ISLAMIC POLITICAL DISCOURSE ON NONMUSLIM LEADERSHIP IN THE MUSLIM STATE

Abstract

This article intends to discuss critical opinions of Muslims political
experts, about the possibility of a non-Muslim to be a president in a
Muslim State. Until recently, the classical Islamic discourses on this
issue tend to be trapped in the normative analysis model that seems
intolerant and rigid. These discourses to some extent do not appreciate
the social, cultural, historical and political complexities of the Muslim
community. Hence, the classical discourses have been viewed by many
contemporary scholars failed to respond to the present social-political
dynamic especially from multiculturalism and democracy perspective.
This article attempts to trace the forgotten and rarely discussed
dimensions. This study used the library research and interview approach.
The library research was conducted by gathering data from sources of
bibliography related to the topic. This article managed to yield the
following conclusions. Based on the stipulations in the al-Qur'an and
al-Sunnah on non-Muslim leadership, the majority of authoritative
ulemas (scholars) are firmed with their opinion whereby under normal
circumstances, Muslims residing in Muslim state are prohibited to
choose a non-Muslim president. However, under certain unforeseen
circumstances, for example when Muslims are under political pressure,

they are allowed to choose a non-Muslim president. Nevertheless,
there are still a handful of liberal Muslim intellectuals who do not
possess Shariah background; have adverse opinion. Muslims in a
Muslim country are allowed to choose a non-Muslim president under
any circumstances simply because the stipulations in al-Qur'an and
al-Sunnah that forbid Muslims to elect a non-Muslim president is no
longer applicable in the present time.