Document Type : Original Article
Author
Bahraini intellectual and writer, head of the political office of "the Bahrain Islamic Action Movement".
Abstract
Reform is both a civilizational idea and a transcendent moral value, without which the proper organization of human societies cannot be realized. From the very day human beings set foot on this earth and social communities were formed, the quest began for a social system that could regulate human life, safeguard rights, and bring security and stability. What binds these human communities together is a shared belief, a common religion, or a converging idea—something that not only organizes the affairs of society but also shapes the very identity upon which it is founded. The ultimate goal and highest aim of the idea of reform is the establishment of a righteous and worthy system—a system founded upon compassion, justice, and equality; one that pursues human happiness, elevates dignity and spiritual worth, and improves material well-being. Such a system upholds the scales of justice and equity in society, employing its power and influence to safeguard resources and the destiny of the community—an undertaking regarded as one of the noblest priorities of governance. In the absence of reform, however, conditions give rise to oppressive and tyrannical governments—systems that exploit power and influence to secure selfish interests and personal gains of their rulers, all at the expense of the people, human dignity, and societal resources. Within such unjust systems, people are enslaved through despotic power, shackled by the whims and ambitions of rulers. By means of coercion and force, these rulers subjugate society, driving it into backwardness and moral as well as social decline. The idea of reform becomes an ethical necessity and an unavoidable duty when the ruling system abandons its lofty mission—namely, the safeguarding of justice, the protection of the community’s resources, and the preservation of its assets—and instead turns power into an instrument of domination, hegemony, and exploitation of the wealth and destiny of society. In such circumstances, instead of preserving public values, with justice at their core, governance falls into the abyss of oppression, corruption, and vice, thereby losing its very essence. In this article, we examine the importance of the idea of reform and its vital role in the awakening and flourishing of nations. We also reflect on how balance may be maintained between political power and its moral mission—namely, the preservation, protection, and safeguarding of justice, as well as the guardianship of the resources and destiny of societies.
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