CSS 2016 Solved Islamiyat Past Papers | Public Administration and Civil Servants in Islam
The following question of Islamiat is solved by Miss Ayesha Irfan, the highest scorer in CSS Islamiat. Moreover, the question is attempted on the same pattern taught by Sir Syed Kazim Ali 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 for a proper explanation of the Concept of Public Administration in Islam in this particular question. After it addressed the major portion of the question with pertinent examples act like a carry on top. This section can be explained by citing the lessons and teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) Explain the Responsibilities of Civil Servants.
Outline
1- Introduction
2-Elucidating the concept of public administration
3-Expounding the concept of public administration in Islam
- ✓In the light of the Holy Quran
- Evidence: “And We made them leaders, guiding (mankind) by Our command. And We inspired to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of Zakat; and they are worshippers of Us.” (Surah Al-Anbya, verse 73)
- ✓In the light of Hadith
- Evidence: “When there are three on a journey, they should appoint one of them their commander (administrator/civil servant).” (Sahih Muslim)
4-Explaining the responsibilities of civil servants
- ✓To lead simple lives being proportionate to their income
- For instance, during the Hazrat Umer’s (R.A.) era, civil servants were ordered not to ride on the Turkish Horse, consume fine flour, keep a security guard on their door, and that his doors remain open for the needy.
- ✓To decide official matters as per Shariah
- For instance, once, Hazrat Umer (R.A.), during his Caliphate, gave 10,000 dirhams to a farmer whose harvest was spoilt by the Muslim army. He inferred from a verse of the Holy Quran that sadaqah money should be expended on fuqaha, i.e., helpless Muslims.
- ✓To be accessible and available for the general public
- For instance, during the Hazrat Umer (R.A.) Caliphate, a circular letter was sent to the judges, stating, “The judiciary is a crucial government function, and you, Qazees (judges), must treat everyone equally, based on the principles of open access, patient listening, and justice …”
- ✓To be unbiased while disposing of official matters
- For example, once, a lady of Quraish committed theft. People of her clan came to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and sought pardon for her. Upon which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “Even if my daughter Fatima (R.A.) had committed theft, I would have issued punishment for her.”
- ✓To not consider themselves above the law
- For instance, Caliph Hazrat Umar (R.A.) was questioned by a congregant about his clothing, who alleged that Umar had used two pieces of cloth while others received only one.
5-Critical analysis
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Public administration, the backbone of nation-building, is undeniably a bridge between citizens and government. Basically, public administration in Islam is a comprehensive system that combines religious principles with practical governance to ensure justice, efficiency, and welfare. Rooted in the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith, Islamic public administration emphasizes moral integrity, social justice, and the welfare of all citizens. This concept extends beyond mere governance to encompass ethical conduct, economic equity, and community welfare. As far as responsibilities of civil servants or public administrators are concerned, they are required to lead simple lives being proportionate to their income, decide official matters as per Shariah, be accessible and available for the general public, be unbiased while disposing of official matters, etc. To sum up, the Islamic administrative system is a universal and holistic system that is a mission given to mankind to administer justice, equality, and social welfare.
Elucidating the concept of public administration
Before moving forward, it is imperative to first understand the concept of public administration. Actually, public administration is the process of implementing government policies, managing resources, and advising on policy matters. Thus, it involves the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling of government operations. Delving into the details, the function of public administration is to implement public policy. And public policy refers to the decisions and actions taken by governments to address societal issues and achieve desired outcomes. Therefore, public administrators or civil servants are primarily responsible for translating these policies into concrete actions and programs. For this, they develop and manage budgets, allocate resources, and oversee the implementation process to ensure that policies are effectively carried out. Hence, public administration stands as a vital field that touches every aspect of society by translating policies into actionable plans and supervising their implementation, thus, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Expounding the concept of public administration in Islam
As far as the concept of public administration in Islam is concerned, the Arabic word ‘Tadbeer’ is used for administration. Public administration, from an Islamic perspective, is a body of appointed staff or authority in an Islamic state to implement Islamic law, manage public affairs, and maintain society in a balanced and governable way according to the Islamic Shariah. The exact definition of public administration according to Muhammad Abdullah Al-Buraey in his book “Administrative Development and Islamic Perspective” is, “Public administration is the organization and management of public affairs in accordance with the principles of Shariah, aimed at ensuring justice, equity, and the welfare of the people through the ethical conduct of administrators and the efficient utilization of resources.” This definition depicts that public administration in Islam encompasses the demands of two factions, namely the needs of humankind and the appeasement of Allah Almighty. Hence, Islam has provided comprehensive guidance on public administration.
“Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners; and when you judge between people, judge with fairness.”
(Surah An-Nisa, verse 58)
- The concept of public administration in the light of the Holy Quran
Here, the concept of public administration in the light of the Holy Quran is explained in detail. In Surah Al-Anbya, verse 73, Allah Almighty states,
“And We made them leaders guiding (mankind) by Our command. And We inspired to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of Zakat; and they are worshippers of Us.”
This verse of the Holy Quran sheds light on the concept of public administration in Islam that Allah Almighty makes leaders who are instructed to guide people and do good deeds according to Islamic Sharia. Moreover, in Surah An-Nisa, verse 59, Allah Almighty says,
“O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (PBUH) and those in authority among you …”
The verse signifies the concept of public administration that it is compulsory for people to obey their administrators/civil servants. Hence, Allah Almighty has explained in detail the concept of public administration in His Holy Book.
