Reality Check

With the elections on the horizon, the attack ads and the resultant posturing have already begun. Stephen Harper recently used footage from the “Islamic State” militant group depicting their brutality as a means of suggesting that Justin Trudeau could not be trusted with national security. Trudeau responded by decrying the government’s use of terrorism as a means to score political points, and said this illustrated how disconnected Harper was from Canadians. And while that sentiment may be true, remember, this is the same Trudeau who has supported Bill C-51, a draconian anti privacy bill directed primarily at Muslims, and has criticized pro-Palestinian movement like BDS. His connection to the “values and hearts” of Canadians does not seem to be that much stronger than Harper’s. Canadians can, unfortunately, look forward to many acts of such disingenuous political theatre, instead of having the politicians discuss the real issues. 

What are the real issues? 

Instead of trading barbs about ISIS – who poses no threat to Canada, given that Canadians are more likely to be struck by lightning than be killed in a terrorist attack – they should focus on real issues. For example consider the Finance Minister, Joe Oliver’s, strange comments on the economy. 
Numerous economists and national commentators are indicating their belief that Canada is heading for a recession, pointing to lower consumer spending, along with weakened manufacturing and devastated retail sectors. Joe Oliver’s response has been one of denial, claiming that despite virtually every expert opinion, he believes the recession will not come, and that Canada is actually on the path of economic growth. 'We don't believe there will be [a recession],' Oliver said. 'We're expecting solid growth for the full year.' He did, however, concede that Canada was in a fragile situation. Consequently, the discussion should be focused on how fragile the situation is, what are the possible remedies and how Canadians can secure their livelihood and the welfare of their families.

Rather, the government is more keen on positioning itself against imaginary problems, such as the threat of ISIS, and the prevalence of Muslim radicalization. While the government ramps up its rhetoric portraying its bombing of Iraq and Syria as being necessary to stop the threat ISIS poses, Baghdadi’s organization is bogged down in regional territorial warfare that has little to do with Canadian national security. 

And while the government has passed Bill C-51, claiming that the violation of privacy is necessary to stop the spread of radicalization of Muslims, there has been no attempt to prove that radicalization is even an issue for the Muslim community in Canada, or how Bill C-51 would address this issue. Muslims have lived peacefully among their neighbors for decades in Canada, posing no threat to national security. Isolated cases, such as of the case of Zihaf Bibeau, have to be treated as just that, an isolated case of a mentally unstable man. 

So what then explains the government’s complete rejection of reality, and its prioritization of mythical problems over real ones?

Politics: An Exercise in Theatre

Politics within the Capitalist systems have become nothing more than an exercise in theatre. Real power lies in the flow of massive amounts of money (the capital in capitalism), that is restricted in the hands of the very few. This means elected leadership, regardless of its popularity, is effectively powerless in creating any real change in the lives of people. Men like Harper are structurally incapable of doing anything about the Canadian situation, even if they really wished to. Consider his record. Harper was elected in the ashes of Paul Martin’s sponsorship scandal, promising clean government, a booming economy, a return to family values and Senate reform. What has he delivered? His time has been racked with corruption scandals, his elected Senators have proven to be corrupt, he has made no progress in changing the deteriorating situation of the Canadian family, and has brought no changes to the prevailing legality of abortion or same sex marriage. On top of this the economy is heading into a recession. Is it any wonder that he has to rely on political theatre to maintain his position of power?

After all, if the government was really serious about not being attacked and “terrorized” by other nations, maybe it would stop supporting campaigns of terror in countries overseas. Political violence, however unjustified, is almost always a response to colonial occupation, not religious extremism. If the government were really dedicated to the well-being of its citizens, it would address the deep issues of poverty, stratification, and structural instability that have plagued the Canadian economy. This does not seem to be the government’s intent. 

The reality is that in a political structure that rewards popularity over correctness, and simple mantras over the complex realities of life, it is no wonder that those who prosper are those who are most willing to manipulate the common emotions of society. Couple this with the fact thatpolitical parties that operate in this system are woefully ineffective at providing any meaningful solutions to collective problems. Politicians have to become so obsessed with gaining an electoral majority, that they are compelled to water down their values in order to attract to a wider slice of the voter base. They have to become more adept at aggregating divergent interests than articulating a clear response to relevant problems. We see this very clearly in Canada, where we have parties that are virtually incapable of distinguishing themselves from eachother. Being incapable of solving anything, Canadian parties have to be content in theatrical political manoeuvres that position them in a particular way in the perception of the masses.

