Religious Challenges to Constructing a Democratic Iraq

Islam has been Iraq’s dominant religion for centuries. The religion plays an important part in every aspect of Iraq’s society, to include its government. A democracy gives freedom to a nation’s people, embracing the many characteristics of Christianity. It can be argued that Islam is, and will continue to be a cornerstone of any government in Iraq. Likewise, Christianity will be a cornerstone of many democratic countries. The challenge is to explore the relationship of a democracy in Iraq, and whether the relationship will work considering the prevalent Islam religion. The Challenge of Establishing a Democracy in Iraq

It has been seven years since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime. One clear objective since the start of the war was to instill a government where all citizens could enjoy the same freedoms of other democratic countries. However, instilling democracy in a Muslim society can be huge hurdle to overcome. The representative features of a democratic government may not necessarily align with the religious, norms of a Muslim society. To gain an understanding of the basis of a democracy in Iraq, the history and predominant religion must be carefully dissected. The history and associated religion, along with the tenets of democracy, must be carefully unraveled to draw a comparison between the two. Only then can one ascertain whether a democracy can thrive in Iraq. History of Iraq

Commonly known as the birthplace of the world, or Mesopotamia, to be exact, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is regarded as the possible location of the Garden of Eden. Iraq has been a country of conflict and invasion all the way back to the fourth century BC, when the conqueror, Alexander the Great, devastated the area (Boyd, 2003, p. 4). The Sumerians were the first significant rulers, soon to be followed by Sargon I, the Akkadians, and finally, the Emmalites (Boyd, 2003, p. 4). Muhammad’s time in 610 AD, marked a very important point in Iraq’s history. During this time, Islam would come into being. The introduction of Islam would bring peace and rivalry, predominantly displayed amongst Muslims and Abbasid caliphs. Centuries later, and the beginning of WW I, British troops would invade the region and impose their power.

Shortly after the war, the League of Nations gave Britain, Syria, and France authority over the country. Although the country would become independent in 1932, it would again fall under British control to prevent a pro-Nazi overthrow (Boyd, 2003, p. 4). In 1947, Iraq finally gained its independence. Independence would bring about several decades of military leaders rule in an attempt to organize the government. These attempts would ultimately fail, until 1968. This would be the year, the Ba’ath party would take power (William, 2000, p. 91). One man would quickly climb to the top, due to much quarrelling amongst party ranks. This man, Saddam Hussein, would eventually emerge as president and leader of the party until April of 2003. Iraq’s history saw much conflict and hardship throughout, but there was one highlight – the introduction of Islam. To better understand the primary religion of Iraq, it’s best to take a look at its history. History of Islam

According to author, Spencer William (2000), in his book, Iraq: Old Land, New Nation in Conflict, he notes that Iraq is the “world center for Islam” (S. William, 2000, p. 31) To gain a better understanding about the people of Iraq, it is important to take a look at the history of its main religion. Islam traces its roots back to the prophet, Muhammad ibn Abdallah (570-632 AD). Muslims believe that Muhammad followed God’s instructions through revelations from the Archangel Gabriel. Muhammad called on the people to acknowledge a faith in Allah (Gregorian, 2003, p. 5). Allah was the Arabic word for God, and believed to be the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (Gregorian, 2003, p. 5). Revelations came to Muhammad, starting in 610 during the ninth lunar month, or Ramadan, until his death in 632. These revelations were transcribed in the Qur’an. Author Gregorian (2003) notes the words of the Qur’an: “It is cult of your father, Abraham. He was the one who named you Muslims”(Gregorian, V, 2003, p. 6). “Muslims” would become the name for those who follow the Islam faith. Islam is similar to Judaism and Christianity in that it is a prophetic religion.

This means the receipt of God’s messages to humanity through prophets. The core axioms of Islam are Towhid, the unity of God; Nowbowat, belief in the prophetic mission of Muhammad; and Ma’ad, belief in the day of judgment and resurrection (Gregorian, 2003, p. 7). Additionally, there are five tenets called the Pillars of Faith that every Muslim must observe as follows: bear true faith in God, and that belief in Muhammad as his prophet; to pray five times a day towards Mecca, give a portion of his or her income as a tax, and one fifth of their income to the poor; fast during the day, the whole month of Ramadan; and make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca, if able. The early spread of Islam was quite remarkable.

Almost all the tribes of Arabia had converted to Islam in 632, upon Muhammad’s death. Almost a century after the religions birth, the Muslim community would grow into one of the largest in the world (Gregorian, 2003, p. 11). The Qur’an notes coexiststance with Jews and Christians, and identifies them as “People of the Book” (Gregorian, 2003, p. 9). Muslims believe it was Abraham and his son Ishmael who rebuilt the Kaaba in Mecca, which is believed to be the oldest monotheistic temple. Along with Abraham, Muslims consider Moses and Jesus to be great prophets. Like Christians, Muslims accept the New Testament. However; unlike Christians, Islam did not sustain a centralized organization. (Gregorian, 2003, p. 14). The decentralization of Islam would result into two main sects; the Sunni and Shia. Through the revelations received by Muhammad, and divisions of the religion there is still common tenets. To understand the religion completely, an interpretation of the principles and characteristics is in order. Tenets of Islam

