lessons from the history of ancient and madieval western political thought~

In your own words, what are the important lessons that may be derived from the history of ancient and medieval western political thought?

In my opinion, there are many important lessons that can be derived from the history of ancient and medieval western political thought such for example, the development of knowledge, the establishment of state, cultural development, organization of law and many other contributions that we can see throughout the history. During the time of Plato, it is the period of ‘dark ages’ where people are low in their intellectuality and this has led man to the no where. Plato at that time more focused on knowledge in order to make people move forward and develop a better society. When people realize that knowledge is important, they start to develop step by step until they reach at certain level which makes them develop intellectually and discover and inventing new things in order to move a better living. During that time, people start to study human nature and acquired knowledge and the main characteristic during that time was the focus on humanocentrism which more focus on human. In addition, Plato are much emphasized on knowledge as he argued that knowledge as absolute that can explain the nature of human existence. For Plato, he said that only knowledge that can produce virtue and only knowledge that can bring man out of the state of ignorance. It is relevant to our daily life, where knowledge is important that determines the level of civilization attained by any human community. Knowledge means power and power is one form of success and therefore knowledge is success, success in any field that make human community moving to the next level of life.

Furthermore, the major contribution during the ancient period is also the study of philosophy and also the development of state. When man start to discover, they realize the need for an institution to govern them and that is where the government institution emerge and it is where civilization begin. Aristotle for example, he believe that people are basically good and they constantly seek for moral perfection and men according to him are social being by nature that is men need each other in order to survive in this world, thus, for Aristotle the formation of state emerge due to the reason of humans interaction. Therefore, when state emerge, a big community will also emerge and a big community develop complex relationship between its members and that is why it has to have a leadership ( a ruler), a stratified society with codes and conducts, division of labor, security and so on. All these things emerge as a result of human intellectual movement. Besides, the emergence of state also led to the expansion of territorial. Plato’s idea of the rise and decline of the state also give a big impact on the civilization, according to him, state will decline is due to the fact that there is no moral and ethics, for him, ethics and politics can not be separated and this idea is relevant until today as we can see what happen to the world today where man are being regulated by his own desire. Aristotle also mention about this when he said that man should rule according to his knowledge acquired and not by using his emotional to judge.

In addition to that, during medieval period, we can see the improvement of the society where there is the invention of religion, belief and values are more being emphasized, man start to discover the important of religion. In addition, there are also the emergences of the organization of law. Like for example, St Augustine believe that only law of God that can ensure the happiness in human life. To add, according to Cicero, law is the highest reason that tells man what should do and what should not do. Law can fully develop human mind. It is law that can guide man to the right path. In addition, the societies also began to separated, ( during that time protestant and orthodox Christian) and it is the result of what we called civilization where man are more and more advance in thinking, the religion become dominant and people are separated based on what they are believing in.

There are many other ideas, ideologies, perceptions that can be derive from ancient and medieval thought like for example the form of government such as democracy as what Plato said ‘ the rule by the many’, communism, private and public ownership and so on. The division of labor emerge and the idea of slavery that are still occurred in our modern world. Is also bring about the era of scientific revolution where people are more emphasized on science and technology. Today more and more people have access to a higher education than ever before in order to move at the next level and improve the quality of life in human society as I mention earlier that knowledge determines the height of civilization achieved by the society. Based on this, I can conclude that, during ancient and medieval time, there are lots of contributions that we can derive from and it is still relevant in this world as we can see that modernization is happening everywhere, the system change and the society move forward.

~Nationalism and Islam

Nationalism : an overview

It is similar to patriotism, but whilst patriotism could be defined as the love of one’s country, nationalism focuses more on what shape that country should take. Nationalism could be described as the support of a nation, but every nationalist movement has different aims and origins, whether they are desires for autonomy, political representation, or self-preservation.

The beginning of nationalism

The French Revolution marked the beginning of remarkable changes that would affect world history. The most significant impact that the French Revolution brought is that the emergence of political mentalities. One of the example of political mentalities is that the growth of nationalism. In addition to that, nationalism is the French Revolutionary idea of community and equal citizens. The opponents of the monarch called themselves ‘La nation’, meaning by this the community of all French people irrespective of previous title or status. The slogan which is liberty, equality and fraternity personified this idea.( Baylis & Smith, 2005,p.525) As a result, the concept of nation was tied to the principle of equality of the people. This evolution in France was the same as in Americas, north and south.

