NON-VOTING: A TOOL OF EMPOWERMENT

Stop! You are not a Manchurian Candidate! If you are a Muslim, listen! If you are a Black man or woman, pay heed! Whoever you are, if you live in America, you may benefit from these words! "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ear." Before you repeat the same old mantras that have been programmed into your subconscious like - "if you don't vote you don't count", and "our ancestors died for the right to vote", and "you have to participate in the system to change the system" or "it's irresponsible to tell people to not vote" - before you say it, please consider the following:

1) If you are a Muslim then you know that all man made political systems are "taghoot" (false gods that rule by other than Allah's command). Regarding Taghoot Allah says that Muslims have been ordered to shun Taghoot :
HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THOSE (HYPOCRITES!) WHO CLAIM TO BELIEVE IN WHAT WAS REVEALED TO YOU (MUHAMMAD) AND WHAT WAS REVEALED BEFORE YOU (PREVIOUS SCRIPTURES) - YET THEY WISH TO REFER LEGISLATION TO TAGHOOT WHILE THEY WERE COMMANDED TO REJECT IT, AND SATAN WISHES TO LEAD THEM FAR AWAY Qur'an 4:60

Also:
HE WHO REJECTS TAGHOOT AND BELIEVES IN ALLAH HAS GRASPED THE MOST TRUSTWORTHY HANDLE WHICH NEVER BREAKS... Qur'an 2:256

Also:

WE HAVE SENT TO EVERY NATION A MESSENGER PROCLAIMING 'SERVE ALLAH AND SHUN TAGHOOT" Qur'an 16:36

2. Moral power is superior to political power. Moral power changes behavior and challenges political power. Political power does not change behavior. Also, laws do not have to be repealed in order to be rendered ineffective. There are countless laws on the books that are virtually dead because the public would not tolerate its enforcement.

3. It is not possible to "clean up the system from within." The system itself is corrupt. You cannot clean up a brothel and leave the business intact.

4. Our ancestors did NOT "die for the right to vote." Our ancestors thought voting was a tactic that would make a difference. Voting does not and has not changed the economic, educational, medical or social standing of our people. If our ancestors had known this, they would have adopted another tactic.

5. It is argued that non-voting is a type of apathy. Actually, voting is apathy! By voting you are throwing in the towel and going along with the flow. Voting means you refuse to challenge the system. Voting means you do not have the courage or fortitude or endurance to implement the Qur'an. The non-voter shows far more courage than the voter because he refuses to go along with patriotic slogans and illogical rhetoric.

6. The time, enthusiasm and money that many of our youth spend on "political organizing" could be spent on "nonpolitical" alternatives. It is the duty of Muslims and all people who desire freedom to develop private alternatives to government services to weaken the public's dependence on taghoot.

7. Democracy is a religion that teaches that the majority can even overrule Allah Himself! Democracy has a scripture: the Constitution. Democracy has "prophets": the "founding fathers". Democracy has rituals: voting.

8. Voting reinforces the legitimacy of the Taghoot.

9. Asians and Indians have made remarkable strides in America with little electoral empowerment.

10. Elections silence any revolutionary fervor. Potential "malcontents" are sucked into the safe activity of "participating in the system." For instance, Black radicals of the 1960's were "cooled out" by giving them "a piece of the action."

11. Most of the "political organizers" of today are pimps who organize our vote to sell to the highest bidder for their own personal gain.

12. Most Americans have abandoned the ballot box because they recognize it as an exercise in futility. So you, as a Muslim come to the people an offer your solution to their problems. And that solution is: vote. Why should they embrace Islam as a way of life when the Muslims all calling people to adopt the same system that has failed our people???

13. Non- voting is a declaration of independence from the taghoot and it may free us of blame before our Lord.

Someone said recently, "we've tried non voting and it didn't work." I must disagree. What we have tried is apathy and that has not worked. Non voting does not mean sitting on the sidelines. Non voting means that you have decided as Black men and women, as Muslims to make your own way and to empower yourselves. Non voting means that you are going to prove that your Book is a living Book. Non voting means that you are going to show the world that the modern Arabs have messed up their practice of Islam and you are going to show the world the greatness of Islam that was displayed by the Moors, and the Songhai Empire. Non voting means you going to show the world that you can rise above a European system of oppression that has robbed Africa and Asia and has made the whole world tremble before its aggression.
Sources
1. The Qur'an
2. Dissenting Electorate: Those Who Refuse To Vote and the Legitimacy of Their Opposition by Carl Watner

AN "IMAM" SAID THIS! REALLY!

