Democracy versus Theocracy
Definition of Democracy:
It is the rule of the people
It is an ideology or methodology
Democracy started 800 BC in Athens as a solution to prevent
despotism
It developed over 100 years .
Democracy in Roma was modified to fit Roman people, they
obtained rights but limited to
The male free Romans
Features of Democracy in Islam
Individual responsibility
Equal right for all people
Opinion for all people “Shura”
Collective social responsibility and duty
Deconstructions of Democracy
1-people choose their rulers , the ruler serve ,the
rulers are servant
2-No coercion or compulsion in the selection
3-people can question and evaluate the rulers
4-The rulers uphold the law equally on all
5 people have the right to fire the ruler
Democracy:
Will require freedom of expression
Right to assemble and form parties that adopts a set of ideas
Constitutionalism:
There should be a social contract between the ruler and the ruled
Based on what the people or the majority of them consider
essential for their values and well being
Theocracy:
The word Dawla (state) mentioned one time in the Quran
The word Umma (group, people , or nation)49 times in the
Quran
Theocracy:
The ruler is ruling based on the authority given to him by
God. He represents God
He is the shade of God on earth. His orders are the will of
God
In Theocracy the ruler took the form of king, royal blue
blood,
It is passed to them by their predecessor and passed by
them to their offspring
The term is per life
Shura is superfluous
Opposing them is standing against God
He is the interpreter of the scripture
He applies the Sharia
The clergy are the most qualified to rule
These verses are misinterpreted
‫ٱَّلل َوأَ ِطيعُو ْا ٱلرَّ سُو َل َوأ ُ ْولِى‬
َ ‫َيـٰٓأ َ ُّي َہا ٱلَّ ِذ‬
َ َّ ‫ين َءا َم ُن ٰٓو ْا أَ ِطيعُو ْا‬
‫ٱَّلل‬
ِ َّ ‫أٱۡلَ أم ِر ِمن ُكمأ ۖ َفإِن َت َنـ َز أع ُتمأ فِى َش أى ٍ۬ء َف ُر ُّدوهُ إِلَى‬
‫ك َخ أي ٍ۬ر‬
ِ َ‫ٱَّلل َو أٱل َي أو ِم أٱۡل‬
َ ِ‫خ ِ ۚر َذٲل‬
ِ َّ ‫ون ِب‬
َ ‫ُول إِن ُكن ُتمأ ُت أؤ ِم ُن‬
ِ ‫َوٱلرَّ س‬
ً‫َوأَ أح َسنُ َت أأ ِويال‬
٥٩

An-Nisa
O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you
who are in authority; and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer
it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in truth) believers in Allah and the
Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end. (59)
ّ ‫س ۡو َرةُ ال‬
‫شوری‬
ُ
‫ين أ‬
‫صلَو َة‬
َّ ‫ٱس َت َجابُو ْا لِ َرب ِِّہمأ َوأَ َقامُو ْا ٱل‬
َ ‫َوٱلَّ ِذ‬
ُ ‫َوأَ أم ُرهُمأ‬
‫ون‬
َ ُ‫ورى َب أي َنہُمأ َو ِممَّا َر َز أق َنـ ُهمأ يُنفِق‬
َ ‫ش‬
)٣٨(
Ash-Shura
And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and
whose affairs are a matter of counsel, and who spend of what We have
bestowed on them, (38)