On Democracy, Voting and Defending Dictators, Usuli Institute Khutbah, 4 September 2020

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. Addressing the persistent misperception that voting is not allowed in Islam, Dr. Abou El Fadl walks the audience through the rise of this misperception, which intensified after the Arab Spring. He explains why autocrats and dictatorial Muslim governments pushed for this conception, how it is counter to Islamic principles, and how scholars who gain benefit are complicit in this narrative. He walks through the convoluted arguments put forward to undermine notions of democracy or other means for holding Muslim leadership accountable for their injustices. For more, visit www.usuli.org.

[@philippebegingarti4307]

Assalamu Alaykoum. May Allah protect you, protect your intention and give you courage to go on.

[@grav4819]

Assalamu Alaykoum, I was wondering if I could interview Dr. Khaleb for a podcast called Not Safe For Wonks if possible to discuss Islam, left wing politics and the issues of Muslims today :)

[@TheUsuliInstitute]

Try sending an email to [e-mail] or [e-mail]. :)

[@stephenconnolly1830]

TIMESTAMPS Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem [Video suitable for viewing at increased Playback speed. English language sermon commences @2:30] 4:50 prohibition of democracy facilitating autocracy. 5:25 Jaamiyyah (Wahhabi) Islam rejection of democracy as un-Islamic. 6:13 also embraced by Sufis like Abdullah bin Bayya (Mauritanian) - who denounces democracy and celebrates autocracy as God's will instead. 7:40 similarly Mr Hamza Yusuf of Zaytuna College (Berkeley) and others too. 8:11 "the Prophet was not an autocrat." 8:55 the Prophet (PBUH) engaged in Shura (consultation) - enshrined by the Qur'an 10:03 instrumentality of consent via receiving the Baya \ pledge/vote. 10:42 process of representation via Nukuba (representatives, singular: Naqeeb) developed. 12:30 the Jaamiyyah and bin Bayya etc argue these were not obligatory - framing such Prophetic actions in capricious terms and convenience rather than "a serious doctrine of democracy in any sense." 15:00 given this position the corollary is that compulsion \ Ikrah is Islamically acceptable. 15:40 however, coercion/compulsion itself is condemned by the Qur'an. 16:18 a quandary for the anti-democratic Muslim theorists - their response being to wheel out the concept of factionalism which is forbidden. 18:00 their [Satanic] strategem: a religious obligation on those ruled to consent and obey the ruler provided prayer is permitted. 19:30 the ideological curse of the centuries hanging over Muslims - superstitious. 20:55 argument for the concept of predominance \ Wilayah al-Mutaghalib post the Prophet and Khulufah al-Rashidoon - sheer brute force \ Mulk ruling assumed as the Will of God. 23:30 thereafter, consent of the governed and representation + justice become irrelevant. 24:36 "obedience becomes a religious obligation." 24:55 is this position sensible? 25:22 what about when an invading colonial or a military coup installs a ruler? 25:57 having the power of compulsion \ Shawkah resulting in a religious obligation to obey the ruler. 26:55 irony of ironies + remarkable paradox that power by force rather than via democracy is God's Divine Will. 28:25 theorists are shaky about God's Will extending to power being gained via the ballot box/election/voting. 30:50 the issue being holding governments accountable when they act wrongfully. 31:27 the onus on suggesting an alternative to democracy while retaining accountability. 32:00 holding rulers accountable being the embodiment of the Qur'anic injunction to command Good and forbid evil \ Amr Bil Maroof Nahi Anil Munkar. 32:20 autocracy/despotism fails to ensure this because it gaols/tortures/murders people doing so. 34:20 the ideas of bin Bayya etc were financed, sponsored, supported and propagated by Arab governments in the wake of the political awakening of the Arab Spring. 38:20 developing a system for the removal of misbehaving rulers being the issue. 39:15 naïve piety being an obstacle to think critically/analytically/clearly - ideologues relying on apocryphal (inauthentic) reports to stymie critical thinking: "obey the ruler even if they steal your money and strike your back." 40:23 masochistic Muslims who like Donald Trump despite his racist discourse supported by every Islamophobic Christian and Zionist organisation. 44:15 Muslims accepting despotism and injustice as the Will of God are blaspheming against God. 44:24 "Saying: God likes injustice."! 45:35 the spectre of secular (Muslim) intelligentsia + Wahhabi/Sufi/bin Bayya/Hizb al-Nur/Salafis siding with military coups. 47:45 Ikhwan al-Muslimeen (Muslim Brotherhood) only group to support democracy, but isolated/vilified/labelled terrorists/imprisoned/tortured/murdered. 51:10 [second sermon \ Khutbah commences] 51:55 further to the betrayal of Palestinian people in recent agreement signed between UAE & Israel; agreement recogises Southern part of Al-Aqsa mosque (part of the Haram) as legitimately Israeli. 55:05 the 'divine' will of MBZ of the UAE awarding Modi the oppressor of Muslims in India. 56:33 MBS allowing Israeli airlines to fly over Hijaz to UAE. 57:30 poor Egyptians having their houses demolished in Sisi's administration. 58:00 Jewish journal the Forward article on Israeli government funding Islamophobic organisations in the US. 59:43 "you tell me obeying Trump is the will of God." 1:00:18 Washington Post article detailing China's Muslim concentration camps since 2017 - Kazakh and Uigher Muslim extermination there. 1:02:29 Sisi's act of handing over Chinese students at Azhar university to be put into concentration camps in China. 1:04:20 only question for Muslims is which of the two camps you belong to: hypocrite betrayers or steadfast justice seekers. 1:05:00 neutrality not possible. 1:05:26 [supplications, Dua'] Ameen