It has been a big debate about Secularism, Democracy and Islam. whether it's possible to have them one packet in peace and at ease?!. or the problem is bigger and deeper. As it seems in the strong impact of religion in the Muslim
countries made it hard to establish a secular society. Islam exerts a strong
power over every aspect of Muslim's life, starting from diet and how to enter
the bathroom to the relations between family or sexes or people and the ruler.
. Islam forbids demonstrating against any tyrant, unless he left Islam. I said he,
because Islam doesn't allow women to judge or to rule along with the non Muslims.
it's so clear if we take Egypt as an example, religion has been always powerful. Depsite the fact of the existence of religious minorities, president "Sadat" would prefer calling
himself the "Muslim president" for a "Muslim country". In
Fact, all Presidents were always interesting to show their religiosity,
thinking it's more attractive image for Egyptians. Rather than giving an image
of a wise civic president.
The
Only real secular experience happened in Turkey when the founder of modern Turkey "Ataturk"
put Islam aside and start to secularize the society by force. Abolishing the
hair veil for women, or the Azan in mosques and every religious aspect of
life.
Egypt knew secularism with the British
occupation. In 1880s and early 1900s. The most popular Egyptian party was a
secular party (Alwafd party), raising the slogan: 'Egypt is for all the
Egyptians' no matter their religion or sex or ethnic. In that time also the
very important book of of "Ali Abdel Razek": Islam and the
foundations of governance, calling for Islam to be out of political life or
what we know as secularism. His book was banned. But the debate didn't end.
It said that these times were the only
opportunity Egypt could establish a secular society before revolution of 1952 that
ban all parties, including "AlWafd" and the imapct of the rich Petro-Countries
with their extremist comprehension of Islam and its impact on the Egyptian
society.
Secularism, in my opinion, have to divide not
only religion but also any fascist ideology that could intervene with the
people freedom whether it's religion or Nationalism. "Nasser" tried
to secularize Egypt but he replaced the religion with Nationalism. somehow, he just turned one side of the same coin.
It's not healthy for both secularism or democracy.
It's not healthy for both secularism or democracy.
Democracy itself is an absurd and in vain without a secular
society. Democracy can't be exerted without a real existence of
secularism in the society and of course, without non healthy rule as the
military that running Egypt now..
