In our previous article, we explored the authority and power of the Caliphate in Islam. Today, we delve further into the topic of supreme authority in Islam, specifically focusing on the concept of Allah’s sovereignty and omnipotence. Indeed, His sovereignty is beyond any limitations or boundaries. In this blog, we will learn, with the help of Quranic verses, that human beings are unable to escape His rule and that His sovereignty is universal and eternal.
History of the Concept of Sovereignty
The concept of sovereignty, which refers to the supreme power, has been present in political science since its inception.
Ancient Greek thinker, Aristotle in his book “Politics”, did not use the word “sovereignty” anywhere, but instead, he referred to the concept as “supreme authority” or “supreme power”. And even at the time when he divided the states into different types, he based the principle of division on the concept of supreme authority (sovereignty).
After Aristotle, Roman thinkers also debated this theory. During the medieval era when Christianity dominated Europe, the concept of sovereignty took on the form of secular power (worldly authority) and religious authority, represented by the monarchy and the papacy respectively. This led to prolonged conflicts between these two rulers, as they competed for the position of the most powerful authority.
Ibn Khaldun, in his famous book “Muqaddimah”, presented a clear and concise concept of sovereignty and stated that it is a force that sustains the existence of a state. When the supreme ruler becomes weak, the state also becomes weak and may eventually collapse and disappear from the map of the world, to be replaced by a new sovereignty.
In modern times, European thinkers have presented various concepts and theories regarding sovereignty. The first person to do so was the French philosopher Jean Bodin, who argued that sovereignty (i.e. governance) is a power that is superior to law and that reigns supreme over all citizens and subjects. According to Bodin, this power is vested in the monarch.
Here “Vested in the monarch” means that the power and authority of sovereignty are held and exercised by the monarch, i.e. the ruler or king. Bodin believed that the monarch had absolute power and was the ultimate authority in the state, with no other person or institution having the right to challenge or limit the monarch’s authority.
Thomas Hobbes also presented the concept of sovereignty, but he presented it in a better and clearer way than Bodin. Hobbes believed that sovereignty is absolute, indivisible, and inalienable power.
Meaning and definitions of sovereignty
The state is a unified society composed of individuals, institutions, and groups. Its main functions include enforcing the law, maintaining peace and security, and promoting cohesion and cooperation among its constituents. The state establishes and preserves customs and traditions, exercises its powers and authority through laws and commands, and applies them to all. Through these means, the state manifests its power and authority without being subjected to external forces or laws. This power and authority of the state is commonly referred to as sovereignty.
Supreme Authority (Sovereignty)
A few authentic narrators and scholars.
- Western philosopher Bodin defines sovereignty as “an absolute and unrestricted power of the state over its citizens and subjects, free from legal limitations.”
- Burgess defined sovereignty as follows: “Sovereignty is the original, absolute, and unlimited power of the state, in which every individual and group in the country is subject to its authority.”
- Einstein defined it as follows: “If there is such a superior and exceptional person in the country who is not subordinate to anyone, and whose orders society has become accustomed to, then this specific and superior person will be considered the sovereign of that society, and he will be regarded as the best person in society.”
- Pollak says: The power of the supreme authority is neither temporary nor borrowed, nor is it answerable to any other power in the world.
- Hugo Grotius says: The political authority vested in such a person is high. Whose actions are not subject to any other and whose intentions cannot be rejected.
- Rousseau John Locke says: This supreme authority is possessed by the people, but its practical expression is through the government.
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Rousseau’s Theory of Sovereignty
Rousseau entrusts the supreme power to the general will. Thus, he is convinced of the supreme authority.
According to the above definitions, the supreme power is either possessed by the empire as seen by Bodin. Or the king of the empire is the owner of supreme power, as is the opinion of John Stin Romatis. Or the general will of the nation is the supreme power, as Rousseau says.
The meaning of supreme authority from the Islamic point of view:
From the Islamic point of view, supreme authority is superior power. In the system of government of Islam, God Almighty is the real owner of supreme power, above which there is no power. As mentioned in the Quran;
اللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ
(Surat Ar-ra’d Ayat 41)
Allah rules, and no one can disobey His command.
اِنِ الْحُكْمُ اِلَّا لِلّـٰهِ
(Surat Yousuf Ayat 67)
Only Allah has the authority to command
فاحْكم بَيْنَهم بِما أنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ولا تَتَّبِعْ أهْواءَهم عَمّا جاءَكَ مِنَ الحَقِّ
(Surat Al-Mai’da Ayat 48)
So judge among the people according to the law revealed by Allah and do not follow the desires of the people except this law of truth that has come to you.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
(Surat Al-Mai’da Ayat 44)
And those who do not make decisions according to the law revealed by Allah, such people are disbelievers.
