Some individuals have wrongly assumed that the point of contention over the issue of elections between the “Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK” and others is based upon a difference of opinion between the Scholars. Nothing could be further from from truth. Our contention is: 1. that the Jamiat holds that democratic elections are supported by Islaam and the sharee’ah, 2. that the one who does not vote is sinful and responsible for any resulting evil, and, 3. the sinful innovations they themselves fall into due to their involvement in the political arena. These false principles of the Jamiat are in contradiction to Islaam and not supported by any textual proofs, nor from the way of the Salaf, nor supported by the Scholars of Islaam.

As for certain Scholars that hold that voting is permitted as a lesser of evils, then that is an ijtihaad that is held to be erroneous by other Scholars who bring strong textual and reasoned arguments, and we hope to make those clear some time in the future, inshaa’Allaah. Recently some erroneous people have began to say that the Jamiat is supported in its positions on elections by some scholars. And this statement of their’s is untrue and unfounded, rather NO Salafi scholar has stated that democratic elections are supported by the Sharee’ah, nor that one is sinful or “carries the burden of any resulting sufferring” if he does not vote.

Shaikh Al-Albaanee (rahimmahullaah) stated:

“However, if the situation is contrary to this, and this is what I think the question is referring to, then one of them must be selected due to the electoral process established today. It is upon you to know that this system is not Islamic in any way whatsoever.. ” (Silsilatul Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape 284)

Let us repeat the statement of Shaikh Al-Albaanee:

“It is upon you to know that this system is not Islamic in any way whatsoever”!

Now let us mention the statement of Abdul-Haadee Omaree, one of the heads of the “Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK”:

“The act of taking part in elections is an activity that is in fact supported by the Sharee’ah (the Islamic Legislation)…” (Source: ‘The Dawn’, Title: ‘On the Eve of Election’ by Dr. Naseem, Salma Yaqoob & Imam Abdul Hadi. The Newsletter of the Birmingham Central Mosque Trust Ltd, June 2004 /Rabbi al-Thani 1425 AH, Issue 164)

So Al-Albaanee holds democratic elections to be against Islaam and the Jamiat holds democratic elections to be from Islaam. So how can it ever be undertood that the Jamiat is in agreement with Shaikh Al-Albaanee?

And let us not confuse the ijtihaad of Shaikh Al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) with the deviations of the Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK, and thereby claim that Jamiat was correct AND following the scholars. Look at the base principle of Shaikh Al-Albaanee in stating the Islamic position on democatric elections and the base principle of the Ahle-hadith UK in which they make it binding to vote and regard the one who does not vote to be sinful. Abdul-Haadi Omari of the Jamiat said:

“If one chooses not to participate due to ignorance and someone of a corrupt and immoral background is elected then the burden of any resulting suffering and injustice will be upon those who refused to use their vote.” (Source: ‘The Dawn’, Title: ‘On the Eve of Election’ by Dr. Naseem, Salma Yaqoob & Imam Abdul Hadi. The Newsletter of the Birmingham Central Mosque Trust Ltd, June 2004 /Rabbi al-Thani 1425 AH, Issue 164)

The Shaikh Muhammad al-Imaam of Yemen (from the senior students of Al-Allaamah Muqbil ibn Haadee) states in complete opposition to Abdul-Hadi Omari and the Jamiat:

“And it does not suffice the opposer [of the Sunnah] with claiming that Elections are merely permissible, but rather he increases the ‘clay with more water’ (i.e. that he makes the affair worse), so he says: “They [elections] are obligatory [to enter into] and the one who does not [enter into them] is sinful and a  transgressing wrong-doer and that he has not fulfilled his trust or responsibility.. and so on.”

So who is the one who claims that the Jamiat ahl-e-Hadith based their rulings and opinions on the verdicts of the Scholars?! Indeed they based their rulings on desires and whims, thinking themselves to be Muftis and Imaams! And possibly the greatest scholar of Pakistan and India in last century or two, Allaamah Badee’ Ud-Deen (rahimahullaah) rebuked them and censured them severely, in his own words when he said: 

“In this manner, some of our brothers (of Jamiat AhleHadith) have accepted democracy and have mistaken it for Islaam. It is astonishing how they have accepted a western ideology while being AhleHadeeth. Did the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) give us this ideology, did the rightly guided Khulafaa give us this ideology, or did the four Imaams give us this ideology? Who gave us this ideology? An ideology emerged from Europe and you accepted, you deemed the ideology of the Messenger sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam deficient! Let me ask you one question. Are there any opposing political parties in the Sharee’ah. If the government was established for the sake of Allaah, and someone stood in opposition of it, what would become of him? There would be hostility everywhere. Democracy safeguards these hostilities, and this is why evil is given a chance to exist. It is for this reason that these people who are starving for power attempt to win power and fight (amongst each other). 

