This document summarizes the views of two Iranian intellectuals, Ayatollah Morteza Motahari and Dr. Abdol-Karim Soroush, on the compatibility of Islam and democracy. Motahari represented religious reformists who sought to adapt modern concepts to religious texts. Soroush was a modernist who believed religion must renew itself to engage with modern life, not the other way around. Both supported an Islamic democratic state where the people choose leaders, but Soroush argued for greater limitations on clerical power and more emphasis on popular sovereignty and human political concepts over strict religious governance. The document examines their differing approaches to integrating democracy and Islam.
Post-Islamist Intellectual Trends in Pakistan: Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and His Di...HusnulAmin5
Eurocentric and essentialist approaches are applied to make sense of the complex
Muslim societies. These approaches reduce complex social processes to certain
immutable, fixed and unchanging traits. With such reductive theoretical lens, such
readings of Islam, presuppose an inherent rigidity in the nature of Islamic text. When
Muslim societies and its social trajectories are understood in the light of such
immutable texts, as a logical conclusion, Islam turns out to be incompatible with
modern values of liberty and democracy. Islam and Muslim societies are constructed
as entities essentially distinct from Europe and the West. Even if a transition from
authoritarian form of political order to a more democratic one is intended, it will
have to be a secularized form of Islamic democracy wherein the separation of religion
and state is ensured. However, in the recent past, a growing number of academic
enquiries have challenged the validity of such reductive and essentialist approaches
toward understanding Muslim societies and its societal trajectories. Multiple
intellectual voices and social trends have been identified that construct harmonious
relationship between Islam and democracy, and in more general terms, between Islam
and modernity. Some scholars argue that reformation of religious thought followed by
the articulation of an “Islamic Theory of Secularism” may pave the way for
democratization in Muslim societies. As intermediaries, between the Divine text and
the general public, the role of scholars, institutions and social movements is thus
crucial in creating bonds of complicity (or otherwise) between Islam and democracy.
As an empirical example, this research explores and highlights the emergence of an
intellectual community in Pakistan led by a religious scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi.
The genesis, intellectual biography and unprecedented popularity gained by Ghamidi
and his close associates, also reveal mutation, discontinuity and change from their
previous religious position. The present paper aims to achieve two humble purposes: to
discuss the emergence of a post-Islamist intellectual trend with specific focus on
Ghamidi, and to provide a descriptive analysis of Ghamidi’s post-Islamist turn, and
the way he and his interpretive community construct a harmonious relationship
AN OVERVIEW OF HUMAN NATURE (FITRAH) AND LIBERALISME IN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVEIAEME Publication
This document provides an overview of the concepts of human nature (fitrah) and liberalism from an Islamic perspective. It discusses human nature and how ideas of God developed prior to Islam based on human instincts and limited knowledge. Islam corrected these ideas by establishing clear teachings on tawhid (monotheism).
It then examines two aspects of liberalism - as a political-social concept emphasizing individual rights and freedoms, and from a religious perspective seeking to liberate Islam from Islamic law. Two scholars, Leonard Binder and Charles Kurzman, who studied liberal Islam are discussed. While they see liberalism as rational and progressive, the document argues liberal Islam goes against Islamic principles by prioritizing individual freedoms over
This article examines the recent debate in Indonesia around amending the constitution to incorporate sharia law. It provides historical context on past debates around Islam and the state in Indonesia. During constitutional reforms from 1999-2002, Islamic political parties proposed amending Article 29 to guarantee implementation of sharia. However, the People's Consultative Assembly ultimately rejected this in 2002. The article analyzes the debate through the lens of substantive versus formal approaches to sharia, with the substantive view advocating an emancipated understanding and allowing for religious diversity and human interpretation.
This document discusses the development of Shiite ijtihad (independent reasoning) and its relationship to political power in Iraq since the 19th century. It analyzes this relationship through the theoretical framework of elite theory, focusing on how Shiite religious scholars (ulama) have engaged with and influenced different levels of power over time. The document outlines four major stages in the development of the Shiite religious seminaries in Najaf: 1) the emergence of marja' (highest-ranking clerics) and taqlid (emulation), 2) the formation of comprehensive marja'iyya, 3) the institutionalization of the relationship between marja' and followers, and 4) the promotion of marja' to
The Iranian Revolution occurred between 1978-1979 and was led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Dissatisfaction with the Western-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had been growing for years due to his social reforms that threatened clerical influence and promoted a secular vision of Iran. Khomeini emerged as a leader of opposition from exile, condemning the Shah's rule and calling for an Islamic state. In 1978, protests grew increasingly violent in response to government crackdowns. As unrest mounted, the Shah fled Iran in January 1979 and Khomeini returned, establishing the Islamic Republic. The revolution had widespread impacts, including the formation of an Islamic government in Iran and deterioration of relations
Group A names seven individuals as members. The document then discusses definitions of democracy, noting it generally means a system where citizens have power through voting. It outlines key elements of democracy according to political scientist Larry Diamond. Islamic democracy seeks to apply Islamic principles to public policy within a democratic framework. The governance system of early Muslim leaders like the Righteous Caliphs exemplified true democracy through principles of consultation, justice, equality and accountability more so than modern western democracies. However, later Muslim rulers abandoned this ideal system, generally instituting absolute monarchy or despotism instead.
Liberal Islam emerged in Indonesia in the 1970s through the works of Nurcholish Madjid and others who were influenced by modernist thought. The Liberal Islam Network was established in 2001 to promote pluralism, gender equality, and reinterpreting Islamic laws and texts in a modern context. However, critics argue that liberal Islam's emphasis on pluralism and changing Islamic rules obscures tawhid and removes the formal aspects of sharia. In response, some ulama have issued fatwas against liberal Islam's ideas and organizations promote alternative views of Islam.
This document defines and compares different political ideologies including conservatism, liberalism, feminism, environmentalism, anarchism, socialism, communism, and fascism. Conservatism desires to maintain the existing social order and is skeptical of human nature. Liberalism values individual freedom and human rationality. Modern liberalism looks to the state to advance individual welfare. Feminism and environmentalism promote related social issues. Anarchism opposes all authority while socialism advocates collective ownership. Communism's end goal is a classless, stateless society based on need. Fascism emphasizes the supremacy of the state and race.
Post-Islamist Intellectual Trends in Pakistan: Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and His Di...HusnulAmin5
Eurocentric and essentialist approaches are applied to make sense of the complex
Muslim societies. These approaches reduce complex social processes to certain
immutable, fixed and unchanging traits. With such reductive theoretical lens, such
readings of Islam, presuppose an inherent rigidity in the nature of Islamic text. When
Muslim societies and its social trajectories are understood in the light of such
immutable texts, as a logical conclusion, Islam turns out to be incompatible with
modern values of liberty and democracy. Islam and Muslim societies are constructed
as entities essentially distinct from Europe and the West. Even if a transition from
authoritarian form of political order to a more democratic one is intended, it will
have to be a secularized form of Islamic democracy wherein the separation of religion
and state is ensured. However, in the recent past, a growing number of academic
enquiries have challenged the validity of such reductive and essentialist approaches
toward understanding Muslim societies and its societal trajectories. Multiple
intellectual voices and social trends have been identified that construct harmonious
relationship between Islam and democracy, and in more general terms, between Islam
and modernity. Some scholars argue that reformation of religious thought followed by
the articulation of an “Islamic Theory of Secularism” may pave the way for
democratization in Muslim societies. As intermediaries, between the Divine text and
the general public, the role of scholars, institutions and social movements is thus
crucial in creating bonds of complicity (or otherwise) between Islam and democracy.
As an empirical example, this research explores and highlights the emergence of an
intellectual community in Pakistan led by a religious scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi.
The genesis, intellectual biography and unprecedented popularity gained by Ghamidi
and his close associates, also reveal mutation, discontinuity and change from their
previous religious position. The present paper aims to achieve two humble purposes: to
discuss the emergence of a post-Islamist intellectual trend with specific focus on
Ghamidi, and to provide a descriptive analysis of Ghamidi’s post-Islamist turn, and
the way he and his interpretive community construct a harmonious relationship
AN OVERVIEW OF HUMAN NATURE (FITRAH) AND LIBERALISME IN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVEIAEME Publication
This document provides an overview of the concepts of human nature (fitrah) and liberalism from an Islamic perspective. It discusses human nature and how ideas of God developed prior to Islam based on human instincts and limited knowledge. Islam corrected these ideas by establishing clear teachings on tawhid (monotheism).
It then examines two aspects of liberalism - as a political-social concept emphasizing individual rights and freedoms, and from a religious perspective seeking to liberate Islam from Islamic law. Two scholars, Leonard Binder and Charles Kurzman, who studied liberal Islam are discussed. While they see liberalism as rational and progressive, the document argues liberal Islam goes against Islamic principles by prioritizing individual freedoms over
This article examines the recent debate in Indonesia around amending the constitution to incorporate sharia law. It provides historical context on past debates around Islam and the state in Indonesia. During constitutional reforms from 1999-2002, Islamic political parties proposed amending Article 29 to guarantee implementation of sharia. However, the People's Consultative Assembly ultimately rejected this in 2002. The article analyzes the debate through the lens of substantive versus formal approaches to sharia, with the substantive view advocating an emancipated understanding and allowing for religious diversity and human interpretation.
