Today’s Topic of Discussion: QURAN ON BALANCING OF POWER
QURAN ON BALANCING OF POWER
Even before the emergence of the nation states, human societies E have been engaged in maintaining a balance of power, Le. building and forging relations and alliances to ensure that no one particular group has a preponderance of power or influence to dictate its will on others. The nation-states have worked more systematically to pursue this goal to preserve their sovereignty and freedom.
The history of alliances of nations shows that it was essentially the desire to keep an approximate equilibrium of power that free countries have often changed sides or joined new alliances described in the language of international diplomacy as ‘bandwagoning.
The concept of ‘balance of power’ has influenced not only international relations but gave rise to the introduction of the principle of separation of powers in the domestic national affairs of democratic countries ensuring the elected authorities do not become ‘elective Kings’ to exercise arbitrary power and influence.
It is interesting to note that the Quran the book whose first addresses were the desert Arabs, who had no notion of a state and knew only tribe as an instrument to create some semblance of social stability, has dealt with the subject of balance of power in great detail.
First while describing the episode of Biblical Prophet-King David and Goliath Quran says that absolute power gives rise to mischief (FASAD). a term that denotes absolute wrongdoing and corruption and asserts that By God’s will they routed them and David slew Goliath; and
God gave him power and wisdom and taught him whatever He willed. And had not God checked one set of people by means of another the earth would indeed, be full of mischief but God is full of bounty to all the worlds’ (2.251).
In another instance Quran describes the varying fortunes of people as part of a larger divine scheme to test the mettle of man. It says:
If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched others. Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that God may know those that believe and that He may take to Himself from your ranks witnesses to Truth. (3.140)
Quran makes it clear that the worldly power and fortunes keep changing hands as long periods of enjoyment of prosperity lead to inefficiency and complacency resulting in a decline of power and influence: Nay, We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them, see they not that we gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders?’ (21.44)
While dealing with religious persecution, Quran permits people oppressed on the ground of their faith to fight back in self-defense. It also uses the occasion to underline that the first casualty of absolute power is freedom of faith and worship.
To those against whom war is made permission is given (to fight back) because they are wronged and verily God is Most powerful for their aid. Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: ‘Our Lord is God’ For had it not been that God checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of God is mentioned much would surely have been pulled down (22 39-40).
Since absolute power corrupts absolutely, the powerful are repeatedly warned that they are not sovereign but mere vicegerent – that is vested with brief authority and shall be accountable for any transgression they commit.
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