Taqwist Manifesto: A Case for Islamic Anarchism

55:33 Assembly of jinn and humankind—
if you can pass beyond the realms
of heaven and earth, then pass—
yet you shall not pass
without [Our] warrant.

I look all over the world and see the failure of the Ummah. Failure to live up to Islamic principles. Did the Quran not say, “Do not choose lords from among yourselves” and we still do it? We let the states govern us instead of governing all areas of our lives by shuras. We wage aggressive wars instead of keeping the peace. We are told to not devour others wealth, but accept capitalists taking surplus value. Islamic society should be anarchist; that’s it. Under Tawhid there is no difference but in taqwa (moral consciousness).

Why Islam? And why anarchism? Both are a way of solving the global problems that haunt us. The climate change, wars, wealth inequality… The solutions are here; all we need it to liberate ourselves. Our dream is a just Islamic anarchist social order that doesn’t leave anyone behind. Jihad is revolution. mutual aid is zakat. Shuras are direct democracy.

Islam has potential, but it must be fulfilled by theological and social revolution. But how do we achieve Islamic society? We need jihad for that, and it is self-liberation of the people. We need jihad in all areas of struggle: queer rights, feminism, worker movements… What is demand is total change. We need to get organized into affinity groups, communes, shuras, and study groups. This is our fight for every Muslim who believes in God and that we are kalifah responsible vicegerents.

About the verse from the Quran at the start… We think the warrant is truth from God. Technical and systemic. Both are needed for the development of space society. Capitalists destroy themselves before they leave for space. Sorry not sorry libertarians - Communists and anarchists get the space.

But can this save Islam from Islam? We are seeking a new Islam, a progressive force that ushers in the future and is constantly reinvented by the people themselves. All sects are authoritarian, choosing leaders over God. They also accept capitalism. Liberation theology is liberal at best. Can we radicalize other Muslims with our posts and create a community for anarchist Muslims? I don’t know. Yet I’m sure there are a lot of us doing God’s work without public boasting. This little manifesto is to establish the basics of a new ideology. I’m sure we can write a book about our views someday, like Tolstoy did. For now it’s a pamphlet in place of a book.