This document discusses the development of Shiite ijtihad (independent reasoning) and its relationship to political power in Iraq since the 19th century. It analyzes this relationship through the theoretical framework of elite theory, focusing on how Shiite religious scholars (ulama) have engaged with and influenced different levels of power over time. The document outlines four major stages in the development of the Shiite religious seminaries in Najaf: 1) the emergence of marja' (highest-ranking clerics) and taqlid (emulation), 2) the formation of comprehensive marja'iyya, 3) the institutionalization of the relationship between marja' and followers, and 4) the promotion of marja' to
The Iranian Revolution occurred between 1978-1979 and was led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Dissatisfaction with the Western-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had been growing for years due to his social reforms that threatened clerical influence and promoted a secular vision of Iran. Khomeini emerged as a leader of opposition from exile, condemning the Shah's rule and calling for an Islamic state. In 1978, protests grew increasingly violent in response to government crackdowns. As unrest mounted, the Shah fled Iran in January 1979 and Khomeini returned, establishing the Islamic Republic. The revolution had widespread impacts, including the formation of an Islamic government in Iran and deterioration of relations
Group A names seven individuals as members. The document then discusses definitions of democracy, noting it generally means a system where citizens have power through voting. It outlines key elements of democracy according to political scientist Larry Diamond. Islamic democracy seeks to apply Islamic principles to public policy within a democratic framework. The governance system of early Muslim leaders like the Righteous Caliphs exemplified true democracy through principles of consultation, justice, equality and accountability more so than modern western democracies. However, later Muslim rulers abandoned this ideal system, generally instituting absolute monarchy or despotism instead.
Liberal Islam emerged in Indonesia in the 1970s through the works of Nurcholish Madjid and others who were influenced by modernist thought. The Liberal Islam Network was established in 2001 to promote pluralism, gender equality, and reinterpreting Islamic laws and texts in a modern context. However, critics argue that liberal Islam's emphasis on pluralism and changing Islamic rules obscures tawhid and removes the formal aspects of sharia. In response, some ulama have issued fatwas against liberal Islam's ideas and organizations promote alternative views of Islam.
This document defines and compares different political ideologies including conservatism, liberalism, feminism, environmentalism, anarchism, socialism, communism, and fascism. Conservatism desires to maintain the existing social order and is skeptical of human nature. Liberalism values individual freedom and human rationality. Modern liberalism looks to the state to advance individual welfare. Feminism and environmentalism promote related social issues. Anarchism opposes all authority while socialism advocates collective ownership. Communism's end goal is a classless, stateless society based on need. Fascism emphasizes the supremacy of the state and race.
Human rights, Islam, and Iran - Soraya GheblehSoraya Ghebleh
The document discusses human rights violations in Iran since the 1979 revolution. It notes that violations increase when the regime feels instability or there is a rise in radical Islamism. Currently, under President Ahmadinejad, both phenomena are present as he pursues radical policies while the regime's power wanes. However, the international community has focused on Iran's nuclear program rather than its human rights abuses. The document also discusses debates around whether Islam is compatible with universal human rights standards.
The document discusses the process by which an Islamic state naturally evolves. It argues that an Islamic state is an ideological state based on moral and spiritual principles rather than nationalism. The key elements required for an Islamic state to form are a particular type of movement, leadership, mass character, and communal morality aligned with Islamic principles. Nationalistic ideas borrowed from Western models are incompatible with an Islamic state as they prioritize national identity over universal spiritual principles. An Islamic state requires certain preconditions and forces to develop over time, guided by Islamic ideology, before it can naturally emerge.
Ideology is a system of ideas that aims to explain the world and change it. It contains explanatory theories about human experience and the external world. An ideology sets out generalized programs for social and political organization and conceives of their realization requiring struggle. Rather than merely persuading, an ideology seeks to recruit loyal adherents committed to its ideas. While addressing the public, an ideology may become associated with intellectuals or politicians who take on political roles to implement its programs.
The document outlines several different political ideologies:
1) Liberalism stresses individual rights, decentralized government, personal freedom, and reducing inequities. John Locke and John Stuart Mill believed in equal and independent humans with inalienable rights.
2) Conservatism believes in respecting past traditions and gradual reforms. Edmund Burke believed in a hierarchical society with leadership given to those most qualified.
3) Socialism and Marxism are based on class struggle and public ownership over resources for the benefit of all. Karl Marx believed capitalism could only be overthrown through class struggle leading to a classless society.
Secularism refers to the separation of government and religion where no religion is endorsed or favored. It means individuals have the freedom to choose their own religious beliefs or non-beliefs without interference from the government. Secularism draws from ideas in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy as well as Enlightenment thinkers and aims to modernize society by removing religious influence from laws and policies. Supporters argue it protects religious minorities and enhances democracy.
1) The document discusses the relationship between Islam, democracy, and liberalism, focusing on issues of religious freedom in Indonesia.
2) While many Muslim societies aspire to democracy, some scholars argue that Islam is inherently illiberal and incompatible with liberal democracy and civil liberties like religious freedom.
3) However, others believe the relationship is more complex, depending on political and social dynamics within Muslim societies, and that newly democratic countries need time and experience to balance religious, political, and civil aspects of governance.
This document discusses Ho Chi Minh's philosophy on human liberation and development. It argues that Ho Chi Minh viewed human liberation as the ultimate goal of the revolution and his policies. His philosophy emphasized a relatively complete perspective on human development in morality, intellect, body and aesthetics. He particularly stressed developing individual personality through fostering revolutionary morality and social policies to facilitate human flourishing. The document also examines how Ho Chi Minh's philosophy balanced human and nature, promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.
This document provides an introduction to political ideologies by outlining what is ideology and discussing some of the core themes of liberalism and conservatism. It defines ideology as a more or less coherent set of ideas that provides the basis for organized political action. Liberalism emphasizes individual freedom, reason, justice, and tolerance, viewing each person as equally deserving of rights. Conservatism stresses the importance of tradition, human imperfection, hierarchy and authority in society, and private property as foundations of social order. The document examines some of the key beliefs and values of these two dominant Western ideologies.
This document summarizes a chapter exploring the implications of theoretical trends in discussions of human rights in the Middle East region. It outlines four stages in the discussion: 1) concern for Christians in Muslim-majority areas, 2) rise of nationalism, 3) issue of relativism, and 4) the rise of "hegemonic abstentionism" which provides a rationale for Western states to downplay human rights and allows Middle Eastern states to limit external criticism. The document also examines John Rawls' concept of a "well-ordered hierarchical society" and argues it does not apply to the Middle East due to issues like lack of religious freedom, equality, and dissent.
Ideologies are sets of beliefs that influence group behavior and shape understanding of the world. They emerge from social classes and are influenced by time, crisis, and change. Religious and political ideologies like Islam, Christianity, capitalism, socialism, and fascism shape identities. Factors like family, gender, religion, environment, history, and media influence the formation of beliefs and values that constitute one's identity. Ideology and identity are interrelated, as changes in ideology can change one's identity, and identity helps determine one's ideology.
Iran has been governed as an Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution overthrew the monarchy. It has a population of over 68 million, most of whom are Shi'a Muslims. Supreme power is held by the Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The president is elected to a four-year term. Iran has faced international pressure and sanctions over its nuclear program and human rights record.
An examination on the contributions of islam to sciences and civilizationAlexander Decker
This document discusses the contributions of Islam to science and civilization. It begins by noting that Islam places a high value on the acquisition of knowledge, both spiritual and material. It then discusses how early Muslims established the House of Wisdom in Baghdad as a center for science. The document provides examples of scientific concepts discussed in the Quran, including the creation of the heavens and earth. It also examines the evolution of science in the Islamic world from the 8th to 16th centuries, when major advances were made in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and agriculture. In conclusion, the document argues that seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam and that the early Muslims helped incorporate science and culture from other civilizations to advance humanity.
This document outlines the course for Islamic Ethics. It begins with definitions of ethics and discusses the differences between ethics and morality. It then covers the scope and importance of Islamic ethics as well as its sources which include the Quran, hadith, theology, philosophy, jurisprudence, and mysticism. It also discusses the relationship between ethics and religion, comparing religious morality to secular morality. Finally, it examines contemporary approaches to ethics and the relationship between ethics, law, and basic human versus Islamic morals.
Muhammad Asad (pronounced born Leopold Weiss; 2 July 1900 - 23 February 1992) was an Austro-Hungarian born journalist, traveler, writer, linguist, thinker, political theorist, diplomat and Islamic scholar. Asad was one of the most influential European Muslims of the 20th century.
By the age of thirteen, young Weiss had acquired a passing fluency in Hebrew and Aramaic, other than his mother tongue German .By his mid-twenties, he could read and write in English, French, Persian and Arabic.In Palestine, Weiss engaged in arguments with Zionist leaders like Chaim Weizmann, voicing his criticism of the Zionist Movement. After traveling across the Arab World as a journalist, he converted to Islam and chose for himself the Muslim name "Muhammad Asad"—Asad being the Arabic rendition of his root name Leo (Lion).
Here is some discussion about his view of an islamic state........
MPhil thesis on sectarian relations in Pakistan, shows impact on the wider region Middle East, India and Afghanistan on Pakistan. Intensive use of identity and Nationalism theory as dissertation was done in politics but had input from history,anthropology, religious studies and sociology. London Metropolitan University. 2012.
Heritage of Islamic Ethics and Contemporary Issues: A Call for RelevantizationMohammad Manzoor Malik
This study addresses the subject of Islamic ethics from definitional and disciplinary
perspectives. It highlights the need for relevantization of Islamic ethics to
contemporary issues in a systematic manner which, in turn, calls for development of Islamic ethics
as a complete discipline with ability to meet all types of challenges: conceptual, practical,
normative, applicative, etc. Regarding the definitional issue, different from and more expansive
than the traditional understanding of al-ākhlāq, the researcher argues that a proper definition of
ethics should include ethically relevant habits, character, and behavior in its subject matter. As
an academic discipline of paramount, practical significance, Islamic ethics should adequately
address metaethical, normative, and applicative aspects of the subject. In terms of metaethics,
Islamic ethics is derived from revealed knowledge; whereas, principles of Islamic jurisprudence
(usËl al-fīqh) offers the best available methodology for the discipline in meeting demands of
normativity and application. Regarding the nature of the subject of Islamic ethics, the researcher
argues that understanding Islamic ethics as virtue ethics is unjustifiable reduction because a
careful study of the subject from its sources would prove that Islamic ethics is rather an
integrated field comprising of virtues ethics, divine command theory, duty-based ethics, etc.