Islam is a religion based on pluralism. It is believed that the absence of religious professionals in the religion led to emergence of several different sects, which practiced the faith differently. This historically, and common day, has led to dispute and competition among these different sects (Ömer, 2003, p. 122). It seems the loan Islam requirement is that every scholar interpret the Qur’an in accordance with his or her historical background. This will lead to a practical understanding of the religion. One important observation about the religion and its relationship with government is stated by the leading scholar, Ömer (2003), “Islamic theology does not contain a comprehensive list of injunctions about the theory of political governance. The Qur’an only mentions a number of moral principles, which are relevant to political governance, and not about its fundamental principles and organizational structure” (Ömer, 2003, p. 108).

It has been noted that the Qur’an alludes to past societies and rulers, but focuses primarily on how these rulers provided justice rather how they formatted the structure of politics. Somewhat similar to beliefs of Christianity and Judaism, parts of the Qur’an identify acts of transgression committed by former societies/rulers as grounds for destruction by God. Those who were just rulers and obeyed God’s orders, were favored. According to Ömer (2003), “Prophets like David and Solomon, who also served as kings, were the type of rulers who are praised in the Qur’an for acting justly and compassionately towards their people” (Ömer, 2003 p. 108). As noted above, the Qur’an is focused on the moral behavior of societies rather the format of politics. With this being said how would it relate to a democracy? To determine any relation, the history of democracy should be examined for compatibility. History of Democracy

Democracy comes from the Greek word demokratia, meaning “the people,” and kratein, meaning “to rule”(Strauss, 1994, p. 32). The Greek system of government was very close to being a true democracy, or rule by the people, than any other country in history. Every male Athenian citizen was given a chance to play at least a small part in self-government (Strauss, 1994, p. 33). Roman democracy was similar to that of Greece, but not to same extent. The Roman government was a representative democracy, which had elected officials (magistrates) such as tribunes, the praetors, the consuls, the pro-consuls, etc. These individuals acted for Rome, but did so on the advice of the Senate (North, 1994, p. 39). In 1215 AD, the Magna Carta opened the door to a more democratic system in England. Although its development wasn’t necessarily intended to be a model for a democratic government, it had the inner workings to create a democratic government by. Created through an act of rebellion, the document was solution to feudal governance.

The Magna Carta contained some hefty clauses that in succeeding centuries evolved into keystone principles of democratic government and human rights (Sharp, 2006, p. 28). In 1628, England’s Petition of Rights stipulated that the King could no longer tax without parliament’s permission and the 1689 Bill of Rights provided freedom of speech and banned cruel or unusual punishment. These bills would have an impact on Parliament by giving the people more right to express themselves. These previous reforms may not have made England a true democracy at the time, but they did incorporate democratic ideals that would be eventually used to form the government of the United States. With an understanding of the beginnings of democracy, it’s important to look at how the predominate religion in America relates to it. Christianity and Democracy

Democracy evolution matched that of Christianity, dating back to the third century to Aurelius Augustinus, who was very important for bringing Greek thought into Christianity. Augustinus, or Augustine of Hippo is a saint and well-renowned expert in the church. He’s also known by Protestants as ancestor of Protestantism. Augustine intentions were to get Christians to recognize the distinction between church and state. His work supported the idea of a unified Christian commonwealth organization (Maddox, 2002 p. 91). A later theologian, Jean Calvin, would build upon what Augustine started. Jean Calvin would become a dominant religious figure through his widespread Protestant influence and restoration of the church’s institutional structure (Graham, 2002, p. 121). Calvin influenced the government of Geneva to integrate the official functions of church and restatement of natural law, meaning to serve the interests of God’s kingdom (Graham, 2002, p. 123).

His insistence on the separation of church and state led to the tem “Calvinism.” Calvinism referred to the resistance against the state to lay down laws for religion. Calvinism would later spread to America, with a promotion of religious freedom -true tenets of a democracy. Within the Christian tradition there are differences between Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, and Protestantism, but all share a common theme when it comes to Christianity and democracy. Minkenberg (2007) makes the comment that, “recent data and cross-time comparisons confirm that democracy’s roots are in countries which are culturally shaped by Christianity” (Minkenberg, 2007, p. 887). Furthermore, it can be argued that Western civilization separates religion and the state as in compliance with the tenets of a democracy. The separation is major contributor to the freedom enjoyed by the Western Civilization (Minkenberg, 2007, p. 893). It’s difficult to say whether religion should mix with the state, but understanding the guiding principles of democracy may help in answering this question. Tenets of Democracy

Before comparing the relationship between Islam and democracy, a clarification of democracy is in order. Democracy is accepted by political thought students as a means of governance, prevailing in both traditional and modern societies (Ömer, 2003, p. 107). The concept of democracy well known for its dominance in Western civilization (Giovani, 1987, p. 3). According to Giovani (1987), democracy literally means “power of the people,” and that the power belongs to the people (Giovani, 1987, p. 7). The infamous values of democracy are human rights and liberties, and government representatives chosen by the people. The cornerstones of a democracy are characterized by the process of election, the establishment of accountability systems and the implementation of the rule of law (Spicker, 2008, p. 252).

