TEHRAN – “Democracy in Islam”, co-written by Sayed Khatab and Gary D. Bouma on Islam’s compatibility with democracy, has been published in Persian by Kargadan.

Milad Azamimaram is the translator of the book originally published in 2011.

Challenging the view of Islamic extremists and critics of Islam, this book explores the very topical issue of Islam’s compatibility with democracy. 

It examines the principles of Islam’s political theory and the notion of democracy therein and the notion of democracy in medieval and modern Muslim thought.

The book also delves into Islam’s view about human rights and the contribution of Islamic legal ideas to European legal philosophy and law.

“Democracy in Islam” addresses the pressing need for a systematic show of Islamic politics of human rights and democracy grounded in the Quran. The West wonders about Islam and human rights, and its own ability to incorporate Muslim minority communities. 

Many Muslims also seek to find within Islam a source of support for democratic governance and human rights.

The book contains seven chapters featuring the notion of democratic participation and democratic values in some basic Islamic legal ideas. 

The connection between religion and the origins of violence and terrorism in modern society is also discussed in the book.

Khatab is a research fellow in the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University, Australia. 

His recent publications include “The Political Thought of Sayyid Qutb: The Theory of Jahiliyyah” and “The Power of Sovereignty: The Political and Ideological Philosophy of Sayyid Qutb”.

Bouma is UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific at Monash University, Australia. 

His research examines the management of religious diversity in plural multiculturalist societies, postmodernity as a context for doing theology, and religion and public policy.

Photo: Front cover of the Persian edition of “Democracy in Islam” co-written by Sayed Khatab and Gary D. Bouma.

MMS/YAW