Introduction

The word “Liberal” means free, generous; plentiful. It is, however, implying that men should be free to do as they want provided others are not harmed by their action; favouring freedom of speech, choice etc. Under a careful spiritual and Islamic reasoning, Western Liberation and Democratization is seen as multidimensional process involving forceful imposition and legalization of usury, political crusade and to a great extent strategic De-Islamization of the world at large. Thus, the clamour for democracy is a clamour for “Usuri-cracy”.

Liberalism of the Middle Age:-

The pioneers of the new order, during the middle age, used to preached liberality and generosity. It was the period when first polity was divorced from the moral code, and Machiavelli openly defended the idea that morals, need not be considered where political ends and policy were at stake. Such separation of polity from the moral code was designed to protect and support the “Usurious” Jewish dominated Western industrialists interest, in order to continuously marginalizing, monopolizing and to a larger extent controlling the world Economies, since investment is heavily dependent on the rate of interest (Usury).

Usury (from the Latin usus meaning “used”) was defined originally as charging a fee for the use of money. It simply refers to the giving of a loan (temporary provision of money) at interest. However, after moderate-interest loans became an accepted part of the business world in the early modern age, the word has come to refer to the charging of unreasonable or relatively higher rate of interest. Therefrom, usury laws became state laws that specify the maximum legal interest rate at which loans can be made.

It is obvious, that it was during this period (middle ages) that the idea of usury (interest) on money being just and lawful was put forward, where from time immemorial usury has been denounced by almost every major spiritual leader (or Religion) and philosopher of the past three thousand years.

Biblical Injunctions against usury;

Exodus 22:22 :

If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee. Thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

Deuteronomy 23:19 ;

Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother, usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury.

Nehemiah 5:10

I likewise, and my brethen, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

Other Biblical injunctions against usury are:-

Levitics 25:36 - 37, Deuteronomy 23:20, Nehemiah 5:7, Psalm 15:5,

Proverbs 28:8, Isaiah 24:2, Jeremiah 15:10, Ezekiel 18:8, 18:13, 18:17, and 22:12.

Qur’anic Injunctions against usury:

Al-Baqarah 2:275

Those who charge usury are in the same position as those controlled by the devil’s influence. This is because they say “Trade is like usury” but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving admonition from their lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (the offence) are companion of the five: They will abide therein (forever).

Al-Baqarah 2:277

Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and give zakat, will have their reward with their lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Al-Baqarah 2:278

O ye who believe! Fear Allah and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if ye are indeed believers.

Al-Baqarah 2:279

If ye do it not, take notice of war from Allah and His messenger; but if ye repent ye shall have your capital sums: deal not unjustly and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.

Al-Baqarah 2:280

If the debtor is in a difficulty, grant him time till it is easy for him to repay. But if ye remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if ye only knew.

Al-Imran 3:130

O ye who, believe! Devour not usury, doubled and multiplied; but fear Allah; that ye may (really) prosper.

Al-Nisa 4:161

That they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men’s wealth wrongfully;- we have prepared for those among them who reject faith, a grievous chastisement.

Ar-Rum 30:39

That which you give in usury for increase through the property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah: but that which you give for charity, seeking the countenance of Allah (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.

Thus, not only had the Bible and the Qur’an decreed usury unlawful but, Aristottle and Plato also considered it unjustified. Greek and Roman laws also prohibited it. According to Artistottle, exchange of money will the promise to pay back the principal along with an “interest” (usury) is the most unnatural (forbidden) use of money. He bases his argument on the fact that, lending at interest yield gain from the currency itself instead of from another exchange transaction which money as a medium of exchange it designed to facilitate. Therefore, any situation where money beget money in the form of interest, is contrary to nature.

Contrary to this view, from the Jewish dominated Western capitalist point of view, interest (usury) is natural , reasonable and just as nothing is wrong with interest. This is clearly anti-Islamic as it is against the Qur’anic Teachings. A good example of the usurious Jewish dominated Western industrialist interest is given as: After the bombing of Cambodia by the U.S, authorized by the first Jewish secretary of state, Kissinger. The west later realized that, pol pot’s forces were the only opposing the Russian interest to repossessed Cambodia. As such a deal was sealed by the two parties, where the west backed him against the Russians. Pol pot reciprocated by meeting their demand which was neither to give up from genocide nor to accept high technology but, to guarantee the restoration of the monetary system after the previous attempt at abolishing the Bank of Cambodia, the monetary system and a return to commodity currency i.e rice. It was a simple negotiation w here pol was accepted as Cambodian president and in return he restored and maintain the western monetary system that best guarantee and safe-guard the Usurious, Jewish dominated western industrialists’ economic interests.

