A major survey in the form of a book Who Speaks for Islam, saying it represents one billion Muslims around the world, has found that the majority favours democratic rights and representative government, rather than any of their radical alternatives. The poll, conducted over a period of five years, covering 35 countries and 50,000 respondents, found that most wanted freedom of speech and representation. At the same time however they wanted the sharia as their law.That’s where the rub is. What is not articulated is the fact that Muslims want “free and fair” elections to get rid of their rulers who can go on for decades before they leave power.
So far the experiment with democracy in Pakistan and Bangladesh is that it begins correctly but then tends to lean heavily in favour of an “Islamic longing” without a clear idea of governance. Islam is exploited by politicians and clergy alike to bring about a system that is not democratic at all.
Law-making is done without “scrutiny of reason” and laws made without rational justification then pervert society without being revoked. Non-Muslims and women suffer under the democracy Muslims want. They must realise that democracy is not just elections and the freedom of speech, pluralism, equality of citizens and diversity are some of prerequisites for a genuine democracy.