<![CDATA[This study aims to examine in depth the political thought of Imam al-Mawardi and its relevance to the contemporary political system, particularly in the Indonesian context. Through his main work Al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah, al-Mawardi views leadership as a collective obligation of the people (fard kifayah) to safeguard religion (hirasat al-din) and regulate worldly affairs (siyasat al-dunya). This study uses a qualitative approach with the Library Research method that combines primary sources from al-Mawardi's work and secondary sources from modern academic research. The analysis is conducted descriptively and analytically to find the relationship between classical Islamic political values and the Indonesian democratic system. The results of the study show that al-Mawardi's political thought demonstrates suitability with contemporary Indonesian politics in terms of the application of the division of legislative, judicial, and executive powers. The concepts of justice (al-'adl), trust (amanah), and benefit (maslahah) in al-Mawardi's thought align with the values of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, especially in realizing a just, ethical, and people-oriented government. The concept of shura can be equated with the principle of deliberative democracy, where deliberation leads to consensus, while ahl al-hall wa al-'aqd resembles a modern legislative body. More concretely, al-Mawardi's thinking provides practical frameworks for addressing Indonesia's pressing political challenges: his strict criteria for leadership selection requiring moral integrity, competence, and accountability offers a normative foundation for anti-corruption reforms and merit-based recruitment in public institutions. His concept of hisbah (public accountability) can strengthen civil society oversight mechanisms and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Furthermore, al-Mawardi's emphasis on maslahah (public welfare) as the ultimate goal of governance provides ethical guidance for policymaking that prioritizes collective benefits over partisan interests, thereby countering political pragmatism. His principle that a leader who violates trust must be removed resonates with contemporary demands for political accountability and impeachment mechanisms, offering Islamic ethical legitimacy to democratic checks and balances in Indonesia's constitutional framework.]]>
