Muslim Democrat www.islam-democracy.org Published by the Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID), Washington, D.C. Volume 4, No. 1, January 2002

In This Issue: ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ What’s Next For Afghanistan? 2 Reason and Freedom in Islamic Thought estroying Taliban and al-Qaeda was the easy part in the war against terrorism. The US has enough weapons and Dintelligence to destroy all of Afghanistan if it wanted to. The difficult part is what comes next. Will we leave Afghanistan destroyed, demoralized, impoverished, and hungry? Or are we going to help build Afghanistan into a 4 Interview with Sheikh Taha prosperous country and society? Are we going to impose another undemocratic regime on the Afghani people? Or are we, for a By Radwan A. Masmoudi Center for the Study of Islam change, going to help build a democratic and representative & Democracy (CSID) government in Afghanistan? The ultimate success or failure of the war on terrorism will depend on the answers to these questions. If we leave Afghanistan impoverished and devastated, the public opinion in the Muslim world will continue to see the U.S. as an enemy and the war on terrorism as revenge. However, 6 Islam & Democracy: The if we help to build a new, democratic, and prosperous nation, then people in the Muslim Struggle Continues world will begin to see the U.S. as a friend and an ally. Building a democratic regime in Afghanistan is not going to be easy because the country is in ruin. However, sometimes it is easier to build from scratch than to revamp an existing and failing system. After defeating Iraq in the Gulf War, the U.S. missed a great opportunity to either get rid of Saddam Hussein or, at the very least, help establish a democratic form of

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ government in Kuwait. This failure has led to mounting skepticism and distrust of the U.S. in the Arab and Muslim world. 7 Call for Papers: CSID’2002 We should play a leading role in establishing and contributing to a special “Marshall Plan” fund to rebuild Afghanistan. A minimum of $15 Billion must be set aside for rebuilding Afghanistan’s infrastructure (roads, schools, hospitals, mosques, universities, government buildings, etc.) that has been devastated during the last 20 years. We also need to train and educate a new generation of Afghan leaders with the concepts of tolerance, human rights, and democracy from an Islamic perspective.

8 Recovering the Core Values of A lot is at stake in not only how this war is conducted but also on how peace is estab- Islam lished. Defeating terrorism will require winning the hearts and minds of the Arab and Muslim peoples, not expanding the war to other countries. 9 Responding to Post Sept. 11 Challenges Dr. Radwan Masmoudi Executive Director CSID Second Annual Conference Keynote Speech by Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush: ReasonReason andand FreedomFreedom inin IslamicIslamic ThoughtThought

