Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad is a jurist who seeks to contextualise classical Islamic knowledge for the modern era. He is a firm believer that Islam is uniquely qualified — more than any other system — to build a divine civilisation capable of helping humanity to enjoy a better life in all spheres by maintaining the correct balance between the rights of the Creator and the rights of the creation. He believes Islam is the only viable alternative to the failing unjust and oppressive contemporary world systems, as Allah says: "You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind: you enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah." (al-Qur'ān, 3:110) According to this verse, Shaykh Haitham identifies the pillars of Islamic reform as īmān (faith), unity of the Ummah, impactful action, and knowledge. Drawing from his expertise in Islamic principles — Usūl al-Fiqh, Maqāsid al-Sharī‘ah, ‘Aqīdah, and other Islamic sciences — he promotes these foundational pillars to guide the Ummah’s revival. He is known for developing advanced theories that explore the role of Islamic jurisprudence in obtaining solutions for the contemporary challenges facing humanity, and he critically re-evaluates how Islamic legal rulings (fatāwa) can be formulated in light of modern sociopolitical realities. Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad earned his PhD from SOAS, University of London, with a doctoral thesis on Islamic jurisprudence concerning Muslim minorities. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sharī‘ah and Law from the University of Omdurman, Sudan, and a degree in engineering from the renowned King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia. He has undertaken intensive studies in management, becoming a certified ISO 9000 auditor. In addition, he has studied various Islamic sciences under leading scholars of the Muslim world, including the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Aziz ibn Baz, among many others. He has obtained many classical ijāzāt in various Islamic sciences, including Qur'ān and Hadīth. Shaykh Haitham has served as an Islamic judge for several UK-based arbitration and legal bodies for over 20 years; he is a judge at Islamic Council. He has delivered hundreds of courses on topics such as Fiqh, ‘Aqīdah, Usūl al-Fiqh, Maqāsid al-Sharī‘ah, Tafsīr, Sīrah, Islamic Thought, Islamic Leadership and Management, Da'wah, Reform, and Political Engagement. Shaykh Haitham has also submitted many academic papers in many universities around the world. He is frequently consulted by numerous Islamic organisations across Europe and beyond, and serves as a senior scholar at Islam21c. Shaykh Haitham has lectured in various universities around the Muslim world, provided counsel to Islamic institutions, authored several books and textbooks for different institutions, and travelled extensively to advocate for the reform and unity of the Ummah.
Assalamualaikam
I suspect that my post won’t be allowed through by the moderators, or will be edited so as to make it minimise the points.
I have a great deal of respect for the shaykh, and all his Islamic learning. However, I think his understanding of the reality is flawed.
Democracy is a man-made system, meaning rule by the people for the people. It is not simply an electoral process. It is based on a philosophy alien to Islam
Thus it is contrary to Islam, because rule is for Allaah, the Most High, the Almighty, and many prominent shuyukh argue it is not permissible to give legislative rights to any human being, no matter who he is (as opposed to executive rights).
The democratic system is one of the modern forms of shirk, in terms of obedience and following, or legislation, as it denies the sovereignty of the Creator and His absolute right to issue laws, and ascribes that right to human beings.
Please see Surah Yusuf ayat 40 for example.
The democratic system and the ruling thereon, inherently consists of individuals and parties nominating themself or someone else (for election) and our voting is approving of this system, and is working with it. Many shuyukh say this is a grave danger, because the democratic system is contrary to Islam and approving of it and participating in it are actions that imply apostasy and being beyond the pale of Islam. If the honourable shaykh was being intellectually fair, he should really give a critique as to why they are wrong (many will be his own teacher), and not just rely on “public benefit” or “lesser of two evils”. By that logic, if the government agreed to stop all oppression against Muslims if we all had a shot of vodka each, then that would be fine.
Wr are not voting in a referendum on Gaza, with a single issue, no matter how important. Voting by an individual in a general election is for a manifesto. There are many parties calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, but looking at the whole of what you are voting for in the manifesto seems very contrary to Islam- the same parties are legalising drugs and alcohol; advocating sexual and gender changes contrary to Islam; are calling for Muslims to be allowed to change their religion without consequence; they are calling for secularising of education and our children. By voting for them, you patently cannot say I am voting a single policy you are advocatjng but disagree with everything else you will do when I get you into power with my vote. You are choosing them to go into parliament and fight for everything that they have stood for in their manifesto.