These verses make it clear that political and legal sovereignty belongs to Allah alone in Islam. The contemporary French political scientist writes about the sovereignty of God:
“An absolute power is actually a bad thing and dangerous. No human being can exercise absolute power with foresight and caution. The reference of absolute authority is only God alone. Because his wisdom and justice are also working from side to side of his power. But there is no reliable and obedient authority in the world whose orders I accept unconditionally in every case When I find out that a nation or a country or a government whether it is personal or democratic or a monarchy or a republic. When power has been handed over, I begin to see the seeds of chaos and anarchy and I immediately start looking for a state that will fulfill my true aspirations.”
Characteristics of Supreme Authority (Allah Rab Ul Izzat)
According to the Qur’an, the Supreme Authority has the following characteristics:
1. A Unity of power
The supreme authority of the Islamic government is the owner of unity and oneness in his power and no other partner or partner can be in his power. As stated by Allah;
لا يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَدًا
(Surat Kahaf Ayat 26)
He does not associate anyone with His command
إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّـهِ
(Surat Yousuf Ayat 40)
Only Allah has the authority to command
لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ
(Surat Bani Israel Ayat 111)
He has no partner in the Kingdom
2. Universal Power
Power and strength is a characteristic of the sovereign power of Allah Ta’ala. Allama Raghib Isfahani says that public nature is such a feature. Whose absolute relationship cannot be compared with any entity other than Allah is the one whose supreme entity has the highest level of authority and power. As an able and powerful being, he possesses an admirable character in the work of his command and government. Allah mentions;
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
(Surat Al Bakarah Ayat 20)
Allah is capable of everything.
3. Supremacy
The supreme power is the spirit of the supreme. For this reason, supremacy in Islam is the reality of supreme authority. Allama Ibn Akhir says. Allah Almighty is high and high. The meaning of this is that he is so high in his status and government that there is no one higher than him. Hazrat Imam Ghazali writes about the supremacy of the Almighty.
“Everything in the world is under the sovereignty of the throne, and the throne is under its supreme power. Its power and authority are at such a level of perfection that no power above it is safe from its domination and the strength of its conquests. This proves that the government belongs to it and the safety of the country is in his hands.”
It comes in the Quran
فَتَعٰلَى اللّٰهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّۚ
(Surat Mau’minoon Ayat 116)
Allah is the Exalted
وَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ الْعَلِیُّ الْكَبِیْرُ
(Surat Hajj Ayat 62)
Allah is the Highest, the Great.
4. Freedom
The supreme authority should have complete freedom of command and control. Independence of power is included in the concept of supreme power. In Quran;
يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ
(Surat Al-Imran Ayat 40)
Allah does what He wills
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا
(Surat Fatir Ayat 44)
Allah is not such that anything can make Him helpless. Neither in the heavens nor on the earth does anyone have the power to command and enforce obedience to the highest authority. Leili writes, ‘The one who grants freedom to authority is powerful.
5. Collective Dignity
Jalalat (grandeur) is an essential attribute for the sovereignty of the highest authority. Imam Raghhib says that Talaat (beauty) is a special attribute that is particular to Allah.
6. Continuity
The attribute of imperishability is an important characteristic of the highest power, which is reserved only for Allah Almighty. He is the One who is free from all decay, always has been and always will be. His sovereignty is eternal.
هُوَ الْاَوَّلُ وَالْاٰخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ
(Surat Hadeed Ayat 3)
He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden.
لِلّٰہِ الْاَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمِنْ بَعْدُ
(Surat Al-Room Ayat 4)
The command is for Allah alone, both before and after (all events).
7. Uninterrupted
In the sovereignty of Allah Ta’ala, there is still no deadlock. Allah Ta’ala is always active and aware. Allah Subhan Wa Ta’ala mentions;
لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ
(Surat Bakarah Ayat 225)
Sleep neither overtakes Him nor does drowsiness.
وَلا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا
(Surat Bakarah Ayat 255)
The protection of the world and everything in it does not tire Him.
8. Untransferable
Allah Almighty’s powers are untransferable. All of His powers are inherent to His being. No one else can take the power of killing someone. Everything in the world is under His control and within His sphere of power. In Surah Fatihah, Allah Almighty is described as the free and absolute owner. In Arabic, the word “Malik” refers to a being who possesses all powers and control
9. Exemplary Universality
The sovereignty of Allah Almighty encompasses everything in the universe. The limits of His power are undefined and boundless
وَلِلّٰہِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ
(Surat Bakarah Ayat 115)
The expanses of the East and the West are for Allah Almighty.
وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ
(Surat Bakarah Ayat 255)
His Rule extends over the earth and beyond
If a person tries to escape from the rule of Allah Almighty, they cannot succeed. The power and authority of Allah is all-encompassing, and no one can escape from it.
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