"The Islamic Democracy"

"The Islamic Democracy"

Answering back Fukuyama's misconceptions about Islam

Fukuyama, Japanese-born American citizen, is a contemporary anti-Islam thinker and writer. In 1989, he published his article "The End of History" recently after the collapse of The Soviet Union. About the great triumph of liberalism in its double faces those of economic and political, he used the term of " End of History " meaning that the world from now on has one and only successful type of governing which is liberalism. So, there are no more clashes between more than one ideology, no more ways to rule and no more successful types of living. That is why this is the end of history because it's the end of competition or struggle between nations, also it is the end of the other superpower in the world – The Soviet Union – so it's now one and single superpower in the world which is The U.S. So, the history will come in favor of this single superpower and there are no more conflicts or struggles.

The communism, Monarchism and Fascism are now disappeared from the world map of ideologies. Only liberalism remains successfully. So there is no other type of systematic governing except capitalism or liberalism. It has two main sides. The economic side is that of supporting the private sector; affirming the system of The Open Market without interference by the government. The role of government is just to watch how it is going, not to intervene by public sector or such decisions make the market less opened. This kind of economic liberalism is very successful till now in the developed countries and they support it aggressively. The other side of the liberalism is the political liberalism. It's the other face of democracy and the way to achieve freedom, security and all the principles of the developed and civilized nations. Liberalism is the way to achieve the democracy which is the government of people by people for the people, besides being the best conceivable social-political system that promotes freedom and organizes Rights and Duties.

Fukuyama says about liberalism that it is the only way of development and there are some barriers that stand against liberalism. The most important barrier, as Fukuyama claims, which he focused on, is Islam. He dealt with Islam as an ideology and that's the first misconception about it. Also, he named the spread of Islam in the early days of Islam as “Islamic conquests” and here is the second misconception. The third misconception about Islam comes clear when he claims that Islam has now no appeal in the west or outside the areas which are originally Islamic. The Last misconception, which we will answer it back, is that Islam is standing against the liberalization of the areas that is Islamic by origin.

There are many misconceptions about Islam from so many different sources. I will not defend Islam but just give knowledge to the areas that are demonized by many who don't really and fully understand Islam in order for them to know how glorious this religion really is. Away from radicalism, fanaticism, and the people who give the wrong idea about it, the association of Islam and violence is a common misconception that the general Western public has developed about Islam. An example of this kind of misconception is that some of the Western mass media and historians often say that Islam was a religion spread by the sword, forcing people to either convert or die. Islam spread by people learning about it and some by holy wars. This behavior comes clear when media reports about Arab or "Islamic" events. For instance, what Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein, the ex-president of Iraq, did in the Gulf War was not Islamic and totally wrong. But the media still makes reports about Islam and how Islam is made of war-crazed people. Saddam Hussein is of the Islamic faith, but all of his actions do not necessarily represent Islam. So you can see that the media’s reports about "war-crazed Muslims" are incorrect.

Islam, doesn't promote terrorism, it's actually against it. In fact, Islam specifies the methods and the rules of engagement in any battle. I mention the method of dealing with the enemy, the methods relating to dealing with civilians in the times of war. For example, Muslim soldiers are not supposed to demolish houses, cut off a tree, kill a woman, child, an old person or even a man who didn't fight them. While any general would tell you that killing the enemy is all fair. No one can argue there. Even when slaughtering animals in accordance with the Islamic rules, they need to be killed swiftly and humanely as instructed by the prophet Mohammad himself. He also instructed to sharpen the blade and make sure the animal is not suffering excessively. This is not a religion for terrorists. Finally, the associating of Islam and Muslims with the terms Arabs and Middle East are in fact misleading. Arabs only account for 18% of the Muslim population across the world. Fukuyama says that Islam has no appeal in the West while 82% of Muslims are outside the East . Even They are under the seas and oceans or perhaps on Mars !!

Concluding from these principles of Islam, Islam isn’t an Ideology it's actually and simply a heavenly religion and a Divine Message for all mankind as men. If we are going to consider Islam as ideology we'd rather say that it's a Divine Ideology Not a man-made one but it's Allah's. So, when we deal with Islam we must be cautious somehow because we are discussing Allah's Ideology and Way of Life referring to everything that the word " life " refers to as political, social, psychological, religious, intellectual and so and so on.

The Prophet MuhammadProphet Muhammad PBUH was a politician as well as a messenger conveying the Risalah, teacher, Chief Justice, Head of the nation and Imam of the Ummah - nation. The Khulafa' Al Rashyidun - the rightly guided leaders - who succeeded him were also politicians following the Sunna - way of the Prophet, establishing just administration, practicing Ihsan - the betterment of good and providing the leadership of Islamic civilization based upon two factors which are knowledge and Iman - belief. However in the present time, due to 'politics', man is suffering as a result of political deceit and ploys of devious politicians, treacherous rulers and tyrannical leaders that adopted Machiavellian philosophy that is based upon (the ends justify the means!).