Therefore, Islamic ethics should be developed, taught, and learned as a whole composite of
above-mentioned elements.
This document provides an overview of five major political ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, and fascism. For each ideology, it describes their key tenets and outlooks, and analyzes how they approach the four functions of political ideologies: being explanatory, evaluative, providing orientation, and having a programmatic element.
The document defines and describes several major political ideologies including anarchism, communism, conservatism, environmentalism, liberalism, nationalism, and socialism. Anarchism advocates for stateless, self-governed societies based on voluntary cooperation. Communism's ultimate goal is the establishment of a classless, collectively owned communist society. Conservatism promotes retaining traditional social institutions. Environmentalism concerns protecting the environment. Liberalism is based on ideas of liberty and equality. Nationalism involves shared feelings of identity within a geographic region. Socialism involves social ownership and democratic control of production.
Political ideologies have origins in the industrial revolution and enlightenment era belief that people could improve their lives through positive action. They provide goals for how society should be arranged and methods to achieve that ideal arrangement. The spectrum of political attitudes ranges from radical to liberal to moderate to conservative to reactionary. In Mongolia, the main political parties each claim affiliation with an ideology like liberalism for the Democratic Party or socialism for the Mongolian People's Party, but ideologies are not well defined and political attitudes are often shaped more by nationalism than ideological principles.
The document discusses the ideology of Pakistan. It defines ideology as a set of beliefs and ideas that guide a group or nation collectively. It states that every nation requires an ideology to achieve its goals and provide unity and purpose. The ideology of Pakistan is based on Islam, as Muslims in South Asia struggled for a separate homeland based on their religious identity. The ideology of Pakistan emerged through an evolutionary process led by thinkers like Iqbal and Jinnah, and was cemented in the constitution as an Islamic republic that follows the teachings and principles of Islam.
This document discusses effective communication and common mistakes made in spoken and written English. It emphasizes that mistakes are opportunities to learn and should not be seen as embarrassing. While accuracy is important, the main goal of communication is to convey meaning clearly. The document outlines strategies for effective speaking, such as maintaining eye contact and developing listening skills. It also discusses challenges faced by some English learners in pronouncing certain sounds correctly. Overall, the document promotes focusing on intelligible communication over perfection and avoiding unnecessary bias or offense.
1) This document discusses the debate among Iranian religious intellectuals regarding modernization and their approaches to balancing tradition and modernity.
2) It outlines two major groups - Western-minded thinkers who emphasize separating tradition from modernity, and religious thinkers who seek to combine the two.
3) The document also summarizes the key arguments made by supporters of modernization, such as the neutrality of science, religion's emphasis on human progress, and that interaction between civilizations and modernization can aid development. It then summarizes the arguments made by opponents, such as the partiality of science and doubts that modernization alone can achieve social development.
Human rights, Islam, and Iran - Soraya GheblehSoraya Ghebleh
The document discusses human rights violations in Iran since the 1979 revolution. It notes that violations increase when the regime feels instability or there is a rise in radical Islamism. Currently, under President Ahmadinejad, both phenomena are present as he pursues radical policies while the regime's power wanes. However, the international community has focused on Iran's nuclear program rather than its human rights abuses. The document also discusses debates around whether Islam is compatible with universal human rights standards.
The document discusses the process by which an Islamic state naturally evolves. It argues that an Islamic state is an ideological state based on moral and spiritual principles rather than nationalism. The key elements required for an Islamic state to form are a particular type of movement, leadership, mass character, and communal morality aligned with Islamic principles. Nationalistic ideas borrowed from Western models are incompatible with an Islamic state as they prioritize national identity over universal spiritual principles. An Islamic state requires certain preconditions and forces to develop over time, guided by Islamic ideology, before it can naturally emerge.
Ideology is a system of ideas that aims to explain the world and change it. It contains explanatory theories about human experience and the external world. An ideology sets out generalized programs for social and political organization and conceives of their realization requiring struggle. Rather than merely persuading, an ideology seeks to recruit loyal adherents committed to its ideas. While addressing the public, an ideology may become associated with intellectuals or politicians who take on political roles to implement its programs.
The document outlines several different political ideologies:
1) Liberalism stresses individual rights, decentralized government, personal freedom, and reducing inequities. John Locke and John Stuart Mill believed in equal and independent humans with inalienable rights.
2) Conservatism believes in respecting past traditions and gradual reforms. Edmund Burke believed in a hierarchical society with leadership given to those most qualified.
3) Socialism and Marxism are based on class struggle and public ownership over resources for the benefit of all. Karl Marx believed capitalism could only be overthrown through class struggle leading to a classless society.
Secularism refers to the separation of government and religion where no religion is endorsed or favored. It means individuals have the freedom to choose their own religious beliefs or non-beliefs without interference from the government. Secularism draws from ideas in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy as well as Enlightenment thinkers and aims to modernize society by removing religious influence from laws and policies. Supporters argue it protects religious minorities and enhances democracy.
1) The document discusses the relationship between Islam, democracy, and liberalism, focusing on issues of religious freedom in Indonesia.
2) While many Muslim societies aspire to democracy, some scholars argue that Islam is inherently illiberal and incompatible with liberal democracy and civil liberties like religious freedom.
3) However, others believe the relationship is more complex, depending on political and social dynamics within Muslim societies, and that newly democratic countries need time and experience to balance religious, political, and civil aspects of governance.
This document discusses Ho Chi Minh's philosophy on human liberation and development. It argues that Ho Chi Minh viewed human liberation as the ultimate goal of the revolution and his policies. His philosophy emphasized a relatively complete perspective on human development in morality, intellect, body and aesthetics. He particularly stressed developing individual personality through fostering revolutionary morality and social policies to facilitate human flourishing. The document also examines how Ho Chi Minh's philosophy balanced human and nature, promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.
This document provides an introduction to political ideologies by outlining what is ideology and discussing some of the core themes of liberalism and conservatism. It defines ideology as a more or less coherent set of ideas that provides the basis for organized political action. Liberalism emphasizes individual freedom, reason, justice, and tolerance, viewing each person as equally deserving of rights. Conservatism stresses the importance of tradition, human imperfection, hierarchy and authority in society, and private property as foundations of social order. The document examines some of the key beliefs and values of these two dominant Western ideologies.
This document summarizes a chapter exploring the implications of theoretical trends in discussions of human rights in the Middle East region. It outlines four stages in the discussion: 1) concern for Christians in Muslim-majority areas, 2) rise of nationalism, 3) issue of relativism, and 4) the rise of "hegemonic abstentionism" which provides a rationale for Western states to downplay human rights and allows Middle Eastern states to limit external criticism. The document also examines John Rawls' concept of a "well-ordered hierarchical society" and argues it does not apply to the Middle East due to issues like lack of religious freedom, equality, and dissent.
Ideologies are sets of beliefs that influence group behavior and shape understanding of the world. They emerge from social classes and are influenced by time, crisis, and change. Religious and political ideologies like Islam, Christianity, capitalism, socialism, and fascism shape identities. Factors like family, gender, religion, environment, history, and media influence the formation of beliefs and values that constitute one's identity. Ideology and identity are interrelated, as changes in ideology can change one's identity, and identity helps determine one's ideology.
Iran has been governed as an Islamic republic since the 1979 revolution overthrew the monarchy. It has a population of over 68 million, most of whom are Shi'a Muslims. Supreme power is held by the Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The president is elected to a four-year term. Iran has faced international pressure and sanctions over its nuclear program and human rights record.
An examination on the contributions of islam to sciences and civilizationAlexander Decker
This document discusses the contributions of Islam to science and civilization. It begins by noting that Islam places a high value on the acquisition of knowledge, both spiritual and material. It then discusses how early Muslims established the House of Wisdom in Baghdad as a center for science. The document provides examples of scientific concepts discussed in the Quran, including the creation of the heavens and earth. It also examines the evolution of science in the Islamic world from the 8th to 16th centuries, when major advances were made in fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and agriculture. In conclusion, the document argues that seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam and that the early Muslims helped incorporate science and culture from other civilizations to advance humanity.
This document outlines the course for Islamic Ethics. It begins with definitions of ethics and discusses the differences between ethics and morality. It then covers the scope and importance of Islamic ethics as well as its sources which include the Quran, hadith, theology, philosophy, jurisprudence, and mysticism. It also discusses the relationship between ethics and religion, comparing religious morality to secular morality. Finally, it examines contemporary approaches to ethics and the relationship between ethics, law, and basic human versus Islamic morals.
Muhammad Asad (pronounced born Leopold Weiss; 2 July 1900 - 23 February 1992) was an Austro-Hungarian born journalist, traveler, writer, linguist, thinker, political theorist, diplomat and Islamic scholar. Asad was one of the most influential European Muslims of the 20th century.
By the age of thirteen, young Weiss had acquired a passing fluency in Hebrew and Aramaic, other than his mother tongue German .By his mid-twenties, he could read and write in English, French, Persian and Arabic.In Palestine, Weiss engaged in arguments with Zionist leaders like Chaim Weizmann, voicing his criticism of the Zionist Movement. After traveling across the Arab World as a journalist, he converted to Islam and chose for himself the Muslim name "Muhammad Asad"—Asad being the Arabic rendition of his root name Leo (Lion).
Here is some discussion about his view of an islamic state........