The following are excerpts from the Keynote rival theological traditions, the Ash’arite speech, given by Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush, at the CSID 2nd Annual Conference, held on April 7, school and the Mu’tazilite school. Since 2001, at Georgetown University. The speaker their defeat, the Mu’tazilites have been was introduced by Professor Charles E. marginalized in Islamic societies. Butterworth, Program Committee Chair and The Ash’arite tradition has produced Director of CSID. great poets, mystics, and especially It is a great pleasure to welcome Abdolkarim theologians, but few philosophers. One of Soroush to this conference. Dr. Soroush is the main principles of Ash’arite Islam is currently a visiting research associate at the Center that there are no objective, external values; of Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University. all values must come through religious Normally, he is in Tehran at the Institute for Epistemological Research. Such formal revelation. This is a crucial point for affiliations aside, Abdolkarim Soroush is known Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush, addressing the understanding the problem we have at above all for his writings on the subject of Islam CSID Second Annual Conference. hand, that is, the conflict between and democracy, and for trying to bring philosophy democracy and Islam. and theology, from both Islamic and Western tortuous when one comes to the concept of traditions, to bear on those questions. Though there are democratic values in democracy and Islam. On one hand, Islam and though there is no conflict Before turning the floor over to Dr. Soroush, democracy has its roots in ancient Greece between democracy and Islam on a let me add one quick note: a new book, “Makers and comes down to us through Western procedural level, the theoretical basis of of Contemporary Islam”, edited by John philosophers, political thinkers, leaders, and democracy is problematic. Values of Esposito and John Voll, has just been published. so on. As a result, democracy seems a It contains a chapter on the thought and impact democracy and its criteria are extra- foreign idea and, thus, alien to Muslims. religious values which Ash’arite theologians of Abdolkarim Soroush, as well as much On the other, we have our own Islamic information on other leading political thinkers in reject, which makes it very difficult to tradition, our own interpretation of religion explore this topic. Due to its secular value the Muslim world. and text. Reconciling the two can seem a ❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖ system, democracy cannot be reconciled futile and dubious task. with Islam without first unearthing sources hank you, Dr. Butterworth and In the past, Muslims thinkers were not for democratic values within Islam itself. everyone else. Since we are talking generally faced with secular traditions; their Otherwise, the task is futile, as without this Tabout new books, allow me to note focus was always on the Islamic tradition, or grounding, democracy will never be that a book of mine is now in print in that of another religion, such as Christianity, acceptable to a religious mind. English under the title of “Reason, Hinduism, Buddhism, and so on. Now, Freedom and Democracy in Islam”. What most reformist thinkers in the however, Muslims are before a new phase of Sunni world are trying to do is revive the There, I talk about the relationship between history, where Muslims must adapt to a great democracy and Islam. Most of the points I Mu’tazilite school of thought. Their goal is civilization that is not based on religion, i.e., to show that rationality per se is acceptable will be discussing today are dealt with in modern Western culture. There are all sorts of greater detail in this work. in the Islamic milieu, even when not based secular ideas and theories that must be on religion. They strive to demonstrate that Coming from Iran and its Shi’i addressed. Coming to terms with these non- there are values that need not be derived tradition, I have a lot of room to introduce religious ideas is the most challenging task from religion. philosophical ideas, including extra- facing Muslims in modern times. I am very happy about these develop- religious ideas. Shi’i Islam has long been Most of you are probably familiar with very comfortable with philosophy and has ments, as this moves the Sunni world closer prominent reformers in the Muslim world to a solution. We once had philosophers, produced great metaphysical philosophers. such as Muhammad Arkoun, Hasan Hanafi, The tradition lives on today in Iran, being theologians, and jurists who believed that Hamid Naser Abu Zeid and others. What they ideas could be independent of Islam taught in seminaries and universities across are doing is reviving Mu’tazilite experience the country. without being incompatible with Islam, in the Sunni Islamic world. As you know, and today their fertile work is being Things become very difficult and within the Sunni tradition there are two gradually reassessed around the Muslim 2 world. rather than reject them as foreign to Islam. Islamic thinkers in Iran are working to Having written on this subject in Iran, I We can appropriate them—they are not the show society—both the masses and the have suffered considerable hardship and exclusive property of the West—and make clerical establishment—that reformers are criticism, but one consolation is the fact that them our own. I’m not saying that we not heretical or weakening people’s faith in there is such a large, welcoming audience to should uncritically accept Western ideas, Islam. To the contrary, they argue, reformers these ideas, as there are few epistemological either; all ideas must be carefully examined are actually strengthening the faith by obstacles in the Shi’i tradition to this project. in light of our tradition. reminding believers to exercise their Of course, there is opposition, but it comes In fact, my forthcoming book is entitled religious duties, one of which is to have a largely from dogmatic traditionalists who “Reinventing the Mu’tazilite Experi- democratic system of politics. fear change, as opposed to thinkers with ment”, so this relates to my current research Muslims must be, after all, lovers of genuine philosophical problems with focus. I think that the Muslim world needs justice. ‘Adl (justice) is the floor, as it were, rationality. The majority of Iranian society the re-invention and rethinking of of ethics and ihsan (generosity) is the does not share the worldview of the dogma- Mu’tazilite tradition. Muhammad Arkoun, ceiling. Thus, ethics lies between the two tists, so stimulating dialogues and lively for example, is keen to reexamine the limits of justice and generosity. If we can philosophical debates are common in Iran defeated philosophical movements within not attain ihsan, we must at least strive to among the religious classes as well as in the Islamic tradition, giving them the implement ‘adl in society. university circles. credit and attention that they have been Muslims need to familiarize themselves Contrast this to the case of my denied in the past. Arkoun is doing this with the theories of justice, that of friend in Egypt, Dr. Hamid Nasr Abu- the past—this important topic has Zeid. As a result of a campaign against been the focus of great thinkers since him—against which he received very the time of Plato—but we must not little support from colleagues—he was forget that justice varies with time declared a murtad or apostate. Dr. Abu- and place. We must figure out how Zeid’s offense was writing a book that justice is to be attained in modern argues for interpreting the Qur’an times, under the conditions of according to the Mu’tazilite tradition. modern life. The Mu’tazlite ideas of this book— In the past, the focus of political which he considers his most important theory was exclusively on the existence work—ran afoul of the Ash’arite of a just ruler. A just society was sensibilities of the Egyptian religious assumed to result inexorably from the establishment. More than 125 people listened attentively, over presence and leadership of a just Isn’t it time that we acknowledge lunch, and participated in the debate. ruler—nothing more needs to be that there are extra-religious values that are from a postmodern perspective, it