- The concept of public administration in the light of Hadith
Now, it is important to discuss the concept of public administration in the light of Hadith. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has been quoted in Sahih Muslim by saying,
“When there are three on a journey, they should appoint one of them their commander (administrator/civil servant).”
This hadith highlights the importance of public administration that even while travelling, the Prophet (PBUH) advised appointing an administrator or civil servant to establish an organizational life in which he/she would run affairs and guide the group safely and efficiently. Moreover, on another occasion, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has been quoted in Sahih Bukhari as saying,
“If the offices were assigned to unworthy people, which would mean the end of this world.”
This hadith sheds light on the importance of capable public administrators, that inefficient administrators would lead to the malfunctioning of the whole country and then the whole world. Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) has also explained the concept of public administration in detail.
Explaining the responsibilities of civil servants
As every rank comes with certain responsibilities, similarly, civil servants also have some responsibilities. In the below section, some of the key responsibilities of civil servants are mentioned in detail.
- To lead simple lives being proportionate to their income
In Islam, the first prime responsibility of civil servants is to lead simple lives that are proportionate to their income. Actually, they are not allowed to adopt a royal lifestyle. For instance, during the Hazrat Umer’s (R.A.) era, civil servants were ordered not to ride on the Turkish Horse, consume fine flour, keep a security guard on their door, and that his doors remain open for the needy. This example depicts the simplest lifestyle that pious Caliph Hazrat Umer (R.A.) ordered to be adopted by civil servants of that time. Thus, Islam teaches that one of the prime responsibilities of civil servants is to lead simple lives, which must be in accordance with their incomes.
- To decide official matters as per Shariah
Another basic responsibility of civil servants, according to Islam, is to decide all the official matters as per the principles of Shariah. Basically, Shariah principles are described in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, namely justice, fairness, compassion, integrity, and accountability. For instance, once Hazrat Umer (R.A.), during his Caliphate, gave 10,000 dirhams to a farmer whose harvest was spoilt by the Muslim army. He inferred from a verse of the Holy Quran that sadaqa money should be expended on fuqara, i.e., helpless Muslims. This incident sheds light on Hazrat Umer’s (R.A.) commitment to the disposal of affairs according to Shariah. Hence, Islam has made it compulsory for civil servants to decide all the official matters in accordance with Shariah.
- To be accessible and available for the general public
The third most significant responsibility of civil servants in Islam is to be accessible and available for the general public, especially during office hours, for redressing their genuine grievances. For instance, during the Hazrat Umer (R.A.) Caliphate, a circular letter was sent to the judges, stating, “The judiciary is a crucial government function, and you, Qazees (judges), must treat everyone equally, based on the principles of open access, patient listening, and justice …” This evidence highlights open access as one of the prominent features of Hazrat Umer’s (R.A.) administrative system. Thus, according to Islam, civil servants are required to be accessible and available for common people to address their issues.
- To be unbiased while disposing of official matters
Not only this, Islam also ordains civil servants to be neutral while disposing of official matters. Basically, they are not allowed to discriminate among people on the basis of caste, color, creed, wealth, language, lineage, area, ethnicity, etc. For example, once a lady of Quraish, belonging to an influential family, committed theft. Some important members of her clan came to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and sought pardon for her, which was not liked by the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and he said, “Even if my daughter Fatima (R.A.) had committed theft, I would have issued punishment for her. The nations prior to you were destroyed on account of not having uniform standards of justice.” This incident sheds light on the impartiality and unbiasedness that Islam teaches its administrators. Hence, it is one of the responsibilities of civil servants to be unbiased and objective while serving justice in society.
- To not consider themselves above the law
Lastly, it is the prime responsibility of civil servants to not consider themselves above the law. Undoubtedly, Shariah has made rulers and common people equal in the eyes of law. For example, during Friday prayers, the then-sitting head of the Islamic state, Caliph Hazrat Umar (R.A.), was questioned by a congregant about his clothing, who alleged that Umar had used two pieces of cloth while others received only one. Despite his authority, Umar listened calmly to the concerns. Before responding, his son clarified that he had given his own clothes to his tall father, as the initial piece was insufficient. This incident demonstrates Hazrat Umer’s (R.A.) accountability, transparency, and commitment to the rule of law, thereby, showcasing exemplary Islamic administration by him. Thus, Islam has made it compulsory for civil servants to make law above all.
Critical analysis
Critically, in the contemporary era, public administrators and their coordinates do not fulfil their responsibilities according to Shariah. The main reason behind this ignorance is that degrees and skills are given priority during the construction and structure of the departments and organizations, but the ethical values are completely ignored. Undeniably, the most important factor in the administrative system as prescribed by Islam is the development of the character of administrators according to the commands of Allah Almighty and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). There is no doubt that knowledge is important, but the fear of Allah Almighty and character, according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah, are the keys to running a system where self-rectification always plays a major role in achieving success. Therefore, as Muslims, civil servants need to believe and practice according to what is in the Holy Quran and Sunnah and try to practice good administration as commanded by Allah Almighty and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Conclusion
In conclusion, public administration, from an Islamic perspective, is a body of appointed authority in an Islamic state for implementing Islamic law, managing public affairs, and maintaining society in a balanced and governable way according to the rules given by Islamic Shariah. Moreover, the prime responsibilities of civil servants include leading simple lives being proportionate to their income, deciding official matters as per Shariah being accessible and available for the general public, etc. In short, Islam, being a complete code of life, provides guidance not only in financial, societal, and ethical spheres but also in the political sphere, especially in public administration.
“I have left behind two things; you will never go astray as long as you hold fast to them, i.e., the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah.”
(Muwatta Malik 1601)
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