Iran: The Only Islamic Country

1|Page Iran: The Only Islamic Country Mohammad M Rahman Contents Opening Remarks .......................................................................................................................................... 2 The success of Political Islam in Iran ............................................................................................................. 3 Islamic by System .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Islamic by Spirit ............................................................................................................................................. 7 Islamic by Practice......................................................................................................................................... 8 Islamic by Diplomacy..................................................................................................................................... 8 Islamic by Security....................................................................................................................................... 10 Islamic by Performance............................................................................................................................... 11 Implementation of legislation ................................................................................................................. 11 Transparency........................................................................................................................................... 11 Universal Jurisdiction of Islamic Law ...................................................................................................... 11 Treaties are fulfilled ................................................................................................................................ 11 Division and Administration of Property (Objects/Animals/Land/Treasures/Mines) According to Islamic Law .............................................................................................................................................. 11 No Private Ownership of Pubic Interests ................................................................................................ 12 Right to Claim Private Property .............................................................................................................. 12 Endowment is Islamic ............................................................................................................................. 12 Law of Contract Islamic ........................................................................................................................... 12 Law of Inheritance .................................................................................................................................. 13 Law of Citizenship ................................................................................................................................... 13 Family and Marriage Law is Islamic ........................................................................................................ 13 Law of Evidence ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Criminal Law............................................................................................................................................ 13 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 14 Reference .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Further Reading ...................................................................................................................................... 14 2|Page We are supporters of the oppressed. Whosoever is oppressed anywhere, we support him- Imam Khomeini, Sahifeh ye-Imam, Vol 5, page 146 The disappointment comes up if we cannot pull down the corrupt people a bit and pull up the oppressed a little... We are liable to think, and we do it through legal aspects and divine guardianship- Imam Khomeini, Sahifeh-ye Imam, vol. 10, p. 246 Opening Remarks Just as Lenin’s October revolution was not only for the Russians but for the world’s proletariat, Imam Khomeini’s Islamic revolution of Iran is not only for the Iranians but for all Muslims worldwide. Will Muslims be intelligent enough to embrace it just as all the proletariat embraced Lenin? Still, Muslims collectively have shown ignorance. We can make our efforts toward a united Islamic political existence. This can be achieved either through peaceful mutual consensus of Muslim countries or revolutions, as in Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only state run on Islamic Law. Islamic law is the law from the Quran and the Prophet of Islam. There are no other primary sources of Islam. All secondary sources must be subservient to the primary sources. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only Islamic country in the world and a model for all Muslim countries. Iran is a case study, a model for all Muslim countries to follow, and by which the Islamic system can be further developed. Western political and legal systems developed because they acted as mirrors to each other, studying, analyzing, and developing in collaborative research and integration. Muslims are, however, their greatest enemies and envious of each other based on ethnicities, but happy to 3|Page follow their white Caucasian master’s political and social guidance. Even though we have an opportunity to mature Islamic political, legal and social systems by studying and following the Islamic procedure of Iran, Muslim countries won't. As Muslim countries interpret Islam by western guidance, and as long as this slavish mentality remains, Islam will not uplift the Muslims as a whole. They fear they will lose out on knowledge and the economy if they were to follow Islamic guidance. Also, Muslim envy, greed, and close-mindedness make them prioritize nationalism and misguided materialism over Islamic values and religiosity. It is because striving for Islamic revival demands prolonged commitment due to colonial legacy; thus, Muslim secularists are always trying to justify nationalism and secularism because focusing on the latter is helped by western imperialism and neocolonialism; that is, as long as Muslims remain dependent culturally, socially, technologically, economically and politically on western imperialism west will support Muslims. The thirst for Islamic revival to live under the best sets of laws and morals to achieve the highest human peace and justice possible is not on the agenda of Muslim secularists due to their lack of Islamic faith and ignorance. While Quran demands Muslims to live by divine laws, thus requiring a prolonged devotion to revive, sustain and mature the Islamic system in the 21st century, Muslim secularists have no vision of it. The success of Political Islam in Iran As I have discussed previously, Iran has been achieving various critical and strategic successes since the Islamic revolution of Iran, starting with spirituality, morality, and social justice, which were non-existent during the secular times of the tyrant Shah. Iran then was merely a puppet of America and an exploited nation by the Zionists. Since the Islamic revolution of Iran, the essential thing it earned is Islamic independence, to dictate its future under the guidance of Islamic meritocracy and Islam, where piety and merit are the deciding factors of political office and Islam is the guidance of its existence. 4|Page Iran could be said to have been a western colony until the 1979 Islamic revolution. Secular Iran was benefitting the west and the chosen few of the ruling shah dynasty even with full western blessings and favors. The Islamic revolution brought changes in all these political, economic, and social corruption and injustice. However, crippling sanctions since the beginning of the Islamic revolution combined with billions of looted Iranian assets by western imperialism have prevented Iran from fully realizing the Islamic revolutionary vision. Let us look at how Islamisation has helped the Iranian mind and the nation. Before The Islamic Revolution: • Wealth and political connections determined social standing and socio-economical opportunities • Education and job were for the high-standing social class • Literacy rate was 36.5 % as of 1976 • Secularists were given opportunities in bureaucracy, the professions, and the universities • Foreign western degree was highly valued • Mass poverty and hunger (about 27 %) ; Mass prostitution, gambling, and moral vices After The Islamic Revolution: • Wealth was no longer an attribute of authority, as the example of Imam Khomeini demonstrated. Religious expertise and piety became the significant criteria for belonging to the new political elite. • Education and job are no more a luxury for the high-standing social class • Literacy rate is 88.5 % as of 2015 • World-class local universities • Every economic class has access to the job industry • Artificial suffering engineered by western sanctions since 1979 but poverty still improved to 8.1 % as of 2013 • All sorts of moral vices severely punished 5|Page • Massive scientific progress, especially in the fields of nanotechnology. If there is any criticism against Iran, then one must stop these criticisms unless and until Iran is treated equally per the dictates of the UN charter. Thus, Islam has uplifted Iran, even under decades of harsh, inhumane white Caucasian sanctions, on social, moral, spiritual, and intellectual levels. Western secular democracy has been developing for a long time and has lots of resources and going through lots of ups and downs, but the theocracy of Iran, which for the first time since Imam Ali and having been oppressed most of Islam’s history, has come to power has done well, even facing hostilities, since 1979. Neither had any blessings of western aid nor UN unconditional support, whereas the “secularism loving” Shah, having had western education and upbringing, having a massive amount of western aid and incentives, still managed to let down most of the people of Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only country that is today founded on political Islam. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran has only thrived and developed in various fields. A nation is what its mind and actions are; these two have evolved and are shaped by Islam. Even under decades of cruel sanctions and west imposed war, Iran has thrived in the economy, human capital, science and technology, geopolitics, and military. If that is not a success, then nothing is! Iran is the 28th GDP in the world and 9th in Asia. Most data collected shows that Iran has had a trade surplus. Iran’s local human capital is highly skilled and determined to support the Islamic republic. Iran is one of the world's top producers of scientific papers and nanotechnology. Apart from these materialistic developments, the most significant achievements have been in spirituality, morality, and justice. Iran has also completely changed the geopolitics of the middle east and has made it impossible for the greater Israeli project and total American dominance. This has given a glimmer of hope for the awakening of political Islam in the wider Muslim demography, and many Islamic 6|Page resistance groups have been formed or empowered. Unlike most Muslim countries who buy from Islam’s adversaries, militarily, Iran is self-sufficient. Iran has the most powerful Missile technology in the Middle East. It has a unique branch for foreign operations against imperialist forces. It has a war-hardened military. Islamic by System Iran is based on the Islamic system of theocratic meritocracy. Quran has put the knowledgeable and pious in charge of our affairs. The Iranian system is the intellectuals choose political Islamic system as the candidates for leadership and governance from the scholars. These intellectuals are theologians, jurists, and pious men whose motivations are not influenced by secular corporate funding but by spiritual and religious reasons to serve God and His prophet. The system is designed to filter out non-religious and corrupt people for any public office. For example, the founder of the Islamic revolution Imam Khomeini was a philosopher, jurist and theologian, and author of more than 60 books. Recently in the Iranian election, all these socalled western deluded liberals have been barred from running, and only those loyal to the revolution and Islam have run for election. In the Iranian system of Islamic rule, one has to earn his place and not buy his position to office. For example, Imam Khomeini’s life imitates the life of the Prophet. The elites, like Prophet rejected Imam Khomeini; Were evicted and then emigrated like the Prophet, and returned to Iran victorious as Prophet returned victorious to Mecca. The current leader Ayatollah Khamenei is a war veteran and lost his hand in the IranIraq war. The majority of parliamentarians are well versed in Islamic law and theology, and many are Hafiz of the Quran. Even though there is an election for president in Iran, the president, his elected officials, and the parliament have no power to legislate sovereignly. The president is subservient to the system of Islam, represented by Islamic theocrats and the supreme leader. The parliament is subservient to the Islamic theocrats (the jurists and theologians). In many secular countries, the government is subservient to the supreme court and constitution, but the parliament is sovereign. In Iran, Islam is sovereign, and this 7|Page sovereignty is represented by its people, i.e., the jurists, the scholars, the theologians, and men of God, men who must abide by rule of Divine Law: Quran and Sunnah. The Islamic jurists are divided among three foundational bodies of the Islamic republic: a) The assembly of experts, b) The council of guardians c) The expediency council. The entire judicial system of the country has been desecularized. The judges of all the courts must be knowledgeable in Islamic jurisprudence; they must meet other qualifications determined by rules established by the High Council of Justice. The judiciary in Iran follows Islamic Law. There are three types of courts in Iran: (a) public courts, (b) clerical courts, and (c) Revolutionary Courts. The regular courts in Iran, known as public courts, are classified into: • civil courts: • special civil courts, • first-class criminal courts; and • second class criminal courts. These courts mainly deal with the civil and criminal matters of the common public in Iran. The Clerical/Theocratic Courts are tasked with trying and punishing misdeeds by the clergy/Islamic jurists/theologians. The Revolutionary Courts rule on serious offenses related to the country’s security, drug trafficking, safeguarding the Islamic revolution, etc. Islamic by Spirit Since the victory of the Islamic revolution of Iran, Islamic culture and sentiments have come to the forefront of existence. Islamic symbols, icons, and slogans are seen in public. Islam’s enemies are portrayed for information war and public awareness. Islamic reminders are displayed for people to know and remember their purpose in life and society. All forms of immoralities and vices are shunned, such as prostitution, gambling, pornification, nudity, and 8|Page promiscuity. The welfare of the people is preferred over the interest of the elites and the powerful. Islamic by Practice It should be noted that like the overwhelming response of the pagans of Mecca and Medina during the Prophetic mission, overwhelming people of Iran also responded to Islamic system. Both were under persecution and tyranny, and Islam gave them hope and salvation. The people of the Islamic Republic of Iran have thus responded to Islam and have been living by it since 1979. They have fought to protect Islam against Saddam and world powers and continue to do so. Western powers have only one problem with Iran: Political Islam. You may find some Iranians outside Iran or on social media who give negative images of Iran. These people are the loyal subjects of the tyrant Shah or