is true, done beyond giving leadership to this person. independent of religion, and that we do not but the outcome is welcome, nonetheless. This naive view of society as depending on need to justify everything using religious personal justice lives on in some societies, texts or prophetic tradition? You need only In an Islamic milieu, there is no such as Iran (though, ironically enough, the resort to your own reason, we’re now being contradiction whatsoever between having a nation’s constitution tacitly endorses the told, and not by non-Muslims, liberals, or democratic rule and basing it on religious separation of powers). Emphasis must be duties. There is no separation of church and shifted from the lone leader to institutions, “We in the Third state, as it were. Since Islam enjoins no laws, and processes. There is no alternative to particular form of governance, the specifics structural justice, we can not return to of governance are left in the hands of the personal justice. World have suffered people. The Prophet has left no rulings about whether a society should be led by a We in the Third World have suffered greatly from the President, Prime Minister, or other type of greatly from the absence of freedom. We have leader, for example. It is up to us to decide. complained and written a lot, but justice has absence of freedom” not been given enough attention. Now it’s What is more important is what our time for us to give prominence to the notion motivation is in seeking political power. Do secularists, but by our Muslim forefathers. of justice. Justice is the mother of freedom. we do it because it is our religious duty or Mu’tazilite With structural justice—drawing on our past thinkers have already explored because it is our secular duty? If you could this area extensively and provided us the defeated traditions—we can have freedom convince your people that it is your religious tools to solve many of our problems. and perhaps eventually create a better duty to have a democratic system of gover- political system. In a democracy, we need a new episte- nance, you would have succeeded in resolving mological grounding today to calmly and the problem and obviating the distinction To read the text of the Conference Proceed- reasonably engage with modern ideas; we between secular rule and religious rule. This ings, please go to: www.islam-democracy.org need to embrace these new democratic ideas is gradually happening in Iran. 3 challenge and the responsibility of the elite of this InterviewInterview withwith SheikhSheikh TahaTaha Ummah. Anyone who has some education must do his or her best to help the Ummah understand these needs. Q. What about the concept of an Islamic state. Is there such a thing as an “Islamic State” and “There is no justice with dictatorship”. how would you define it? A. I would like to be very frank on this issue. In all of my studies, I never felt that Islam was too concerned about building a state. Islam, from the beginning, was working to build an Ummah Q. Can you please introduce yourself to the and there is a big difference between building an readers of Muslim DemocratDemocrat? Ummah and building a state. Building an A. My name is Taha Jabir Alalwani. I was born Ummah means you have certain concepts and and grew up in Iraq. After I graduated from al- values. The Muslim Ummah is based on three Azhar University in Cairo in 1959, I went back to main values: tawheed (oneness of God), Iraq and worked as a professor of Islamic Studies Tazkiy’ah (purification of the human being), in the military academy and Imam in one of the and Imr’an (building a civilization with famous mosques in Baghdad. When the Baath values). These three values are considered as the party took over, I decided to go back to Cairo to main goals of Islam (maqasid al-sharia). When get my Master’s and doctorate degrees. I you build an Ummah, on Tawheed, Tazkiy’ah, graduated from al-Azhar in 1972 with a Ph.D. and Imr’an, you will have a strong Ummah. on “Fakhruddine al-Razi and his contribu- Ummah means a community built around tions to usul al-Fiqh”. I then taught Islamic certain values. For example, the founders of this Jurisprudence in Saudi Arabia for eleven years. country left Europe and came here with certain In Saudi Arabia, I met with the late Dr. Ismail al- Sheikh Taha Jaber Alalwani values. They did not find room to implement those values in Europe, so they decided to find Faruqi, Dr. Abdulhameed abu-Sulayman, and President of GSISS and CSID Director their colleagues, and we decided to establish the another place. They came here with their values “International Institute of Islamic Thought responsibilities. In the Qur’an, Allah says “He to build this country. This is an Ummah, and (IIIT)”. We came to America and established the who created you from this earth and gave you not a nation, because nation is built around a Institute in 1984. I am now teaching at the the responsibility to build it”. Our task is to piece of land, and not values. Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences build a civilization with values. Unfortunately, This means that God does not want to be (GSISS) in Leesburg, Virginia. I am also the this concept is absent from our lives. governor or mayor. God created us, and gave us President of GSISS and the chairman of the Fiqh certain values. He told us if you like to fulfill your (Jurisprudence) Council of North America. Muslims now have an “individual” mentality. They think of the need of the duty on this earth, you must follow these Q. In your opinion, what are the main individual not the Ummah, or community, principles. The details of how to build your challenges facing the Muslim Ummah today, needs. In our religion, we have many obliga- political or your economic system are up to you. in the 21st century? tions called “furudh al-kifayah”, i.e. the God has not appointed a Khalif (leader) for us. It is up to us, the Ummah, to appoint a Khalif, A. Muslims need to know themselves and obligations of the Ummah/community. You must have hospitals, doctors, engineers, schools, but this Khalif cannot be responsible for know the others. They don’t know who they everything. He must be guided by the Ummah, are, what their role in life is, and what kind of roads, food, etc. These obligations fall on the community. The individual must cooperate with through a parliament or Majlis As-Shura, and he relations they should have with others. They must be accountable to the Ummah. tend to choose naive and simplistic answers. others to fulfill these requirements. Muslims They like to summarize everything by saying it think, by mistake, that if you pay to build a This understanding of the sovereignty of God is haram (forbidden) or halal (allowed). But Mosque, you will get more reward from Allah is part of the legacy of the children of Israel, not Fiqh (jurisprudence) is not everything. It is than if you pay to build a hospital, for example. the Islamic legacy. In the beginning, Allah swt only one aspect of life. Life is not based on law A Muslim can feel the link between the Mosque decided to lead this experience by himself. He alone. You have legal, economic, social, and and Allah, but he or she can’t feel or see the link told them “I am going to build you as a model. political needs. The majority of Muslims, in the between a hospital and Allah, in the same way. Your land is a sacred land, you are my nation west and abroad, think it is enough to say this This also applies to other societal needs such as and my people, and I will be your governor and is halal or this is haram, this is OK, this is not, housing students, publishing books, or building leader. Your prophets and messengers will be my this is ‘kufr’. What about the gray areas, and an institution fighting against dictatorship and assistants”. That’s why when you read the old what about our role in life? calling for Shura and democracy. testament, you find that their relationship with Allah was a relationship between a people and Some of us think life is only a path to This is a misguided and distorted under- standing of Islam. We need to rebuild our their leader, not their God. For example, they ask death, and that all you need to do is take short him we need lentils, we need onions, we need cuts to al-Janna (paradise). Is this the only concept of life and help Muslims understand their role in life and how to have a balance this and we need that. When they asked for purpose in life. What about life itself? Allah tells water, Allah said “O, Moses, hit the stone with us we are His vicegerents on earth and gave us between life and the hereafter. How to build a strong Ummah or community? This is the big your cane, and you will get water”. He did, and his trust (amana). He gave us certain every tribe got their own water. 