MPhil thesis on sectarian relations in Pakistan, shows impact on the wider region Middle East, India and Afghanistan on Pakistan. Intensive use of identity and Nationalism theory as dissertation was done in politics but had input from history,anthropology, religious studies and sociology. London Metropolitan University. 2012.
Heritage of Islamic Ethics and Contemporary Issues: A Call for RelevantizationMohammad Manzoor Malik
This study addresses the subject of Islamic ethics from definitional and disciplinary
perspectives. It highlights the need for relevantization of Islamic ethics to
contemporary issues in a systematic manner which, in turn, calls for development of Islamic ethics
as a complete discipline with ability to meet all types of challenges: conceptual, practical,
normative, applicative, etc. Regarding the definitional issue, different from and more expansive
than the traditional understanding of al-ākhlāq, the researcher argues that a proper definition of
ethics should include ethically relevant habits, character, and behavior in its subject matter. As
an academic discipline of paramount, practical significance, Islamic ethics should adequately
address metaethical, normative, and applicative aspects of the subject. In terms of metaethics,
Islamic ethics is derived from revealed knowledge; whereas, principles of Islamic jurisprudence
(usËl al-fīqh) offers the best available methodology for the discipline in meeting demands of
normativity and application. Regarding the nature of the subject of Islamic ethics, the researcher
argues that understanding Islamic ethics as virtue ethics is unjustifiable reduction because a
careful study of the subject from its sources would prove that Islamic ethics is rather an
integrated field comprising of virtues ethics, divine command theory, duty-based ethics, etc.
Therefore, Islamic ethics should be developed, taught, and learned as a whole composite of
above-mentioned elements.
This document provides an overview of five major political ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, and fascism. For each ideology, it describes their key tenets and outlooks, and analyzes how they approach the four functions of political ideologies: being explanatory, evaluative, providing orientation, and having a programmatic element.
The document defines and describes several major political ideologies including anarchism, communism, conservatism, environmentalism, liberalism, nationalism, and socialism. Anarchism advocates for stateless, self-governed societies based on voluntary cooperation. Communism's ultimate goal is the establishment of a classless, collectively owned communist society. Conservatism promotes retaining traditional social institutions. Environmentalism concerns protecting the environment. Liberalism is based on ideas of liberty and equality. Nationalism involves shared feelings of identity within a geographic region. Socialism involves social ownership and democratic control of production.
Political ideologies have origins in the industrial revolution and enlightenment era belief that people could improve their lives through positive action. They provide goals for how society should be arranged and methods to achieve that ideal arrangement. The spectrum of political attitudes ranges from radical to liberal to moderate to conservative to reactionary. In Mongolia, the main political parties each claim affiliation with an ideology like liberalism for the Democratic Party or socialism for the Mongolian People's Party, but ideologies are not well defined and political attitudes are often shaped more by nationalism than ideological principles.
The document discusses the ideology of Pakistan. It defines ideology as a set of beliefs and ideas that guide a group or nation collectively. It states that every nation requires an ideology to achieve its goals and provide unity and purpose. The ideology of Pakistan is based on Islam, as Muslims in South Asia struggled for a separate homeland based on their religious identity. The ideology of Pakistan emerged through an evolutionary process led by thinkers like Iqbal and Jinnah, and was cemented in the constitution as an Islamic republic that follows the teachings and principles of Islam.
This document discusses effective communication and common mistakes made in spoken and written English. It emphasizes that mistakes are opportunities to learn and should not be seen as embarrassing. While accuracy is important, the main goal of communication is to convey meaning clearly. The document outlines strategies for effective speaking, such as maintaining eye contact and developing listening skills. It also discusses challenges faced by some English learners in pronouncing certain sounds correctly. Overall, the document promotes focusing on intelligible communication over perfection and avoiding unnecessary bias or offense.
1) This document discusses the debate among Iranian religious intellectuals regarding modernization and their approaches to balancing tradition and modernity.
2) It outlines two major groups - Western-minded thinkers who emphasize separating tradition from modernity, and religious thinkers who seek to combine the two.
3) The document also summarizes the key arguments made by supporters of modernization, such as the neutrality of science, religion's emphasis on human progress, and that interaction between civilizations and modernization can aid development. It then summarizes the arguments made by opponents, such as the partiality of science and doubts that modernization alone can achieve social development.
This document discusses the humanistic approach to teaching English as a foreign language. [1] It outlines four main methodologies associated with the humanistic approach: the silent way, community language learning, suggestopaedia, and total physical response. [2] These methods aim to engage students holistically and reduce anxiety around language learning. Classroom practices for these methods include relaxation exercises, role-playing scenarios, games, and peer work. [3] A study in India found that students had the greatest improvements in English skills during the first semester using these humanistic methods, showing their effectiveness. The humanistic approach aims to cultivate student motivation and a childlike openness to learning.
This document summarizes a study on the extension service needs of catfish farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study found that most catfish farmers were male, between 30-50 years old, and had primary education. Radio, friends/relatives, and extension agents were the most important information sources. The top extension service needs were marketing, stocking times, and credit access. The major challenges were poor weather, lack of credit, and high feed costs. The study recommends improved extension services, economic groups, credit access, and dissemination of best practices to enhance catfish production.
1. The study aimed to identify the effect of domestic violence on speech and pronunciation disorders in children in basic education in Ajloun governorate, Jordan.
2. The study found that parents used neglect and emotional violence against their children. Parents also punished children for using inappropriate words.
3. The study revealed significant differences in domestic violence between males and females, favoring males. Differences were also found based on birth order, favoring first born for emotional violence.
The document summarizes a study on gender differences in marital adjustment, mental health, and frustration reactions during middle age. The study was conducted in Delhi, India with 150 males and 150 females between ages 40-55 who were bank employees, doctors, or lecturers. It was found that females had higher levels of recreational adjustment than males, while males had a more group-oriented attitude than females. The study aimed to understand how marital adjustment, mental health, and reactions to frustration differed between males and females during middle age.
This document summarizes a study on the economic prospects and human rights violations associated with shrimp farming in coastal regions of Bangladesh. It finds that while shrimp farming contributes significantly to Bangladesh's economy through exports and jobs, it has also led to environmental degradation and various human rights issues. Specifically, the study found reports of land conflicts, violence against women, restrictions on access to common areas, blocked canals interfering with water management, loss of agricultural land, and poor labor conditions like low wages, long hours, and unsafe working environments. Overall, the document examines both the economic benefits of the shrimp industry but also its negative social and human rights impacts.
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ABOUT IOSR JOURNALS
About Journals
IOSR Journals a broad-based open access, was founded on two key tenets: To publish the most exciting researches with respect to the subjects of our functional Journals. Secondly, to provide a rapid turn-around time possible for reviewing and publishing, and and to disseminate the articles freely for teaching...
This document analyzes pulses production in sample villages of the Assan Valley region of Uttarakhand, India. It finds that the area and production of pulses, especially winter pulses like lentils and chickpeas, has drastically declined from 1990-2007. Through surveys of 275 farmers, the study identifies key constraints on pulses production including biotic factors like insect pests and diseases, abiotic factors like climate and rainfall, lack of access to inputs, weak extension services, and lack of market access. The rotation of pulses like chickpeas and pigeon peas with crops like rice and wheat was found to reduce chemical fertilizer use and increase outputs of those staple crops.
Political Islam and its discrimination with Salafism in contemporary ages: fi...malisahmad
Political Islam and its discrimination with Salafism in contemporary ages: fields, opportunities and challenges
Author
Mahmud Fallah (graduated from Qum Seminary and Ph.D student in political sciences)
Political Islam and its discrimination with Salafism in contemporary ages: fi...ezra lioyd
This document contains summaries of several papers presented at a conference on political Islam and Salafism. The papers address topics such as Abu Hanifa's views on the Umayyad dynasty, the dangers of Takfiri movements, strategies for countering Takfiri movements, Sayyid Qutb's views on Takfir (excommunication), violations of women's rights by Takfiri movements, and active Takfiri movements in Pakistan and strategies to counter them. The papers utilize analytical and descriptive research methods and aim to analyze various thinkers' perspectives on Takfiri movements and strategies to promote unity among Islamic schools of thought and counter the influence of Takfiri ideology.
How to Cite
Malhan Khan, M. (2019). How Islam and Democracy are reconcilable?. Al Tafseer - Biannual Journal, (32). Retrieved from http://www.al-tafseer.org/index.php/at/article/view/65
Abstract
The paper discusses in detail different ways how Islam and democracy can be reconciled and highlights the importance of democratic values for Muslim dominated societies, which is the need of modern times. It also discusses how Islam which stands for global peace and security and bound Muslims to be more responsible regarding the implementation of justice, peace and to stand for the fundamental humanitarian values which go in parallel with the concept of democratic principles. The paper also converses, the scenario in which the beautiful religion for entire humanity has been attempted to be hijacked by a radical mindset which prevailed in every civilization ever existed.
Islam & Democracy-The Way Forward (final) G1128403 Isham S IshakIsham Shafarin Ishak
This document discusses the compatibility between Islam and democracy. It argues that while key Islamic principles like shura (consultation), ijma' (consensus) and bay'ah (oath of allegiance) are compatible with democratic values, Muslim-majority countries have struggled with democracy due to weak political institutions and processes. Democracy indices show most Muslim countries are not fully democratic. The document examines how Islamic history provides a basis for democratic governance but that future Islamic scholars did not develop political concepts further, contributing to issues today. It concludes key Islamic values can support democracy but Muslim nations need stronger democratic political systems and processes to improve governance.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was a highly influential Islamic political theorist and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the Shah. He lived from 1900 to 1989. As the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he developed the theory of velayat-e faqih which holds that Islamic jurists should have ultimate political authority. The document discusses Khomeini's early life and education, his time in exile from 1962-1979 where he wrote influential works and solidified his political views, and his role in founding the Islamic Republic after the 1979 revolution where he became Iran's first Supreme Leader.
