The title of this article is a question posed by Dr. Khaled Montasser, who answered it in the negative. How can one imagine a true democracy without secularism that represents all segments of a society with diverse sects, ethnicities, and orientations? For example, if an Islamic state were to have a constitution stipulating that its president must belong to a specific sect rather than simply being Muslim, its democracy would be flawed. It would fear the election of a candidate from a different sect to the presidency, even if the majority supported them and even if they possessed competence and experience.
Democracy, generally speaking, needs a secular heart that beats with justice to be truly effective and capable of separating religion from the state. Logically, the state has no religion, does not judge, and does not determine who goes to heaven or hell. Its role is to provide healthcare, deliver electricity to homes and facilities, nurture people’s minds with logic, and provide schools, hospitals, and security. Senegal has a Muslim-majority population of about 96 percent, yet it has been led by a Catholic president, Léopold Senghor, who held considerable influence despite Catholics making up only five percent of the population. He was chosen for his competence, and he achieved many accomplishments for Senegal. Syria, Egypt, and Iraq were among the first countries where Christians, and even Jews, held high positions before 1948, before regional ideologies shifted towards greater extremism. One of the most important guarantees of democracy is that the state, represented by the government, maintains impartiality towards all groups and has no right to favor any religion, sect, or denomination, even if it represents the majority.
This is essential for ensuring justice and equality and for providing opportunities for qualified individuals to reach the highest positions. We have seen this in Europe, the United States, Canada, and South America, with Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs reaching the highest political and administrative positions. The election of Mamdani as mayor of New York would not have attracted such coverage and controversy had it not occurred under a US president with anti-Muslim sentiments. Therefore, the opportunity for the most qualified individuals to reach high positions cannot be ensured without secularism. People do not need to be governed by the most religiously devout official, but rather by the most capable, efficient, and honest one.
Discriminating against citizens based on creed or sect violates this principle and creates hatred and a sense of injustice in any society as a result of the religious majority’s domination of decision-making. This relegates the rest to second-class citizenship, and the pronouncements of religious figures become more powerful than the law. Thus, some societies, and their religious or sectarian minorities, live under the constant threat of exclusion and marginalization. This is enough to paralyze large segments of the population and instill a sense of inferiority. Secularism is not a luxury but a necessity; it means that the state belongs to everyone, not only a select group.
By Ahmad alsarraf
email: [email protected]
email: [email protected]
