Islam is democracy! [Archives:2003/657/Letters to the Editor]

Afrah Jaan
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I am a young woman who embraced Islam a few months ago and was in the process of looking into moving to the Middle East. I was hoping that moving in that part of the world would enable me to live in a more Islamic environment. I spoke to a few sisters at my local mosque and was surprised to hear the negativity the Arab Muslim women feel about their homeland. I was even more surprised at their shocked looks when I said that I would prefer to live in a society that is an Islamic state rather then living in a society that is driven by “western democracy”. My 3 years of research and studying Islam prior to reverting leads me to believe that Islam is democracy. So why then do we look elsewhere? I believe there is no form of democracy that can measure up to the rights and freedom Islam gives men, women and children in all matters be it personal, marital, legal or stately affairs. I suppose my question is then why are not all countries in the Middle East Islamic States? Why do we need a “domino effect” geared by the West to start the process of their version of “democracy” when in reality Muslim countries already have the tools to create such an environment for its people?
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