An Analysis of Theory of Jürgen Habermas and John Locke on Human Freedominventionjournals
The concept of freedom is one of the key concepts in the field of political philosophy, political philosophers, so that most of political philosophers have sought to increase civil freedom in their political system. Individual political philosophers have attempted to reduce the power of the political system and government and in contrast, to increase the individual liberties. However, in modern political philosophy, freedom has been elaborated more than other concepts and most political philosophers of different philosophical approaches have attempted to expand individual liberties. One of such philosophers is the English empiricist philosopher, John Locke, who has tried in work to design a limited and constitutional government to provide background for individual liberties. Experimental knowledge, individualism, tolerance, indulgence and other concepts of philosophical system of John Locke indicate that he intends to expand individual liberty. In the modern era, due to the emergence of totalitarian governments and domination of instrumental reason in the sphere of individual life, human freedom has been faced with major constraints. The domination of political and economic system has subjected individual freedom to face a crisis. However, in modern times, there are many intellectuals in his philosophical systems who have tried in numerous ways to maintain the tradition of liberalism. Among such thinkers is Jürgen Habermas who continuing the tradition of liberalism of John Locke is trying to prepare ground for liberation of individuals from domination of capitalism and the world of contemporary system. The present research tried to analyze the attempts of these to thinkers as regards freedom and liberation within the framework of liberalism.
This document summarizes a research paper on the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI), a major Islamic political party, in the era of neoliberal globalization. It discusses how JI has responded to opportunities created by economic liberalization and the expansion of private media and markets. The research analyzes JI's public statements and its 1997 electoral manifesto to show that, unlike stereotypes suggest, JI does not seek a "radical revolution" or a return to the "Stone Age" and has embraced a variety of issues beyond strict religious topics. It finds JI participating pragmatically in the political process rather than aiming to impose a totalitarian Islamic state.
This document discusses different models of government and justice systems that incorporate religious principles:
- Religious democracies recognize a state religion but also allow for some separation of religion and public policy. Examples given are Malaysia and Maldives.
- Theocracies aim to fully institute religious law, like Iran which aims to be a Islamic republic.
- There is debate around whether systems like Islam can be compatible with democracy, with arguments on both sides. Concepts in the Quran like shura (consultation) are pointed to by some as being democratic, while others argue Islamic culture is not compatible with secular democracy.
- Sunni and Shia viewpoints differ on leadership structures, with Shia favor
Introduction
Contributions
Historical Background
Political Terminology
Critique of the Democracy
Importance of (Nowjawan)Youth
Culture and Civilization
Sociological thought
Concept of “KHUDI”
Concept of “MARD-e-MUMin
How the Islamization has changed the globe by its rapid impact and what are it's impacts on global village. It's development and concerns from West is rising in its nature and elements. Iranian revolution under Khomaini and spread of Islam in modern contemporary world.
Established in 2004, MarkMeets Media is a British-based News and Lifestyle website publishing daily content with a global audience
Sourced by sites including BuzzFeed, DailyMail, MTV, Attitude Magazine, RTE, The Guardian, Stylist, Gamespot, Daily Express, FemaleFirst, DigitalSpy, OK! Mag, Irish Examiner, and others with mentions on Radio and TV networks including CNN, ITV, CH4, BBC, ITV2 and more, we understand client needs and aim to deliver maximum ROI.
Political theory vs. political ideology2Abir Chaaban
1. Political theory aims to study facts and trends in society and develop universal concepts to describe, explain, and evaluate human life, as well as predict future patterns. It includes both empirical and normative approaches.
2. Contractual theories of sovereignty emerged to address the problem of legitimacy during conflicts, proposing people consent to a sovereign's authority in exchange for security and order.
3. In Lebanon, Arab nationalism, Syrian nationalism, and Phoenicianism developed as competing ideologies following World War I, each promoting a different vision of national identity and sovereignty.
This document summarizes a study on labor relations practices in Assam's tea industry, with a focus on Jorhat District. It finds that workers have varying degrees of dissatisfaction across public, private, and government-owned tea estates. Workers were surveyed on topics like recruitment, selection, training, transfers, promotions, wages, and more. The study aims to identify strong areas and problems to improve labor relations. Key findings include high dissatisfaction among workers of Dhekiajuli Tea Estate regarding recruitment procedures and selection policies. Overall, the study examines labor relations in the tea industry and how satisfaction levels differ between estate types in Assam.
This document summarizes how external economic factors influence policymaking and management in Sub-Saharan Africa. It discusses several challenges, including weak competitive capacity in global trade which makes African exports less competitive. It also examines how commodity price fluctuations, decreasing capital inflows, high external debt burdens, and economic shocks in other countries negatively impact African countries' ability to effectively plan and implement development policies. The document concludes that African countries need to address internal weaknesses to strengthen their ability to deal with challenges posed by the external economic environment.
The document summarizes a study that investigated how blended scaffolding strategies through Facebook could aid learning and improve the writing process and performance of ESL students.
The study used a mixed methods approach, collecting both quantitative data through pre- and post-writing tests as well as qualitative data from student essays and interviews. Students received either traditional instruction alone (control group) or traditional instruction plus supplemental scaffolding through Facebook (experimental group).
Initial interview findings suggested students preferred the blended approach and felt it could help with learning, clarifying questions after school, generating ideas, editing work, and ultimately improving their writing and grades. The study aimed to determine if supplemental Facebook scaffolding positively impacted writing outcomes.
This document summarizes a study on rural health care in Thoubal District, Manipur, India. It finds that while India's constitution recognizes health as a primary duty, rural populations still lack adequate access to health care due to factors like poverty, lack of infrastructure, and social/psychological barriers. The study aims to evaluate health care facilities and services in Thoubal District, examine factors influencing access to primary health care, and assess the quality of services provided by health care workers to rural communities. It analyzes key health indicators for Manipur from the National Family Health Survey and finds that while material well-being is low, Manipur has relatively good public health outcomes, such as low infant mortality.
This document summarizes key points for socio-economic development in Aceh, Indonesia following conflict. It recommends:
1) Developing through participatory planning that engages local communities and innovation.
2) Ensuring political stability and peace by addressing injustices and providing jobs for ex-fighters.
3) Prioritizing micro-economic policies like entrepreneurship programs and credit facilities to revive small businesses.
This document summarizes a research study on the impact of microfinance banks on the standard of living of hairdressers in Oshodi-Isolo local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria. The study aims to examine how microfinance banks have impacted hairdressers' businesses and their ability to acquire assets and save. It involved surveying 120 hairdressers registered with the local government. The results found a significant relationship between microfinance efforts and the hairdressers' standard of living, indicating that microfinance has helped reduce poverty somewhat among this group. The study recommends that government ensure microfinance loans are easily obtainable with reasonable repayment schedules.
1) The document discusses the challenges faced by contemporary Indian society, including poverty, gender discrimination, corruption, illiteracy, global warming, and war. It then examines the role of NGOs in addressing these issues, such as alleviating poverty, empowering women, fighting corruption, providing education, and creating awareness about global warming.
2) The paper also identifies internal challenges NGOs face, like lack of commitment from staff, insufficient training facilities, and misappropriation of funds. External challenges include difficulties with fundraising, low community participation, and lack of trust in NGOs.
3) In conclusion, the role of NGOs is seen as tremendous in providing services to vulnerable groups. However,
1. The document analyzes science performance and dropout rates in France based on PISA test results from 2006-2009 compared to other developed countries.
2. While France achieved average results in math, its science scores remained below average and did not improve from 2006-2009. Dropout rates in France are about 11%.
3. The study finds that elementary and secondary curricula in France allocate fewer weekly hours to science compared to other core subjects, which may contribute to lower performance and higher dropout rates in science. Remedies discussed include improving teaching quality and fostering students' self-perception in science.
This document analyzes the current status of space law and conventions regarding sovereignty in outer space. It discusses key treaties like the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the Moon Treaty of 1979. While these treaties established some framework, many challenges remain unaddressed. Issues around defining boundaries between airspace and outer space, liability for damage, and jurisdiction over objects in space continue to be debated. The document concludes more work is still needed to harmonize regulations and reduce ambiguity regarding sovereignty and activities in outer space.
Gender discrimination in Pakistan threatens its security and progress. Women make up over half the population but face inhumane treatment through domestic violence, forced marriages, honor killings, and lack of access to education and jobs. Discrimination is deeply rooted in society and denies women their identity, treating them as property of fathers or husbands. To improve security and prosperity, Pakistan must eliminate discrimination and empower women through education, employment, and participation in decision making.
This document discusses the concept of God in the works of Tennessee Williams and Rabindranath Tagore. While from different cultures and born decades apart, both authors deeply explored human nature and spirituality. The document analyzes Williams' play "The Night of the Iguana" in depth, noting its religious symbols and exploration of faith through characters like Shannon. It also briefly discusses Tagore's views on evil and the nature of God. Overall, the document examines how both authors conveyed spiritual questions and themes in their work despite coming from varied backgrounds.
1) The document analyzes the level of educational development and underlying disparities in Burdwan District, West Bengal.
2) It finds significant spatial variations in educational infrastructure, dropout rates, and never-enrolled student populations across the district's 31 blocks.
3) The western, more urbanized blocks have better infrastructure but higher dropout rates, while eastern agricultural blocks have poorer infrastructure but lower dropout rates. Factors like poverty, early marriage, and economic opportunities contribute to educational disparities.
The document summarizes a study on intra-household labor distribution and the role of women in family decision making in Bangladesh. It analyzed 3 samples of households and found that:
1) Male members spent more time on productive work like crops and livestock while females spent more on reproductive work.
