There has been quite a debate over the subject of whether the Islam is compatible or in contradiction with modern Democracy. Both the extremist and moderate Muslim and non Muslim scholars have expressed their views on this ever boiling issue. At this historical juncture of our times, when we are witnessing turbulence in large part of Muslim world whether it is in Afghanistan , Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Yemen or the current Libyan crisis and Iraqi struggle with Democracy, this issue demands serious and more immediate thought and understanding, which can lead us toward a reasonable agreement, if not complete consensus.

There are certain facts which clears the shrouded argument of Islam as hindrance to Democratic process of Muslim countries.

The primary principal of Islam is the “Tauheed”, means unity of God and thus establishing the sovereignty of One God, thereby making the sharia as the code of governance. This idea which is the core basis for Islam clearly contradicts with any form of dictatorship. As sovereignty of one man directly contradicts with sovereignty of One God. As Islam strongly declares that all men are created equal in front of God, which means they have equal say in all affairs of governance, which is the core of “democracy”. Hence any kind of dictatorship is in complete clash with Islamic primary ideal, which is “Unity of God, not the Unity of State sovereign”; thereby making it clear that democracy is precursor for the doctrine of “Unity of God”.

Another striking fact that is “Compact of Medina (Medina Charter or Medina Constitution)”, which is a historical record proves modern democracy has roots in 7th century Islam. “The Compact of Medina”, which was drawn and established by prophet Muhammad {PBUP} upon his migration from Mecca to Medina includes Quraysh, Ansar, migrant and indigenousness Muslims as well Jews providing them equal rights and protections,

http://www.constitution.org/cons/medina/con_medina.htm.

One of the true test of democracy was the election of Khalifa Abu Bakar after prophet Muhammad’s {PBUP} death, to lead and guide the Islamic world. As prophet Muhammad {PBUP} had called upon his followers to choose the “Best Among You”, not his own kith and kin after him, to lead the Islamic world. This clearly makes prophet Muhammad {PBUP} the pioneer of democracy. The popular selection of Abu Bakar by majority had created the rift between the followers of Ali, who is closest relative of prophet Muhammad {PBUP} and the rest of Muslim tribes. Hence the result is Shia and Sunni rift. Election of Abu bakar as the first Khalifa after prophet Muhammad {PBUP}, not Hazrath Ali is the greatest testament of democracy in the Islamic world. It had completely ruled out any form of Monarchy or dictatorship which is based on divine rule of one family, which was widely prevalent in every corner of the world.

Furthermore Islam has been instrumental in the empowerment of women for the first time in the history of mankind. http://muslimsvoiceofamerica.com/blog/2009/04/taliban-false-soldiers-of-islam. Islam has clearly established the rights of the women through granting them, the right to inherit property and right to divorce, thereby establishing the equality which was hitherto unknown in any civilization.
This shows Islam has been the torch bearer of democratic ideals since centuries. Principles of equality, liberty, and justice are clearly inherent in Islam.

Now the questions arise, is the Islamic form of democracy is in tune with the western style of democracy? Can there be different variations or forms of democracy adhering to universal principles of equality, liberty, and justice? Which are clearly inherent in Islam. Most important question is, are we suppose to dictate and impose western form of democracy in every part of the world?

By Afshan Khan

The right wingers nut jobs are at it again, trying to milk the President Obama’s religion as an election issue to get the votes from conservative bigots. Wow bravo you nut jobs! Why you are trying to potray our our country as the nation of bigots Remember our nation is color and faith blind. You tried to play this angle during the presidential election potraying President Obama as a bad guy, the Devil in other words “a Muslim”. Fortunately you failed misrably, because we the young generation have ushered into the society, where we are trying to perfect our union and by practicing our constitution in its real spirit, which soley based on freedom, equality and justice for all irrespective of their religion, faith, color and creed.
1.8 billion Muslims around the world and 10 to 12 million Muslims in our nation are not aligns, outsiders or as right wing nut jobs put it, “Devils”.

These conservative nut jobs claim that our constitution is based on judo-christians values. I take pity on their ignorance. First of all, the soul of our constitution is freedom, equality and justice for all, I stress again for all Even if  you take their claim of Judo-christians values seriously, one should know that Judaism and Islam share and have the common religious values much more so than Christianity and Judaism. Both Jews and Muslims pray to Montheist Entity, one Almighty, not Jesus.  Judaism completely rejects Jesus, but Islam accepts him as prominant Messenger of Almighty.

