It's strange for a democracy and a religion to work together so easily it is what I think. Because usually there is some problem like persecution. I also would like to know why the head of state was not aware he was being watched by all those Muslims. Because there are a lot of active Muslims in the world.
For those who insist (whether their arguments are theological, or empirical, or both) that Islam and liberal democracy are quite compatible, Mr. Gul's election (and Mr. Bush's exuberant reaction to it) was badly needed nugget of hope in a year when that cause has seen quite a lot of setbacks (The Economist). He is saying that Islam and liberal democracy are not compatible.
Among American officialdom, confidence in the prospects for democracy in Muslim (and in particular Arab) lands has fluctuated under the Bush administration. It reached a high point, arguably, in mid-2005, when Condoleezza Rica, the secretary of state, declared in Cairo that the bad old days of favoring stability over democracy were over-and then it plunged again the following January when the Islamist Hamas movement swept to victory in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (The Economist). Democracy in Muslim world is going well.
I think that the Islamic government was doing well at this time. But Islam is not compatible with democracy. The Islamic democracy has problems with governmental and religious problems. I think that it was a good time for most Muslims in countries though.
Islam in the USA
In the United States, in particular, an “essential” mistrust of Islam in all its forms has been gaining ground. One recent sign of this mood: when Keith Ellison from Minnesota became the first Muslim congressmen, he was challenged, during his first television interview, to prove the he was no “working for our enemies” (The Economist). This is the time when Americans thought that all Muslims were the enemy.
But in America's free-ranging debates, where the spectrum of views on Islam is probably wider than in any Muslim land or even in Europe, there are also many voices on the other side. Mr. Fadl makes his case for the compatibility of democracy and Islam from the University of California at Los Angeles, probably a more secure setting than his native Cairo (The Economist). When people thought of Islam at this time they thought of a bunch of terrorists.
I didn't like this time it was a bad time for all Muslims living in the US. People thought of Muslims as terrorists. Or allies of the terrorists. But not all Muslims were terrorists. I guess this is a type of persecution. That's why some Muslims tried to persuade the US that Muslims are not terrorists.
Muslim nations condemn terrorism
World Muslim leaders on Friday condemned extremism and terrorism as incompatible with Islam and proposed a high-level international meeting to promote a "dialogue of civilizations" with Christians. Leaders of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference, which represents 1.5 billion Muslims across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, made the "Dakar Declaration" after a two-day summit in Senegal.” We continue to strongly condemn all forms of extremism and dogmatism which are incompatible with Islam, a religion of moderation and peaceful coexistence," the declaration said. The Muslim body condemned acts of terrorism committed in the name of Islam. But, in an apparent reference to the terror against Israel, it said terrorism should be differentiated from "legitimate resistance against foreign occupation (L.A. Times 1).” Muslims nations made terrorism illegal and made it so Christians and Muslims are friendly. 57 leaders of each Muslims nation gathered. It represented 1.5 billion Muslims across the Middle East.
Some nations also said they were considering legal action against those that slight their religion or its symbols. Though the measures being considered have not been spelled out, the idea would be in contrast to the principles of freedom of speech enshrined in the constitutions of numerous Western governments. "I don't think freedom of expression should mean freedom from blasphemy," said Senegal's president, Abdoulaye Wade. "There can be no freedom without limits." The report urges the creation of a "legal instrument" to crack down on defamation of Islam. But some delegates said such an approach would be over the top. "My general view would be that the confrontational approach is one my country would avoid," said Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Iftekhar Chowdhury (1). Some nations tried to make it legal to punish those who mock Islam. But they failed.
This is a great law. They have condemned terrorism and extremism. Now people can't say anything about Muslims. Because if a Muslim does a terrorist's action then people cant blame Muslims because it was an individual not everyone that is Muslim.