Nationalism made a significant change in the mentalities of the people not only French people but also the others. The concept of nationalism had been adopted by the entire world. Nationalism has provided a new set of values and also the new system of legitimation for the system of the state. Nationalism has become the component of the state building and also the formation of common identity within societies. Nationalism has established the separated state. Nationalism also has established the European colonial empires. Moreover, nationalism actually provides the realization of democratic principle. Nationalism also brought more conflict among the state and sometimes may lead to war due to the fact that nationalism established the separated state and the realization of democratic principle. In addition, the modern idea of nationalism actually brings more negative impact rather than positive. Take for example the Arab-Israeli conflict; the rise of nationalism is the main factor that causes the conflict.

Nationalism is an ideology in which a people, regardless of their race, class or religion, feel that they have more in common with each other than they have more in common with each other than they have with other people and give their higher loyalty to the state they live in. ( Abdul Rashid Moten & El-Fatih, 2005,p.101). Nationalism encompasses the two phenomena noted at the outset which are , the attitude that the members of a nation have when they care about their identity as members of that nation and the actions that the members of a nation take in seeking to achieve (or sustain) some form of political sovereignty. ( Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

Islamic view on Nationalism
Islamic Nationalism

Allah creates people in nations and tribes. The wisdom behind it is that they know each other and explore their particular cultures and backgrounds. This variety should never be a source of difference or disagreement or fighting between each other, rather, it should be united in one faith or in other word, it should be rely upon the faith to be united. Allah said in the Quran "O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another." (Al-Hujurat: 13). Almighty Allah also says: "And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation, yet they cease not differing, save him on whom thy Lord hath mercy; and for that He did create them." (Hud: 118-119) .

In Islam we live as a brother and sister. We are ‘ummah wahidah, ummah, refer to the community of believers. The term is used to describe both individual communities, both great and small, of faithful Muslims and to refer to the world-wide community of believers. Muslims should strengthen the relationship between each other and always rely on faith. We should not rely upon races or over reacting on certain believes and cultures or races or any other differences but must rely on the true teaching of Quran and Sunnah. According to Yusof Al-Qardawi, he points out that we should not give the priority over anything else, but only to Allah and His Massenger.

He also points out that the natural outcome of nationalism then will be that people will give their cause a higher place than any other consideration. That is why we find that Arab nationalists give priority to Arabs over non-Arabs and even forget about any religious bonds. This goes contrary to the clear words of the Qur'an that state: "The believers are naught else than brothers." (Al-Hujurat: 10) The Qur'an commands us clearly to cast aside all considerations or links once they come in contradiction with Islam and the bond of Islam. Allah says: "O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith." (At-Tawbah: 23).

In addition to that, nationalism according to him separated religion from the state which is totally contradicted with the teaching of Quran and the Sunnah. Islam did practice nationalism, but in a sense of how it is perceived. It is how Muslims strengthen their relationship as a Muslims ummah that must be based on the teaching of Islam. Moreover , grouping the Muslims according to races skin color, and also cultures is clearly forbidden. It is narrated by Abu Da'wud that the Prophet (PBUH) said

"He is not one us who calls for `Asabiyyah,(nationalism/tribalism) or who fights for `Asabiyyah or who dies for `Asabiyyah."

By Nor Hazwani Bt Mat Rashid

colonial history and the Palestinian issues : A brief introduction

The colonial history starts when the Arab nationalism seeks help from the British to liberate them from the Turks. The British Prime Minister is actually wanted Jerusalem. Hundreds years before the crusades war, Jerusalem was under the Christians ruled, then the Muslims took over it. Now the Palestine population of Muslims, Jew and Christians live in the harmony under the British Benevolent. In the First World War, Turkey sided with Germany. As a result of this, it had caused the conflict with the British and it has leading the British to control of the Palestine in a series of battle led by Allenby. Allenby conquered Jerusalem and he respects it as the Holy City. He also was greeted by the Christian, Jewish and Islamic leaders of the city with the great honor. In addition, when the British first arrived at the Palestine, she had a support from the Arab. The British at that time need Arab to help her in defeating Germany whereas the Arab need British to join them to fight for the independence from the Turks. The British promise independence for the Arab and the Arab trust them. The British is actually do not and always distrust the Arab and said that they are fanatic and unwilling to subject themselves to the British rules. Just after the British issued the guaranteed of independence of the Arab, the agent from France went to London for the secret meeting.


The Britain and France actually have signed the agreement called the Sykes-Picot Agreement and it is of course without the Arabs known. The Sykes-Picot Agreement was an understanding between the government of Britain and France and along with Russia defining their respective sphere of influence and control in West Asia after the expected of the downfall of Ottoman Empire during the First World War. They plan to divide the Middle East where Britain will control the Palestine and Syria as well as Lebanon under the France mandate. The Arab will be remaining divided and there is no unified Arab.

