Sunday, September 16, 2018

Clash of Democracies


The modern concept of democracy emerged like a sun in the darkest period of European history when people were being oppressed in the hands of Catholic popes. It gave voice to the destitute people to determine their own political future on their own terms and helped them to choose their leaders. John Locke added the concept of human rights in it. After its test by history, it is now called Western Democracy. But, prior to this, Arabs developed and nurtured their own concept of democracy which made its way in the east through trade and preaching of Islam which is now termed as the Eastern Democracy. Both concepts are based on different ideologies and have their own cultures and civilizations. The essay of Clash of Civilizations by Samuel P Huntington, published in the Foreign Affairs magazine in 1996 is a clear proof of the distinction between them. Now, the question is, "How these two philosophies are different from each other and what is the basis of these concepts?' Although, they differ in many ways but three basic concepts are the most important of them.
      
        1-Concept of supreme authority

The concept of supreme authority is very crucial in determining the right use of power in the country. In a western democracy, the leaders, selected by the peoples, have supreme authority over the people and state and are only accountable to the people in case if they do not fulfill their duties. This supreme authority title, sometimes, goes wrong and leaders consider themselves they can do whatever they want. And the chances of power misuse increase. But in the easter democracy, Supreme leader is God and leaders are just His "Naib"(Vice) who are accountable to both, to God and the people. God supervises their personal actions as well as their duties according to their posts in this world. It makes leaders humble and stops them from crossing the limits during power.

         2-Concept of the Source of Law

Source of law determines the social, political and economic development of a country. In a western democracy, parliament is the lawmaking body on the basis of majority vote. Laws are formed on the wishes of the majority group which, sometimes, lead them to form rules totally against human nature. For example, the homosexual law in some western countries and recently in India has been passed. But in the easter democracy, laws have already been given in the form of The Holy Quran and The Sunnah of Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). Although, parliamentarians can make the rules but within the limits of Shariah. In this way, no law can be passed against human nature.

        3-Concept of Moral Values

Moral values show the culture and civilization of any nation. In a western democracy, the concept of moral values is dynamic and can be changed with the passage of time on the basis of the wishes of the people. If something is bad today morally, it may be right and acceptable to society tomorrow. Many scientists of Europe were sentenced on the basis of their homosexual behavior and one of them was Alan Turing, the father of the theoretical computer and the Artificial Intelligence, who had to suicide to avoid the punishment of homosexuality. But, now, it is acceptable to western society and in those who follow them like India. But the eastern concept of moral values is static. It does not change the wishes of people. Its character is universal in nature and can never be changed because these moral values have been defined by God, not by the people. That is the reason why easter democratic countries have a vibrant social structure as compared to the western

Hence, Samuel P Huntington was right in his prophecy of the clash of the Islamic and the western civilization. The civil wars in the middle east and the suppression of Muslim movements in Palestine and Kashmir are the recent examples of the struggles to make the western concept dominant and to eliminate the Muslims. And the Muslims are very happy in buying of the billions of dollars of weapons from the west to destroy their own homeland. The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is a source of shame for the Muslim world. The Muslims should think of beyond their personal interests otherwise this clash of democracies would be a final war of the western philosophy to dominate the whole world and the Muslim civilization would be eliminated.

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