Islamic Views on Democracy, Elections, and Consultation

 Democracy and elections are contrary to Islam, because they give legislative rights to human beings instead of Allaah. This is considered a form of shirk and disobedience to Allaah and His Messenger. However, some scholars have allowed participating in elections for the purpose of enjoining good and forbidding evil, and reducing the harm of the disbelievers and corrupt people. 

However, this is a matter of ijtihaad, or independent reasoning, and not a consensus among the scholars. Ijtihaad requires a high level of knowledge and expertise in Islamic law, and not everyone is qualified to do it. Those who are qualified are called mujtahids, and they have to follow certain principles and guidelines when doing ijtihaad. Ijtihaad can be done on specific issues or areas of knowledge that are not clearly covered by the Quran and Sunnah, or that require new solutions based on changing circumstances.

The classical Islamic state was organized and governed by the Quran and Sunnah, and the ruler was chosen by consultation (shura) among the qualified people. 

A related Quran verse to the text is:

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَجَابُوا۟ لِرَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

"And those who have responded to their lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend." (Quran 42:38)

This verse shows that consultation (shura) is one of the characteristics of the believers who obey Allah and perform prayer. It also implies that consultation is a way of ruling by the laws of Islam and seeking the best interests of the people. This verse is from Surah al-Shura (The Consultation), which is the 42nd chapter of the Quran.

In the classical Islamic state The ruler was accountable to Allah and to the people, and he had to rule by the laws of Islam, which are based on justice, mercy, and human dignity. The people had to obey him as long as he did not command them to disobey Allah, and they had the right to advise him and correct him if he made mistakes. The ruler was not a dictator or a tyrant, but a servant of Allah and a guardian of the people.