the liberals who have been ignorantly fascinated by western political, legal, and cultural systems. These people yearn for a sinful secular Iran. They dream foolishly that a democratic and secular Iran will make them prosperous. Islamic by Diplomacy Since the victory of the Islamic revolution of Iran, Iran’s foreign policy has been to a) Protect the Islamic revolution b) Empower the oppressed of the world. This they have done successfully in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Yemen. Syria is at odds with secularist Assad, but Syria is an essential base for Islamic empowerment and the fight against Zionist supremacy. c) Fight imperialism and neocolonialism These have been a result of Imam Khomeini’s vision: We are supporters of the oppressed. Whosoever is oppressed anywhere, we support himImam Khomeini, Sahifeh ye-Imam, Vol 5, page 146 9|Page The disappointment comes up if we cannot pull down the corrupt people a bit and pull up the oppressed a little... We are liable to think, and we do it through legal aspects and divine guardianship- Imam Khomeini, Sahifeh-ye Imam, vol. 10, p. 246 The two significant criticisms any Muslim can make against the Islamic Republic of Iran are its close relationship with Assad and the Chinese Communist party. However, instead of directing criticism, should we not help our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters so they do not turn wrong? Why are Muslim countries not helping Iran in trade, technology, politics, and other factors of politics and life? Because they do not want to do Jihad against potential sanctions collectively. Syria is an important platform to fight against the Zionists in case America and Zionists try to attack the Islamic revolution. Another important reason is to persuade Assad to adopt Islamic policies and guide him to Islamic justice. This line of thinking, that is, by being friendly yet not supporting in tyranny, one can change a tyrant, has been adopted by the west about China. West thought that being open and generous to the CCP it could persuade CCP embrace democracy and human rights, but the west has severely miscalculated this, and rather than making the CCP tolerant and democratic, it has emboldened the CCP even more and made them even more savage and brutal. The West has become anxious about dealing with China and preventing its emerging global tyranny. Iran, however, may not have been so stupid to support a brutal secularist regime of the Alawites without preparations. Third, Iran is keeping resistance elements in Syria directly under their control and not under the supervision and power of the brutal Alawite security apparatus. So in this sense Iran is not taking part in repression. Iran’s close relationship with China can only be justified Islamically by two legal principles of Islam: a) choose the lesser evil and b) necessity render the prohibited permissible. Iran either chooses America and the west by sacrificing Islam and the Islamic revolution or it protects the two and deals with China and Russia. Secondly, Iran might have moved closer to China to save children and women from dying in hospitals, as western sanctions are affecting even lifesaving 10 | P a g e medicines. Secondly, Iran is not taking part directly in Uyghur repression. So, Iran’s relationship with China is about strategic survival rather than profit. Islamic by Security Iran’s military is entirely Islamic. They take oath in the name of God, Prophet and Imam Hussein, who gave his life for justice. Iran’s military’s central ideal is Imam Hussein. They see themselves as his soldiers fighting against the oppressors of the world. Any oppressed Muslim country needing the help of the Iranian military is helped and Iran does not delay in this. IRGC , Iran’s foreign operations military wing, has supported, trained, and funded Islamic resistance in Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Iran has built a strong base in Kashmir since the visit of Ayatollah Khamenei during the 1980s. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, it has been the vision of the Islamic republic to see Muslims of the world, especially the Middle East, free from colonial grip and practice Islamic self-determination. Even though colonialism has brainwashed Muslim demography with western sentiments and anti-Islamic values, the hope remains. Iran’s vision is amazing because it has targeted the middle east to free it from ongoing western imperialism. Freeing the middle east will have a domino effect on the entire Muslim world. The example of Imam Hussein only continuously inspires Iran to fight tyranny and oppression, which most Muslim countries lack due to their blind pursuit of westernization and self-inflicted inferiority conscience. Islam has thus empowered Iran and gave it the guidance and courage to continue in various noble endeavors such as: 1. Fighting an intelligence war against CIA, MOSSAD, and Arab intelligence. 2. Victory over Saddam Hussein. 3. Fighting western Arab-backed terrorist insurgency near its borders. 4. Fighting western economic terrorism. 5. Fighting Israel in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza against the greater Israeli project. 6. Supporting the oppressed Yemenis against Arab Western aggression. 11 | P a g e 7. Defeated ISIS in Iraq and Syria. 