In addition, this agreement has seen to create many conflicts among Arabs and also the Western. As mention earlier, Palestine was under the mandate of Britain. In addition, in the Balfour declaration, the British government support Zionist plans for a nation home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Because of this, the Jewish immigration to the Palestine increase rapidly and this of course get objection from the Arabs leaders. This conflict between the Muslims and the Jews is continuous until now and it is because of the British colonial back then. Muslims and the Jews fight with each other regarding the territories and it is continuing until now. The Muslims and the Jew wanted the wall where for the Jews; they claimed that it is their holy place and for the Muslims it is the place where the Prophet (PBUH) tied His horse in the journey to Heaven.

The British is actually the caused of all these. Before this, the Jews and the Muslims were live side by side. Moreover, this is also the reason why there are so many terrorist arise such for example Osama Bin Laden start to oppose the British due to the fact of colonial impact on the Arab world. The children have been provide with an education which teach the history of British colonial that make them all suffer until now. ~~

Until now, the Palestinians issues are not yet resolve and the war between the Jews and Muslims will never come to an end.~~

By : Nor Hazwani Bt Mat Rashid

Values of political sciences~

Responsibilities, justice, equality, freedom, can be said as the values of political sciences. Politics itself has it own values, even though most people claim that if someone involve in politics he or she is a bad person due to the fact that politics is the bad game and politicians are bad. But, however, as human, we also possess some values deep in our own nature. Human beings have the morals values they do because they benefit from them. Moral values are prized not for their own sake but for individual and also social purposes. There are relationship between politics and morality, according to Philippa Foot, he said that:

It seems clear that virtues are, in some general way, beneficial. Human beings do not get on well without them. Nobody can get on well if he lacks courage, and does not have some measure of temperance and wisdom, while communities where justice and charity are lacking are apt to be wretched places to live.

It is to be said that, we possess some moral values for our own good as well as for the others. In addition, for me, involve in politics or study political sciences have developed a self confidence in my own self. It is also teach me on how to be responsible for our own action. Furthermore, the concept of right for example, is very important in the scope of political studies. For us, as a society, we also have to realize our own rights and wisdom so that we will not be oppressing by the others. These concepts actually have directly or indirectly influence us in our daily life that is why political studies really affect our life. In Islam, the ethics principle has been thought. The Quran and Hadith which are the main sources of Islam attach great importance to ethics and ethics is considered as the main objective in Islam. Islam also encourages truth and justice as Allah said in the Quran:
The word of the Lord does find its fulfillment in truth and in justice.

But, however, ethics has been neglected by contemporary Islamic movement as what we can see now. That is why many of them has been astray from the truth and as the result, all the Muslims all over the world has also been affected. These circumstances has actually teach us for not being astray from our religion, Islam and our action must not violate Shariah in order to prevent conflict from happen. In addition to that, whether we like it or not, politics is always been associated with hypocrisy. Hypocrite is a bad term and never a term of praise and for good reason. Politicians are always been labeled as hypocrite and for certain people, politicians are always bad in the eye of them and they also claim that politicians has his own agenda for his own interest. The mentality has been there from the very beginning, involve in politics means that you have enter in a bad game and you should never doubt about it. In the case of hypocrisy for example, Machiavelli is as famous for his advocacy of political hypocrisy. According to Machiavelli, hypocrisy is the necessity in political life. For him hypocrisy tricks that can allow us to outwit an enemy, it make the enemy to believe that we are stronger than we are. Machiavelli also said that another kind of hypocrisy is making promises or contracts you have no intention of honoring when it is no longer in your interest to do that. For him also, there is also hypocrisy in political relationship due to the fact that they are relationship of dependence among people with conflicting interests.

Furthermore, corruption also always has been associated with politics. For them, people who involve in politics always commit corruption, which is what is happening in our current political situation. But, however, in my opinion, sometimes, somehow, we have to be aggressive in order to handle problem that arise and sometimes whether we realize it or not, we need those principles and elements in order to survive in the political arena. I agree with Machiavelli, in his Prince, when we have to be hypocrite sometimes due the fact that, it somehow, can make us be strong when it comes to certain issues that cannot be handling by using the ‘right’ way. I am not saying that being bad is good, as what Islam had thought to practice sincerity and justices in our everyday life, but, we have to realize, we cannot escape from being ‘bad’ when we involve in politics. This is due to the fact that politics itself is the bad game and it is not the right place for the good person to enter it.