2) Females spent significant time on productive work as well and their workload increased after joining a poverty-reduction project.
3) After joining the project, 50% of females in some households became more involved in family decision making.
1. The document analyzes the Maheshwari School for Blind in Belgaum, Karnataka, India through a sociological case study approach.
2. It examines the school's educational amenities for enabling disabled students, including teaching approaches, strategies for visual impairments, and accommodations for reading, laboratories, and testing.
3. Data was collected through questionnaires from 12 staff members and 74 students at the school to understand how the school supports blind students' education.
This document provides an overview and analysis of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and his poetry. It discusses how Thomas was influenced by Romanticism and used symbols of nature to express feelings about death and childhood. It also examines his opaque poetic style and religious themes in poems like "And death shall have no dominion." Additionally, the document analyzes how Thomas fits into the Romantic tradition through his self-view as an artist, use of imagery and exploration of the universe. While he was less overtly political, his work reflected left-wing politics of the time period. Overall, the document studies Thomas's life, influences, style and how he both fits and diverges from traditional definitions of poets like the Metaphysicals.
This document discusses the application of RFID technology in libraries. It begins with an introduction to RFID and how it can automate library processes. It then discusses the benefits of RFID for libraries, staff, and patrons, including faster circulation, easier inventory management, and improved patron services. The document also covers RFID standards relevant to libraries, such as ISO 18000-3 and NCIP. It provides recommendations on RFID implementation, including a phased approach and considerations for vendor selection. Overall, the document aims to provide librarians with information on utilizing RFID technology in their libraries.
This document provides an analysis of Richard Eberhart's poetry and his persistent theme of death. It discusses how Eberhart was influenced by postwar existential philosophy and psychology, as well as his own experiences witnessing death as a gunnery instructor during WWII and caring for his mother who died of cancer. The analysis examines how Eberhart explores death through a lens of realism influenced by his romantic sensibilities. It positions Eberhart as continuing a tradition in American poetry of grappling with the theme of mortality in original yet dialogic ways.
This document summarizes a research paper about democratic deficit and political participation in Nigeria. It discusses how most Nigerians do not participate in the political process, instead leaving it to political elites and their supporters. This has led to erosion of the social contract and democratic deficit. Leadership has become self-serving, lacking policy direction, corrupt, and developmentally deficient. However, active citizenship can lead to good governance. The paper argues that both citizens and leaders need to be on equal footing in the Nigerian system. Civil society and other groups should encourage political transformation and development through greater citizen participation.
1. The study examined the effects of an 8-week functional training program on various physical fitness components in 19 male college students aged 19-25 years.
2. The training was conducted 3 days per week and included exercises like medicine ball throws, stability ball exercises, lunges, step ups, and pull-ups.
3. The results showed that the functional training significantly improved the students' speed, endurance, muscular endurance, strength, explosive power, flexibility and agility.
This document presents an exergy analysis of a 4.5MW biomass-based steam power plant in Karempudi, India. The analysis finds that the boiler has the highest exergy destruction of any component. The thermal efficiency of the plant is about 18.25% while the exergetic efficiency is 16.89%, indicating a difference of 1.36% due to irreversible losses. Key results include the boiler efficiency being 75.69% and its exergetic efficiency being 70.08%. The turbine efficiency is calculated to be 88%. The analysis determines exergy values at various points in the Rankine cycle and calculates the exergy destruction in the boiler, turbine, and condenser.
Recent years have seen a disturbing rise in violence, discrimination, and intolerance against Christian communities in various Islamic countries. This multifaceted challenge, deeply rooted in historical, social, and political animosities, demands urgent attention. Despite the escalating persecution, substantial support from the Western world remains lacking.
16062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
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केरल उच्च न्यायालय ने 11 जून, 2024 को मंडला पूजा में भाग लेने की अनुमति मांगने वाली 10 वर्षीय लड़की की रिट याचिका को खारिज कर दिया, जिसमें सर्वोच्च न्यायालय की एक बड़ी पीठ के समक्ष इस मुद्दे की लंबित प्रकृति पर जोर दिया गया। यह आदेश न्यायमूर्ति अनिल के. नरेंद्रन और न्यायमूर्ति हरिशंकर वी. मेनन की खंडपीठ द्वारा पारित किया गया
projet de traité négocié à Istanbul (anglais).pdfEdouardHusson
Ceci est le projet de traité qui avait été négocié entre Russes et Ukrainiens à Istanbul en mars 2022, avant que les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne ne détournent Kiev de signer.
#WenguiGuo#WashingtonFarm Guo Wengui Wolf son ambition exposed to open a far...rittaajmal71
Since fleeing to the United States in 2014, Guo Wengui has founded a number of projects in the United States, such as GTV Media Group, GTV private equity, farm loan project, G Club Operations Co., LTD., and Himalaya Exchange.
लालू यादव की जीवनी LALU PRASAD YADAV BIOGRAPHYVoterMood
Discover the life and times of Lalu Prasad Yadav with a comprehensive biography in Hindi. Learn about his early days, rise in politics, controversies, and contribution.
ग्रेटर मुंबई के नगर आयुक्त को एक खुले पत्र में याचिका दायर कर 540 से अधिक मुंबईकरों ने सभी अवैध और अस्थिर होर्डिंग्स, साइनबोर्ड और इलेक्ट्रिक साइनेज को तत्काल हटाने और 13 मई, 2024 की शाम को घाटकोपर में अवैध होर्डिंग के गिरने की विनाशकारी घटना के बाद अपराधियों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई की मांग की है, जिसमें 17 लोगों की जान चली गई और कई निर्दोष लोग गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गए।
15062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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Slide deck with charts from our Digital News Report 2024, the most comprehensive exploration of news consumption habits around the world, based on survey data from more than 95,000 respondents across 47 countries.
12062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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#First_India_NewsPaper
17062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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13062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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Federal Authorities Urge Vigilance Amid Bird Flu Outbreak | The Lifesciences ...The Lifesciences Magazine
Federal authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant but calm in response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
1. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSRJHSS)
ISSN: 2279-0845 Volume 1, Issue 2 (Sep.-Oct. 2012), PP 29-34
www.iosrjournals.org
Two Iranian Intellectuals: Ayatollah Morteza Motahari and Dr.
Abdol-Karim Soroush and Islamic Democracy Debate
Dr. Maryam Shamsaie1
Abstract: The ideological and social changes of the past hundred years and the introduction of a secular
religion combating the traditions started a big portion of modernistic endeavours in Iran. It was not only seen in
the field of ideas and ideologies, but also in the policies of the governments which prioritized the modernization
process in Iran. The result has been so far the creation of numerous modernist ideologies in Iran. With regard
to their distance from established traditions, we can categorize these ideologies into several distinctive groups.
One such group is the, religiously driven, Islamic thinkers who are further divided into traditionalists,
reformists and modernists. In this essay, the aim is to consider two Islamic thinkers; Ayatollah Mutahhari
representing the reformists and Dr Soroush affiliated with the modernists on their views about democracy. We
will try to answer the critical question of compatibility of Islam with democracy and find the relationship
between Islam and democratic practice.
Key word: Islamic Democracy, Muslim Intellectuals, Modernists, Traditionalists, Reformists
I. Introduction
Today one of the challenges in the political arena is to combine faith and politics. This can be a global
issue or even solution as we can see the scandals and the thirst for legitimacy and morals among the politicians
around the world and the fact that faith can fill this gap very properly. Islam contains certain elements which are
compatible with democratic principles. The most important of these are freedom, equality, consultation and
public consent (Jahanbakhsh, 2004, p. 38) .
Along with the rise of Iran‟s contemporary times that is after the Persian Constitutional Revolution
democracy has been a matter of controversy. This question has always been in new thinkers‟ mind whether
democracy, as a new rule of government, is compatible with religion or not. If we consider democracy to be
built around the bases of: 1. Right to choose leaders,2. Existence of social freedoms,3. Pluralism,4. Majority‟s
rule,
5. Distribution of powers
The history of the term “religious intellectuality” goes back to the Persian Constitutional Revolution
between 1905 and 1911. After that, intellectual such as Murteza Mutahhari (February 3, 1920 – May 1, 1979)
was the leader of this intellectual movement. The aim of this movement was therefore adjusting the Islamic
Sharia with the necessities of the modern life. His idea was to improve the situation and the quality of living of
Muslims based on the Islamic rules and he played roles in the events of the 1979 Iranian revolution against the
Shah. There are many thinkers who see it a contradiction to combine democracy with faith and many believe
that power without faith is ultimately corrupt. Therefore, they were trying to adapt the two together. In this part,
the aim is to discuss the ideology of three of such intellectuals in the course of the revolution and the view of
Iranian Islamic thinkers about democracy in Iranian system of government. The two intellectuals under study
here are Murteza Mutahhari and Abdolkarim Soroush, (Hosein Haj Faraj Dabbagh) (1945- ). Mutahari was a
cleric but the latter two are considered to be non cleric Islamologists. The main topic of interest in this chapter is
democracy. The ideas of these two respected thinkers are basically same and that is adopting a modern look for
Islamic rules. But still there is one difference; Soroush try to modernize religion, whereas Mutahhari tried to
give a religious form to modernity. They were common in one idea: their emphasis on democracy in a model for
government has been as strong as their emphasis on the role of religion in this model. Their model was and is a
democratic, Islamic state. There are many thinkers who see it contradicting to combine democracy with faith
and many believe that power without faith is ultimately corrupt, therefore trying to adapt the two together. As an
ultimate realization of Islamic governance was established in Iran, we will now see the ideas of the two of the
prominent contemporary Iranian thinkers: Dr Soroush and Ayatollah Mutahhari.