4 The relationship was based on miracles of oppressor because he thinks he is highest”. on the safe side. Following the minority will the unseen. Then, they got bored from that. That means when the governor or ruler starts open the door to other minorities to take over by When they saw other people worshipping a to think that his people are inferior to him and claiming to know the truth. We can’t open this cow, they said we need a God we can see as that he does not need them, they should stop door because it will lead to unspeakable violence those people have their own God. We need to him and get him away from power. Why? and confrontations. talk to him directly, and the Sameri made a Because he will cross all the lines and become a Q. A major hurdle facing the Muslim world cow for them. They said to Moses, we dislike to dictator. You don’t need to wait for him until today is dictatorship or lack of freedom, deal with somebody we can’t see. God changed he says like Pharaoh did, “I don’t know any because it does not allow people to discuss from direct divine sovereignty to the King/ other God for you except me”. From the different ideas, strategies, and approaches and Khalif. “O David, we have appointed you as beginning, we should put the ruler under to evaluate solutions. Are you optimistic about vicegerent on earth”. certain laws and restrictions to help him see the the ability of Muslims to overcome this hurdle? The direct sovereignty of God is over. Allah picture in a proper way. If he says “I am And how do we get out of this situation? swt mentioned those stories in the Qur’an as responsible before Allah”, we should tell him “no, you are responsible before the people.” A. When we look at history, we find that lessons. Unfortunately, some colleagues from the dictatorship in Europe’s history was much Islamists misunderstood the stories. They If we use these three values to build our stronger and harsher than dictatorship in our thought that sovereignty of God still applies, and system, we will never allow a dictator to come to countries. However, with time, Europeans Muhammad peace be upon him, like Moses, power riding a tank or forcing the people to developed an acute awareness about this came to implement sovereignty of Allah. No, he accept him as a leader. I remember, on August problem. Unfortunately, in our heritage we have did not. He did not even talk about it. 2, 1990, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait some ‘viruses’, and the dictators always use them. Q. What about the verse that says “Whoever I was in Egypt. Many people around me were When I was a student in Egypt, Jamal Abdel- does not rule according to Allah’s wishes are very happy to see Saddam invade Kuwait. I told Nasser invited some of the writers and journalists. the unbelievers”. Many Islamists use this to them “he will never succeed because the Qur’an He told them: “some of you were talking before justify the need for an Islamic state? teaches us that “The oppressors will not reach the revolution about justice coming through a my covenant” and that “Allah does not guide dictator (a just dictator), I see some of you now A. That verse means rule according to Allah’s those who are oppressors”. When you practice teachings as Ummah. This means you have objecting to my role, Why? I am a dictator but I this kind of dictatorship and oppression, you will am also just!” This concept was, unfortunately, sources, which are the Qur’an and Sunna, and never be able to succeed in the long run.” you have to develop the system to implement even mentioned by al-Afghani himself who used those values. Your obligation is to implement Q. One of problems that some Muslims have this term (al-mustabid al-Aadel). He said that justice. How? It is your business. I need from with democracy is the rule of the majority. the Muslim Ummah needs a “just dictator”. you to build freedom, How? It is your business. I They say we don’t have to follow the majority Allah, swt, told us there is no way to put these two need from you to establish fairness and trust, because the majority can be wrong. Therefore together. There is no justice with dictatorship. How to do that? It is the business of the the rule of the majority is not required. What You cannot have both. This kind of thinking community, the Ummah. do you think about this? needs to be changed in the minds of Muslims. The message of Islam is not for a specific A. This is wrong. Sometimes, Muslims look at Q. Finally, do you have any advice for CSID? nation. It is impossible to develop a political one part and forget the other parts. I call this the What do you think we should be doing and system for the whole world and put all of “Jurisprudence (Fiqh) mentality”, because as a should be emphasizing? humanity under one system, regardless of Faqih I always look at the small details of the A. I am always thinking about CSID, and differences in languages, cultures, back- case and forget about the others. But when you about how to bring freedom to the Muslim grounds, ethnicity, etc. The message of Islam is look at the whole picture you will find something countries, but I feel you have a very difficult task a message for all humanity. If we try to put all else. Allah told us to implement justice, truth, ahead. America and the West can help in many human beings under one Sultanic system or trust, purification, civilization, etc. This ways, but it is difficult, because our culture and kingdom, or dictatorship, or whatever, no one responsibility falls on the Ummah, which means our mentality are based on Islam. If you don’t will accept Islam. But, Allah says I have these the majority and not the minority. If there is any bring new ideas through Islam itself, those ideas values I want you to implement. You should protection from Allah, it is for the majority not the will be resented and rejected. In Saudi Arabia, for develop a system, according to your own needs, minority. Prophet Muhammad said, “My example, America from time to time raises its to implement these values. Ummah will never agree on wrongdoing”. voice about the need to implement democratic There is about 18 hadiths like this, about the reforms. Saudi officials reply that our religion Q. When we attempt to develop a system guidance and protection from Allah to the according to our needs, there will invariably talks about Shura, and we have a Majlis for Ummah. The Ummah always reaches the truth, Shura and we don’t need anything else because be different interpretations. How do we resolve but the minority sometimes reaches the truth these differences? this is our culture and mentality. Even religious and sometimes misses it. The Prophet says “You leaders and scholars can’t accept democracy A. Islam teaches us that we need to agree on should follow the majority (Sawad al-atham) of because they see it as foreign to Islam. We, certain values, but the system is up to us. The the Ummah”. That’s why the concept of Ijmaa therefore, need to try to find something from our system is something under our Ijtihad and our (unanimity) should be revived to move away legacy and from our heritage, and ask them to understanding. When you neglect the Ummah, from individual and minority rule? implement it. Yes, certain groups may raise some the whole nation, and take your decision by Q. But if we don’t have a unanimity objections, but they are much more likely to yourself, what does that mean? That means (Ijmaa), is it OK to accept the majority? accept the proposed reforms, if we can show you think you don’t need the Ummah and the A. It is better to accept the majority than to accept them that they are from our own religion and people. You are highest and you are above heritage, and not in contradiction with it. them. The Qur’an says “Man becomes an a minority. If I follow the majority, I am always 5 ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY: TheThe StruggleStruggle Continues..Continues..