Principles, such as human rights and liberties, must be in place in order for a government to be truly labeled a democracy. This is includes periodic elections, constitutional government, majority rule, and accessibility of the media (Ömer, 2003, p. 107). Two major forms of democracy are direct or indirect. In a government based on direct democracy, decisions are taken by the whole body of citizens. Indirect democracy is usually represented by a small group of citizens, who make decisions on behalf of the whole body. Indirect democracy is usually more common. These tenets are just some of the requirements for a government or society to garner the “democracy” label. Understanding the background of Islam and democracy is just a start. To determine whether they can coexist, a comparison is in order.

Islamic Thought vs. the Keystones of a Democracy
Caliphate, emperorship and kingship types of government had a long history for Muslim societies, but were not inherent with Muslim beliefs. However, this was not necessarily a pressing issue for Islam (Ömer, 2003, p. 106). According to Ömer (2003), the five major religious beliefs in the world (Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam), Islam has been furthest from democracy (Ömer, 2003, p. 106). Loyalty to the family and to the tribe does not align with the principles of democratic government, where as the majority rule (Ben-Meir, 2006, p. 84). Even today, most Islamic countries are governed by non-democratic regimes. Some of these regimes have constructed authoritarian structures under the absolute rule of a cult leader, a party leader, or a king.

These types of governments do not put peoples’ rights as a priority to running the country. Whereas, The most fundamental values of democracy are human rights and liberties. Ömer (2003) states that “it has been evident that democracy, among its alternatives, is the unique form of government that strives to guarantee the rights of all minorities and individuals on the basis of the rule of law” (Ömer, 2003, p. 107). Even though there are differences between Islamic and democratic thought, there is hope. India’s success at establishing democracy in regards to its nation’s religions, is testament that Islam and democracy can mix. This leads to the very important question: can a democracy take hold in Iraq, considering the Islamic beliefs of the country? Can Democracy Take Hold in an Islamic Iraq?

On one hand; radical Islamic approaches or reactive movements, seem to reject everything that comes from the West. This attitude can contradict the social basis of trying to make democracy in a Muslim country work (Ömer, 2003, p. 132). Another issue for the Iraqi people is the ideology of political Islamism. The religion is not necessarily open to the core values and practices of democracy, namely pluralism and power-sharing (Tibi, 2009, p. 136). On the other hand; it seems after the removal of Saddam, religion has become a new creed for resistance against foreign presence. Islam is once again being promoted as an all-encompassing aspect of life for the Iraqi people. According to Milton-Edwards (2006), “there is now an effort to secure the identity of the society – including the state – on the basis of faith” (Milton-Edwards, 2006, p. 473). Some intellectuals have concentrated on the rebuttal inherent in Muslim fundamentalist arguments against democracy.

One of the authors of this discourse, Abdel Karim Soroush, proclaimed that principles of democracy remain compatible with Islam (as cited in Milton-Edwards, 2006). It seems that the Iraq Muslims need to understand the tenets of a democratic civilization in order for it to be successful. Clearly, democratic ideals are most in tune with the tenets of Islam, not the authoritarian political structures prevailing in some countries surrounding Iraq. The system of rights and liberties under a democracy may not stand a chance without the support of the Islam faithful. This is supported by professor Milton-Edward’s reference, ” because of this there is a widespread belief that in Iraq Islam is an inhibitor to the development of democracy in a post-authoritarian, post-war, post-occupation state. My argument here, however, is that without Islam the development of the Iraqi polity in terms of both state and nation will be stunted, artificial and limited in terms of the development of democratic governance” (Milton-Edward, 2006). Iraq can convert to a democracy, but Islam needs to play an important part in this conversion. Conclusion

Instilling democracy in a Muslim society can be a huge hurdle to overcome. The representative features of a democratic government may not necessarily align with the religious, norms of a Muslim society. Looking at the history of Iraq and Islam and comparing it to the history of a democracy, it seems the comparison is black and white. Further comparison of the tenets of Islam and democracy reveal few similarities. This diffence was highlighted by the many sources exploring the relationship of a democracy in a Muslim society. Islam contains moral principles concerning values that determine the direction of social life.

With this being said, it can be argued that these moral principles are more compatible with a democratic than a nondemocratic regime. Democracy and its tenets did not occur rapidly and the same can be said for Islam. This means the freezing of a democratic form of government in Iraq is going to take time. However, in my opinion, I believe it could be quite plausible. The basis of Islam is on moral behavior of societies rather than the format of politics, as noted above by Dr. Ömer. I agree with this notion, as it implies a separation of the state and the religion. Democracy’s promotion of human rights and liberties and its alignment with Christianity, shares similar core beliefs as Islam. In ending, we can only hope there is acceptance of democracy in an Islamic Iraq, and that one day all Iraqi citizens will enjoy the same freedoms as other democratic countries.

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