Is Islam compatible with democratic systems?

¶ … Religion of Islam Compatible with Democracy?

Modern day democracy, especially in the Western world, is equated with a political system marked by free and fair elections, rule of law, and upholding of human rights and individual liberties, including the basic rights of freedom of speech, assembly, religion, and property. Such liberal ideals sometimes come in conflict with religious beliefs and sensitivities of others, particularly if the practitioners of democracy and religion display rigidity in the practice of their beliefs and insensitivity towards the views of each other. A pertinent example of such a conflict was the publication of the cartoons by the Danish newspaper, "Jyllands-Posten" in 2005 depicting irreverent images of the Prophet Muhammad, which were considered blasphemous by most Muslims. Because of the violent reaction of some Muslims that followed the publication of the cartoons, several Western commentators argued that the religion of Islam in particular was incompatible with democracy. While agreeing with the view-point that the extremist version of Islam may be in conflict with some of the ideals of democracy, I strongly believe that a moderate version of Islam, which is practiced by an overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world, is in no way incompatible with democracy. In this paper, I will explain why this is so. I will also argue that both the violent reaction of some Muslims against the publication of the Muhammad cartoons, as well as their publication in the first place, were examples of insensitivity and intolerance towards the views of others.

Does Islam Support Terrorism?

Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 it has become fashionable to dub Islam as a religion that is inherently violent and promotes terrorism. It is also widely believed that Islam is incompatible with democracy. Some verses of the Quran, the history of the expansion of Islam, the presence of a number of authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, and the reaction of Muslims to incidents such as the Danish cartoons are often cited as proof of such a view. Let us see if this is really so.

The Holy Quran is considered to be the word of God (Allah) by Muslims as it was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 chapters (surahs), has a total of 6236 verses (ayat) and deals with a number of topics. It mixes narrative, exhortation, and legal prescription for the Muslims and is not a simple straightforward narrative or a compilation of commands. As a result, its text can be (and has been) interpreted in different ways. Critics of Islam find in it passages about "Jihad" and "War," which they contend are the root of violence by Islamic extremists. For instance, they quote Verse 9:29 of the Quran, which says:

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (Mirza)

However, most moderate Muslims argue that this passage is about a specific incident and should be read in the context; they also point out that the Quranic and Islamic teachings about "jihad" and war almost invariably stress upon the concept of a "defensive war." For example, Verse 2: 190 of the Quran says: "Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors." ("The Rules of Jihad" -- BBC) Some Muslim scholars also believe that the "internal" Jihad -- the fight to overcome their own selfish desires -- rather than fighting an external enemy is the greater Jihad in Islam. They cite an incident when, on his return from a battle, the Prophet Muhammad said: "We are finished with the lesser jihad; now we are starting the greater jihad." He went on to explain to his followers that fighting against an outer enemy is the lesser jihad and fighting against one's self is the greater jihad. ("The Internal Jihad" -- BBC)

If we examine the early history of Islam too, it is revealed that when the Prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina from Mecca and established a Muslim state, he forbade his followers from war against their enemies (the Meccans) for a number of years despite suffering persecution and provocation. He only allowed them to fight when the fledgling Muslim community was pushed against the wall and the new religion was threatened with extinction. The almost 800-year Muslim rule in Spain, starting in the 8th century AD, is also noted for its tolerance towards the followers of other religions, including the Christians and Jews, which is in keeping with the ideals of democracy.

Compatibility of Islam with Democracy

This is a controversial issue and there is great diversity of opinion on the subject. One of the potential differences between modern democracy and Islam is that the concept of popular sovereignty in democracy is in conflict with the fundamental Islamic affirmation of the absolute sovereignty of God. Fundamental Muslims consider any notion contrary to the sovereignty of God as a form of idolatry, which is considered a great sin in Islam. This, however, does not necessarily mean that Islam opposes the democratic system under which the people freely choose their representatives and there is guarantee of freedom and human rights for the public. Islam is a progressive religion and at its advent in the 7th century, it elevated the existing status of the individual and stressed his/her dignity by introducing the idea that man is the vicegerent of Allah on earth. It also removed any intermediaries in the relationship between Allah and man. Muhammad preached that all believers are equal irrespective of their caste, creed and race, and the Islamic belief system in this respect is strongly egalitarian. Islam also provided a measure of autonomy to non-Muslim minorities living in Muslim societies and guaranteed them protection. If we keep in mind the position of women in pre-Islamic Arabian society, it elevated the status of women, although the position of women in Islamic societies differs considerably with modern-day Western concepts of women's rights. ("Is Islam Compatible with Democracy?") Even the Islamic concept of sovereignty of God means that it rejects the divinization of the ruler and could pave the way for democratic elections of leaders. Furthermore, Islamic law stresses mutual consultation or "shura" in managing the affairs of the state, which is a democratic concept. All of above does not mean that there is no difference of opinion between Islam and the modern-day Western, secular concept of democracy. A majority of Muslim countries still have authoritarian dictatorships or hereditary leaderships. There is also a 'prosecution complex' among the Muslims giving rise to a knee jerk reaction against the West, which is perceived to be anti-Islam. No doubt, such feelings are greatly exacerbated by the current hard-line policies of the U.S. government in the Middle East,

Conclusion

There is a general perception in the Western world that the religion of Islam is inherently incompatible with the ideals of democracy such as individual liberties and freedom of speech. The recent controversy over the cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, published by a Danish newspaper, and the violent reaction of Muslims has further solidified the impression. A deeper look at the basic Islamic beliefs and history indicates that such a perception may be misplaced. The apparent unbridgeable gulf between Islam and modern day democratic societies can be breached if the commonalities between the two instead of their differences are highlighted.