opinion could be that such as where to put your hands in the salaah. You cannot have a
difference of opinion on whether Allaah is the Creator or whether Allaah has a son. Similarly no one can
have a difference of opinion on whether Allaah is the only Legislator or not.
[EMQ 12:40] The Hukm (i.e. judgment) is for none but Allaah. He has commanded that you worship none
but Him, that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.
4. What if the candidate promises to serve the best interests of the Muslims and Muslim
causes?
As Muslims, we always think about the benefit of the aakhirah before the benefit of the dunya, and we
always measure the outcome of any action on the scale of halaal, haraam and Shirk. If my action will bring
me benefit in this dunya but will devastate my aakhirah with my final abode being the Hellfire then I will
always prioritise my eternal abode in the aakhirah over my temporary benefit in this dunya, bearing in mind
that Allaah (swt) will forgive anything and everything, except Shirk, which is to associate anyone/anything
with Him in His names, attributes and functions as mentioned above.
5. If we dont vote, the BNP or UKIP may come to power.
As Muslims we fear none but Allaah (swt). He has promised to protect the believers and to always throw
fear in the hearts of His enemies. We have full dependence on Him to protect us from the BNP, UKIP, the
Labour party, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, etc as they are all bloodthirsty criminals with
Muslims blood on their hands. One of Allaahs names is Al-Mumin, which means the One who fulfils His
promises; so we have full conviction of His promise of defending the believers. Therefore we do not need to
forge alliances with disbelievers to aid us against other disbelievers.
[EMQ 3:173] Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, Verily, the people (pagans)
have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them. But it (only) increased them in Faith, and
they said: Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us).
6. Werent the companions sent to live under Najaashi the Abyssinian king?
Those companions that were sent to live under the Abyssinian king were sent as refugees at a time when
Muslims were weak in Makkah. Those Muslims in Abyssinia never compromised their Tawheed in
obedience to the king. An example of this was when they refused to bow their heads to the king. Secondly,
there is no evidence to suggest they called for or supported the law of Najaashi. There is also no indication
that Najaashi ever forced them to follow any laws that opposed the Shariah.
The aforementioned account is very different to voting for someone to give them the right of legislation.
7. Didnt Yusuf (as) work as a minister for a non-Muslim government?
Those who use this as evidence must have missed what Yusuf (as) said to his two companions of the
prison prior to his taking this position:
[EMQ12:40] The Hukm (i.e. judgment) is for none but Allaah. He has commanded that you worship none
but Him, that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.
So how could we say about Yusuf (as) that he would compromise and cooperate in a government with
those who legislate man-made laws, while he was the very one who admonished others about this issue,
saying:
The Hukm (i.e. judgment) is for none but Allaah?!
Those who use this example are in need of evidence to substantiate their claim that the law of this
government was not in accordance with the Shari'ah of Yusuf (as). And there is nothing to indicate this
within the example itself. Rather, it was narrated that the King whose Kingdom Yusuf became a minister
within became a Muslim.
8. Are you claiming any Muslim who votes is a Mushrik/kaafir?
Voting in a democratic election being an act of Shirk is not ilm ud duroori (known by necessity); therefore to
state the general layman who votes (whilst being unaware of the ruling on voting) has left the fold of Islaam
is incorrect.
9. Which Ulamaa/scholars say voting in a democracy is tantamount to Shirk?
Shaykh Humoud ibn Uqla as-Shuaiby
(Saudi Arabia)
Shaykh Bakr Abu Zaid (Saudi Arabia)
Shaykh Omar Abdur-Rahman (Egypt)
Shaykh Muhammad Nasr ud-deen al-
Albaani (Syria)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraheem (Saudi
Arabia)
Shaykh Muhammad Amin as-Shanqeety
(Morocco)
Shaykh Alee ibn Khidir al-Khudayr (Saudi
Arabia)
Shaykh Abdul-Qaadir ibn Abdul-Aziz
(Egypt)
Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi
(Jordan)
Shaykh Ahmad ibn Humood al-Khaalidy
(Saudi Arabia)
Shaykh RifaI Surur (Egypt)
Shaykh Nasir ibn Fahd al-Umar (Saudi
Arabia)
Shaykh Hamad ibn Abdullaah al-Humayid
(Saudi Arabia)
Shaykh Yusuf al-Uyayri (Saudi Arabia)
Shaykh Abdullaah al-Ghunayman (Saudi
Arabia)
Shaykh Omar Mahmood Abu Omar
(Palestine)
Shaykh Muhammad al-Fazaazy (Morroco)
Shaykh Omar Bakri Muhammad
(Lebanon)
Shaykh Hani as-SibaI (Egypt)
Shaykh Saleeh al-Awfy (Saudi Arabia)

For more info: 07956 041 034