The date of the Malaysian general election was announced by the Prime Minister of Malaysia to fall on the 5^th of May 2013. On the 20^th of April, candidate contesting in the elections were nominated and this saw the beginning of the ‘democratic festival'. This election is arguably the hottest in all the history of elections in Malaysia. Right after the nomination, it was reported that a total of 61 ex-ruling party leaders and members will be contesting as independent candidates, willing to be expelled from the party simply because they do not agree with the candidates appointed by the president. Meanwhile, the opponents saw 7 places where opposition component parties compete against each other after failing to reach a consensus. At any rate, after the nomination of candidates, the election campaign is now getting hotter with talks, war of flags, posters and banners as well as war through the media, not to mention the virtual media. So too are the propaganda, fights, cheating, hatred, accusations, slander and money politics (corruption).

In a democracy, the rule is sought after because power is everything. One thing that has never been and will never be taught in a democracy is that 'power' is a trust from Allah (swt) to implement the syariah laws. Democracy teaches its adherents that powerful people can create and apply the law according to his or her own desires although these laws are against Islam. That is why those who adopt democracy will never adopt Islam. This is because democracy is certainly not designed to practice Islam, but instead it was actually invented to prevent the application of Islamic law itself! This five-yearly ‘democratic power struggle festival' is not in line with syariah as the only goal is to gain victory. What is most important is to topple the rival, no matter how and no matter how much money, time and energy is spent. This is indeed the case for secular and kuffar political parties, thinking only about worldly gains. Unfortunately parties or Islamic movements also seem to be running the same orientation. Democracy is designed to ensure that Muslims are always divided. Democracy also ensures that Muslims adhere to assabiyyah (nationalism) and wathaniyyah (patriotism). That is why the political parties in a democracy has never and will never promote jihad and futuhat because the basis of their thought is dominated by the narrow struggle of assabiyyah and wathaniyyah.

The Muslims involved in this ‘democratic festival' taught by the colonialists must remember that what they are involved in is not something that should be pursued. There is no point in ‘winning' the election if the existing democratic system is still maintained, the constitution drafted by Lord Reid is still revered and the law of Allah is still not implemented. It should be reminded that any party that gains power and becomes the government is obliged to implement Allah's law! Else they will face disgrace and misery in this world and face Allah's wrath in the hereafter. It should also be reminded that anyone who prefers the democratic system, he is actually choosing lawlessness in place of the light of Allah's rule. Leave democracy and work for the Khilafah "Caliphate"!

Dr. Muhammad

Malaysia