In October 2002, the Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID), in partnership with local groups, organized organizing three workshops, one each in Morocco, Egypt, and Lebanon. The purpose of these workshops was to bring together 20 to 30 political thinkers, leaders, and activists in each country to discuss the obstacles to democracy and develop a common platform and agenda for democratization. The workshops sought to bridge the gap between democracy advocates – both secularists and Islamists – and develop an acceptance of democratic process as a way of resolving political disputes and differences, while rejecting violence and repression.
The 2-day workshops were held in the following places:
- Rabat, Morocco
- Cairo, Egypt
- Sanaa, Yemen
A report on the workshops is available in both and English version (PDF) and an Arabic version (PDF).
I. BACKGROUND:
The calamity of the September 11th terrorist attack committed by a network of terrorist groups shocked Muslims all over the world. On the one hand, the incident put a spotlight on the extent of abuse of Islam by radical groups. On the other hand, it underscored the dire conditions in the Middle East and the urgent need for democratic reforms in Muslim countries. Up until recently, democrats suffered most at the hands of military dictatorships and secular governments, be it Marxists, pan-Arab nationalists or socialists. Due to the failure of these ideologies and their use by secular Arab governments to oppress their citizens, many of the region’s people have turned to religion as a method of protest against political repression and economic hardship. Corruption and economic mismanagement by the regimes and political elites have provided fertile ground for political movements based on religious ideology.
However, the agenda of the politicized Islamic movements regarding accountable governance and modernization programs is confusing. Recent attempts to govern in the name of Islam and the general politicization of Islam at the hands of religious leaders and/or Islamic parties have brought dismal results. In particular, the many acts of political violence committed in the name of Islam by radical groups have stimulated a debate among democrats on how to deal with different interpretations of Islamic values, especially on the compatibility of Islam with modern socio-political values of democracy, human rights, and pluralism. September 11 has heightened such debates and created a climate for serious and far reaching reviews among religious intellectual and secular democrats.
Islam is normally interpreted by theological schools, which usually have limited experience with public institutions. Since theological schools are apolitical by tradition, forms of political Islam are interpretations developed and propagated by the combination of an activist clergy and political groups. Moreover, radical and violent groups are utilizing Islam to legitimize terror and gain popularity. Their efforts are often used by dictators to justify repressive emergency laws and squeeze democrats, both religious and secular. However, there are Islamists who favor a modern interpretation of their religion and liberal attitudes on dialogue and development and they are rising in numbers. Still, they lack the coordination and support necessary to project this view in Muslim countries. Although these liberal “Islamists” are perceived to be part of the main body of the Islamic movement, their viewpoint receives neither support nor encouragement from traditional and/or political groups. Moreover, liberal Islamists, who share with secular democrats a wide range of concerns, including lack of democracy in Muslim countries and the abuse of religion by radical groups, have not yet developed a meaningful public dialogue to address these widespread concerns.
CSID believes that promoting a debate between liberal Islamists and other democrats on an interpretation of Islam, which is modern and compatible with universal human rights, pluralism and democracy, will strengthen democrats in their struggle against extremism and authoritarianism.
II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
- To develop a network among democrats in the region.
- To promote an interpretation of Islam, which is modern and compatible with universal human rights, pluralism and democracy.
- To provide a platform for democrats, both Islamists and secularists, to address mutual concerns about democracy and Islam.
III. PROJECT ACTIVITIES:
CSID, in coordination with local organizations in the region, will hold three, two-day workshops in Egypt, Morocco and Yemen on the theme of “Who speaks for Islam and Democracy?” These workshops are held in response to demands from CSID’s affiliates in the region to engage Islamists and secularists, with the participation of Muslim democrats from other countries, in the controversial debate about Islam and democracy. The workshops will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, sharing experiences, and developing a strategy to address shared concerns in Muslim countries. In Morocco, CSID will coordinate the workshop with Dr. Mokhtar Benabdalloui, a scholar who works with Prologues and a NED grantee working on civic education in Morocco. In Egypt, CSID will co-host the meeting with Mr. Abou Elela Mady, the director of Egypt Center for Culture and Dialogue, a moderate Islamist members well known for his liberal views.
CSID will work with its local partners to develop the agenda for the respective workshops, define topics and select participants. Tentatively, the local partners have compiled lists of participants, which include known academics, writers and heads of civic and political organizations. In addition to local participants, each workshop will include two participants from CSID and one participant from each of the other local partners in the other two countries. Prior to the workshop, all participants will be invited to submit brief papers on one or more of the proposed themes. CSID and its local partners will then finalize the workshop program, its themes, and the list of participants and presenters. Tentatively, each workshop will have eight sessions on the following themes: Who speaks for Islam and Democracy?; What is ‚ÄòLiberal Democracy’?; Can there be an ‚ÄòIslamic Democracy’?; Reconciling Islamic thoughts with universal human rights and minority rights; Pluralism and diversity in Islamic thought; How to deal with political violence and state repression?; Obstacles preventing democratic alliances between Islamists and secularists; Guidelines towards a shared platform; Recommendations for follow-up activities.
CSID will publish summaries of these workshops in its newsletter. An English summary on each workshop will also be produced and made available on the Internet. CSID’s local affiliates will produce and distribute 500 copies of an Arabic report on each workshop, which will include the full proceedings and discussions.
IV. EVALUATION PLAN:
CSID will evaluate the effectiveness of this project through tracking the following:
- Assess the impact of the workshop on the participants by distributing a questionnaire, before and after the training sessions, designed as an evaluation sheet to assess the value of the workshop.
- Monitor responses of political thinkers and activists in the region towards this initiative and seek their comments on the proceedings.
- Monitor requests for future participation and affiliations to this initiative from groups and individuals who share the same orientation.
- Track the number of people who express interest in the workshop.