So if you go by the claim of right wingers that they share common religious values with any religion, it is Islam. For sure it is not Judaism, because Jews completely rejects Jesus . On the other hand Christianity does share something with Islam which is Jesus Christ(Peace to be upon Him).

In conclusion Islam on the one hand share values both with Judism and Christianty, and on the other hand Judaism nad Christianty share nothing in common, Period. Islam is the common thread which binds  three biggest religions of the world.

Now to come to the question of our President Obama and his religion. Even if he is Muslim, it does not matter and it should not matter, but he is not a “Muslim”. How do we know that,  because the  Man said so. He declared many a times during his campaign to our nation and to the world in his  Cairo speech.

A Muslim American Response…

In the wake of recent controversy which has been blown out of proportion by both republicans and democrats who are bent on exploiting this issue to fill up their vote banks in November elections ignoring the most pressing issue of jobs and economy which our country faces today.

when I look at the way the issue of Mosque and religion being exploited by these power hungry politicians by alienating the Muslim American community to further their political goals, I forget that I am in United State of America, the beacon of human rights, religious freedom, freedom of speech and all other basic rights. For a moment I find myself being in some third world theocratic state.

Here are 5 reasons to bulid/ not to build Mosque near Ground Zero…

1. Opponents  of Mosque near ground Zero give the example of building the Japanese shrine near Perl harbor, which they declare should never be allowed. I agree as we were attacked by Japan, a foreign country, of course we do not want any building associated to them build on Pearl harbor, but remember on 9/11, Muslim Americans were not the culprits, they did not attack the twin Towers, it was Al-qaeda. Then why American citizens who happen to be Muslims are denied the right to build their house of worship, why they their religion is being vilified day in and day out all over the mass media in an attempt to create Islamophobia.

Common people including our politicians need to distinguish between  a country and Islam, Islam is not a country and all Muslims do not belong to one particular country, and the fact is that  mosque is not being built by or for any foreign nation or foreigners, it is for American citizens build by Americans, who happen to be Muslims and who have equal right to build their place of worship as any of their Christian and Jews and Hindu fellow citizens.

2. Another important fact we common folks tend to forget and our politicians tend to cover up is that the 9/11 attacks were not in any part religiously motivated. The horrific act of war on our homeland was political in nature. Our homeland was attacked by the AL-Qaeda, a  group of political fanatics, who were getting safe heaven in Afghanistan, we waged war on Afghanistan rightfully so, but alas, after 9 years we failed to capture the culprit Bin Ladin. I never heard any of these terrorist calling Christianity or Judaism devil or devilish but I have heard them calling America and Israel devil.  If we Americans want to fight this war on terror we Americans have to get it right, it is not the vast majority who are truly religious Muslims, they are not  hell bent on harming us. The real enemy is still a small group of political fanatics, who have political motives, these are the ones we need to be after, not the innocent Muslim Americans, or common Muslims around the world, but by showing our prejudice and bias towards our own Muslim fellow citizens  we are emboldening these terrorists and giving them plenty of scoop for recruitment  to carry out their terror plots.

3. Newt Gingrich said that until we are allowed to build Churches in  Mecca till then we in America should not allow any Mosque building. Wow, I am petrified with this statement Mr Gingrich, and I feel ashamed for you.  You are putting Saudi Arabia and United State of America in same league, you have once again proved yourself to be a irrational demagogue. Saudi Arabia is  an undemocratic, theocratic state, which denies many rights to her own citizens, even the 9/11 terrorist are against it, and you Mr Gingrich put the greatest nation on the planet earth, the beacon of freedom, who has secular constitution, who prides herself on the equality, freedom and justice for all irrespective of their faith, color and creed. You Mr Gingrich put the beacon of freedom in the same league with Saudi Arabia.

So the fact remains that Islam or Muslims in general and particularly Muslim American did not attack on 9/11, it is the terrorist group  name al-quaida , which is a non-state entity. Another important fact, Mosque is not for foreign citizens, (General Knowledge is that – all Muslims are not Arabs and all Arabs are not Muslims) it is for Americans who are Muslims.

4. After arguing on bogus grounds, now the right wing conservatives  likes of Sarah Plain and others says that it is not that they (Muslims) don’t have right to build, but the question is, should they build? now it became the matter of sensitivities of majority in this nation, and these right wingers have been joined by some lefties, as their love for power and their need to grab on to their power trumps every principle our nation upholds. We Americans should be able to expect from our leaders both republicans and democrats that they should not forget the quint essential fact that our Constitution which clearly makes the right to practice religion above any sensitivities. In fact our nation was built upon the fact that pilgrims came to America in search of freedom to pray and practice their religion as they deem with out having to face prosecution from tyranny of majority. We can not go back on our own guaranteed fundamental rights while we need to practice at home what we preach to world.