By Dr. Muqtedar Khan Adrian College and CSID Director

The Center for the Study of Islam and democracy values and to encourage them to in the Middle East, Israel enjoys immense Democracy (CSID), a Washington based seek the institutionalization of democratic moral and military support of the West, which think tank organized its second annual practices as a means to reform their societies includes overlooking its dismal human rights conference at Georgetown University on April and renew the spirit of Islam. The second record against Arabs. As an “in principle 7th, 2001. The think tank is the initiative of project is intellectual. The scholars involved advocate of democracy” Israel with its horrible Muslim intellectuals, academics, and activists with CSID have undertaken the challenging record is preferred over Islam that has an seeking to promote democracy in the Muslim task of exploring the philosophical roots of exemplary history of tolerance and freedom World and several non-Muslim academics democracy and examining its compatibility but is presented as “in principle antithetical to who have over the years demonstrated a with the Maqasid al-Shariah (the objectives of democracy”. remarkable lack of prejudice or ill-will the divine path of Islam). In doing so they are On the other hand many Islamic activists, towards Islam and Muslims in their indeed attempting to develop a political theory using extremely broad, simple and sometimes scholarship and their politics. of Islam. CSID’s newsletter, The Muslim crude notions of secularism and sovereignty, Democrat, its annual conferences and its In the two years since its inception, CSID reject democracy as rule of Man as opposed to lecture and seminar series are instrumental in has grown in membership and in its role Islam which is rule of God. Islamists who both programs. and has become an important institution of reject democracy falsely assume that secular- the American Muslim civil society. Muslim Allah has already blessed the founders of ism and democracy are necessarily connected. scholars and activists from all over the world CSID by giving them the opportunity to work Secularism is a liberal tradition not a have joined CSID in its mission. CSID and its on this noble project. It is time that more and prerequisite for democracy. Religion does play ideas now receive attention from Western as more Muslims showed their support and a significant role in democratic politics. The well as traditional Muslim scholars who have appreciation of CSID by opening their minds contemporary US is a case in point. These all welcomed its endeavors to increase an and their check books to CSID (http:// Islamists also do not make a distinction appreciation for democratic values in the www.islam-democracy.org). between dejure sovereignty and defacto Muslim milieu. CSID’s contributions are sovereignty. For example, even though God is particularly exceptional because they supposedly sovereign in Afghanistan, in fact it demonstrate the compatibility between Islam Islam and Democracy: Two Opponents is the Taliban who were sovereign there. and democracy by underscoring the Islamic Two extremely different groups, one from Those who think that Allah was sovereign in basis of many democratic ideals such as the West and one from the Muslim World, Taliban’s Afghanistan perhaps worshiped equality, justice, tolerance, freedom and have been arguing vehemently that Islam Mulla Omar. openness. and Democracy are incompatible. Rejecting democracy because Man is CSID’s founders share two fundamental On one hand some western scholars and sovereign is a big mistake. What we really ideas. One, that democratic values, and by ideologues have tried to present Islam as an need to worry about is how to limit the defacto that I mean a lot more than just procedural anti-democratic and inherently authoritarian sovereignty of Man. Democracy with its elements of democracy, are indispensable for ethos that precludes democratization in the principles of limited government, public establishing a society that can pursue the Muslims World. By misrepresenting Islam in accountability, checks and balances, will of its people – whatever the will may be this way, they are seeking to prove that Islam separation of powers and transparency in (including Islamization). Two, the absence as a set of values is inferior to Western governance does succeed in limiting Man’s of democracy in the Muslim World, liberalism and is indeed a barrier to the global sovereignty. The Muslim world plagued by particularly in the Arab World, is not the progress of civilization. This argument is also despots, dictators and self-regarding mon- fault of Islam. helpful to Israel, which regardless of its archs badly needs the limitation of man’s sovereignty. These shared ideas have galvanized egregious human rights violations against CSID into launching two parallel programs. Palestinians, continues to enjoy the reputa- CSID and its scholars have been working The first project is activism among Muslims tion as the sole democracy in the Middle East. on these issues. They are not only exposing to educate them about the Islamic basis of Positioned as a solitary defender of democracy the politics behind the arguments made by

6 those Westerners who hold malice against CALL FOR PAPERS Islam, but are also exposing the fallacies in the assumptions of those Muslims who Third Annual Conference of the misunderstand democracy and Islam. Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy Democratization and Political Violence in Is Islam Responsible? There is nothing in Islam and in Muslim Muslim Societies practices that is fundamentally opposed to democracy — justice, freedom, fairness, April 6-7, 2002 equality or tolerance. There are a few Muslims who reject democracy. But they do so Sheraton Crystal City Hotel only because they falsely allow the modern Arlington, VA West the ownership of a universal value. They reject democracy only because they reject the West. The large number of Muslims who Deadline for Abstracts: February 10, 2002 came out to vote in the Presidential elections in the US and those Muslims who vote in To be considered, abstracts must address one of the following Panel Themes: hundreds of millions in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, * Islam and Political Participation: Ideals, Actors, and Processes Turkey, Egypt and elsewhere testify to their This panel addresses issues relating to both the theory and practice of democratization in comfort with democracy. In the minds of these Muslim societies, and explores concepts, theories, obstacles, organizations, and strategies nearly one billion Muslims who practice some relating to democratic concerns, Islamic values, and the socio-political realities of these form of democracy there is no dispute between Islam and democracy. societies. It is time we moved onto a more fruitful * Western Democracies and authoritarian Muslim regimes: Understanding the Relation- line of inquiry. If not Islam, what has ship precluded the democratization of the Muslim Western democracies provided crucial help and nurtured democratic movements in the Asia, world? There are structural failures in the East Europe, and Latin America. But these democracies seem to be less interested in the Muslim societies due to the legacy of colonial- process of democratization in Muslim societies, and continue to provide vital support to ism and the debilitating corruption that autocratic and authoritarian regimes in Muslim countries. This panel addresses the various preceded and made the Muslim world aspects of the relationship between Western democracies and authoritarian Muslim regimes. colonizable. Can we find a way to remove these seeds of underdevelopment? * Human Rights in the Muslim World: Meanings, Movements, and Obstacles I hope that in the years to come the Do Muslim societies and cultures articulate clear notions of human rights? Are there organized Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy efforts to advance human rights in Muslim societies, both on the level of theory and society? will focus on this line of inquiry. If it can And what does it take to develop a human rights tradition among Muslims? These are some of pinpoint the structural problems that prevent the concerns to be addressed by this panel. the political and economic development of the Muslim World, it will accomplish a great task. * Political Violence in the Middle East: Causes and Consequences Policy solutions sensitive to local conditions Political violence and bloody conflicts are frequent events in many Muslim societies. Recent can then emerge to tackle the prevalence of records show that violence has been perpetrated by both state and non-state actors. What are underdevelopment. As one of the directors of the causes of politically inspired violence? Why are political groups unable to achieve a CSID, I invite all American Muslims to join us political resolution to their conflict? And what are the implications of the perpetuation of in this monumental endeavor. Let’s join political violence in the Middle East to world peace? These questions are the focus of the panel. forces to build a free Muslim society. Free from tyranny, poverty, corruption, illiteracy, * Fighting Terrorism and Protecting Democracy injustice and also, we must not forget, from Questions to be addressed in this panel include: what is terrorism and how do we distinguish it the humiliating domination of the West. We from legitimate resistance of occupation and aggression? What are the root-causes of terrorism need to emancipate the Muslim world, from in general, and global terrorism in particular? How can we fight terrorism while protecting the self as well as the other. democracy, human rights, and civil liberties, here and abroad?

