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How did Western history differ from Muslim history?

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Masters in Education from Nottingham University in the UK. Also studied Masters in Islamic Studies and Islamic Banking & Finance. Political activist with interests in Geopolitics, History and Phil ...
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In a Nutshell: The contrasting systems of the Western and Muslim worlds serve as a vivid illustration of the legacy of the khilafah. Its absence has left us exposed and vulnerable, bereft of its protection and guidance. Without the cohesive fabric of the khilafah, we are left in a state of disarray, humiliation, naked, our threads frayed and our tapestry unraveling.

The tapestry of the Western world was woven with two parallel threads - the sacred realm of the church and the earthly realm of the pagan kings. These threads formed a patchwork of common law and canon law, each embodying a different aspect of society. The common law represented the practical and temporal demands of humanity, while the canon law reflected the divine and spiritual directives of the church.

In contrast, the Muslim world was dominated by a single thread of governance known as the khilafah. This thread legitimized all those in power across the vast Islamic civilization, seamlessly integrating the divine principles of Islam and the justice of sharia. The result was a harmonious fabric, with the faithful united under a single banner of faith and justice, presented to mankind through the dawa of jihad.

In the West, the Pope held immense power, both religious and political, while the King of England was anointed by the church, giving him divine authority. In Islamic civilizations, the Caliph was the ruler of both the temporal and spiritual realms, and was responsible for ensuring that the laws of Islam were followed and the revelations of the Prophet Muhammad were upheld. In this way, the Islamic system was a harmonious unity, with the religious and political spheres working in tandem, rather than in opposition.

The difference between the Trial by Combat in the common law tradition, where two individuals would engage in physical combat to settle disputes, and the Islamic legal system, where evidence and testimony were the basis for decision-making, further highlights the divergent paths taken by these civilizations. The former was a reflection of the violent and chaotic nature of the western world, while the latter represented the orderly and just governance of the Islamic state.

Conclusion

The contrasting systems of the Western and Muslim worlds serve as a vivid illustration of the legacy of the khilafah. Its absence has left us exposed and vulnerable, bereft of its protection and guidance. Without the cohesive fabric of the khilafah, we are left in a state of disarray, humiliation, naked, our threads frayed and our tapestry unraveling.

The Prophet (saw) said "“Verily, the knots of Islam will be undone one by one. Whenever one knot is lost then the people grabbed onto the one which came after it. The first of these knots will be the ruling (al-hukm) and the last will be the salah.” (Ahmed)


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