What is the view of the religious authority regarding participation in elections (i.e., voting) and candidacy for political office?
Participation in elections (municipal, local or federal, or for representative councils or other such bodies) is of great importance in shaping the future of a country, society, and future generations. Whoever does not participate in elections to express their view, passively allows others to shape their future and the future of their children; this is a mistake that no citizen should fall into.
In fact, the critical interests of Muslims in non-Muslim countries may require that they seek membership in political parties. In such cases, it is permissible for Muslims to engage in these activities to the extent that it is needed to serve the interest [of the Muslim community], which should be determined by consulting the trustworthy experts in the community who have familiarity with such matters.