In recent months, several predominantly Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region of the world have witnessed the collapse of governments that limited the rights of their citizens.
Specifically, dictatorships and one-party regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, and possibly Libya and Yemen, are witnessing transitions that offer potential for new, democratic governments that will allow citizens to choose their leaders.
Some observers, however, wonder if democracy can survive in those countries, which sit in a strategic region of the world with a significant military, economic and humanitarian impact on the United States.
Why should Americans care?
“Democracy anywhere in the world helps all forms of democracy wherever they are,” said Mikal Saahir, imam (spiritual leader) of Nur-Allah Islamic Center in Indianapolis. “Democracy is where the excellence of ‘the people’ is respected and promoted; where the individual is free to use his or her intellect according to their conscience.”
Saahir said many countries in the Middle East are striving to return to the democracy established in Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an (Koran) and demonstrated by Prophet Muhammad in the city Medina. He believes the trend can strengthen efforts toward peace, international stability and the concept of democracy around the world.
“As other democracies have learned from the American model, maybe we too can learn from other democracies, particularly those not burdened with capitalism, where free-trade flourishes without their citizens being dominated by commercialism and greed,” he said.
The conflict
“For many years, two voices, one from the West, and another from the Muslim world, have argued that Islam and democracy are incompatible,” said Dr. Muqtedar Khan, a professor of political science at Adrian College and author of the essay, “Islam’s Compatibility with Democracy.”
Khan noted that on one hand, some scholars in the so-called Western part of the world have presented Islam as an anti-democratic faith that upholds authoritarian societies. He believes that people say history has proven that democracy cannot flourish in a predominantly Muslim nation (although they tend to overlook democracies in Indonesia, Lebanon and Turkey).
On the other hand, Khan added, many Islamic activists with a conservative interpretation of Islam reject democracy, as it is known in the United States, because they associate it with Western values. More importantly, they believe democracy is connected to secularism, which places the rule of human law above obedience to religious principles.
Khan believes both sides are wrong, saying, “There is nothing in Islam and in Muslim practices that is fundamentally opposed to the principles of democracy – justice, freedom, fairness, equality and tolerance.”
Saahir agrees. “Islam is very compatible with democracy,” he said. “In truth, Islam without democracy is not Islam.”
Saahir noted that sadly, in many predominantly Islamic areas in the Middle East, even Islam is not free to be consciously practiced as outlined in the Qur’an, and as demonstrated by Muhammad the Prophet.
“Instead, other factors related to culture, tradition and sometimes dictatorship, interfere with true Islamic democracy,” Saahir stated.
Many scholars have pointed out that democracy, especially in the Middle East, is uncommon not because of Islam, but other factors, such as the historic impact of colonialism, and the long term presence of dictatorships supported by outside interests.
Saahir said that far too often the media looks to countries with large Muslim populations for the answers and examples of Islamic excellence, errantly bypassing the two most important sources: The Qur’an and the exemplary life modeled by Prophet Muhammed.
The Qur’an does, in fact, cite many community-based verses on democracy such as chapter 3:159 where Muhammad the prophet is encouraged to be fair, gentle and just to his followers.
The prophet is told to “take counsel with them in all matters of public concern; then, when thou hast decided upon a course of action, place thy trust in God.”
Another section, chapter 42:38 reads: “Those who hearken to their Lord, and establish regular prayer; who (conduct) their affairs by mutual consultation; who spend out of what we bestow on them for sustenance.”
Saahir noted that neither the Qur’an, nor Prophet Muhammad established monarchies or one-man rule. The systematic rule within Islam is the democratic process called shurah, which means group consultation where the majority opinion rules.
“Even Muhammad himself followed this shurah process when making community based decisions, sometimes finding himself in the minority,” said Saahir.
Imam Umar al-Khattab of Masjid Al Mumineen, an Islamic center on the city’s Eastside, said most Muslims are not opposed to democracy, but that it is often defined differently in some predominantly Muslim countries.
“It’s important to define what democracy is and its role in a particular society,” he said.
Indeed, some predominantly Muslim countries, such as Malaysia and Pakistan, are known as Islamic democracies, where Islam, with popular acceptance, is incorporated into public life, but does not serve as the only source of law.
Other governments, however, may allow citizens to exercise limited political power, but institute Sharia law, a legal system based primarily on Islamic principles, in the courts.
“This is why in many instances, democracy as we recognize it here, doesn’t work,” al-Khattab said. “In a regular democracy, if a majority wants to be able to drink alcohol, it is legislated into law. But there are certain laws that cannot contravene the commandments of G-d, Allah.”
Democracy, al-Khattab said, can function more smoothly when it is used to create general government, economic and social policies that do not conflict with Islamic principles.
“Greater democracy in the Middle East is long overdue,” Saahir said. “All people of faith in that region should continue striving towards more excellent forms of democracies that respect every human being without regard to race, religion, gender or ethnicity.”