This is in complete departure from the political system revealed to us by the Most Just and Merciful Creator.

Islam and Politics: Taking care of peoples’ needs

In the Islamic worldview, politics is nothing more than managing the affairs of the people in accordance with the will of our Creator and Sustainer. He is the Law-giver, as He is the most qualified to prescribe solutions to human problems due to His absolute knowledge and mercy. Political leaders are chosen in accordance with their understanding and reverence for Divine Law, and fulfill their duty by applying the systems of Islam on the Muslims and non-Muslims who choose to live under Islamic rule.  These leaders are followed only as long as they fulfill this duty, and held accountable if they don’t.

The people can directly question their leadership as to how they justify their actions, and the people have a right to be consulted in many of society’s affairs. This system of governance is based on certainty, and a clear outlining of rights and responsibilities, with a focus on the responsibilities. And while this system may, in the current context, sound hypothetical, it is actually the system that Muslims lived under for 1300 years.

Consider the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), the second Khalifah of this Ummah. When he had to face tough economic times due to the drought in the Sham province, he was very quick to redistribute wealth to ensure that undue hardship was not faced by the people living there. Would we expect any of our current day politicians to take such bold measures to address the current oil price drop, or the crisis that is taking place in the retail sector?

Muslims in the Crosshairs

Whether we like it or not, Muslims will be dragged into this election campaign. The government has already signalled its intentions to make the Muslim community a target they will exploit for political points in the coming months. We have seen our dress code attacked, the abuse of our privacy turned into law, and now with the passage of Bill C-24 have even been threatened with deportation. All of these actions have not taken place in a political vacuum.

This is a realization of the political phenomenon of scapegoating. It is easy to exploit the differences between people by convincing an ethnic, cultural, or religious majority that the real source of their problems is some powerless minority community, as opposed to the structures that oppress them. Time and time again we have seen democratically elected leaders successfully utilize this technique, from Hitler’s rise to power through the ballot box in 1939, to Benjamin Netanyahu’s anti-Arab rhetoric in the last days of the recent Israeli election. In Canadian history, we have seen this happen as well, in the form of Japanese internment during the Second World War, or the gross aggression against the Metis people in the 1800’s. The Harper political strategy sacrifices the tolerant Canada that is a source of pride to most Canadians for a society filled with ethnic tension like the US.

Our Response

It is essential for the Muslim community to not be intimidated by this campaign of vilification. Rather, we must interact with society as a necessary “reality check”: we must draw attention to the facts and realities instead of empty rhetoric designed to distract the masses away from the truth. We must be the community that reminds Canadians that their real problems are not threats amplified by a press that cozies up to authority instead of questioning it. It’s not a symbolic change of face in the coming elections. Rather it is the entire Capitalist system that is built on reckless growth and exploitation of the living and the dead. We must remind them that their main adversary is not one political party or another, but it is the ideology that has convinced them that slogans about “democracy, freedom and liberty” are more important than their own well-being, and the well-being of families, communities, and the natural environment. We must encourage them to challenge their political leadership and demand that their political leaders deal in reality, not in theatrics and deception. Most importantly, we must convey to them that any system, no matter how well intentioned, cannot bring justice and mercy to mankind if it is based on human reasoning. The deceptive and ineffectual nature of the Capitalist system is rooted in the biases and intellectual blind spots of the men who created it. True justice will only come from the All Knowledgeable and Most Wise, and only a system that emanates from His Wisdom and Mercy can cater to the well-being of all individuals.

The month of Ramadan is nearly at an end. Our non-Muslim neighbours and co-workers have seen us commit ourselves to abstinence from our basic needs from dawn to sunset, and have been very curious about our motivations. Let us use this opportunity to show them how Islam did not leave discipline to be practised solely in the personal sphere, but rather it is something that was an integral part of the political sphere. For example, Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) refused to eat well when those under his rule were starving due to a famine. It was thought that he would perish from the lack of food due to the meager rations that he would eat. We must also discuss how Islam is a way of living that provides real solutions to humanity’s problems, both in this life, and in the hereafter. That is the ultimate reality check.  

“On the day when the disbelievers will be exposed to the fire, they will be asked, 'Is this not real?' They will say, 'Yes, Our Lord, it is real' He will say, 'Suffer the torment for your disbelief [TMQ 46:34]