CSS Solved Political Science 2024 Past Paper | Western and Islamic Concepts of Sovereignty
The following question is attempted by Miss Dr. Shumaila Parveen, the top scorer in CSS Political Science papers. Moreover, the answer is written on the same pattern, taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Question breakdown
The examiner has asked the students to elaborate on two questions: the importance of sovereignty and the differentiation between Western and Islamic concepts of sovereignty. Moreover, the answer starts with an introduction, moves forward by understanding the meaning of sovereignty, and provides evidence about its importance. Then, the students conduct a comparative analysis of the variances in Western and Islamic Concepts of Sovereignty. Lastly, the answer wraps up with a critical examination and final statement.
Outline
1-introduction
Sovereignty is a unique power formula that exercises its authority through the constitution, the law of the land, or divine authority. Though it is characterized by absoluteness, superiority, comprehensiveness, and inalienability, sovereignty possesses a contrasting character when compared to the Western concept and Islamic ideology.
2-Understanding the term “sovereignty”
3-Characterizing sovereignty as the most critical component of a statehood
- ✓ Absoluteness
- ✓ All-comprehensive and inalienability
- ✓ Permanence
4-A comparative analysis of the Western and Islamic concept of sovereignty
- ✓ The Western concept of sovereignty versus Islamic sovereignty
- ✓Republicanism versus Absolutisms
- ✓Contrast in the formation of legislation
- ✓Varying versus fixed sovereignty
5-Critical Investigation
6-Final thoughts
Answer to the question
Introduction
Sovereignty throughout history attained numerous ambiguous statements. Western political thinkers called it a supreme authority above all the people and the state’s institutions. Moreover, there is a noteworthy distinction between the Western and Islamic concepts of sovereignty. In either case, sovereignty, due to its unique characteristics, such as absoluteness, all-comprehensiveness, inalienability, and exclusiveness, is the most crucial element of a state, ensuring the rule of law, justice, unity, and stability in the state. Nevertheless, as elaborated earlier, there is a vast difference between the Western and Islamic concepts of sovereignty. Western political system deems sovereignty, either an absolute or shared power, vested within a monarch, aristocrats, or democratic representatives. On the other hand, sovereignty in Islam solely belongs to Allah Almighty, and men have been given divine responsibility to implement the Islamic injunctions in a state. In conclusion, sovereignty is a unique power formula that takes authority through the constitution, the law of the land, or divine authority. Moreover, it has a contrasting character compared to its Western concept and Islamic ideology.
Understanding the term “sovereignty”
Sovereignty is a state of absolute power, which could be availed by a person, a group of people, or a state’s institution. Its authority prevails over all things, making it superior to people and the institutions of the state, and, in some cases, it is superior to the statute of land. As per the modern Western and secular nations, sovereignty means utmost authority in decision-making, law forming, and maintaining the state’s order through power. For instance,
Aristotle defines sovereignty as the “supreme power”
Hugo Grotius defined it as “The supreme political authority as no one above it, and no one can override its say.”
However, Islam represents a distinct view; as per Islam, sovereignty, the ultimate authority, only belongs to one God, all powers and might are His, and the law of the land is the injunctions of Islam, Sharia, and Fiqh. This is the same concept of sovereignty advocated by Ibn Abi-ar-Rabi, Al-Farabi, and Ibn Khaldun. As per the Islamic ideal of dominion, men have been bestowed with limited power and freedom, and a Muslim state should uphold the Islamic constitution and have no right to alter its commandments. In either condition, sovereignty ensures autonomy from all external forces and is perceived above people, political institutions, and any material might.
Characterizing sovereignty as the most critical component of statehood
- Absoluteness
Furthermore, sovereignty is the most prominent element of statehood, and without it, there is no concept of nation-state, unity, or nation. It is a wholesome idea that encompasses all might and authority and legitimizes its power by making, implementing, and maintaining the law within the territory of its state and over its defined population and all institutions while effectively submerging all the social and political evils.
- All-comprehensive and inalienability
Moreover, sovereignty has several unique features attributed to its status, such as absoluteness and unlimited authority, which one in the state neglects. Similarly, it is a universal phenomenon; it is all comprehensiveness as no person and no public or private institute could claim exemption from it within its reign of influence, with the exemption of extraterritorial sovereignty and their diplomatic representatives in the native state. Another characteristic of sovereignty is inalienability, introducing sovereignty as an untransferable power.
- Permanence
It is generally estimated that sovereignty lasts as long as the state lasts. Additionally, sovereignty belongs to the state and not to the government. As government changes after some defined years and transfers to a new king or successors, his cabinet, parliament, or newly appointed representative government, authority or supreme remain unfazed.