5. Last but not least, our Constitution guarantees these rights and they are not subject to any public, whether majority or minority prejudice. When I hear Sara Palin, Newt Gingrich, Harry Reid and Howard Dean declaring that it is matter of public  sensitivities, or it is an affront,  I see  no difference between them and Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran who had put a bounty on the head of Salman Rashdi, who they accused of blasphemy. And I also see no difference between them and the extremist groups who oppose the Danish cartoonist and South Park creators, on the basis of hurting the sensitivities of Muslims. We the new and young generation has to remember and remind our politicians that we are the nation which upholds the laws of the land and our first amendment rights trumps above all sensitivities, , including the conformity with majority opinions.

The short footage of Abdulla Younus of Revolution Muslim on CNN about Islam preaching terrorism then immediately trying to justify it by saying that the meaning of terror is subjective sent chills down to my spines and I was forced to see the complete footage on the web. After seeing the footage and getting the sense of their motives, I could only conclude that it is nothing but a conspiracy to undermine and alienate growing support to Palestinian cause in USA.

The portrait of our President Obama in the likeness of Hitler was not only in bad taste, but completely ridiculous. President Obama is the only President in the history of USA, who is making the sincere efforts of peace in the Middle East in particular and in the Muslim World in general not only through his words, but also laying the ground work for Middle east Peace process, which is in no means an easy task considering all the pressure from different interest groups particularly from the powerful, well established Jewish lobby, who has great influence on our politics and Government as well as on Media.

For the first time in history of more than four decades of Israeli occupation and Palestinian struggle, American media is starting to question Israeli stands and activities to hinder the peace process. There is an strong, mainstream emerging minority who is questioning the basis of American foreign policies in the Middle East including the policy approach towards Iran which have been heavily guided my powerful Jewish lobby. Remember that, questioning the USA foreign policy approach towards Israel and Palestine was a complete taboo before President Obama.

During this critical juncture instead of contributing to this debate constructively , groups like Revolution Muslim undermines the Palestinian cause and play right into stereotypes which vested interest have been successful in creating through their vicious propaganda for years. One can not possibly expect things to change overnight, the change does not come easy, it may not even come at once. We need to be open for the change in piece by piece, bit by bit.

One more advise to groups like these and to Abdulla Younus, (who I call False Soldiers Of Islam), if you want to spread the true message of Islam and you also want people to listen to your message then please go to nations who calls themselves as Islamic states, you have a plain field to begin your revolution. These Islamic states, who only content to live in their glorious past, in these countries we have not seen any real scientific or other innovations in any field in centuries, where rampant religious as well as socio-economic corruption has stifled the progress and has created the Abject conditions for those who are already poor and miserable. Please go to these lands and lead the Islamic reformation movements , and give them message of true spirit of Islam.
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Through your message of Islam, bring true peace and stability and get rid of the rampant corruption, let these nations be the true example of Islamic state where there is equality, prosperity along with peace and development. Until then my Brother you have right to speak but you have no validity in your Revolutionary speech.

The suburban Philadelphia woman, Colleen R. LaRose, is accused in the indictment filed Tuesday of actively recruiting fighters, as well as agreeing to murder the artist, marry a terrorism suspect so he could move to Europe and martyr herself if necessary.

LaRose is “one of only a few such cases nationwide in which females have been charged with terrorism violations,” said U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Dean Boyd.

LaRose, 46, of Pennsburg but with close ties to south Texas, has been held without bail since her Oct. 15 arrest in Philadelphia.

Authorities said the case shows how terrorist groups are looking to recruit Americans to carry out their goals.

“Today’s indictment, which alleges that a woman from suburban America agreed to carry out murder overseas and to provide material support to terrorists, underscores the evolving nature of the threat we face,” said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security.
LaRose had targeted Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks and had online discussions about her plans with at least one of several suspects apprehended over that plot Tuesday in Ireland, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

A U.S. Department of Justice spokesman wouldn’t confirm the case is related to Vilks, who angered Muslims by depicting the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.

The indictment charges that LaRose, who also used the name Fatima LaRose online, agreed to kill the target on orders from the unnamed terrorists she met online, and traveled to Europe in August to do so. Court documents don’t say whether the person was killed, but LaRose was not charged with murder.

