By TCN News,
New Delhi: A lecture on ‘Islam, Democracy and Islamic World’ was organised by the Institute of Objective Studies (IOS) here.
Delivering the lecture, Professor Mohsin Usmani Nadvi, former Dean of Arab Studies, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, insisted that while power in Western democracies rested with the people, in Islam, Allah is the supreme ruler. “But this was not a basic difference. This only meant that in a democracy there was no scope for dictatorship or monarchy. Democracy did not negate the supremacy of Allah,” he noted during the event on January 31.
L-R: Prof. Hameed Naseem Rafiabadi, Islamic Studies, Kashmir University, Srinagar; Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies; Prof. ZM Khan, Secretary General, Institute of Objective Studies; Prof. Mohsin Usmani Nadvi, Former Dean of Arab Studies, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad
This was the reason why democratic system of governance received support from Islam and its followers as a whole, he said adding that Islam accepted the word ‘Caliphate’ instead of democracy. He observed that the challenge of democracy before the Islamic world was a 21st century phenomenon, a release from IOS said here.
However, during the early phase of Islam, democracy was not a strange system of governance, nor was it unknown to Islam, though the nomenclature differed. Explaining the basic difference between the Western and the Islamic democracy, he said that the people were the fountainhead of power in a democracy. In that system, government was elected by the people and government passed law in deference to their wishes. In an Islamic democracy, the ruler was elected by a group of responsible persons whose integrity was above board and the ruler was bound to take their advice.
However, in the case of Islamic system of governance, this freedom was not allowed as the system was based on the belief that man was Allah’s representative on earth to carry out His command. “While in the Western concept of democracy, it was the people who elected government, in Islam, it was only a group of articulate, wise people and practitioners of faith who could rule. This was based on the belief that the opinion of a wise person could not be equated with that of an ignorant person,” he said and maintained that in an Islamic democracy, non-Muslims could also enjoy rights of a citizen provided they agreed with citizenship laws and were ready to abide by them.
They could, however, not be drafted for compulsory military service, and would be charged certain amount as “jizya” in lieu of their protection and for safeguarding their rights. But if they were willing to perform military service, they would not be required to pay jizya, he added.
Earlier, the subject was introduced by Professor of Islamic Studies, Kashmir University, Srinagar, Professor Hameed Naseem Rafiabadi. He held that the subject had scope for further debate as by and large Islamic scholars avoided discussion on it.
Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam, chairman of the Institute of Objective Studies, remarked that the verdict of the people was the source of power in a democracy while in the Islamic system of governance rule of Allah prevailed and the directives of policy came from the Quran and Hadith. “Thus if the public opinion was harmful for society and mutual relationship, it could not be accepted as Islam preached the teaching of a better and harmonious life, free from evil.
Presiding over the function, Professor Z M Khan, IOS secretary general, observed that Islam differed a great deal from democracy. “Democracy was one of the ingredients of Islam and a study of other demerits of democracy should be made”. Referring to the Western concept of democracy, he held the three main political thinkers had concluded that democracy was a system of governance created by man.
The proceedings of the function were conducted by Dr Nakhat Husain Nadvi, the release added.