Relationship between Political Islam and Democracy: Egyptian Experience

Abstract

The rise o f political Islam, after the First World War, has drawn the attention o f the scholars o f political science to the general people. This study has tried to find out the relationship between political Islam and democracy. The conflicting nature between political Islam and democracy as well as Islamic political system and democracy are the two significant findings o f this research. The study explored six points o f conflict: Sovereignty, Source o f law (secularism), Form o f government, Nationalism, Accountability and Representation. Both the Islamic system and political Islam mainly contradicts in these two indicators with democracy. The Islamic system and political Islam believe in the sovereignty o f ^ Creator (Allah). As a result they don’t believe in man-made law (human m ind or majority) or secular source o f law for the state. For the philosophical and ideological differences it creates some other contradictions. The above observation is found in both conceptual issues and in the case study o f Egyptian political system. Methodologically it is a qualitative case study research in which secondary data and infonnation are used. Most o f the recent researcher tries to show the compatibility between Islam or political Islam and democracy but the conflict and incompatibility were out o f the study. The study w ill provide a different perception to the policy maker, politicians and scholars in both Muslim and non-Muslim world. It will open a new area o f study in both the study o f political science and ^ international relations.