True democracy is not the whims and desires of the tyrannical rulers or their lads, it is not the place to jail and incarcerate its fighters and not the place to torture its proponents. Democracy is the simplest and proper way to achieve the aims of a noble life. It is the space for a free and honorable nation to have the right to choose, evaluate the ruler, change governments without coups and without bloodshed. It is not the fraudulent elections that go in favor of specific people oppressing the public opinion paying no attention to any kind of Reform

The gist of democracy is that the public, the people can choose the rulers who are going to administer them; the people having the right to select, criticize and terminate; and the people are not forced to accept systems, trends, and policies which they do not agree to and they are not abused. They are free to hold elections, referendums, ensuring majority rights, protecting minority rights, having opposition, have multi parties, have press freedom and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary.

That is all approved in the Islamic principle Of Shura. Shura or consultative decision-making must be followed and not just as a debating factor. By practicing Shura, it is hence the spirit of democracy. It is but the lost jewel found, the lost wisdom which has been rediscovered. Shura enables people to be decision-makers, becomes the responsibility of the people to advice and counsel the government as Messenger says "Religion depends on Advice” and establish enjoining good and forbidding evil. Among the obligations of this principle is the High Jihad (struggle) that is to voice out the truth in front of the unjust tyrant chief, king or president.

The Qu’ran denounces all powerful rulers such as Namrud, Fir'aun (Pharaoh), Hamaan and Qarun... There is the collaboration of three parties which they are Fir'aun - he claims to be God, carries out tyranny and oppression throughout the land, enslaves the people, Hamaan - the cunning politician, experienced, having self interest, in the service of Pharaoh, propping up and supporting Fir'aun and cheating the people, subjugating them. Qarun - the capitalist or feudalist who takes opportunity from the unjust and oppressive laws, spending fortunes for the tyrannical leader in order to profit and amass more vast returns, bleeding and exploiting the toils of the people. The combination of dictatorship results in the destruction of the community, subjugating man by force and degradation. Al Qur'an denounces the people or citizens who are obedient and loyal to their oppressive rulers. The people who remain under the tutelage of such dictators are fully responsible for themselves because it is free for them to object and to say no according to the Islamic religion. Not only does the Islam provide freedom but also it curses who doesn't activate it as the Islamic rule says “The one who abstain from saying the right is considered a dump devil ".

We can find it clearly in the verse (54) of Sura Al Zoukhrof " Thus did he make fools of his people, and they obeyed him: truly were they a people rebellious (against Allah...) ". Answering back who says that Islam spread by sword , the Holy Qur'an says the contrary in Sura El-Naml ( The Ants ) verses ( 27-32 ) " 27. (Solomon) said "Soon shall we see whether thou hast told the truth or lied! 28. "Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them and (wait to) see what answer they return 29. (The queen) said: "Ye chiefs! Here is delivered to me - a letter worthy of respect 30. It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): 'In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful 31. Be ye not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission (to the true Religion) 32. She said: "Ye chiefs! advise me in (this) my affair: no affair have I decided except in your presence " the verses which also affirm the principle of Shura in Islam. Also talking to The Messenger Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him, the Great Master, The Last prophet , Imam Of All Messengers and prophets , Allah says in Sura Al Imran ( The Family of Imran ) verse 159 " It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee: so pass over (Their faults), and ask for ((Allah)'s) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then, when thou hast Taken a decision put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him)." In other verse Allah affirms the importance of Shura or consultation by saying in Sura El Shura ( Consultation ) verse 38 " 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; " .

Also continuing proving that Shura which is the grist of democracy is an Islamic principle which Allah ordered us to follow in his Holy Qur'an, we can see in Sura Ta Ha verses (29-32) " 29. And give me a Minister from my family, 30. Aaron, my brother; 31. Add to my strength through him, 32. And make him share my task: “that request was accepted by Allah in the Divine Message of Moses so it is a method to apply in politics.

Moving to Hadith or Muhammad's Sayings, we can find what enhances Shura and Democracy in his Hadith On the authority of Aesha that the prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him says " If Allah wants for a chief to be good he will give him truthful minister in order to remind him if he forgot or support him if he remembered and the chief who Allah doesn’t want him to be good, Allah will give him untruthful minister who will not remind him when he forgets nor support him when he remembers ". And if we had a flashback to the Holy battle of Badr, we can know how far the consultation in is Islam when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asks for consultation from his companions three times. The first time is when he asks them to advice him either to fight or not. Then Abu Bakr, the great Islamic figure, approved the fight and so did Omar EbN El Khatab the other great Islamic figure. The second time of consultation is when El Monther EbN Hegab, one of the prophet's companions, chose the place of the Muslims' camp and the prophet approved his choice. The third time is in the same holy battle Badr, when the battle was over and Abu Bakr said that Muslims could accept ransom from the disbeliever captives and the prophet approved that while Omar, the other counselor, opposed this idea.

From all these verses, Hadiths and Sunna we can realize that the Islamic politics is based upon the democratic atmosphere of governing even if the governor were The Master of Masters, The Lord of Mankind , The Last prophet, The most honorable Man and the preemptor Muhammad Peace be upon him. That if it indicated something it would indicate how the Islam and the Liberalism or Democracy are along side by side with each other. So all the voices, which repeat the idea of “Islam as a barrier of democracy”, must actually reconsider their ideological references and conceptions.