The Gallup polling organization has found that, while Muslims say they admire democratic values, they also believe Islamic laws and democracy can exist side-by-side. Basing its findings on a survey of 10 mostly Muslim countries, Gallup said world leaders should support democracy in those countries despite the peoples’ strong feeling about religion.
Voice of America reports on the new Gallup poll. One interesting finding is that
Gallup found that in countries, such as Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan and Bangladesh, a majority of the people asked said sharia, or Muslim law, should be the only source of legislation. In four other countries, a majority said sharia must be a source of law, although not the only source.
Noah Feldman partly addresses the role of sharia in his interview with CIPE, talking about its impact on the Iraqi constitution.
Particularly uplifting if the comment on the understanding of democratic values:
The head of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, Dalia Mogahed, said her organization has found that many respondents in the Muslim world value aspects of what she called a “liberal democracy.” “There is a support for, in principle, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion,” she said. “There is also an admiration of liberty and freedom of expression in the West. So, in principle there is support for these concepts and these values.”
You can read more about Islam and linkages between democracy and market economy here.
Published Date: January 25, 2007