Question

Islam, far from promoting a constitutional democracy, advocates a [global] theocracy

Assess the validity of this statement, specifically addressing the issue of whether Islam advocates a theocracy.

Answer

“Theocracy” has been explained by the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Encyclopedic Dictionary as:

(country with a) system of government by priests or a priestly class in which the laws of the state are believed to be the laws of God

Thus, a ‘theocracy’ by its very nature requires that the rulers be selected from a select class of people, considered as ‘priests’ or ‘priestly’ in the society.

Far from proposing a “theocracy”, the principle of governing the collective affairs of the people, as given in the Qur’an is:

وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ
And their affairs are based on mutual consultation

This directive of the Qur’an clearly requires the Muslim state to implement a system of government, which is based on ‘mutual consultation’. This directive of the Qur’an, in itself, is a clear evidence of the fact that the proposed system of government in a Muslim state, in its essence, is quite different from that of ‘theocracy’.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Moiz Amjad
February 25, 2002