Divine Right to Rule
Question asked by .
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Saleem

As a student of international relations, I feel that all over the Muslim world, there is a strong feeling that Muslims have a divine right to dominate and rule this world. All those who deprive them of this right are their enemies. Why is this?


You are very right in your observation. In my opinion there is one root cause of this Muslim behavior. Muslims believe that Islam is the final truth and therefore they have a divine right to rule in this world.

In my humble opinion, the first part of this premise is true; but the second is not: Islam may be the final truth, yet nowhere in the Qur’ān do we find that only the final truth has the absolute right to rule.

What perhaps is the cause of this misconception is that the struggle of the Prophet (sws) of Islam and his Companions (rta) is viewed in a certain perspective. It is contended that they in their times established the political supremacy of Islam because it was the ultimate truth; therefore each and every Muslim must follow suit.

This as is explained in an earlier query is not the case1. The whole struggle of the Prophet (sws) and his Companions (rta) is related to an established practice of the Almighty regarding people who are divinely conferred the status of shuhadā ‘ala al-nās (witnesses to the truth before people).


1. ‘Waging War against the Disbelievers’.

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