International Seminar on Islam and Democracy: What is the Real Problem?

Abstract

On 6 April 2013, IAIS Malaysia and the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) co-organised an International Seminar on “Islam and Democracy: What is the Real Problem?” There was consensus among the speakers that the Qur’an and Sunnah prescribe no form of government but insist on commitment to principles such as justice (‘adl) and welfare (maslahah), thus implying the “compatibility” of democracy with Islam. Prof Mohammad Hashim Kamali (Founding Chairman and CEO, IAIS Malaysia) in his keynote address drew attention to the institutions of democracy, seeing in them prospects for the crystallisation of Qur’anic principles of consultation (shura), consensus (ijma’) and independent reasoning (ijtihad).