The state which is not set up on the bases of the Qur'an and sunnah, even though those who are at the helm are Muslims, is not an Islamic state.

1. Managing public services such as building schools, hospitals, mosques, roads, providing water and electricity networks, developing industry, agriculture, sciences and general knowledge, and other amenities needed by society.

2. Taking responsibility for helping any citizen living in the state who can no longer earn a living due to sickness, infirmity, unemployment, or being left without support of family or friends whether he is a Muslim or not. The state shoulders the responsibility of supporting him and providing him with whatever he needs whether it is food, housing, medication, education or any other need.

3. Applying Islamic law in society and ruling according to the Qur'an and Prophet's sunnah.

4. Explaining Islamic laws and regulations to the people and instilling them with Islam in addition to inviting people to Islam and propagating it worldwide.

5. Maintaining security inside the state and defending it against attack while preserving its sovereignty and interests.

Consultation among Muslims. All members of the ummah take part in managing the state's affairs and consult among themselves to define what is proper and beneficial for them.

Right of criticism and reckoning where every member of the ummah has the right to criticize and enter into dialogue with the government over any step it takes by means of the media, giving direct advice to officials, consultative assemblies, petitions, etc.

Any qualified and competent Muslim, man or woman, has the right to take part in politics and managing of the state's affairs. Exceptions are the posts of the presidency and judiciary head, for a woman cannot be head of state or a judge in Islam.

One group said that the community can elect someone to be their leader. They say that is what is meant by taking counsel among themselves.

A second group say that the Holy Prophet appointed the Imam who would succeed him. They say that he appointed Ali ibn Taleb (a.s.)) on the return journey of his last hajj in the presence of tens of thousands of Muslims.

Leadership of Muslims in Present Time: It is agreed that the ummah is in need of a fair Islamic government headed by a just leader who establishes right and preserves the ummah's interests. The existence of both the Islamic state and an Islamic leader are a necessity and a religious duty. All Muslim should strive to establish the Islamic state.

Wealth is defined as money and possessions such as land, minerals, livestock, water, woodlands, crops, foodstuffs, clothes, furniture, means of transportation all of which are benefit to the Muslims. Allah has created whatever man needs to lead his life on earth. Wealth is abundant and plentiful. This wealth is for all the people and everyone has the right to have his share.

Man can get his wealth through labor as he can work and get whatever he deserves as a reward. He can work in agriculture, industry, trade or any other domain. He can also get wealth through need when he can no longer meet his basic requirements due to sickness, infirmity, disability, loss of support or because his income is insufficient. He is given a share from zakat, khums or other sources. Man's life is financially secured in Islam if he is unable to work. If he can work and does not want to work, then he is deprived of any financial assistance. Islam wants man to be an actively fruitful worker who relies on himself in securing his needs and provision.

Islam's view of the main reasons behind poverty include insufficient production, poor consumption habits and a weak distribution system.

Islam warns man against laziness and unemployment and orders us to work actively, diligently and patiently to gain the means to satisfy our needs. Islam regards work as something endearing to Allah.

Ignorance of technology is another cause of poverty. Islam urges us to seek knowledge, think and devise new products through inventions and discoveries.

This is the situation of communities subjugated to the rule of man-made ideologies today. Islam makes it an obligation to distribute wealth fairly and equally. It makes usury and monopolization forbidden (haram) and sets rules of zakat, khums, atonements, vows to Allah, alms, etc. These taxes bring great amounts of money that are taken from the rich and those who are obliged to pay them and distributed to the poor.

Islam forbids the practice of usury which takes the form of interest charged by a creditor to a debtor as is common in banks, companies and individuals.

Profiteering refers to hoarding articles and badly needed goods for a period of time then selling them at staggering high prices. Islam forbids this kind of monopolizing.

The Islamic society is one whose members believe in Islam, apply its laws in their daily lives, abide by its moral standards of love, brotherhood, equality, mercy, trust, performing religious duties and abstaining from doing what is haram. The society in which people discard Islam and commit haram acts publicly without the slightest feeling of shame and with no power or authority to deter them is by no means an Islamic one even though its members are Muslims.

The Islamic social system is based on ties and relationships which draw Muslims close together and organize their lives. They include: 1.) Love and loyalty among the faithful; 2.) Respecting the rights of the individual and the group; 3.) Building the society based on right, justice and mutual kindness; 4.) Unity and cooperation; 5.) Maintaining good morals.

Islam considers man and woman two equal elements in the process of building life. The family is the basic unit of social life and the smallest building block in constructing society.

Islam places great value on the elements that preserve the family so it provided a firm and solid base.

The firmest of these is worship. Every member of the Muslim family believes that the right of the husband, wife, and children are religious obligations that should be carried out. Allah will surely question us regarding our duties toward our families. Muslims are obliged to do good and be kind to their parents. The mutual rights of the husband and wife are also obligatory in the social structure. Maintenance of the wife is an obligation of the husband. Islam makes it an obligation on the wife to obey her husband and the children to obey their father, on condition that he does not order what may harm them, make them trespass the limits of Allah, or discredit them.

How does Islam deal with dispensing justice in its courts?

The Islamic punishments seem so harsh, should they still be applied today?

Islam sets certain laws and rules to punish transgressors and deter them from resorting to violence. Muslims are obliged to take their disputes to the judges to be examined and resolved. Muslims are obliged to accept the judgements passed by the Islamic courts.

By establishing the judicial system in Islam, society, security, stability and justice can be preserved and crime controlled. Contrary to the liberal attitudes of other systems who believe that capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime, Islam believes that the fear of its punishment for crime tends to deter criminal activity.

If crime statistics are compared, Islamic societies crime rates are much lower, especially for violent crime, than any other society. In fact, recently we are seeing that non-Muslims are resorting to the solutions of Islamic courts for justice. The British family of a nurse murdered in Saudi Arabia by her co-workers has accepted a sum of money and released the accused from the death penalty. The punishments in Islam may seem harsh but how is the death sentence in other countries less so?

Is death by lethal injection less harsh than beheading or hanging? The judiciary system in Islam does not place the financial burden of caring for prisoners on the society. Punishment is carried out without delay and criminals are punished according to the crime they have committed.

1. The judge should be a faqih and have sufficient knowledge of Islamic laws so that he can pass judgement based on them.

2. The judge should be a pious man who judges with justice and fairness.

3. No judgement can be given without evidence, testimony of witnesses, or the confession of the accused.

4. Every accused person is innocent until proven guilty. If found guilty he is punished or forced to restore the injured party's rights.

5. The judgement should be in accordance with the laws and rules of Islam.

These are the main principles of Islam explained in brief. Other of our books are more detailed. These books are distributed free of charge. Please contact Al-Balagh Foundation through its E-mail Address books@balagh.com