Islam, Islamists And Democracy
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By Shakeel Mohamed
11/24/2006
6:00:00 PM GMT
http://aljazeera.com

There is an ongoing media campaign to portray the very idea of democracy as anathema to Islam. It is absolutely wrong.

The first caliph of Islam was elected after due consultations in a truly democratic manner. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) did not impose anyone as his successor on the Muslim community. The Holy Quran also prescribes consultation for the faithful in all issues.

In today’s world, violence should have no place in the public domain. Freedom of expression, dialogue and democracy should replace censorship, violence and autocracy.

The west is by far, way ahead of the Arab Muslim States as far as internal democracy is concerned and the benefits they have reaped from this are there for all to see.

But the west has always been hypocritical in their treatment of the democratic movements in the Middle East.

Treatment meted out to Hamas and the Palestinian people after the general elections in the occupied lands were extremely unfortunate (for the West).

For democracy to survive it is not enough that you have an arrangement to elect your rulers but more important is the ability to accept opposite points of view.

If the world has to be truly democratic an attitude to accept gracefully the defeat of one’s ideas and the line of thinking is a must. This along with a commitment to just solutions is the only way to make this world violence-free.

The west should also change its perception of a truly Islamic state as a medieval oppressive and autocratic regime.

Taliban is not what an Islamist has in his mind when he talks about an Islamic rule, but a modern nation with a democratically elected President and Congress, an independent Judiciary and a fearless fourth estate.

Only difference is that such a state will have Holy Quran and its interpretations as its constitution instead of a manmade constitution.

Also the Muslims too should realize that such a state is possible only if a majority of its population desires it. It will fail miserably if it’s imposed upon from outside.

The west alone should not be blamed for the sad state of affairs in the Middle East today.

Autocratic Arab Muslim regimes too should share the blame, in fact the lion’s share of the blame.

Unless and until the Arab leaders realize that the time of the kings and the sheikdoms are over, there cannot be any tangible change in the Muslim world.

The leaders and the common men of the Islamic world should introspect on why there is such a flow of immigrants from their lands to the west and not vice versa.

Point made here is that both west and the local ruling establishments have to share the blame for the undemocratic and unfortunate state of affairs in the Middle East that is causing so much bloodshed and spreading so much hatred around the world.

All parties concerned should take concrete steps to spread democracy in the world. And this should start at the world body.

The veto power in its present form should go. All issues should be sorted out in the UN justly and democratically.

Then we will be in a position to preach and propagate democracy to the wider world and bring its fruits to all of mankind.