Written by: Talib al-Ilm Sifatullah
This profound question has fragmented the Ummah into seventy-three sects. Whether one turns to the Murji’ah, Jahmiyyah, Qadariyyah, Khawarij, Mu’tazilah, Rafidah, Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah, or any other faction, each insists that they alone are the true custodians of the political legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), claiming to be the most ardent practitioners of his political methodology.
However, the reality is that we must first comprehend the politics of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to discern which contemporary individuals or groups genuinely embody his ideals.
The politics of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was such that even when disbelievers and hypocrites professed their friendship with him, he refrained from punishing them, even though Allah had disclosed their names to him. Outwardly, these hypocrites were perceived among the Companions, and thus the Prophet chose to avoid any confrontation, mindful of their public perception.
In contrast, the Modern-Day Khawārij (such as Daesh) have killed those who spent their days and nights reciting “Qal Allah, Qala Rasul” (Allah said, the Prophet said).
Hypocrisy is a condition of the heart, known only to Allah, and outwardly, these individuals appeared as devout Muslims and fighters, adorned with the characteristics of believers and devoid of any outward signs of disbelief in their words or actions.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never engaged in warfare on two fronts simultaneously. When he migrated to Medina, he made peace with the People of the Book while waging war against the polytheists. When he made peace with the polytheists, he expelled the People of the Book from the Arabian Peninsula.
However, today’s Khawārij, through their extremist ideology, directed the attention of all disbelievers toward the sincere and genuine Mujahideen. Behind the scenes, a different game was being played, as they presented the Muslims, and particularly the Mujahideen, as ignorant of politics and civilization.
Despite these challenges, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) foretold, «In every age, there will be a group who will steadfastly adhere to the tenets of true religion, undeterred by the reproaches of the reproachers.» A luminous example of this unwavering commitment in our time is the comprehensive and visionary policies of the Islamic Emirate (IEA), which stand as a testament to the enduring legacy of the Prophet’s politics.