8. Defended Iraq against American dominance. Why are all these necessary? These are necessary for the survival of the Islamic revolution and the last heartbeats of active political Islam in the world. These are necessary for the survival of the new Iran, which came in 1979. These are necessary to keep the hope of justice and Islamic self-determination in the middle east and, thereby whole Muslim ummah. Islamic by Performance Implementation of legislation Legislative enactments come into force within 15 days of legislation. This is because new laws have been established to pursue justice, and justice cannot be delayed. Transparency New legislations are informed to the public. The new law is not left over for the expert to explain only. Universal Jurisdiction of Islamic Law Islamic laws are applied to everybody, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, foreigner or local— limited religious freedom is given to non-Muslims. Treaties are fulfilled Islamic law obligates the fulfillment of Islamic treaties Division and Administration of Property (Objects/Animals/Land/Treasures/Mines) According to Islamic Law Properties are divided according to Islamic Laws. All issues related to the property are administered and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. Matters relating to lost and found are 12 | P a g e helped and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. Issues pertaining to treasures/mines/natural resources are administered and considered by Islamic jurisprudence. No Private Ownership of Pubic Interests No one may take possession of property that serves the common good and has no private owner, such as bridges, public reservoirs, old schools and public open places. Right to Claim Private Property Lands that have fallen into disuse and neither habitations nor cultivation and neither owned by the government nor private can be claimed and owned by private individuals. However, the poor will be preferred as property of unknown ownership shall be the needs of the poor. The owner owns the resources beneath his property and whatever is over his property. Now compare this with Canada, where the English queen owns all the land of Canada, and no Canadian is allowed to own land! Endowment is Islamic The endowment is administered through Islamic jurisprudence and maqasid of Sharia (objectives of Islamic law) based on equity and fairness towards everyone involved. Law of Contract Islamic All forms of contracts are administered and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. Whereas most Muslim countries follow English contract law, the Islamic Republic of Iran follows Islamic laws of contract. One essential feature of the Islamic contract is that prohibited things/actions/products/services cannot be contracted upon. Islamic contract law is more about the welfare of both parties and the public rather than a mundane artificial emphasis on text and wordings. 13 | P a g e Obligations arising without a contract are administered and judged by Islamic law and its objectives. As defined and detailed by Islamic jurisprudence, automatic liability is incurred through usurpation, harm, destruction, and exploitation. Contracts relating to banking and finance are administered and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. All forms of trades and transactions are administered and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. Law of Inheritance Laws of inheritance and will are administered and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. Law of Citizenship Anyone born in Iran can get Iranian citizenship, even a foreigner. This is Islamic and common sense. Law of Relationship Only two forms of relationships are recognized: blood and marriage Family and Marriage Law is Islamic The family, marriage & divorce system is administered and judged by Islamic jurisprudence. Law of Evidence Law of evidence is administered and governed by Islamic jurisprudence Criminal Law Iran’s criminal law is Islamic. Hudood, Qisas, and Tazir are some essential ingredients of Islamic criminal laws there. 14 | P a g e Conclusion Imam Khomeini, who had the vision of uniting the Muslims based on the Islamic brotherhood, could have easily chosen the Soviet Union or the USA as a protector or big brother if he wanted Iranian nationalism. Aren’t what most ignorant Muslim rulers doing today? Choosing either America or China in the name of their nationalism or tribalism. When someone has created a movement towards a united brotherhood, why aren't the rest joining? Shias don't want to dominate Sunni countries. Still, as Muslims, we all want to live by Islamic law and governance, let each other have a faith dialogue, and share an economy and security. Why share economy and safety with enemies of Islam instead among us? We can do this when we have created Islamic states like Iran. Unity is enhanced through similar minds! Reference CONSTITUTION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THE CIVIL CODE OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN Further Reading Rahman, M. M. (n.d.-b). Political and Legal System of Islam. Www.academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/60559324/Political_and_Legal_System_of_Islam Rahman, M. M. (n.d.-c). The Islamic Society: The Sociological Perspective. Www.academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/45005183/The_Islamic_Society_The_Sociological_Perspectiv e