Saudishia.com - 18 / 11 / 2009 - 10:32 am

"Limits of Religious Democracy" is another book by Dr. Tawfiq AlSaif that was released by Dar AlSaqi Publishing House in London, 2008. This book introduces a serious and profound study about the controversial issue of the relationship between religion and the state through experiencing the possibility of achieving democracy in a religious state. It, also, presents the religious, political example of the Iranian revolution since 1979 till 2005.

Alsaif believes that there is no real and essential contradiction between religion and democracy, and consequently, between a state that supports religion; as in Iran which is a state ruled by religious leaders, and the possibility of such state to form modern state features in general, and democracy feature in particular. He states that religion's involvement in the politics is an essential factor in the development of political, religious ideology. In other words, that involvement would probably make religious ideology more receptive to modern state necessities, and then, it would abandon the concepts that appeared during the old state, and remained as a part of religious heritage until today.

This book offers a comparison between the political ideology of the conservative religious trend and reformative ideology which connects religion fundamentals with democratic, liberal concepts. It, also, provides a detailed analysis of the reasons that led to the failure of the traditional religious example and paved to the appearance of the other reformative one. Moreover, it explores the fields in which Islamists could succeed in exercising power through studying how to apply social justice concept in economy and in the relationship between the society and the state.

The author states that it is wrong to consider religion as a competitor to democracy because it is like choosing between religion and morals. Unfortunately, many Muslim writers made great efforts in convincing others that democracy is not related to religion and it is infidelity. He indicates that this absolutely unfair because democracy is the best solution for all societies of diverse religious sects and trends.