To read more click below…
Jihad Jane, No Color Terror

Any news browser you log on or any newspaper you turn, all you see is Muslims around the world are being killed in such a large number and so often that we do not even bother to stop and think. We have long stopped counting the bodies as if it is an insignificant norm. They are just animals at slaughterhouse. Only time human deaths make big splashing news and arouse big outcry is the non-Muslims death. As if, certain human lives are more precious than others.

When 21-century history in general and Muslims history in particular is being written in blood, there is vast conspiracy going around the world against Muslims and Islam. People who are hiding behind the charade of democracy and freedom are constantly propagating to demonize Islam and Muslims. Whether the Wilders from Netherland are threatened by insignificant Muslims minority in Netherlands;Dutch anti-Islam politician creates stir in UK or it is every other internet posting which is full of hatred and intolerance towards Muslims. Wilder wants the complete assimilation of Muslims in Duch Christian’s society. He declares that Muslims are not welcome in Netherlands if they do not leave their way of life, which is Islamic way of life. He knows very well by his hate speeches and motive he is not winning Muslim hearts. He knows very well that he is encouraging the extremist forces on all sides and to be truthful that is what his goal is. If Wilders of our times are sincere and have some courage then they should take the right action, put a total ban on immigration and stop buying oil from them, but don’t attack their harmless ritual of five times a day prayers. Islam is the only religion, which is still trying to preserve its true self, its moral values unlike other religions. This is a tragedy of our Modern times where Western powers want every human being in every corner of the world cloned in their mirror image. Their motto is; western values should be adhered by all.

One would think world powers came to realization after hundreds of years of bloody wars and exploitative era of colonialism, where they annihilated many of great cultures and civilizations of the world. One would think we have come to conclusion that diversity is the key for the vibrancy of life and Universe. We need to work towards preservation of diversities and multi culturalism. Alas! That is proved not to be true. Western powers are still in a constant war to assimilate the whole world in their image. If any body objects, they are against freedom and democracy.

Having said that we cannot afford to overlook the flaws of Muslims societies. Whether it is poverty, lack of education, lack of representation in the governance, lack political sovereignty in some parts of the world, and of course every ones favorite Muslim women’s emancipation. These are the key issue, which needed to be resolved through reformation not wars. These reforms have to come from within the Muslim society.
The resolution for all these conflicts lies in education, which can be promoted through pens not drones.

The evil of suicide bombings must be defeated by Muslims, as it violates every tenet of Islam. In the past week, at least 150 people were killed in Iraq in a wave of suicide bombings which have torn apart any illusion of security in that tragic country.

As a Muslim, as a human begin, I am filled with horror at images of men, women and children torn to shreds by the madness of people who turn themselves into incendiary devices. And I am filled with outrage and fury at the diabolic forces that seek to present this monstrous, murderous, terrorist activity as somehow sanctioned by my faith.

Let me put this in as simple terms as possible. Suicide bombings, indeed all forms of terrorism, are rejected by mainstream Islam, and always have been.

The Holy Qur’an says it in very clear, without any ambiguity:

“Do not kill yourselves, for truly God is merciful. And if any do that in rancor and injustice, soon shall We cast them in the Fire. ” (Surah 4:29-30)

The Qur’an makes it clear that there are rules to human conflict and limits that must be followed:

“And fight in the way of God against those who fight you. But do not transgress the limits. Truly God does not love transgressors.” (Surah 2:190)

As I discuss in my new novel Mother of the Believers, traditional Islamic law established very clear rules of war based on the practice of Prophet Muhammad and his early followers: Do not kill civilians. Do not kill women and children. Do not harm priests of of other religions. Do not destroy the environment.

Abu Bakr, the first leader of Islam after Prophet Muhammad, gave these commandments when Muslims were fighting the forces of the Byzantine Empire, which had sought to destroy the new religion and killed the Prophet’s ambassador:

“Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules to keep by heart: Do not commit treachery, nor depart from the right path. You must not mutilate, neither kill a child or aged man or woman. Do not destroy a palm tree, nor burn it with fire and do not cut any fruitful tree. You must not slay any of the flock or herds or the camels, save for your subsistence. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them to that to which they have devoted their lives. You are likely, likewise, to find people who will present to you meals of many kinds. You may eat; but do no forget to mention the name of God.”

Muslims always took great pride in the fact that they acted honorably, even in war. They looked with contempt upon the warriors of Europe, who slaughtered civilians mercilessly during the Crusades. When Saladin defeated the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem and took the holy city, he spared its Christian populace and pointedly said: “We will not do to you what you did to us.”