Dr. Muqtedar Khan is Director of International Studies at Adrian College in Michigan, and a director of the Center for the Study of Islam and Abstracts should be submitted to Dr. Louay M. Safi, Program Committee Chair, no later Democracy. His articles are archived at: than February 10, 2002. Final papers are due by March 20, 2002. You may e-mail your abstract www.ijtihad.org to [email protected], fax it to 703-471-3922, or mail it to PO Box 669, Herndon, VA 20172.

7 were formulated, some medieval Muslim jurists developed what may be called an Islamic bill of rights meant to ensure for the individual Recovering the Core protection of life, religion, intellect, property, and personal dignity under Islamic law. Non-Muslims such as Jews and Christians (and alues of Islam later Zoroastrians and others) also had specific rights in the Muslim V community. Above all, they had the right to practice their religion upon payment of a poll-tax to the Islamic state. The Qur’an after all counsels, “There is no compulsion in religion.” Within roughly twenty By Dr. Asma Afsaruddin years after Muhammad’s death, Islam lay claim to the former domains University of Notre Dame of the Byzantine and Persian empires in Persia, Syria-Palestine, Iraq, CSID Fellow and Egypt. It is important to point out that territorial expansion did not mean forcible conversion of the conquered peoples. Egypt and the ust – and accountable – government has long been considered a Fertile Crescent, for example, remained largely Christian for about two desideratum in Islamic political and religious thought. The centuries after the early Islamic conquests. Popular anecdotes recount Qur’an states that the righteous “inherit the earth;” righteous in how Coptic Christians in Egypt, weary of being persecuted as heretics J by the Byzantine church, celebrated the arrival of the Muslim Arabs on this case referring to the morally upright rather than the members of any privileged confessional community. A righteous and just their shores in the seventh century. Individual Christians and Jews leader ruling by at least the tacit consent of the people and liable to sometimes obtained high positions in Muslim administrations being deposed for unrighteous conduct remained the ideal for most throughout the medieval period; two Christian physicians, for example, Muslims through much of the Middle Ages, even though dynastic attended to Harun al-Rashid, the famed caliph of the Arabian Nights. rule replaced limited elective rule about thirty years after the Prophet When one of them, George, the son of Bakhtishu, was invited by the Muhammad’s death. The memory of the first thirty years of non- caliph to embrace Islam, he retorted that he preferred the company of dynastic rule by the closest associates of the Prophet, marked though his fathers, be they in heaven or in hell. George appears not to have it was by strife and dissension, became cherished in the collective been reprimanded for his candid reply. Centuries later, Jews fleeing memory of much of the Muslim polity as the golden era of just and from the “excesses” of the Spanish Reconquista would find refuge in legitimate leadership. Muslim Ottoman lands and establish thriving communities there. Clearly, the Qur’an’s injunction of non-compulsion in religion was The consequences of this memory has potentially far-reaching taken quite seriously by those who revered it as sacred scripture. consequences for the reshaping of the Islamic world today. The Qur’anic concept of shura refers to “consultation” among people in To deny these lived realities of the Islamic past which point to what public affairs, including political governance, and was practiced in we would term in today’s jargon a respect for pluralism and religious particular by the second caliph Umar in seventh century Arabia. It is a diversity is to practice a kind of intellectual violence against Islam. term that resonates positively with many contemporary Muslims who Islamic militant radicals who insist that the Qur’an calls for relentless wistfully recognize the intrinsic value of this sacred concept but find it warfare against non-Muslims without just cause or provocation merely rarely applied in the polities they inhabit today. Contrary to certain to propagate Islam and certain Western opinion-makers who unthink- popular caricatures, Muslims are not somehow genetically predisposed ingly accept and report their rhetoric as authentically Islamic are both to accept tyranny, submit to despotic potentates, and crave religious doing history a great disservice. Radical Islamist fringe groups with absolutism. There is a healthy respect for honest, reasoned dissensus in their desperate cult of martyrdom are overreacting to current political the Islamic tradition; this attitude finds reflection in the saying contingencies and not obeying any scriptural imperative. attributed to the Prophet, “In the differences of my community, there is So, the question remains, if there is so much in the history of mercy.” The large majority of Muslims do not harbor contempt for the Muslims and their tradition that may be understood to be consonant civil liberties and political freedoms of American society; rather they with the objectives of civil society, where and why did it all go so admire these freedoms and wish they could somehow magically horribly wrong? And how can it be set aright; or can it be set aright? What must happen is concerted engagement by Muslims in a process of recovery and revalorization of genuine Islamic core values, such as “There has never been a better consultative government, religious tolerance, respect for pluralism and peaceful coexistence with diverse peoples, that are part and parcel of time for collective self-examina- their common history. There has never been a better time for collective self-examination and moral house-cleaning. A contrite Christian tion and moral house-cleaning.” Europe after the debacle of the Holocaust was forced to question some of its interpretive traditions and their moral and social consequences. After the atrocities of September 11, the virulently militant underbelly of transport them to their own societies and convince their governments Islam can and should be eviscerated, first by denouncing and then by of their desirability, without imperiling their lives in the process. debunking the interpretive strand that, in clear violation of the most With interpretive zeal and good will, much common ground basic precepts of Islam, fosters the glorification of violence and self- between the modern Western democratic perspective and traditional immolation. Muslims should do this not because they merely wish to Muslim aspiration for just, legitimate government can be discovered. appear modern or moderate but because the best of their religious and Long before the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution intellectual tradition demands nothing less of them.