Differences in Western and Islamic concepts of sovereignty
Taking discourse over sovereignty according to the Western and Islamic points of view, the total discourse is based on faith and value systems. Every aspect of sovereignty originates, divides, and has been proposed after taking consideration of their religion. Some of the prominent differences between the Western and Islamic concepts of sovereignty are discussed below:
- The concept of sovereignty versus Islamic sovereignty
Almost all Western nations throughout their history showed a deep antagonism regarding sovereignty. For instance, Plato granted the final authority and all supreme powers to the philosopher king, and Aristotle talked about an absolute monarch and constitutional supremacy. After the treaty of Westphalia, the Roman, French, and Spanish empires referred to popular sovereignty; in lieu, many Christian authorities advocated sovereignty to the trinity, making the commandments of the Bible the ultimate power. Later, the aristocratic notion of sovereignty came into play in Europe, as the final say of European nations rested with their aristocratic masters.
- Republicanism versus Absolutism
Presently, popular sovereignty is on the rise. All Western representative governments acquire the will of people, formulate, amend, and implement laws and policies by following Benthem’s formula of greatest happiness. Thus, the Western concept of sovereignty is ever-changing, though the supreme powers maintain their absoluteness, pursuing justice, equality, peace, and development through the utility of constitutional power and military might.
However, Islam’s rulings are entirely inert. Every divine religion professes God’s authority and acknowledges God’s absolute sovereignty. Likewise, according to Islam, sovereignty belongs to Allah; he has absolute, undivided, unrestricted powers, and His divine sovereignty encompasses everything in the heavens and earth.
- Contrast in the formation of legislation
The Islamic concept of sovereignty argues that men have no authority in making the law of the land; all men are equal, but men of calibre are chosen to establish the Islamic guidance, Shairah and Fiqh, in an Islamic state. However, in the Western concept of sovereignty, men have the authority to make the law of the land, and the majority’s choices and demands could become part of the state’s legislation. The Western sovereignty model gives the general public freedom and liberty through popular sovereignty when making laws. Antagonizing the Western scheme of sovereignty, Islam provides a full-scale legislative structure that involves all social, economic, and political guidelines, and its authority is final; no one in an Islamic state is exempt from it, crosses its limits, or overrides its rulings.
- Varying versus fixed sovereignty
Moreover, the changing nature of Western sovereignty is common practice. European nations have generally gone through several sovereignties, from absolutism to aristocracy and, finally, republicanism. Unlike Western sovereignty, the Islamic concept of sovereignty has not changed. The ruling of Sharia is final, and God has undivided authority. These conditions have not changed in the past fourteen centuries.
| ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF SOVEREIGNTY | WESTERN CONCEPT OF SOVEREIGNTY |
| Absolutism – God has final authority | Republicanism – majority rules the office |
| Fixed legislation – Quran and Sharia | Flexibility in constitution |
| Safeguarding fundamental rights | Fulfilling the majority’s demands along with fundamental rights |
| Power over social, political, and economic life – reaching the purpose of state | Power over political and economic life – lose control over society |
| Static sovereignty – the ruler is a viceroy of Allah on His land | Varying status of sovereignty – changing nature of rulership |
Critical Investigation
In a robust analysis, sovereignty is a supreme power, even though its inheritors may vary based on political and religious beliefs. The Western concept of sovereignty has considered it unrestrained power, which is, above all, religious convictions, people, and the state’s political and social entities, acquiring the objective to meet the ends of a state. In contrast, although accepting its importance, Islam argues that sovereignty belongs to a sole divine might, God, and the ends of a state must be accomplished by following the Islamic political system. Nonetheless, both scenarios preach the well-being of humans and their society by acquiring shrewder political, social, and economic strategies.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the most prominent element of statehood is sovereignty; it is the utility of supreme authority in decision-making, implementation of law, maintenance of law-and-order, and application of justice, unity, equality, prosecution in case of evil conduct, and protection of statehood from external and internal enemy. However, there is a stark difference between the Western and Islamic models of sovereignty. These two parallel realities possess a blunt variation in the utility of sovereignty. From the Muslims’ viewpoint, the ultimate seat of authority resides with one God, and the law of a Muslim state is the law of Islam, Shari’ah, and Fiqh. No one with religious belief neglects its boundaries, not even the leader, ministers, chief justice, or any person who belongs to higher or lower ranks. On the other hand, the Western political system, after defining the ultimate authority of sovereignty, considers that the power either belongs to a king, a group of people, or the general public while laws and policies could be altered according to the will of a king, or the will of aristocrats, or the resolve of the public.
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