His comment was in reference to the First Crusade, where Christian “holy warriors” massacred tens of thousands of civilians upon taking Jerusalem in 1099. Muslims were slaughtered en masse, the Jews of Jerusalem were locked into its main synagogue and set on fire. And Arab Christians were murdered by their co-religionists for the sin of having dark skin and looking like the enemy. The Gesta Francorum, a Crusader chronicle of their activities, proudly notes that the “the slaughter was so great that our men waded in blood up to their ankles.”

In the town of Ma’arra in Syria, the Crusaders committed the ultimate atrocity — cannibalism. As Crusader chronicler Radulph of Caen wrote: “In Ma’arra, our troops boiled pagan adults in cooking-pots; they impaled children on spits and devoured them grilled.”

To this day, the Crusaders are referred to in the Muslim world as “the cannibals of Ma’arra.”

The Muslims looked at this kind of atrocity committed in the name of God as unworthy of any great religion, and held themselves above such monstrous behavior.

So how is it possible that its modern equivalent, the mass murder of civilians through suicide bombings, should now be done in the name of Islam?

In Dying to Win, Robert Pape, a scholar at the University of Chicago, analyzes the history and motivation of suicide bombers. Many people who read the book will be surprised to learn that suicide bombing was a tactic that was first used regularly by Hindu terrorists known as the Tamil Tigers. One of the most prominent victims of this tactic, Rajiv Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, was killed on May 21, 1999 by a female suicide bomber from the Tamil Tigers. According to Pape, Gandhi’s murder marks the first use of the “suicide vest” which has become the tool of suicide bombers throughout the world today.

A full chronology of the history of suicide bombing among Tamil extremists can be found at:

http://www.spur.asn.au/chronology_of_suicide_bomb_attacks_by_Tamil_Tigers_in_sri_Lanka.htm

(A warning that the link contains graphic photos of the carnage caused by suicide bombers.)

One of the greatest tragedies of modern Islam is that Muslim extremists began to adopt this horrific tactic of suicide bombing over the past two decades. Palestinian militants, arguing that they had no other effective way to combat Israeli oppression, began to adopt these tactics, and the image of the “Muslim suicide bomber” began to take hold in the media .

I remember at the time most Muslims I spoke with expressed disgust at these horrific acts, but some added the caveat — “What else can these poor people do? They have no tanks or jets to take on Israeli tanks and jets. This is their only way to fight.”

My response then and now is that Islam is a religion that has established rules of war for a reason. Human conflict is perhaps inevitable, but unless there is a sense of morality among warriors, even among the warriors of the oppressed, human beings will descend into monstrosity. The nobility of a cause is forever tainted when dipped in the blood of innocents. The argument that Israeli military activities kill countless Palestinian civilians, so Muslims are free to target their civilians in response, is not an argument that is supported by the noble spirit of Islam. As Saladin pointed out, the Muslims would not inflict on the Christians the atrocities that the Crusaders had inflicted on their victims, simple because we as Muslims were better than that.

And I warned those who would excuse the suicide bombers as long as they targeted “the enemy,” that in Islam all human beings are brothers and sisters and have rights before God and man. I predicted that once some Muslims turned their back on Islam’s strict rules of war and went beneath themselves in order “to win,” the wrath of Allah would be unleashed upon us. If we allowed suicide bombings against non-Muslims, then soon would God punish our sins by unleashing the same horror on Muslims.

Tragically, my prediction came true. Suicide bombers in Iraq and Afghanistan now kill thousands of Muslims a year, innocent people going to pray or shop in the marketplace. Their only crime being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This kind of monstrous behavior is not Islam. It never has been Islam. And it will never be Islam, no matter what kind of self-serving justifications the terrorists use.

For those who wish to learn more about mainstream Muslim positions about war, terrorism and suicide bombing, I refer you here:

http://islam.about.com/cs/currentevents/a/suicide_bomb.htm

http://www.harunyahya.com/terrorism3.php

It is time for Muslims and people of all faiths to stand together in love and justice and end this horrific scourge of terrorism and suicide bombing on humanity.

I look forward to the day that the world will no longer associate such monstrosity with my beloved faith. And that one day, mankind will believe that Islam represents what its name stands for: “Peace.”

