islam and democracy: what’s the problem

In a special UpFront, we ask our panel if there can be a 
balance between liberal values and Islamic beliefs.

03 Jun 2016 19:26 GMT

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Share: Islam and democracy: What’s the problem? – UpFront

In a special UpFront, we ask our panel if there can be a balance between liberal values and Islamic beliefs.

Tunisia’s “Islamist” Ennahda party announced last month that it was moving away from so-called “political Islam”. The announcement is seen as a move to broaden its following by a party that has been labelled “moderate Islamist” for 30 years.

While the move is welcomed by many, others raise questions: Can Muslim-majority countries strike a balance between faith and democracy? Or, is there an irreconcilable tension between liberal values and Islamic beliefs?

In a special edition of UpFront, recorded before Ennahda’s announcement, Mehdi Hasan speaks to a panel of experts, analysts and activists about whether there can be a balance between Islamic and democratic values.

Guests:

Mustafa Akyol, Turkish columnist and author of Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty.

Mona Eltahawy, Egyptian-American writer, activist and author of Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution

Soumaya Ghannoushi, British-Tunisian writer, commentator and member of Tunisia’s Ennahda party.

Shadi Hamid, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy and author of Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle Over Islam is Reshaping the World.

Husain Haqqani, former Pakistani ambassador to the US and author of Pakistan: Between Mosque And Military

Editor’s note: We apologise to our viewers for the technical issues with Mona Eltahawy’s connection.

Follow UpFront on Twitter @AJUpFront and Facebook.

Source: Al Jazeera

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