II. History of Government in Iran
Since the pre-Islamic empire up to the Islamic revolution in 1979 the government system of Iran was
monarchy. Practically, all the power and the means of politics and economics were in the hands of the monarch,
1
PhD Science and Technology Studies -Lecturer of Shiraz Medical University-Department of Islamic
Science
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giving him the power to rule as he wished. During the Qajar dynasty the inequality and atrocities from the side
of the government reached to a peak and with the rising of the interactions between Iran and Europe democratic
practice found its way among the thinkers in Iran.(Abrahamian, 1998, p. 38) initially it was the limiting power
of the religious leaders which put a limit on the power of the king but finally as a result of the endeavours of the
pro-democracy forces in Iran, a new Constitutional Monarchy was born in 1907 after a bloody battle between
the revolutionaries and the monarchy today known as The Persian Constitutional Revolution or Iranian
Constitutional Revolution.(Abrahamian, 1998, p. 50) This was never a fully accomplished revolution as the
rules were never executed as they should have. During the Pahlavi era, a practically absolute monarchy was
realized again. The events following the 1953 Iranian coup d'état led to the formation of the Islamic movement
in Iran which resulted in the 1979 Islamic Revolution which ousted the monarch from Iran. During the period of
time after the Islamic Revolution up to today, there has been much endeavour in forming really democratic
governance under an Islamic surveillance. The Islamic republic in Iran has not only been one of a kind in its
kind in the world, but it has been the first full realization of such governments in modern days. In this form of
governance the ruling is based on the teachings of Islam and the choice of the rulers is upon people, making it a
full mixture of democracy and Islamic governance essentially supported by public legitimacy and Islamic
oversight. Ayatollah Mutahhari‟s insights were essential in the formation and execution of such an enormous
ideological mixture which formed the backbone of the Islamic governance in Iran.
III. The History of Critical Intellectuality in Iran
Being formed around a century ago, modern intellectual thinking has been divided into religious and
pro-Western modern thinking. Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the pro-Western thinking in Iran is the
belief in separation between religion and politics [secularism]. The religious thinkers on the other hand are
trying to draw a connecting line between the two. We can say that the pro-Western thinkers assume that the
most important reason behind the maladies of the Islamic world in fact is the Islamic and local traditions of such
societies. Therefore they introduced religion as the single most important problem in the Islamic societies and
tried to decrease the role of religion in their societies so as to minimize its aspect on the society and
development. Their endeavour peaked in the 19th century in Iran. On the other hand, the religious thinkers
attempted to repel the impact of the modern world on the traditional societies hence some of them accepted in
some ways or the other the idea of influences of the modern world. This group, known as modernists includes
Dr Soroush. The other two groups of religious thinkers are traditionalist and the reformists-such as Ayatollah
Mutahhari.
Traditionalists try to repel the influence of the modern world on Islamic societies altogether. They
stand firmly against any attempt to introduce any Western-like influence or ideology in Islamic societies,
justifying their action by saying that the products of the West are completely against Islamic teachings, rejecting
any attempt to make them Islamic. Therefore they are anti-modernization and uncompromising.(Yousefi
Eshkevari, 1997, p. 38) They also consider democracy, liberty and human rights as Western and therefore anti-
Islamic.(Mesba Yazdi, 2000)
Reformists on the other hand are a lot more aware of the necessities and the events of the modern world
and therefore they are trying hard to represent religion with its old functions in the context of the modern world.
They lean against tradition and look forward to modernity. They constantly try to put a religious cap on the
modern products of the west and introduce them as religious, forming a totally new social necessity. Although
they believe in modernity, they still accept a vital role for tradition in Islamic societies. In other words, they try
to find the new necessities and meanings of the modern world in the context of old, religious texts and imply
that the new concepts, such as democracy, freedom, and human rights etcetera indeed existed in the religious
context long before the Western civilization came up with them.(Kazemi, 2008, p. 119)
Modernists do not accept the position of reformist on modernity, and they reject the notion of
extracting modern concepts from religious texts. They believe that it is religion which should make up its mind
and be present in the modern day lives by renewing and regenerating itself, not the modern concepts. They
believe that not every Western product is corrupting and in fact we can import the new, modern ideas on
technology, science and philosophy without doing any harm at all to religion and traditions.(Borojardi, 1996, p.
241) In the remaining of this essay, we will concentrate on the ideas of Dr Soroush and Ayatollah Mutahhari on
democracy. Ayatollah Mutahhari is the representative of the reformist religious thinkers who has the concern of
reviving the Islamic tradition in the modern day by reintroducing modern concepts in a religious manner and Dr
Soroush is a modernist who believes in the regeneration of society and religion based on modern concepts. They
both believe at the same time in religious reforms suitable to present day necessities.
IV. Soroush on Religion and democracy
Abdolkarim Soroush (Hosein Haj Faraj Dabbagh,) was born in 1945in Teheran, is an Iranian thinker,
reformer, Rumi scholar and a former assistant professor at the Insitute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, in
Tehran. In his ideology, politics and science are man-made but at the same time he believes that the existence of
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religious influence is necessary in politics of an Islamic society. He constrains the religious government to the
votes, and does not recognize a solely clerical religion. His reasoning is that focusing too much on the clerical
and organized part of the religion will interrupt his concentration on more important discussion in the field and
paralyzes his view of religion(Soroush, 1994a p. 353).He believes that religion is unable to involve in politics
directly and more secular products of humanity such as anthropology should have greater influence on politics.
He criticizes the silence on the discussions of politically-motivated Islamic thinkers such as Al-Farabi (aka as
Alpharabius 872–951)(Soroush, 1996, p. 2).
His other argument is about the definition of religion itself as he believes that if we do not have a
precise definition of religion, then talking about the religious politics is absurd. He sees religion as a personal
possession and believes that a religious politics is initially materialization of religious rules and then the
depiction of good deeds. Therefore, he concludes that being a Muslim is just a simple belief in the religion, and
thus good deeds are a by-product of this belief(Soroush, 1994a p. 355). He believes that a good deed based on
religion is mysticism:
A religious government is based more on people‟s understanding and experience of religion rather than
on the good deeds of its people.” (Soroush, 1996, p. 3)Therefore he emphasizes that “An Islamic regime is not
based on clerical influence, but it‟s rather as a result of the people‟s belief.” (Soroush, 1994a p. 355)And “The
Islamic regime is created to allow people to worship as they wish, based on their religious experience”(Soroush,
1994a pp. 355-356) Then he comes to this conclusion that “In a religious government, everyone is free to
choose the way of worship, on the other hand, in a clerical government, the clergy will use all its power to
prevent people from whatever way other than his own path (Soroush, 1994a p. 356).
He has a strong opinion on the topic of clerical interference in the matters of society. He believes that
in a real Islamic state, the government is surely not authorized to dictate the states of religion to its people,
whereas he believes that in a clerical form of governance, it is the clerical authority which has the power to
dictate his ideology to its people. In this view, belief is solely a matter of choice and should not be dictated and
it is exclusively based on the love of God and therefore useless to be dictated. He believes that the role of a
religious government is to prevent commitment of sin, especially in public and nothing more than that. His goal
in arguing this sort of things is a relentless endeavor to transform the society and the politics to a democratic
one. For this cause, he poses two questions for the leader (Soroush, 1996, p. 4):
1. Where does the right to govern come from, for the leader?
2. What is the form of government?
The answer to the 1st question needs the answer to the second. He believes that the right to govern is
obtained from the form of the government. Because it cannot be a God-installed right, then government in a
clerical view is controversial: “In an Islamic (clerical) government, the right to govern is said to be from the side
of God.” (Soroush, 1994a p. 357) His preferred role of people in government is for them to have the right to
choose whoever they think is suitable to rule them. After this, all are obliged to follow his rules since he is the
one who has the power to guardianship of the Islamic society. This fining process is obtained in the polls and the
leader is responsible for the rules to be followed as stated in the Sharia, and he has the power to dictate the
rules, even though people reject or fail to follow it.
On the other hand, no one is infallible, not even the Islamic leader, therefore, in the Islamic republic,
there is a body called the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership which has the power to supervise, elect and
remove one from the leadership of the country. He criticizes this structure and states that “the Assembly of
Experts of the Leadership are indeed legitimized by the leader himself now, if there comes a case in which the
leader is criticized by the members of the assembly, and at the same time the members are delegitimized by the
leader, then who is to have the last say?” (Soroush, 1994a p. 377). He believes that the assembly has to be
legitimized by other than the leader himself, since this causes a controversy in legitimization of the people who
are installed in a body who is supposed to criticize their own legitimizer.
By having this in mind, he uses another argument to further push the limit: if people have the right to remove
the leader, then they necessarily have to have the right to choose one: “If we accept that removing the
supervising is the right of people, then installing is the other end of the same thing” (Soroush, 1996, p. 4). He
adds:
The right to supervise necessarily changes the equation, this will add to the share of power which is
given to people, which is a depiction of a democratic country. Such a democratic rule has no contradiction with
Islam. But of course, such a ruling is very different from an Islamic government which is centered on the
supreme leader and a clergy.” (Soroush, 1996, p. 5)“If you accept the supervisory role of people in a
government, then other necessities of the same idea will also be considered: being human-based and
independent (Soroush, 1996, p. 5).
He is very opinionated on this limitation of power in an Islamic government and constraints it to what
most other governments, whether religious or secular, are. This is also depicted in his later arguments about
religion and its relationship with politics. He believes the rule of the leader in an Islamic country is not more
than „guidance‟ and it does not go further than observing the society as in the Islamic view the clergy are not
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supposed to be involved in government or the law making process of the country. Such a rule by the clergy
should not go beyond superficial aspects of personal lives.