But however, politics also bring about the good values that we can adopt it as what I had discussed earlier on. The claim that women cannot involve in politics is totally wrong. This is due to the fact that women nowadays posses the same level of intellectual as man, what man can do women also can do, I am not trying to say that we have to believed in feminism, because, as a Muslims, we should not believed in feminism. But, what I want to emphasize here is that, women should also been given the equal opportunities to involve in politics and the claim that women are not mean to involve in politics is totally cannot be acceptable. For the very simple reason, women also have their rights to be focused on and they have to fight for their rights for example, in terms of gender inequality, occupation and many others.

Moreover, as a Muslim, we should concern with the Shariah law and must not violate the law. This is important in order to secure the Ummah as well as our religion. But as a Muslims, we should not go beyond the teaching of Islam, because it can lead to destruction, as what had happen nowadays in many of Muslims country.

So, to conclude, politics is not always bad and we can also adopt some of the values such for example, self confidence, self-love (Rousseau) and many other positive values that we can adopted and practice it in our daily life. But, however, we must not go beyond that, for example, using certain ideologies and go beyond that ideologies that can lead to destruction. It is not "politics" that is bad... it is the person who involved in politics that makes politics turn bad....

By : Nor Hazwani Bt Mat Rashid

Does Democracy bring peace to the Muslims problem?

Muslims have encountered many problems which have make them move backward. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC, the advocates of the clash of civilizations doctrine have dominated the American political and media scene. Before any evidence was revealed about the identity of the attackers and within a few minutes, Islam and Muslims were placed in the dock by leading American newspaper such for example the New York Times and the Washington Post. In addition, in the western media, Islam was also painted as a violent religion, and ordinary people were made to believe that Islam and terrorism go in hand to hand. this is i think the serious problem that muslims in all over the world is facing right now...we cant even walk peacefully as we always been associates with terrorists...we cant live our life as a human..as a normal life...as a free person...and most importantly as a true muslim that practice Islam as a way of life due to the fact that Islam is always potrayed as a religion of sword....how to solve it??that's the question? HOW??....

m not gonna discussed about why muslims always been potryed as terrorists and islam always been associated with a violent religion...but to see how the system in the muslims world function...that is always been questioned by many politicians...to find the solutions to the problems....DEMOCRACY? does it really works in the muslims world??does it can bring peace to the muslims world??what is democracy? and how can it bring about peace to the muslims country??to begin...first we must know what is democracy....

The word democracy was first used in the fifth century BC by the Greek historian Herodotus; it combined the Greek words ‘Demos’ which means ‘the people’ and ‘kratein, meaning ‘to rule’. According to Abraham Lincoln, democracy means the government by the people, to the people and for the people. To make more precise, democracy is a political system in which the whole people, positively or negatively make the basic determining decisions on important matters of public policy. In democracy, the people are sovereign and it is based on the popular sovereignty. In addition, democracy also confines direct popular control over government and concerns the exercise of power and decision making by a group.

Democracy literally means “rule by the people”. In the modern world, democracy means constitutional representative government in which top decisions makers are elected in open and competitive elections, which almost all adults entitled to vote. (Moten and El-Fatih,2005,p.37) Joseph Schumpeter defines democracy in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people’s vote ( L.Hylands, 1995,p.44). Thus, democracy can be summarized as a mode of decision making about collectively binding rules and polices over which the people exercise control, all members of the collectivity enjoy effective equal rights to take part in such decision making directly. (Grugal, 2002,p.12). It also can be defined as a form of government organized in accordance with the principle of popular sovereignty, political equality, popular consultation and majority rule and it also can be characterized by four elements which are the ultimate power is in the hand of the people, all people are equal, political decision must be based on the majority as well as public policy. Thus, it is clear that democracy is the rule of the people, and the power to make decision is in the hand of the people.


