“We believe that royal families are selected people. Prophets are selected, and royal families have also been selected by the Lord to be the heads of nations. We respect all royal families. We cannot accept that royal families, who have been selected by the Lord, should be the same as people who have been elected by other people.”-Shaykh al-Akbar Sultan ul-Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani
Q. I have read and heard your statements regarding it being illegal according to classical Islamic textual rulings to declare autonomous “jihad” against non-Muslims in the West, as Al Qaeda and other groups have called for over the past decade, in the absence of an Imam, a Caliph. However, I noticed, you also reject Hizb at-Tahrir’s call for a new orthodox Khalifa. You additionally reject both Democracy, Republic states, as well as Communism, Zionism,”Islamicism” and even the doctrine of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, Wiliyat i-Faqih. Are you an anarchist? What then is your political philosophy?
A. We, the Muhammadan Sufi Muslim community are, like the Ikhwan al-Safa of Abbasid Iraq, staunch monarchists. We believe the state to rest upon two pillars, monarchy, and religion. The Quran is clear that mankind has been divided into various tribes, or ethnicities, so we can recognize one another. Monarchy is the most ancient form of government. Every nation is honored, and mankind is one family. After the flood, the sons of Noah spread. Monarchy keeps us connected as a human family, and allows all nations, tribes to feel honored, and dignified. The immediate royal family for us, the Arabs, is the Ahl al-Bayt, the House of Muhammad (S). The Ahl al-Bayt are from the illustrious bloodline of the leader of the Arabs, the Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace. Is there any other Arab in our history who has been as influential as the Prophet? Hadith literature from both schools are clear, in the end, the House of Muhammad (S) will lead the Arabs under the Mahdi, and it will be the golden age, full of blessings and abundance. Mahdi will eradicate poverty. As per Naqshbandi literature, for example, Jami’s ‘Shawahid an-Nabuwat‘, Khwaja Parsa’s ‘Fasl al-Khitab‘, Kashifi’s ‘Futwat Namah yi-Sultani‘ and ‘Rawdhat ul-Shuhada‘, the dynasty of the family of the Prophet with Right Divine is the Twelve Imam dynasty. The model of governance that is recognized in the Quran and demonstrated by the Prophets of Israel, is monarchy.
Q. So you do not agree with expanding the borders of the Caliphate State, to eventually ‘take over’ world governance?
A. No. This was an Ummayyad idea. For example, the oldest monarchy in the world was the Ethiopian monarchy. The Emperor of Ethiopia was not ordered by the Prophet (S) to be replaced eventually by Arab rulers. Fear is from Satan. We live fear free. However, as he converted according to Muslim traditions, his descendants married into the family of the Seal of Prophets (S). Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie, its last Emperor, was a descendant of Manelek I, the son of King Solomon and Queen Sheeba. He traced his paternal lineage to Solomon, and maternal lineage back to the fifth Imam, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, titled al-Baqir. Similarly, the icon of Western civilization, the British royal family, have an Arab Muslim connection as well. According to Burke’s Peerage, the genealogical guide to royalty by Harold B. Brooks-Baker, the British royal family is descended from the House of the Prophet through the Arab kings of Seville, who once ruled Spain. By marriage, their blood passed to the European kings of Portugal and Castille, and through them to England’s 15th century King Edward IV. Hence, in our world view, it is not correct that one nation impose it’s rule upon another. As such, monarchism is antithetical to Zionism as well.
Q. The Umayyads were monarchs, by this logic then, one should recognize their governance as well then. Is this what you mean?