In a democratic government, the government is obliged to prepare its people for a free religious
experimentation and selection. This preparation needs to be in a certain way. This is the way which defines how
a democratic country functions and whether the country is functioning in a democratic way. He asks a question
in order to define the role of a democratic, and at the same time Islamic government: is the role a necessity to
provide people with their material needs or is the role of a government to provide people for their religious and
non-material lives: He answers:
People have material need: food, shelter, immunity, well-being, health, regulation and so on. The
second step is the non-material needs including religion, art, beauty and alike. For a human to proceed from the
first to the second type of needs, he needs to fulfill his material needs first. Having a good relationship with God
is only accessible after the need for food and shelter is fulfilled.” Then he concludes that “The rule of the
government has to be limited to this fulfilment of the material needs of its people in the first place. When a
government does this successfully, it has indeed helped the religion of its people (Soroush, 1994a p. 370).
As mentioned before, by this belief there is not much difference between the functions of an Islamic and non-
Islamic government. The only difference is that now it is the society of the religious people and this fulfilment
of needs will indirectly help them to have a better religion. It is the same law and legislation otherwise.
If we are to consider any difference between Islamic and non-Islamic rulings, it is a matter of their
final destination, not the path. They both have to fulfill the needs of their people to let them choose the way they
want. But one is doing this to help the people‟s religion (Soroush, 1994a p. 375).Needless to say, a religion-
based government only finds its meaning in the suitable society; in which most of the people recognize the way
of ruling.
V. Democracy in the ideas of Murteza Mutahhari
(February 3, 1920 – May 1, 1979, an Iranian scholar, cleric, University lecturer, and politician). He
was one of the first clerics who discussed religion and democracy and the relationship between them. He
considered them to be compatible and believed that democracy is the outlook of the government whereas the
Islamic rule is its contest, and people freely choose the government which implements Islamic laws. He believed
that there is a real relationship between Islam and politics. He criticized those who believed that there is
something unclear about Islamic rule and said:
Those who think Islamic rule is not clear or democratic, actually think that whoever has an ideology to rule
people, is not democratic (Mutahhari, 1988a, p. 44).
He believed there are a number of criteria for a democratic government:
1. The right to choose: He believed that the right to choose is very different from the content of the government
they are voting for. Therefore, they can choose Islam or any other ideology and this does not affect the
democratic process which needs to be there (Mutahhari, 1988a, pp. 80-81).
2. Freedom: He believed that democracy needs freedom, as it is recommended in Islam. The idea of freedom in
the West is the human freedom to choose whatever they wish whereas in the Islamic context it means the
freedom to choose „what is good‟:
In Western democracy, the „animal‟ characteristics of human are freed, whereas in Islam, that part of humanity
is oppressed and the human part is freed (Mutahhari, 1988a, pp. 78-79) .
He believed that limiting freedom is not only a good thing for individuals, but it is a good for humanity:
it is impossible to understand and to believe in Islam without accepting the nature of humanity that Islam has in
mind (Mutahhari, 1988a, pp. 79-82) .
He believed that the freedom which is implemented in the West is not really human, but it is „humanistic‟ and
real human freedom is in Islam:
Freedom in the West is the freedom of „animal‟ side of humans, whereas the real freedom of humans is
implemented in Islam (Mutahhari, 1988a, pp. 100-105).
3. Rule of Law: It is very important in a democratic system of governance and thus has no controversy with
Islam. Nothing can be outside the Islamic rule and law. What differentiates Islamic law from secular laws is the
implementation of Islamic cannons in it (Mutahhari, 1988a, p. 83).
VI. Mutahhari’s Idea about the Compatibility between Islamic Republic and Democracy:
There is no clash between Islam and democracy in the Islamic Republic. Democracy does not
necessarily mean having no ideology, there is no conflict between Islamic rule and national interests (Mutahhari,
1988a, p. 86).Therefore he criticizes those who say it is not possible to have a national, Islamic rule at the same
time: Islam is a religion and at the same time an ideology to control a country. It suggests that Islamic
governments take up to Islamic laws (Mutahhari, 1988a, p. 83).
Therefore he believes that Islamic rule can be implemented in the country to be used as a ruling law since it is a
good way of living for its followers. He then explains that the Islamic republic is indeed an Islamic and at the
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5. Two Iranian Intellectuals: Ayatollah Morteza Motahari And Dr.Abdol-Karim Soroush And Islamic
same times a democratic government. In it, people are the real authority to choose their leaders. In Islam, there
is an emphasis on dialogue between the Prophet and his followers; this is a sign of respect of Islam on the role
of people in government. The leaders in an Islamic government are committed to follow the rules of Islam,
otherwise it is not an Islamic government. Therefore, Islamic democracy is the exact opposite of Western
democracy: Secular democracy is corrupt, whether Western or Eastern. Islamic democracy is accepted
(Khomeini 1961, p. 238).
7.2 Guardianship of the Jurist in Mutahhari’s Opinion:
He believed in overall control of the Jurist in a society. In his opinion, the Jurist‟s rule is not in
executive positions, but rather on overall supervision. The role of the Jurist in an Islamic government is not
ruling, but rather, it is supervision. In an Islamic country in which people have accepted Islamic law, the role of
a leader is to be an „ideologue‟, not a boss. He should supervise to make sure that the Islamic rule is indeed
implemented properly (Mutahhari, 1988a, pp. 85-86).
Anyhow, he believed in a deep and wide range of authorities for the Jurist: “People elect their leader,
this is the essence of democracy” (Mutahhari, 1988a, p. 86). He strongly believed that having an ideology does
not mean excluding democracy: “All countries have political parties and they necessarily follow a certain set of
beliefs and ideologies” (Mutahhari, 1988a, pp. 80-81).
He explains that the leadership of the Islamic republic is actually a „symbol‟ of democracy:
The leader is not installed. He is elected. This is exactly the essence of democracy. If he were to be installed,
then that is against democracy (Mutahhari, 1988a, p. 86) .
Therefore, he emphasized on the Godly and people oriented characters of the leader. He considers the Islamic
statehood to be impossible in case of loosing acceptance in the public. He believed that the difference starts
from the point that people can only choose the „best‟ candidate among the jurists, not anyone they wish
(Qurbani, 2005, p. 291). He emphasized the people‟s role to the extent that he believed:
Even if people do not accept the leader due to lack of information, no one can obligate them to accept the leader
(Mutahhari, 1986, p. 207).
He answers to the question of a clash between Islamic rule and democracy by saying:
In an Islamic state, the leader is not the executor of the laws, but he is rather an ideologue who has the role of
supervision in the proper implementation of Islamic laws, not executing them (Mutahhari, 1982a, p. 86).
He also believed that there is no real difference between democracy and leadership in the Islamic Republic, the
guardianship of the jurist is an ideological guardianship, which is „elected‟ by the people. This is indeed the
essence of democracy (Mutahhari, 1982a, p. 86).
VII. Conclusion
The Iranian religious intellectuals have always had two major roles in Iran: (1) socio-political
influence, (2) producing thoughts. Their aim has always been radical in introducing modern ideologies and
updating the religion based on the teachings of the modern world, including ideas such as human rights,
equality, liberty and resistance against dictators. But their most important aim has been to reform religion and
make it more compatible with the modern values. Most of these intellectuals tried in one way or the other to
reduce the distance between religion and modern identity. In the eyes of AbdolKarim Soroush, , the humanist
values are the main resource of religious thoughts and teachings and not the other way around. That is,
democracy and liberty is not a value extracted from religion, but the religion itself is extracted from human
values and understanding. In other words, what Mutahhari considered „Islamic democracy‟, Soroush considers
„Democratic Islam‟(Soroush, 1994a p. 3). His endeavour is not to Islamize anything, but he tries to make
Islamic theories compatible with modern values. In his ideology, science, equality, liberty, reality etc cannot be
„Islamized‟ and they have to be understood as they are. His Islamic view is not based upon Islamic values such
as “Shura” but it is rather based on secular values such as human rights and democracy. He differentiates
between religious democracy and democratic religion and writes: “it is not because of the religious government
that people are religious, but it is rather because of the religious people that religious governments come to
power.”(A.-k. Soroush, 1994b, p. 10)
He believes that if the religious people take the power in a democratic government, the government
will be religious too, but the other way around is necessarily failed. In this view, he is actually emphasizing on a
religious belief without physical deeds, as an Islamic country without the proper Islamic ruling is not a complete
Islamic utopia. He intends to remove the Fiqh from the face of government in an Islamic country although it is
the backbone of religious governance. In this ideology, the supervisory positions in the Islamic country leaves
no space for the governance of a jurist and limits the Islamic government to providing necessary materials for
the believers to worship freely. Such an interpretation of Islamic rule is nothing but a superficially modified
secularism with an essence of Islamic rule. Such a ruling is neither religiously legitimate nor it emphasizes on
correct implementation of the Islamic rules. Thus it has nothing much different from a secular view point of
government, with an Islamic paint on the surface.
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6. Two Iranian Intellectuals: Ayatollah Morteza Motahari And Dr.Abdol-Karim Soroush And Islamic
Murteza Mutahhari, believed in some sort of revival too. He believed that all the modern day values
have somehow existed in the religious text and could be therefore compatible with religion. He legitimizes the
core values of the modern day world by giving to them a religious root. He believed that in order to purify
religion we have to have a flexible, juristically driven evolution, but not changing the religion itself. He believed
that democracy is achievable in the context of a religious rule and this right should be given to people to choose
the form of government they want in this frame. He believed the first step in establishing a religious government
is to accept the choice of people. Thus, governments cannot oblige people to follow them, even because of
religious considerations or alike. By considering all these differences in view, these thinkers have all one
concern: protecting and developing religion.
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