What is an Islamic State? What makes a state Islamic? In order to answer the question, one has to put forward another question: what makes a person a Muslim/Muslimah? The answer is simple. A person becomes a Muslim/Muslimah when he/she testifies the syahadah, or the covenant which comprises of two kalimah, or phrases: (1) kalimah at Tauhid; which is :
لا إله إلا الله
Transliteration: La ila ha illal lah
Translation: There is no God worthy of worship but Allah
(2) Kalimah ar Risalah:
Therefore when a person consciously and wittingly testifies the syhahadah and believing it to a degree till it becomes his iman or faith, and knows fully the obligations that accompany the syahadah, then he/she becomes a Muslim/Muslimah.
A state thus becomes an Islamic State when it testifies the syahadah and assumes its obligations. The constitution of such a state must explicitly take the Al Qur'an and the As Sunnah as its highest authority. Where there are room for deliberations, it must take ijma' and qiyas and other paraphenalias of Islamic jurisprudence in order to formulate laws and regulations.
The syariah is the law of the land and it must be fully enforced. In the course of its running, Islam must be the ideology of the state.
Transliteration: La ila ha illal lah
Translation: There is no God worthy of worship but Allah
(2) Kalimah ar Risalah:
محمد رسول الله
Transliteration: Muhammadur Rasullullah
Translation: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Transliteration: Muhammadur Rasullullah
Translation: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Therefore when a person consciously and wittingly testifies the syhahadah and believing it to a degree till it becomes his iman or faith, and knows fully the obligations that accompany the syahadah, then he/she becomes a Muslim/Muslimah.
A state thus becomes an Islamic State when it testifies the syahadah and assumes its obligations. The constitution of such a state must explicitly take the Al Qur'an and the As Sunnah as its highest authority. Where there are room for deliberations, it must take ijma' and qiyas and other paraphenalias of Islamic jurisprudence in order to formulate laws and regulations.
The syariah is the law of the land and it must be fully enforced. In the course of its running, Islam must be the ideology of the state.
