By Syed S. Hussain

New York

A much debated subject these days, in the Muslim countries as well in the West, concerns the compatibility or otherwise of democracy and Islam. In Muslim societies this discussion has been going on for the last many decades. As many Muslim countries are burdened with various forms of autocratic governments, such discussions are only natural. People are trying to look for a workable system of governance, in line with modern day aspirations.

In the West, however, this debate has assumed urgency only recently, mostly as a result of their perceptions of the causes of growing extremism in the Muslim societies. Their interest in this debate stems from the belief that if these societies become more democratic they would be more amenable to co-existence with the rest of the world especially the west.

Whichever angle these ongoing deliberations are looked at, this is a serious subject which could shape the future of not only the Muslim polity, but also the future relations between the Muslims and the rest of the world. It can hardly be overemphasized that a subject of such gravity deserves due care and caution by all who participate in these efforts.

Regrettably certain fallacies, pre-conceived notions and what can best be termed as pre-trial judgments have got intertwined with these debates. This is giving rise to hardening of positions and acrimonious polemics between the various involved groups. If the objective of all concerned with these deliberations is progress of democracy in Muslim countries, than a more non-judgmental approach is imperative.

First of all the very premise of these discussions seems to be on a rather erroneous set of hypothesis. Why the discussion about Islam and democracy: one a major religion and the other a system of running the affairs of a government? Islam, like other revealed faiths, deals with the whole spectrum of human conduct. Its concerns are not only the temporal life of human beings but also their moral and spiritual life.

Democracy on the other hand concerns itself with good governance, which could guarantee liberty, equality and equitable justice for all in a society. In this objective democracy complements the objectives of Islam. Thus democracy can be said to be part of the whole. Comparing part with the whole can be quite misleading. What could be more appropriately discussed are certain important attributes of democracy in the light of Islamic teachings.

Another issue that needs objective consideration is the fact that Islam has been around for nearly a millennium and a half. The followers of this religion inhabit a large portion of this planet. Their civilizations and culture have stretched across the continents. They had empires and kingdoms where not only the Muslims but also people of other faiths lived in relative harmony and progress. This historical perspective should not be discounted, the present dismal conditions on this score in many Muslim countries notwithstanding.

Once these underlying premises are kept in view, the discussions about democracy and Islam would become more pragmatic and not a zero sum game, as it seems to be heading presently. The Muslims do not have to choose either one or the other. Muslim societies could be both democratic and also follow the tenants of Islam.

Let us now have a look at some important attributes of democracy in relation to the Islamic guidelines. The foremost attribute of democracy is that the government must be representative and responsible. In this objective there is no conflict whatsoever with Islamic principles. Consultation and participation of people in running the affairs of the state have been very much ordained by Islam in clear terms.

The next important attribute of democracy is the rule of law. All individuals are equal in the eyes of the law. Here in fact democracy almost follows the tenets of Islam, and there is no problem of compatibility. In fact Islam does not even recognize a church or priesthood to be given any special status in society. All individuals are equal in the eyes of law with respect to life, honor, and property.

Another attribute of democracy that closely follows the rule of law is administration of justice in the society. Here again there is no inconsistency with Islamic teachings. Justice is the moral superstructure of a Muslim society. Teachings of both the Qur’an and Sunnah abound with the importance given to justice. In fact, there is nothing Islamic about any form of unjust government.

There is one attribute of democracy that draws very conflicting views, and which can be identified as the basic source of the present often charged debate. This concerns power to legislate in a Muslim polity. Can the people’s representative (parliament) make laws independently? In other words, can the parliament legislate without taking into account rules laid down by Islam?

If one were to look objectively it would be quite apparent that even in the most advanced democratic societies the law-making authorities hardly legislate without taking into account the established norms of that society. These norms are often the result of customs, history, traditions, geography, and philosophical or spiritual doctrinaire. In this sense all legislations follow certain pre-determined guiding principles.

Looked in this light the question of legislation in a Muslim polity, following the guidelines from religious laws, becomes easier to empathize. In matters concerning political system and rules for public welfare, a wide margin exists in Islamic laws for the elected people to legislate to effectively run the affairs of the state.

Now a look at the balance sheet of the state of democracy in Muslim countries, as per checklist presented above. Unfortunately, the situation is not very encouraging. Very few countries would get satisfactory marks. The plain truth is that for varying reasons most of the Muslim countries have yet to find a just and equitable system of governance. It is the present state of affairs that prompts many to have doubts about the compatibility.

This line of thinking would be extremely unfortunate. Lack of good governance, rule of law and economic betterment in many of the Muslim societies have much deeper, country-and-region-specific, causes. History should not be looked backwards. The present failures does not preclude the desire of the Muslims the world over to live and prosper in freedom and dignity. True Islamic teachings put no constrains in the achievement of this objective. E-mail: sharafain@aol.com