Author : Kamran Pasha
Kamran Pasha is a writer and producer for NBC’s highly anticipated new television series Kings, which is a modern day retelling of the Biblical tale of King David. Previously he served as a writer on NBC’s remake of Bionic Woman, and on Showtime Network’s Golden Globe nominated series Sleeper Cell, about a Muslim FBI agent who infiltrates a terrorist group.
http://www.kamranpasha.com/index.php

There has been quite a debate over the subject of whether the Islam is compatible or in contradiction with modern Democracy. Both the extremist and moderate Muslim and non Muslim scholars have expressed their views on this ever boiling issue. I think at this historical juncture of our times, when we are witnessing turbulence in large part of Muslim world whether it is in Afghanistan or Pakistan or the current Iranian crisis and Iraqi struggle with Democracy, this issue demands serious and more immediate thought and understanding, which can lead us toward a reasonable agreement, if not complete consensus.

There are certain facts which clears the shrouded argument of Islam as hindrance to Democratic process of Muslim countries.

The primary principal of Islam is the “Tauheed”, means unity of God and thus establishing the sovereignty of One God, thereby making the sharia as the code of governance. This idea which is the core basis for Islam clearly contradicts with any form of dictatorship. As sovereignty of one man directly contradicts with sovereignty of One God. As Islam strongly declares that all men are created equal in front of God, which means they have equal say in all affairs of governance, which is the core of “democracy”. Hence any kind of dictatorship is in complete clash with Islamic primary ideal, which is “Unity of God, not the Unity of State sovereign”; thereby making it clear that democracy is precursor for the doctrine of “Unity of God”.

Another striking fact that is “Compact of Medina (Medina Charter or Medina Constitution)”, which is a historical record proves modern democracy has roots in 7th century Islam. “The Compact of Medina”, which was drawn and established by prophet Muhammad {PBUP} upon his migration from Mecca to Medina includes Quraysh, Ansar, migrant and indigenousness Muslims as well Jews providing them equal rights and protections,

http://www.constitution.org/cons/medina/con_medina.htm.

One of the true test of democracy was the election of Khalifa Abu Bakar after prophet Muhammad’s {PBUP} death, to lead and guide the Islamic world. As prophet Muhammad {PBUP} had called upon his followers to choose the “Best Among You”, not his own kith and kin after him, to lead the Islamic world. This clearly makes prophet Muhammad {PBUP} the pioneer of democracy. The popular selection of Abu Bakar by majority had created the rift between the followers of Ali, who is closest relative of prophet Muhammad {PBUP} and the rest of Muslim tribes. Hence the result is Shia and Sunni rift. Election of Abu bakar as the first Khalifa after prophet Muhammad {PBUP}, not Hazrath Ali is the greatest testament of democracy in the Islamic world. It had completely ruled out any form of Monarchy or dictatorship which is based on divine rule of one family, which was widely prevalent in every corner of the world.

Furthermore Islam has been instrumental in the empowerment of women for the first time in the history of mankind. http://muslimsvoiceofamerica.com/blog/2009/04/taliban-false-soldiers-of-islam. Islam has clearly established the rights of the women through granting them, the right to inherit property and right to divorce, thereby establishing the equality which was hitherto unknown in any civilization.
This shows Islam has been the torch bearer of democratic ideals since centuries. Principles of equality, liberty, and justice are clearly inherent in Islam.

Now the questions arise, is the Islamic form of democracy is in tune with the western style of democracy? Can there be different variations or forms of democracy adhering to universal principles of equality, liberty, and justice? Which are clearly inherent in Islam. Most important question is, are we suppose to dictate and impose our form of democracy in every part of the world, if so then why aren’t we committed to spreading democracy indiscriminately through out the Mideast and the world? Why are we picking and choosing? Why have we been supporting the dictators?

Sarkozy says Burqas Debase Women, Supports Ban in France

From the Associated Press: Sarkozy says;

“In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity,” Sarkozy said to extended applause at the Chateau of Versailles, southwest of Paris. “The burqa is not a religious sign, it’s a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement — I want to say it solemnly,” he said. “It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic.”

From the New York Times:
“The issue of the burqa is not a religious issue, it is a question of freedom and of women’s dignity,” Mr. Sarkozy said. “The burqa is not a religious sign, it is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission of women.”

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This and any other issue has to be dealt by the Muslim community not by the French government. Any reform has to come from within the Muslim community. It can not be imposed. Any such ban will be in complete clash with values of freedom, liberty and most importantly of Secularism. Secularism has been confused with being irreligious, but the true meaning of secularism is separation of state and Church/Religion. It means non interference of state in people’s religious matters. Hence French Government has no business in interfering with people’s right to practice their Religion.