Three Reasons to Reject Democracy

The Chairman of Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia Central Board, Rokhmat S Labib, calls on Muslims to abandon democracy. “Leave democracy, establish Khilafah” he stated in a workshop held by Hizb-ut Tahrir titled “ Democracy or Khilafah?”, Sunday (9/12) at the Central Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia, Crown Palace, Jl. Soepomo, South Jakarta.To support his arguments, Rokhmat cited at least three reasons. First, democracy contradicts Islamic creed. In democracy, people give a kind of “blank check” to the representative of the people and the authorities to make and apply the laws. “While in the khilafah system, the people appoint a khalifah (caliph) to implement shariah,” he said.

Second, democracy is a wasteful system while khilafah is the opposite. To be elected as a representative of the people, a president or a head of a region needs high cost and periodic elections, which could be four to five years. “Simply to continue his presidentship, SBY needs hundreds of billions and even trillions, which is a complete waste of money,” he said.

Whereas in Islam, the one who is actually chosen is the khalifah. The officials below him are appointed by the khalifah. “The khalifah is still in the office as long as he does not violate shariah, and will be removed if he does,” he said.

Third, as a consequences of lavish democracy,  the representatives and officials commit injustice to people to obtain funds in order to finance their election. “To get the money, laws and policies that benefit the foreign people are made despite harm to the common people, one of which is the making and application of Law 22/ 2001 on Oil and Gas,” said Rokhmat.

He also concluded that, in addition to contradiction to the Islamic creed, democracy has been implemented in Indonesia since the reform era costing much money and has actually strengthened imperialism and not made people prosperous. “So, Muslims must return to khilafah!” he told hundreds of participants. (mediaumat.com, 9/12)