Malaysiakini’s article is music to my ears. It shows how PAS is beginning to accept that the elusive concept of an “Islamic state” is nearing the end of its shelf-life. It may something worth talking about 10-15 years ago, but now it is no more.
Take this for example. When asked, “What then PAS’s idea of the Islamic state?”, Dr Syed Azman said:
Let’s look beyond that [slogan], you know. The past is the past. PAS is a dynamic party. We’re not trying to portray it [Islamic state] in a narrow perspective. We’re looking in a wide range of issues. There’s no point in debating about an Islamic state on narrow issues.
“We want the people to realise that Islamic state is not just hudud. Islamic state is basically you do away with corruption, we don’t want corrupt leaders, [we want] transparent judiciary, free and fair election; it’s a democratic state.
Indeed, it is time to look beyond the slogan. It is time for PAS to move forward, abandon the quest for an “Islamic state” in its old definition, and focus on creating a liberal democracy.
That is also the call by Abdelwahab El-Affendi in the new second edition of his groundbreaking book, Who Needs an Islamic State? (see www-my-islamic-state.com). The first edition of the book was published in 1991. At that time, the book was considered heretical. But, today, almost two decades later, the ideas first presented in the book is gradually becoming mainstream. When El-Affendi first put his ideas to paper, he was ahead of the game. But now the game is slowly catching up, and Islamists have begun to understand that rather than talking about “Islamic state”, we should strive for a liberal democratic state.
In the new second edition of the book, El-Affendi has added a new chapter analysing what he calls the “Damascus model”. He compared the Damascus model to the Righteous Caliphate model, and concluded that, in fact, both models should be left where they belong – in the past. The ideas he presented in the book are certainly thought-provoking.
Going back to the Malaysiakini article, when asked what he thought about having to run a state level (he was a former MP), Dr Syed Azman said that his candidacy switch from Parliament to state legislature was at PAS’s behest and also due to its strategic planning. He said:
I know that it’s very important, we’re looking not only this election but beyond this election for someone else (younger) to take over the party’s leadership in Terengganu.
He is clearly implying that the Terengganu PAS leadership is thinking about succession, and that he is placing himself (or he is allowing himself to be placed) in a position where he, and others like him, can smoothly take over.
It is about time democrats take over the helm and shape the forward direction of the party.
Oh, by the way, I should also add that when I was doing my A-Levels at Tonbridge School, Dr Syed Azman was the president of HIZBI UK and Eire. He was, in fact, among the early generation who founded HIZBI, although before him there was the JPUK (I never quite know what JPUK stands for. Some say it is short for Jabatan PAS UK, others say Jabatan Pelajar UK). I remember attending meetings which he chaired (I was head of the A-Levels ‘tandzim’ at that time).
Filed under: Malaysia, Politics, democracy, islam, islamic state, malaysiakini, PAS
Salam..
During the campaign, we were facing some difficulties in finding speakers since many ustaz refused to participate because they have been told not to speak about negara Islam and to reduce using quotation from the Quran..(?)
Me personally, I manage to deliver speech several times with Saari Sungip (DUN Hulu Klang) without much difficulties but sincerely I understand that the transformation from what PAS used to be and PAS today, is not easy. Everyone must help PAS to help the members in embracing the new perspective of political Islam. I wish Bro Wan and friends will make use of all their experience to support the transformation top bottom versi-versa. Engage more and tolerate the shortcomings.
“Jiwa mendidik harus seluas jiwa mengkritik”
Pray for us… it is a crucial nite for everyone here in Malaysia
Salaam,
I only just read the article, and my two cents is that in projecting a ‘professional PAS’ in the elections, they’re trying to break away from the automatically negative connotations that come to mind with the phrase ‘Islamic state’. I don’t think they’re trying to shy away from the party’s ideal of an Islamic state, but I think what they’re doing is political rebranding. The new slogan being tossed around is ‘Negara Kebajikan’, which, if we look back to the glory days of the Khulafa’ a-Rasyidun, was the definition of a country under Islamic rule.
It would be juvenile to think that an Islamic state/nation would adhere to the exact same conditions of long-ago Hijjaz, or even that of Syria. Historic accounts of the early caliphates prove that an Islamic nation is that which is based on the tenets of Islam, and is subject to cultural and societal interpretation. That said, to insist that an Islamic nation is irrelevant under the current political definitions of ‘liberal’ and ‘democratic’, simply by looking at Saudi and Iran sounds a tad ignorant to me. After all, if better healthcare, surer human rights and feminism are trademarks of a ‘liberal democratic’ society (as I believe is defined by the right/left of the American political landscape), then Madinah and Baghdad must have been the first few to fall under the category.
PAS isn’t letting the dream die in lieu of more votes, as they very well shouldn’t. They’re merely doing some blatant marketing. And all I’m saying is, while Malaysia may not be quite ready to be an Islamic state just yet, it’s not the worst or most irrelevant idea in the toolshed.
Wassalam.