Has Islaam not taught you how to run the governments? Did not the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) establish an Islaamic government within a kingdom of kufr? How did the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), how did he establish this government? He acted upon the guidance of Allaah and he was successful, Allaah gave him victory, Allaah gave him success. All forces were in opposition to the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) and they still are; the forces of these selfish maulvis (religious leaders), the forces of saints (peers), and the forces of the wealthy. All of these groups are against each other but are united against the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam). The time came when the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) was given victory, and he announced on the hill of Safaa, “There is none worthy of worship except Allaah alone, and He aided His salve, and completed His promise, and He by Himself defeated the forces. This is Islaam, and this is our methodology, and this is our Imaam.

How is it that we accept those things that he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) cursed, and we accept the methodology of the enemies of the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)??

Today, there is a group that claims that they are from the upholders of the religion, and they used to claim at one time that it was impermissible to partake and run in elections. Later, they claimed that all of these things are necessary and permissible if we want to gain power, so they began to partake in all of these things that these worldly (political) parties partake in. The people of the Jam’eeyah (AhleHadeeth) began to walk in their footsteps.

This is what taqleed is, acting upon the correct and incorrect actions of your Imaam; they do not separate, take what is correct and what is incorrect, this is the Muqallid. When these people (who partake in elections) received the fatwa that these action are impermissable, none of them objected, even though it is necessary that one of the two is incorrect.

An ideology in which an individual who seeks leadership stands in elections, and they divide into groups and parties, and they severely waste the wealth of the Muslims on backbiting and mud-slinging, how can an ideology such as this be correct?

So my brothers, this methodology in not found in the Quraan and the Sunnah…”

Shaikh Al-Albaanee after stating the evils of democratic elections and voting, then states it may be the lesser of two evils. He said: 

“I say yes, because the Muslims in this case are between two evils. Similarly, this is the case if the candidates were Muslims, since amongst the Muslims are Communists, Baathists and so on. Okay, do we just sit back and watch or should we choose the one whose harm is less?” (Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor, Tape 284)

So where is the comparison between the statement of this Imaam and Muhaddith and statement of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle-Hadith, as forwarded by the ‘mufti’ and ’scholar’ of the Jamiat, Abdul-Haadee Omari, who does not regard democratic elections to be wrong and in opposition to Islam, but rather supported by Islaam! The Jamiat Ahle-Hadith then proceeds to enact its own deviated opinions which are NOT supported by the scholars, by falling head-long into the following:

1. Inviting socialists and communists to their mosques to deliver lectures.

2. Attending photo opportunities with politicians, even those who support suicide bombings in Iraaq and Palestine!

3. Free-mixing with females.

4. Attending rallies, protests, and anti-government street demonstrations, and encouranging all those who attend their mosques to do so.

5. Giving fatwas containing lies upon Islaam, such as praise of the grave-worshippers and innovators.

6. Organising gatherings and inviting innovators (such Jihadists, Soofees, partisans, secularists), politicians, other faith leaders to address their congegrations.

7. Attending innovated celebrations of the Soofees along with the politicians, such as the Prophet’s Birthday!

Click here to see proofs of all of these: “The Reality of Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK”

So do you see all this in the ijtihaad and fatwa of Shaikh Al-Albaanee or Shaikh Ibn Baaz regarding voting?! Never, may Allaah’s mercy be upon them both.

And let us look again at the clear statement of Al-Imaam al-Muhaddith Shaikhul-Islaam Al-Albaanee, so we are not deceived by those who claim that the Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith and its wretched sister from Kuwait, Jamiat Ihyaa Turaath are upon the position of Shaykh Al-Albaanee:

QUESTIONER: “We have heard that you said - O Shaikh - that it is permissible to enter into Parliamentary Elections, but with conditions?!”

SHAYKH AL-ALBAANEE: “NO IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE! These conditions - when there are any - are purely theoretical and speculative, and not knowledge-based. So do you remember the conditions that I stated?”

QUESTIONER: “The first is that a person must protect his ownself (i.e. protect his religion).”

SHAYKH AL-ALBAANEE: “And is this possible?”

QUESTIONER: “I have never done it [so I would not know].”

SHAYKH AL-ALBAANEE: “And if Allaah wills you will NEVER do it! It is not possible to meet these conditions. And if we observe many of the people who at the beginning of their lives - we could see from their appearance, from their clothes, from their beards - and then when they entered Parliament, then their appearance changed! And after that they started justifying it… And likewise we would see people entering the Parliament with Islamic Arabic clothing and the after some days, they changed their clothing!! So is this an evidence and indication of corruption or rectification?!”

QUESTIONER: “Shaikh, I mean the brothers in Algeria, and their work there and their entry into the poloitical arena?”

SHAYKH AL-ALBAANEE: “WE DO NOT ADVISE THIS! We do not advise political work these days in any of the Islamic countries…”
(Tape: “Silsilatul-Hudaa wan-Noor” (1/352))

So the fact is and still remains that the Markazi Jamiat Ahle-Hadith have NEVER been upon the positions of the scholars in these affairs nor have they previously claimed that. The Jamiat invents it’s own political fatwas and policies, and to claim otherwise now is an insult to those great scholars, may Allaah’s mercy be upon them. The fatawa of the Scholars do not and never have supported the political activities of the Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith. Indeed, it is apparently clear that Abdul-Hadi Omari takes his political ideology from Abdur-Rahmaan Abdul-Khaaliq, whose methodology he translated over a decade ago.