The questions whether democracy is the best solution for the Muslims countries is still doubt by several scholars, indeed, democracy is the western concept and would become a western propaganda to control over the Muslims. In addition, the secular concept of democracy is totally not compatible with Islam. Secular here means separates matters from spirit as what been practice in the west. According to Muhammad Iqbal, he said that , the distinction between the Church and the State does not exist in Islam. In Islam, everything that we do must be in accordance to the Quran and Sunnah and it can not be separated. Implement democracy, thus means to instill what so called secularization process which can be said as the deliverance of man from religious and also from metaphysical control over his reason and language, it is the loosing of the world from religious understanding of itself, the dispelling of all closed worldviews and the breaking of all supernatural myths and sacred symbols which is absolutely contradict with the Islamic doctrine. ( Al-Attas, 1978,p.15)

Furthermore, democracy according the western concept is based on the dimension of equality and freedom. In Islam, equality and freedom is also been practice, but it must be in line with the Quran and the Sunnah. This issue will be questioned if the process of democratization is taking place in the Muslims countries especially when it comes to the right of the women in Islam. Logically thinking, the western concept of the right of the women is much more secured, women are treated equally, but in Islam, women’s freedom has a limitation mainly, compared to men. Thus, it will creates problem to the religion, Islam itself, what others will think about Islam particularly non-Muslims?

Muslims have been facing the lost of identity for a long time, therefore, I think, democracy is not the best way to overcome the Muslims problem, but it worsen the whole system. In fact, most of the Muslims countries rejected western democracy due to Bush’s agenda after September 11, which is to promote democracy in order maintain peace in the Muslims countries. In addition, democracy as been mentioned earlier is based on the popular majority; the government has to satisfy the will of the majority of the people, no matter whether the will is good or bad. This is totally contradicted with the Islamic doctrine where the will is only for Allah, the government is obliged to fulfill the will of Allah which is the Devine will. The law that is made by the people in the legislation may have mistakes and contradict with the ‘Will of God” and even some people in the state (the minority). Therefore, the elements of democracy which is the majority rule can not be implementing in the Muslims world because it abuse the right of the minority and contradict with the Law of God.

Moreover, minority which is powerful may also creates problem because their rights is being abandoned, thus, internal problem in the Muslims world may occurred, therefore, the question may arise, is peace can be maintain? In Islam, sovereignty is only for God and not for the people. The abuse of power may occur if the sovereignty is given to the people, and conflict among the people will arise this is due to the fact that, human reasons is limited and may have mistakes, the natural or ‘fitrah’ of a man has a sense of greed, that is why they will abuse the power which is given to them for their own interest. What happen is, the poor become poorer and the rich become richer and the voice of the poor will not be listen due to the principle of ‘democracy’ which is the majority voice.

As a matter of fact, the principle of democracy also indicates that people make their own laws, and as what have been mentioned earlier, democracy brings the elements of secularism which is separate religion from the state. In Islam, people follow the Shariah, the sources which are the Quran and the Sunnah, even in cases people are allowed to do Ijtihad ( rational interpretation) in certain matters, they, however has to follow the Islamic spirit in any decision that they make in order to ensure that it is not contradict with the Islamic teaching. In addition, some said that, democracy is compatible with Islam as in Islam, we practice Shura which has similar concept of democracy, but however, in my opinion, the concept of ‘Shura’ here, if we rationalized it in accordance to the modern world, it can be said as ‘Western Shura’, which means that the concept of ‘ Shura’ has been westernized on the basis of the western secular worldview which is can not be acceptable at all. So, the concept of ‘Shura’ what so called ‘Western Shura’ can not be as the same as Islamic concept of ‘Shura’. For instance, it is important to note that consultation, deliberation and selection method are not new to Muslims. Their initial development can be traced back to the period of Prophet (PBUH) and the period of Khulafa’ Rasyidun. Later, these principles has been developed and advanced by the West with its secular worldview and it is can not be simply acceptable due to the fact that it is totally lost the Islamic spirit and direction.

In conclusion, whether democracy is the best way to overcome the Muslims problem I think, it depends on how the concept is being adopted. However, as discussed earlier, Muslims have lost their own identity for a long time, and the root causes of the problem is not the way they govern themselves or the collapse of the system in the Muslims countries, but the root causes of these problem is simple, it is the violation of the religion itself. Many Muslims nowadays go beyond what is expected, for example, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism which has caused and continuous to cause huge havoc in many societies. Hundreds of thousands of people have died as a result of it and the developments of many countries have been distorted by it and there is no end in this tragedy. That is, I think a major problem that the Muslims countries has faces nowadays. Fundamentalist rejects the separation between politics and religion. For them political activities are religiously grounded, as what Khomeini put in his will, ‘Politics is religion’. Shtromas (1994). That was a worse problem of the Muslims countries, so whether democracy can overcome these problems is not the best answer to be given due to the fact that the causes of all these come from the Muslims identity itself. The best way to overcome this is that the Muslims should come back to the true teaching of Islam which is Quran and the Sunnah. If democracy itself bring about the elements of secular, do you think that it can bring peace to the Muslims countries?