Oppression Leads to Collapse of Regimes
This is according to Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Soroush Mahalati, speaking at a recent forum about injustice. Following are excerpts from his speech:
Late Allameh Abolhassan Sha’arani, a contemporary scholar who had mastery over several fields, including medicine, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy and Fiqh, in one of his works has referred to the Hadith that says “A country’s rule can exist with infidelity but not under oppression.” What is oppression that can cause the collapse of regimes while Kufr (disbelief) cannot?
Late Allameh Sha’arani said about this Hadith that oppression impedes the movement of people and no one has the motivation to do what he wants to do, like studying, doing business, etc.
Mankind has been created free and if his freedom and willpower is taken away from him, it is like putting a sapling under a ceiling and in the dark. God could have created man in a way that he would move in every direction He wants him to, but He created man free and gave him free will. God only sent messengers to give men warnings and good news.
Allameh Sha’arani adds that oppressive regimes take away man’s free will. He also reveals the answer, saying that man’s dignity and value must be recognized. All people have rights and no one is allowed to violate their rights.
Those who are not familiar with Islamic sources and books should not think that Muslim scholars have neglected such issues. They have talked about such issues extensively.
Allameh Sha’arani says one of the needs of people is the need to have Uli Al-Amr (ruler) who ensures order and secures roads. The ruler needs an army and a budget to do these and he (Allameh) says that because of having an army and money, villains will be afraid of him and the pious will not dare to oppose him. So everything he says must be done. That is why someone who is not infallible should not be given such a level of power.
So he says that in the absence of the Infallible (AS), we have no other choice but limiting the power (of the ruler) and making him accountable to people. There is no other option. Some may say that people may not be able to recognize what’s best for them. Allameh Sha’arani says even if there are thousands of benefits in (giving unlimited power to someone) it would not be worth it. That is to say, no expediency should lead to taking free will away from people.
