The status of allegiance and election in the Islamic political system

Undoubtedly, rights and duties have mutual relationships in the Islamic culture. People have some rights and the ruler is responsible to satisfy their rights. In the same way, the ruler has rights which people have to observe. As a result, the participation of the public is needed for the Islamic society to attain its lofty objectives. A part of this participation is realized in allegiance and election. The paper aims to answer the question that what the attitude of Islam is towards allegiance and election. In other words, are allegiance and election, as a form of people’s political participation, parts of their rights or their religious duties? I believe that if they are people’s rights, no one can deny them such rights; in the same way, no one can force them to use their rights. They are free to take part in the election or not. However, if they are people’s religious duties, one who does not take part in the election should be punished in the hereafter though there might not be any punishment included in the law.