Modern Liberalism

The modern liberalists clamoured for democracy in politics, for individual’s freedom in social, cultural and literary field, and in economy a “liassez faire” policy (free economy). They asserted that neither religion nor the state or society had a right to impede the path of individual’s struggle for progress or profits. Every one should have a fair chance to sue his potentialities. As a result, the liberalists did their utmost to bring into vogue everywhere tolerance, freethinking, licentiousness individualism and in short reasonability in their own terminology as asserted by Sheikh Al-Maududi.

In politics they demanded the utmost curtailment of authority of the state and greatest freedom for the individual. The state should be nothing more than an agent to prevent encroachment of individuals on each other’s right and to safe-guard the individual’s security. As for the culture and economic affairs, they could be entrusted to individual’s unaided efforts and the governments need not to interfere by action or guidance. This idea is also anti-Islamic, as Islamic state is responsible for controlling economic activities in the form of collection of Zakat and checking trade in Islamically prohibited products such as beer, hard drugs etc.

It should be clearly understood that, the west first used colonialism in their attempt at propagating and spreading secularism before the current rethinking and redirection through democracy. In Turkey for instance, Mustapha Kamal was given two options, colonization or secularization. To maintain his power, he opted for secularization and as a result he was forced to begun the de-Islamization of the Turkish society. In this process, he dismantled the Ottoman Empire; the then leading Islamic empire and there by destroying all its Islamic legacies. Muslim women where banned from wearing veils and head scarps especially in government offices and institutions and their male counterpart were banned from wearing turban, developing beard among others. To make matters even worse, calling for prayers in Arabic language was also banned.

Democracy Versus Secularism; “Confused Concepts”;

It has been argued that secular state allows the minorities to practice their religion. Simply because, they will not be forced to accept the dominant religion or sec and they are also protected from persecution and official discrimination because of their religion. Any intelligent and keen Muslim would not let these “sweet words” of theirs deceived him, as it is clearly observed that it is Liberalism (Usuri-cracy) they are advocating not democracy which almost everybody accepted including Muslims.

It is also not surprising that the twin concepts; Democracy and secularism are confused and contradicting as while the former advocates for “Majority rule” (i.e majority carry the vote) the latter is argued to allow the minorities to practice their religion and protect them from persecution and official domination by the majority hence, safe-guarding the interest of the minorities. However, taking Democracy as rule by the majority in the interest of the majority, in a Muslim majority country like Nigeria (i.e. 50 percent as shown by the recent statistics as against the 40 percents of the Christians and 10 percents of the traditionalists), one may expect the Islamic legal system to prevail. But, when the Muslims started agitating for the implementation of “shari’a” (Islamic legal system) in Nigeria, the issue of protecting the interest of the minorities arose in the name of secularism with the fact that secularism is against Islamic faith, since Islam is not only spiritual but total way of man’s life including his socio-cultural, legal, economic and political set-up. The question here is; Are we subjugating the interest of the majority in order to safe-guard that of the minorities? Is that what they called Democracy?

Liberalists Values are Anti-Islamic Laws

This is clearly observed by the work of the representatives of western liberalist civilization in their current attempt of imposing alien western and anti-Islamic values on the Nigerians with no regard to our beliefs and religious differences. Thus, the furor for putting into law, the imported western values including the new law for inheritance that will equalized the share of male hair with that of his female counterpart as well as such laws that will prevent parents from getting their daughters married before the age of 18, started getting momentum especially among the non Muslim Nigerians and at the same time getting more and more provocative among the Muslim majority. Such a new law of inheritance, in particular, is against the Qur’anic law of inheritance;

Al-Nisa 4:11

Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance); to the male, a portion equal to that of two females…

What the liberalists failed to understand is unlike in their values where there is nothing eternal and anything can be change according the people desire and their conscience as well, and that people can decide to legalize any divine prohibition in so far it conflict with their worldly interest. Islam defined permissibility and the limits of human activities in the Holy Qur’an;

Ahzab 33:36;

It is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His messenger, to have any option about their decision. If anyone disobeys Allah and His messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path.

In this connection, the Muslims and the west are living in two different societies. The major distinguishing aspect between Islamic society and western society, s that the Islamic society enjoys a unitive system where as the western is experiencing a dual system ensured by the separation of policy from the moral code and to a greater extent “Religion”. Thus, while Islam advocates unity between physical and spiritual life as well as between faith and science, the west took their religion to cover spiritualism alone with very weak and limited influence over their physical lives.

Conclusion:

Thus, what ever name may be given to the Usurious Jewish dominated western industrialists interest, Muslims will not be in a position to be deceived or cause to follow, blindly, their unnatural and Anti-Islamic Teaching. Muslims should, therefore, be very curious and careful in accepting any none clearly defined western concept and advise to adhere to the Qur’anic Teachings and the Authentic Hadith of our beloved prophet Muhammad (SAW). It should, therefore, be noted that, the movement along the process of Democratization through secularization and then to liberation; is a journey of billions of miles away from Islamic faiths.

ABDUL-RAZAQ IBRAHIM FAGGE

abdulrazaq_ibrahim@yahoo.com