With all due respect to the Shaykh, there was no Islamic evidence given by the Shaykh as to why voting is wajib, and more wajib this year. The ayaat he quotes are the same that HT use, but come to opposite conclusion (I am not HT!). Our hearts bleed for Gazs, but was it not “more wajib” when the destruction and oppression of Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Kashmir, Xinjiang/East Turkistan, Central African Republic, Eritrea, are/were all being supported by the UK Government or they were being silent on?
What does the folleong hadith mean “If the people were killing one another, until Hajarat al-Zayt (an area of Madinah) were submerged in blood, what would you do? I said, Allah and His Messenger know best. He said, Stay in your house and lock the door. I asked, What if I am not left alone? He said, Then be one of them. I said, Should I take up my sword? He said, If you did that, you would be joining them in their activities. No – if you fear that the brightness of the shining sword will disturb you, then cover your face with part of your clothing, and let him carry his own sin and your sin. (Ahmad.) I am not advocating quietism and pacifism but that not every “lesser evil” needs to be chosen. But not every problem has an easy solution, and we need to know that Allaah SWT has a bigger plan in His Wisdom.
The mental gymnastics of an abstention of voting is more evil and a vote for genocide? No, that’s not correct. Why should I choose one liar over another, rather than saying they are all liars? Is my casting a vote the only way that I can show that I disagree with policy on Gaza? It is more powerful to go to the street and stand and call the oppressors out. The millions who marched for Gaza. The woman who threw milkshake on Nigel Farage has made a much more powerful statement on his xenophobia than her vote will have done. Non-violent public displays are more powerful than my vote amongst 100,000 other constituents. Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, vast majority who don’t believe in akirah, have made more of an impact with their direct action than their individual votes have. If the government can ignore the millions who marched for Gaza,and 20 years ago for Iraq, then with all due respect their realpolitik and lobbyists won’t give 2 hoots about your little secret vote, when the majority of the population are more engrossed by illegal migration, the collapse of the NHS and poverty. Welcome to real democracy.
Please do use some nuance in this discussion and please don’t drive Muslim communities apart by saying they are faasiq for not following your fatwa. I wish you the best. But there are many, many sincere imams and brothers/sisters who will not vote but will choose another path, so please don’t say they are sinful as they are worshipping Allaah SWT in a different way in regards to this issue.
Forgive me if I transgressed any bounds.
Assalam aleikum
It’s all good and and well the Sheikh stating voting is wajib, but which party is the LESSER evil? Is it blue conservative or red conservative? The labour party no longer represent the working man, their ethos is no different to the tories. Both support the Zionist regime, both support genocide. If we look closer to home, the NHS isn’t safe with either party, both want to privatise, both parties support certain trends which are incompatible to Islam and our values. Neither party wants to take back control of the energy companies, both promise more austerity? Councils are going into administration due to the cuts, we walk past homeless people on our streets, to a degree, like I have never seen before. All of this is due to austerity and cuts. The UK came bottom in a poll regarding mental health. Yemen and South Africa rated higher than us, what does that tell you?
https://mentalstateoftheworld.report/2023_read/
Maybe we could have a discussion and analysis of the LESSER evil, coz that is what we are talking, right?
Sheikh Haitham was the first to congratulate Humza Yousaf…..didn’t last long, did he? What did he say, he wasn’t “prepared to give up his principles to stay in power”
Feeling apathetic in todays politics, isn’t just confined to Muslims, we live in system where the clowns can blatantly lie, with zero accountability, as demonstrated by Sunak 2 nights ago, when he talked about £2000. extra taxes under labour. And let’s not forget Johnson and his £360 million a week to the NHS bus, post brexit, when Marcus Ball challenged that in court, the judge ruled that politicians can lie with zero accountability.
Hence the apathy…..
Maybe we need stop dancing around the issue and have a serious conversation, where these wajib votes should be directed?
And I am not anti-voting, but I am anti ‘blanket statements’ which offer zero guidance, and I have upmost respect for Sheikh Haitham.
Wa alaykum Salam.
You have raised many important points, and one specifically regarding which party is the lesser of two evils.
At the moment, many would argue that both the Labour and Conservative parties are very similar, if not totally indistinguishable.
Having said that, please take a look at the following articles and videos on this matter, they speak more about the subject:
JazakAllahKhair brother for taking to time to post the articles, very informative. Much appreciated.
@ M Chughtai – JazakAllahKhair for articulating very well, the reservations I have in voting. Without doubt it is a very multi faceted subject.
@ Sheikh Haitham – JazAllahKhair for always being at the forefront of our community, here in the UK
So who do we vote for Fadilutasheikh? Sunak, Starmer or Nigel Farage.
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