A. No, actually they were imposters. The historic accounts of the battle of Karbala make it clear, the family of the Prophet rejected Yazid’s claim to the throne, among other things, on account him being illegitimately conceived. This means they did not consider him a descendant of Muawiya I. This was also a problem by some accounts, with Muawiya I, however, due to a conditional peace treaty between al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali and him, there is not enough clarity on the issue of his lineage. The Umayyad rulers ascended, as Imposters, Dajjal, Dajl, in Arabic, after Yazid I, the Bastard, to the throne, and forced the Arabs by the sword to accept their rule. They attacked the Ka’aba in Makkah and pillaged Madina. This demonstrates they were indeed of evil birth, and perhaps not even Arab in reality from their paternal lineage, since even the worst enemies of the Prophet from the disbelievers, still revered the Ka’aba in Makkah. The Imperial House of Osman’s Suhbat al-Akhbar: The Rosary of World History, is a work in Ottoman Turkish delineating the genealogy of the Ottoman Sultans, from Adam, the first human being and prophet, to Sultan Mehmed IV. This manuscript depicts the first four caliphs, the Twelve Imams of the biological progeny of the Prophet, and rulers from Abbasid, Mongol, and various Turkic dynasties. The absence of the Umayyads demonstrates in our view, the Ottoman monarchs did not consider them a legitimate monarchy either.
Q. Monarchism has been replaced in the Arab and non-Arab Muslim world by republics and nation states. With the backing of the Americans and French, and maybe even the Jewish State of Israel, democracy is being introduced to the Arabs. What are your thoughts regarding this?
A. If we look at the Arab and Islamic world, including Afghanistan, Africa, Persia, Turkey, and Hindustan, we see the greatest achievements, both religious, and secular, in social sciences, science, mysticism, military and even culture were achieved under monarchies, even if absolute and despotic. Look at where we are today, there is no creativity and culture, imagination, love and peace is officially dead in these countries. Fear is rampant, greed is rampant. These Arab countries who are considering a transition towards democracy should look today at the plight of Hindustan’s Muslims, who represent the world’s second largest population of Muslims, more even than the Middle East. For centuries, while there were monarchies, Hindu and Muslim, in Hindustan, both communities, including Muslims enjoyed cultural eminence, dignity, and were important. Today, after Hindustan became the Indian republic, and ended its Hindu and Muslim monarchies, Muslims especially have been reduced to the title “minorities”, ironically in the very country their kings protected for centuries, and developed. They have been reduced to a insignificant minority class, stripped of all social, political and cultural relevance in the new system. Today, where the Americans are propping up democracy in the Arab world, Islamist governments are being elected. This started in Palestine, then in other parts. It is being done on purpose, to keep them fighting among each other, since the demands of Islamists are impractical in a modern society, while the views of secularists are completely failing to connect people to their cultural past. The issue of cultural past is not related to any other factors other than the State resting on the foundation of religion and kingship. Also, I would like to point out that the idea of a democratic society, based on the election of any able bodied person, as long as they were of a particular racial background, did not come to the Muslim world with the French, or the American revolution for that matter, who ascribed to the doctrine of Franco-Israelism, and Ango-Israelism, also known as British-Israelism. Rather it started in the Arab Muslim community with the passing of the Prophet Muhammad, and the events of the Saqifah. The Ahl al-Bayt, or House of Muhammad, are the royal family of the Quraysh, and Arabs. Those who ascribed to the doctrine of the monarchy’s rule, by Right Divine, were one group, while those who opposed the monarchy’s rule were the other group. The events which took place after the passing of the daughter, and legal heir of the Prophet Muhammad, who compared herself to Solomon son of David, a king by hereditary succession, who inherited both Prophethood, and the kingdom after the death of his father King David, in addition to the Ark of the Covenant, indicate it can be argued the negotiations between the Bani Hashim and the first of the Rashidun Caliphs, which carried on for many months, resulted in the symbolic reinstatement of the monarchy, as more of a ceremonial head, similar to a constitutional monarchy. However, when the rebels from the battles of Jaml and Siffin refused to pay regard to even the symbolic office of the constitutional monarchy, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib declared war on them. This was also the case with the end of the Umayyad dynasty, war against whom was directly endorsed by the Imams of the biological progeny of the Prophet.