8 feel that he or she has to reconcile his or her Muslim and American RESPONDING TO POST identities. However, as we move from the level of principles to that of practice, SEPT. 11 CHALLENGES the picture becomes immediately fuzzier. For here we find that American practices have not always risen to the moral principles enshrined in the constitution, as we are bound to find that Muslims By Louay M. Safi have frequently fallen below the ideals of Islam, sometimes by inches IIIT and sometimes by stretches. CSID Director The founding fathers fought for equality and rejected British rule because the British monarch failed to recognize the equal freedom of all peoples. But the founding fathers did not live up to their words, he events of September 11 when they kept slaves. Ultimately the principles of freedom and equality and their aftermath have put won through the long and protracted struggle of back Americans, Tthe American Muslim supported by many American whites, particularly those who recognized community face to face with new the importance of reconciling American political practices to the and difficult realities. We increasingly constitutional requirements. confront tough questions: How should we respond to recent events? What sense, if any, can we make of “Successive American administra- the attacks on New York and tions have supported autocratic Washington? How should we react to the efforts of those who are bent on and repressive governments, in the equating Islam with terrorism? How do we reconcile the American and Middle East and elsewhere.” Islamic parts of our identity? The answer to these questions differs pursuant to whether we are Similarly, The Johnson Administration unleashed, during its war comparing principles or practices. On the level of principles, there is no against Vietnam, America’s military might against Vietnamese civilians, contradiction. On the level of practice, contradictions may occur, based prompting protests by the American public, and ultimately leading to on the instance and the time frame we focus on. America’s withdrawal from Vietnam, and the collapse of the South Vietnamese puppet regime. The moral principle of self-determination Being Muslim means that one should stand for the principles and eventually won. values of Islam, including the values of goodness, peace, justice, compassion, and charity. Being Muslim does not merely mean having Most recently, successive American administrations have supported social or religious identity, but also means having moral commitment autocratic and repressive governments, in the Middle East and to the universal principles of Islam. elsewhere. The Clinton and Bush Administrations turned a blind eye to Russian atrocity in Chechnya, and ignored China’s repressive policies Being Muslim means that one should cooperate with all those in Tibet and the Muslim region of Xinjiang. And for four decades, the committed to improving the human condition; (Qur’an 5:2) that one United States government failed to pressure India to give Kashmir the should stand against injustice, even if this means that one must stand right of self-determination, as it failed to pressure Israel to leave the against his or her beloved ones if these were the source of injustice; (4: Palestinian territories it occupies, despite standing United Nations 135) and that one must stand against aggression, regardless of the resolutions, and in defiance of international law. political or religious affiliation of its perpetrators. (2:190) American Muslims have the right, indeed the duty, to speak out Being American, on the other hand, means that one should against corruption and injustice regardless of its source. Neither should commit oneself to the high principles upon which this country was their American, nor Islamic, identity prevent them from being true to founded: freedom, equality, accountability of leaders, and the rule of their values and beliefs. law. To be American means to pledge to defend the constitution against its enemies, foreign and domestic. This is the allegiance of all Ameri- American Muslims, it seems, are destined to play a decisive role in cans, including American Muslims. The American Constitution keeping America true to its constitutional principles, which some recognizes the equal freedom of all peoples. It recognizes individual shortsighted public opinion leaders seem to be willing to compromise rights to freedom of religion, speech, and association. And it provides under the pressure of the moment. But American Muslims should for due process of the law. These principles and values are both always remember that to fulfill their historical role, they must base their American and Muslim, and hence no American Muslim should ever positions on the high moral principles they embrace, and must be consistent and fair in their application. 9 BOOK REVIEW

The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism Abdulaziz Sachedina Reviewed by Joseph Montville

slam is the second-largest religion in Islam’s role in the coming century. and oral statement with the phrase, “In the world. For several decades, this the name of God, the Compassionate, the The teachings in the Qur’an that Iglobal community has struggled with Merciful.” This is the God of humane Sachedina explains in The Islamic Roots issues of national independence, cultural Islam, not of ideological murderers. I of Democratic Pluralism are essential in identity, modernization and develop- believe that The Islamic Roots of establishing the basis for mutually ment, the challenge of fundamentalism, Democratic Pluralism can help respectful and democratic relationships democratization, and pluralism. The way Muslims reclaim their religion and set a among Muslims, and between Muslims in which these questions are resolved will path for themselves for the rest of the and the non-Muslim world. Democratic have an incalculable effect on world twenty-first century. politics in the coming century. This book pluralism thrives on the ability of citizens tackles these important issues. The to value each other and respect each other’s However, the United States can also author argues that as Islam enters the dignity and human rights. In terms help in this process by doing a critical twenty-first century, it is necessary to religious Muslims, Christians, and Jews retrospective analysis of its policies and the reopen the doors of religious interpreta- can understand, democratic pluralism use of military power during the last 30 tion—to reexamine and correct false succeeds where citizens accept that the years. We must ask ourselves what in our interpretations, replace outdated laws, individual is created in the image of God behavior toward Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and formulate new doctrines that respond and that all religions share membership in Libya, Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestin- to changing social contexts. a loving relationship with God. ians sent messages to the Arab and Muslim people, not just their defiant leaders, that All religions have at times in their Always using the Qur’an as his the U.S. government put minimal value history experienced periods of hate-filled yardstick, Aziz Sachedina demonstrates on their lives and dignity. What allowed repression and violence led by “fundamen- how and why Islamic law came to reflect Osama Bin Laden to work without serious talist” authoritarian clerics. The Roman political and social influences, leading to hindrance and succeed in his evil plot to Catholic Church had such moments regulations that violate the letter and hurt America in a way we will never forget? during the Crusades and in the Inquisition spirit of the Qur’an. He critically analyzes Some neoconservatives might say that aimed at Muslims and Jews in Spain. In Muslim teachings on issues of pluralism, these questions reflect the “blame the British America, New England Christian civil society, war and peace, violence and United States first” point of view. We Puritan leaders dealt harshly with self-sacrifice, the status and role of non- would respectfully ask them to pause to dissenters. They hanged Quakers, burned Muslims, and capital punishment. In every consider the five thousand killed on rebellious servants to death, and maimed case he does not shrink, where warranted, September 11 and other innocent U.S. political deviants. Some political rabbis in from speaking of “the irrelevance of past citizens who might still be at risk if we do Israel have used degrading and dehuman- juridical decisions.” In their place, he not take a hard look backward at our izing language against the Palestinian provides alternative resolutions, grounded security policies. in Qur’anic interpretation and contempo- people, and even inspired the psychological rary realities. environment that enabled the assassina- Abdulaziz Sachedina is a senior associate in the tion of the peacemaking prime minister, CSIS Preventive Diplomacy Program and a Offering a sophisticated new under- professor of religious studies at the University of Yitzhaq Rabin, by a young, Jewish Virginia. He was recently elected as Director of standing of Islam’s intrinsic democratic religious fanatic. CSID. This book was published by the CSIS tendencies, this remarkable work will be Preventive Diplomacy Program and Oxford Muslims usually begin every written University Press. essential reading for all concerned with ■ 10 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ CSID Membership Form

Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy 2002 P. O. Box 864, Burtonsville, MD, 20866 Name:______Phone: 202-251-3036 Institution:______Fax: 704-846-0629 www.islam-democracy.org Address:______Board of Directors City______State______Zip ______Tel.:______Chair: Ali A. Mazrui Fax.:______Vice-Chair: John L. Esposito E-mail:______Abdulwahab Alkebsi Taha Jabir Alalwani I would like to join CSID as: Newsletter Subscription q $20 Nimat Hafez Barazangi Student Member q $35 Institutional Member q $200 Member $50 Founding Member $1000 Jamal Barzinji q q Fellow q $100 Lifetime Member q $2500 Charles Butterworth Louis Cantori I also would like to volunteer for the following positions: A Director Book reviews Muqtedar Khan q q

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ q Newsletter Editor q Membership drive Radwan Masmoudi q Journal Editor q Local seminars Abdulaziz Sachedina q Program Volunteer q Other______Fund raising Louay Safi q Tamara Sonn Please include my name in the CSID directory Yes q No q Anthony Sullivan I would like to make a tax-deductible donation of $______Tax-deductible Donation to Hesham Reda Memorial Fund $______Svend White Comments and/or suggestions: Executive Committee ______Radwan A. Masmoudi ______Executive Director ______■ Ismail Obeidallah please send membership form, with payment, to: CSID, P. O. Box 864, Burtonsville, MD 20866 Event Coordinator ■ Svend White Secretary ■ Mahir Haroun Treasurer The views and opinions expressed in the Muslim Democrat belong to their authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CSID, or its Board of Directors. We welcome comments and letters from our readers, and will publish them subject to space limitations and editorial changes. Please e-mail comments and letters to: [email protected]

11 Objectives of CSID American Muslim Organization Expresses Grief WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ — The following statement was issued today by · Promote democracy in the Muslim the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy: world. It is with a great sense of loss, grief, and sadness that we followed the horrific incidents at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon yesterday. The members and the board of the · Promote a better understanding and a Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) wish to convey their heartfelt prayers, common platform between supporters sympathy, and condolences to the victims of this horrible crime. Killing innocent people of democracy and human rights and and civilians is against Islam and against humanity, and cannot serve any just cause. We the proponents of the “Islamic State” urge our fellow Americans, especially in the media, not to jump to conclusions, as the in the Muslim world. identity of the perpetrators is not yet known. Whatever faith these criminals claim to profess, they will pay for their terrible crime in this life and again in the Day of Judgment · Encourage and foster dialogue between before the Almighty God. Islam and the rest of the world, May God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be with all the victims of this tragedy, their especially the West. families, and their loved ones. · Encourage American Muslims to "Whoever kills an innocent soul, it is as though he has killed all of humanity. And whoever

partake in the American political saves an innocent soul, it is as though he has saved all of humanity" ( Qur'an 5:32). ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ system and to become full active ○○○○○○○○○○○ members of the American democracy. Regional Seminars Shura in the 21st century?”. · Discourage fanaticism, radicalism, Both meetings, attended by 30-40 violence, and oppression in the Muslim On June 2, 2001, Dr. Radwan Mas- people, were very informative and very well world, whether in the name of Islam or moudi, Executive Director of CSID, gave a received by all participants. in the name of secular and Western lecture on "Shura, Democracy, and values. Accountability in the 21st Century" at the Islamic Society of Central Florida, · Encourage the development of Islamic in Orlando, Florida. He also introduced political thought based on modern CSID to the local Muslim community. principles of democracy, human rights, political freedom, religious and On Aug. 10-12, 2001, Dr. Radwan cultural diversity, and tolerance. Masmoudi participated in a conference on “Muslim Political Thought: Introductions · Support the efforts of those individuals, and Limitations” in Chicago, IL. The groups, and governments in the Conference was organized by the American Muslim world who espouse the ideals Center for Civilizational & Cultural of democracy and human rights. Studies (ACCIS). Dr. Masmoudi gave a lecture on “How can we implement · Encourage attempts in the West, and particularly the United States, to play a Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy positive role in promoting democracy P. O. Box 864 in the Muslim world and establishing Burtonsville, MD, 20866 a constructive dialogue and engage- ment with the Muslim people.

· Advocate dialogue and constructive cooperation between the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christian- ity, and Islam and promote a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East.

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