I was meeting with some Imams and one of them said this:

1:"ALL of the scholars of Islam say we must vote (yes, he said 'ALL');

2: ALL (there's that word again) of the scholars say that Muslims must follow and obey the leadership of those who reject Allah because the Qur'an says 'OBEY ALLAH AND THE MESSENGER AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY' (4:59);

3:Muslims must embrace democracy because of ALL (his favorite word) of the good works that Congressman Keith Ellison (a Muslim) is doing.

4: The Prophet (upon whom be peace) sent letters of cooperation to the leaders of Persia, and Byzantium."

I'm not quite sure who this "imam" works for , but we had to check him on a few points:

• 1: "All" of the scholars do NOT say Muslims should participate in the democratic process. Traditional scholars recognize that Islam teaches against man made systems of governance, which oppress people, and calls people to divine guidance, which will free people;

• 2: Any real scholar knows that the Quran says "OBEY ALLAH AND THE MESSENGER AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY 'MINKUM' , meaning 'from amongst yourselves', meaning the Islamic leadership. What kind of divine, revolutionary doctrine would tell you to obey the enemies of God?

• 3: Exactly what "good works" are being done by Congressman Ellison in the name of Islam? (He could name none.)

• 4: The "letters of cooperation" were actually letters demanding the surrender of Persia and Byzantium (the super powers of that time) so that Islam could come and liberate the people there.

What's surprising about this "imam" is not that he's a cowardly, effeminate, castrated, knuckle dragging, foot shuffling, spineless puppet - because there are many of those today. What is amazing and a bit insulting is that he thought we were stupid and that we did not know enough of Islam to reject his obsequious rantings.

Non Voting: A Tool Of Empowerment For Muslims

Muslims in America should not vote because:

• All man made political systems are called "taghoot" (false gods that rule by other than Allah's command. Regarding taghoot Allah The Almighty says that we have been ordered to shun taghoot:

" Have you not seen the hypocrites who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to Muhammad... They wish to go to the taghoot for judgment while they have been ordered to reject taghoot. But Satan wishes to lead them far astray." Qur'an 4:60

Also Allah says:
"He who rejects taghoot and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handle which never breaks... Qur'an 2:256

And : "We have sent to every nation a messenger proclaiming 'Serve Allah and shun taghoot." Qur'an 16:36

• Voting reinforces the legitimacy of the State since it makes it appear that they approve of the state.

• Moral power is superior to political power. Moral power changes behavior and challenges political power. Political power does not change behavior. Also, laws do not have to be repealed in order to be rendered ineffective. There are countless laws on the books that are virtually dead because the public would not tolerate its enforcement.

• It is the job of Muslims to teach people how to get along without the State in order to free them from the tyranny of the State. We must strip the State of its legitimacy in the public eye.

• It is not possible to " clean up the system from within." The system itself is corrupt. You cannot clean up a brothel and leave the business intact.

• Our ancestors did NOT "die for the right to vote." They thought voting would make a difference and that's what they died for - to make a difference. Had they known how useless voting would become, they would not have died for it. Voting does not change the economic, educational, medical or social standing of Black people in America.

• It is often argued that non-voting is a type of apathy. Actually, voting is apathy! By voting you are throwing in the towel and going along with the flow. The non voter shows far more courage because he refuses to go along with patriotic slogans and illogical rhetoric.

• The time and money spent on political organizing could be spent on non political alternatives.

• Asians and Indians have made remarkable strides without any electoral empowerment. Koreans control the economy of many Black neighborhoods and have more access to the mayor than Blacks even though Koreans have not voted in large numbers.

• Elections silence any revolutionary fervor. Potential "malcontents" are sucked into the safe activity of "participating in the system." For instance, many Black radicals of the 1960's were "cooled out" by giving them a "piece of the action."

• The majority of Americans don't vote. Americans have given up on the political system because they know its participants are corrupt liars. When Muslims participate in such a system, they lose credibility among those who know the truth. Thus, the voting Muslims betray the people that they are supposed to be helping.

• Non voting is a declaration of independence from the taghoot and it may free us from blame before our Lord Almighty Allah

Suggested further reading:
Holy Qur'an 39:17
Dissenting Electorate: Those Who Refuse To Vote and the Legitimacy Of Their Opposition
by Carl Watner