Iraqi constitution: Islamic and democratic

From the Iraqi draft constitution:

Islam is the official religion of the state, and it is a main source for legislation. No law can be passed that contradicts the fixed principles of Islam’s rulings. No law can be passed that contradicts the principles of democracy. No law can be passed that contradicts basic rights and freedoms mentioned in this constitution.

The provision that no law can contradict Islamic law, and the provision that no law can contract democracy, would seem to contradict each other, and thus allow both the secular constitutionalists and the Islamic constitutionalists to claim that they had won. In fact, democracy, understood simply as a method by which governments are elected, can be entirely in keeping with Islamic law. If the majority of the people elect an Islamic government, then the principles of Islam and the principles of democracy will be in perfect harmony. The dangerous Islamic extremist who is now president of Iran was elected democratically.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 23, 2005 04:20 PM | Send