The compatibility of sharia law with democracy

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2015
Authors
Seale, Geoffrey Robert
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The Compatibility of Sharia Law and Democracy attempts to determine whether sharia law (practised mainly in the Middle East and North Africa) is compatible with democracy (practised mainly in Europe and the United States). The motivation behind the analysis of sharia law and democracy is the continuous violation of fundamental human rights, liberties and freedom of people who reside in countries that do not adhere to and uphold the aforementioned principles and values. The study also attempts to create awareness and a sense of appreciation for democracy and the standards pertaining to democracy. The ultimate aim of the study is to determine whether these two are able to function in accord without one counteracting the values of the other. This will accomplish the aim of raising awareness with regard to their compatibility with one another. The literature study elaborated on what sharia law and democracy embody while also comparing the Laws of Sharia with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The empirical study, which takes the form of qualitative research, involved six participants who resided under both sharia law and democracy. The final chapter of the literature study reports that sharia law is not compatible with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which forms the basis of any democracy. Each one of the thirty articles of the declaration is violated under sharia law in Muslim countries. The empirical study acknowledged this fact, and supplemented it, by concluding that sharia law and democracy are incompatible.
Afrikaans: The Compatibility of Sharia Law and Democracy (Die versoenbaarheid van Sharia-Reg en Demokrasie) is ʼn poging om te bepaal of sharia-reg (soos hoofsaaklik in die Midde-Ooste en Noord-Afrika beoefen), versoenbaar is met demokrasie (hoofsaaklik in Europa en die Verenigde State beoefen). Die motivering vir die analise van sharia-reg en demokrasie is die voortdurende skending van fundamentele menseregte, burgerlike vryhede en die vryheid van persone wat in lande woon wat nie die genoemde beginsels en waardes aanhang nie. Die studie was ook ʼn poging om groter bewuswording en ʼn sin vir waardering te skep vir demokrasie en die standaarde wat op demokrasie betrekking het. Die uiteindelike doel van die studie was om te bepaal of hierdie twee regsvorme daartoe in staat is om in ooreenstemming te funksioneer sonder dat die een die waardes van die ander teëgaan. Hierdeur sal die doel bereik word om bewuswording te skep vir hul versoenbaarheid al dan nie. Die verslag oor die literatuurstudie brei uit oor wat sharia-reg en demokrasie behels, en die wette van Sharia vergelyk word met die Universele Verklaring van Menseregte. Die empiriese studie, wat die vorm van kwalitatiewe navorsing aangeneem het, het ses deelnemers gehad wat beide in gebiede onder sharia-reg en demokrasie gewoon het. Die finale hoofstuk oor die literatuurstudie berig dat sharia-reg nie versoenbaar is met die Universele Verklaring van Menseregte, wat die grondslag van enige demokrasie vorm, nie. Elkeen van die dertig artikels van die Verklaring word in Moslemlande onder sharia-reg verbreek. Die empiriese studie bevestig hierdie bevinding, en vul die bevindinge verder aan deur tot die gevolgtrekking te kom dat sharia-reg en demokrasie onversoenbaar is.
Description
Dissertation (MGT (Governance and Political Transformation))--University of the Free State, 2015
Keywords
Islamic law, democracy
Citation