Why Islam Can Never Be Separated from Politics

 

Why Islam Can Never Be Separated from Politics

This question crosses my mind often especially whenever I read news about politics in Muslim-majority countries, or watch endless debates on social media between those who advocate secularism and those who demand Sharia law. Honestly, I don’t claim to have an absolute answer. I’m simply trying to understand history and reality, so I don’t fall into the trap of black-and-white thinking.

Symbolic image of Baghdad and Damascus in ruins under dark skies and hidden crescent moon


1. From the Beginning, Religion and Power Walked Side by Side

If we look back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we immediately find the first clue: Islam did not emerge solely as a ritualistic faith it arrived as a social system. The Prophet was not only a spiritual leader but also the head of state in Medina (Armstrong, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time, 2006).

The Constitution of Medina is often called by historians one of the earliest political charters, regulating the rights of Muslims, Jews, and Pagan Arab tribes under a single social contract (Peters, Islam: A Short History, 2002). To me, this moment shows that religion and politics were intertwined from the very start not forcibly, but because the community needed a framework for coexistence.

2. From the Rightly Guided Caliphs to Dynasties

After the Prophet passed away, leadership continued through Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali the Rightly Guided Caliphs. They were not only prayer leaders but also military commanders, heads of government, and chief judges (Kennedy, The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates, 2004).

What I find fascinating is how the transition from shura-based leadership to hereditary dynasties under Muawiyah illustrates how deeply politics became embedded within Islam. Power was no longer just a spiritual trust but a tool for expansion and inheritance. For me personally, this marks the stage when Islam started interacting with the complexities of real-world political power.

3. Jurisprudence and Governance

Another reason why Islam is hard to separate from politics lies in its legal framework. In Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), there is no rigid wall between private and public life. Sharia does not only govern acts of worship but also covers social dealings: economics, inheritance, criminal law, and even governance.

Classical scholars like Al-Mawardi wrote Al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah, a pioneering manual for Islamic governance (Crone, God’s Rule, 2004). Thinkers like Al-Ghazali and Ibn Khaldun also saw the state as a tool to safeguard religion while ensuring the welfare of the people. To me, this proves that scholars never ran away from politics they shaped its ethical framework.

4. Historical Experience: From Andalusia to the Ottomans

If we examine classical Islamic history, we see that intellectual, literary, and artistic brilliance often blossomed under the wings of political power. Just look at Baghdad under the Abbasids, Cordoba during Andalusia’s golden age, or Istanbul in the time of Sultan Mehmed II. Sultans, caliphs, and amirs acted as patrons of knowledge (Saliba, Islamic Science and the Making of the European Renaissance, 2007).

But we shouldn’t romanticize it too much politics also triggered internal conflicts, civil wars, and territorial splits. Here I see an irony: politics was both the vehicle for greatness and the double-edged sword that divided the ummah.

5. The Modern Era: Has Secularism Really Worked?

Many claim that secularism is the answer to disentangle religion from politics. But in reality, in the Muslim world, secularism often struggles to take deep root. Take Turkey: it once forced extreme secularism under Ataturk but has since swung back to Islamic politics under Erdogan (Yavuz, Secularism and Muslim Democracy in Turkey, 2009).

In Egypt, secular regimes rose and fell in the face of the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence. In Indonesia too, the narrative of “Islam and politics” never really disappears, despite Pancasila being the state ideology. For me, secularism’s limited success in Muslim contexts stems not just from law or policy, but from how deeply faith is tied to identity.

6. Identity: Religion as a Symbol of Resistance

One thing outsiders often overlook is that for many Muslims, politics is not merely about power or administration but a symbol of resistance. Since the colonial era, Islam has been a rallying point against oppression. From India to North Africa and Southeast Asia, Islamic revival movements rose to challenge Western dominance (Esposito, Islam and Politics, 1998).

So when people push to completely separate religion from politics, some Muslims feel they are losing an anchor that protects their moral and cultural sovereignty. To me, this is a big reason why, in majority-Muslim nations, religion always finds a place in political discourse.

7. The Risk: Fanaticism and Identity Politics

While I understand why Islam and politics are so interlinked, I can’t ignore the dangers either. History is full of examples where religious politics were abused to justify violence, discrimination, or terrorism. ISIS is the worst-case scenario: a sacred faith reduced to barbaric power grabs (Wood, What ISIS Really Wants, The Atlantic, 2015).

To me, this is where modern Muslims must step up: to craft an Islamic politics that remains true to the spirit of rahmatan lil alamin a mercy for all rather than a slogan used to frighten or silence opponents.

8. Does Islam Need Politics?

So here’s the big question: does Islam need politics? My answer is: yes, but it must be healthy politics. Politics is part of the natural order of social life. Without governance, justice is hard to uphold. But Islamic politics must be transparent, accountable, and spiritually ethical.

The Prophet said: “Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock.” This hadith alone reminds me that politics is not a privilege it is a trust.

9. Final Thoughts: Separate It or Purify It?

In the end, I believe the real issue is not whether we can separate Islam from politics history says we can’t. The real question is: how do we strengthen Islamic values within politics so they don’t become just campaign slogans, but truly guide us toward justice?

If we only dwell on nostalgia for a lost caliphate without real political ethics, that’s just empty romanticism. But if we learn from Medina, Andalusia, and the Ottomans, I stay hopeful: Islam will always survive as a moral force in politics. The question is, are we willing to bring politics back to its true purpose maqasid al-shariah: justice, welfare, and mercy for all.

Lokasi: GWHC+8R Blodgett Mills, NY, Amerika Serikat

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