Getting back to the question regarding my view on the call for democratization of the Arab Muslim world, we are seeing it almost always results in the election of Islamists. The reality is, the honor the Arab Muslim world seeks to see restored can only return when they begin to re-associate it to the form of government, monarchy, it was a consequence of in the first place. This must be brought into in their minds and thoughts. Again, look to the Taj Mahal, the Charminar in Hyderabad, the Qutb Minar, the Red Fort in Delhi, the Peacock Throne, and then look at the current plight of Hindustani Muslims today. Look at how they have been reduced to poverty, ignorance, cultural insignificance, kept out of important posts in both the government and in the military, how an alien, riba based, culturally limiting banking system was imposed on them to destroy their chance for healthy competition in the market place. After seeing this, know that what you see today, of the Muslim former subjects of the Great Mughal Emperors who sat on the Peacock Throne in Delhi, happened after the era of monarchy, both Hindu and Muslim, in Hindustan, ended, and Muslims of Hindustan were tricked into accepting democracy. What did democracy bring the Hindustani Muslims? Poverty, weakness, backwardness, and humiliation.
Q. What do you propose as a solution to the current situation, if you think it needs fixing?
A. At a grassroots level, people need to become connected to the spiritual monarchy, the Imamate of the House of the Prophet, which is under the direct Divine Covenant for prosperity, and success as mentioned in the story of the sacrifice of Ishmael by Abraham in the Quran. Muhammadan Sufism is the only link for this, which allows us to, in the absence of good leadership, pledge allegiance to the House of the Prophet (S), the House of the Covenant of Abraham, from whom appears the Master of Time. Arabs should restore their monarchies, even if constitutional. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Sharifs were proclaimed, with consent of the last Ottoman Caliph, as heirs to the earliest generations of Muslim monarchy. They descend from two of the Imams of the Twelve Imam dynasty, making them legal heirs to their office (‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, and al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali). Their ancestors were Imams by Right Divine, and hence, they too then enjoy a special status as monarchs, in our view. Historically, the House of the Prophet sat on the throne, as a monarchy in many parts of the Arab and non-Arab Muslim world, hence our view in not alien to the Arab world. We want to see this reinstated where possible, by referendum, throughout the Arab Muslim world. These monarchies of past included,
1.The Zaydid Dynasty of Tabaristan
2.The Ukhaydhirite Dynasty of Najd, Arabia
3.The Sulaymanid Dynasty of Yemen
4.The Alid Dynasty of Yemen
5.The Alid Dynasty of the Isaaq clan of Somalia
6.The Alid Dynasty of Sharifs of Sousse (Tunisia)
7.The Alid Dynasty of Sharifs of Morocco
8.The Idrisid Dynasty of Morocco
9.The Hammudid Dynasty of Algeciras, Málaga, Sevilla and Grenada
10.The Banu Katuda of La Mecca
11.The Banu Fulayta
12.The Alid Dynasty of the Muse clan of Somalia
13.The Banu Salih of the old state of Ghana
14.The Sulaymanid Dynasty of Sharifs of La Mecca
15.The Fatimid Caliphs
16.The Safavid Dynasty.
Other monarchies which traced their descent back to the House of Prophet (S) and members of the Twelve Imam dynasty, which had Right Divine, include the Rassids (Zaydi Imams), the Caliphs of Morocco, the Hashemite Dynasty, the Hashemite Kings of Iraq, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Senussi Dynasty of Libya, the Sayyid Dynasty of Delhi, and the Sayyid Dynasty of Kashmir.
We Sufis are are not revolutionaries, but because our tradition is based on ancient Prophetic wisdom, Ilm al-Hikmah, we hold all the appearances of conditions in the material world to be the consequence of their appearance in the metaphysical world first. Everything can be brought to its exact opposite manifestation, or appearance in the material world, if efforts are made to alter it on the metaphysical plane. Remember, heaven is literal, but not material. Hence, if we begin to think collectively in the correct manner, our thoughts, intentions, will eventually materialize into conditions for people to utilize, in order to bring into the Arab Muslim world the restoration people wish to see. The key is understanding the importance of the system of monarchy, and the social-political consequences of abandoning it.
