Islam, Democracy, and the West

By Benazir Bhutto, Powerpoint by Adam Echelman

Who Is She? The daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Educated at Harvard University

Served as Prime Minister Of Pakistan twice (1988-1990)(1993-1996)

Pakistan’s first female Prime Minister

Leader of Pakistan’s PPP party

Assassinated December 27, 2007

Thesis “the fundamentals of democratic governance are

part of the Islamic value system”

It is by properly examining the West, the Islamic world, and the relationship between them that Bhutto explains that both are capable of peace and democracy.

Background of Islam

The Quran and Sharia

The Golden Age Of Islam (600s-1200s)

5 Pillars of Islam

Sunni and Shia Shiites:

- the leaders of the Islamic faith are directly connected to Mohammed

-death of Ali and Hussain give the sect a strong sense of persecution

-three main groups: Imami (12vers), Zaydi, Ismali

Sunnis:

-larger group

- schools of thought: Hanafi, Shafi’I, Maliki, Hanbali, Wahabbi

Woman, Pluralism, Jihad Discrimination comes from

interpretations and regional influences

Itijihad

“There is no compulsion in religion”—the Quran

Jihad: internal and external

Internal jihad much greater than external

Extremism Jamaat-i-Islam developped by Maulana Maudoodi

Endorsed by small groups (Saudi Government)

With America’s influence with the Mujahadeen, we funded Jamaati-i-Islam until they became al-Quaeda and the Taliban

With money and power it grew to the poor

The West and Islam

When it comes to universal values like democracy and order, both share the same will for equality, compassion, and freedom

Islam must itself fight extremism but the West is some of the cause

Case Studies Countries where the West is personally responsible

for stopping democracy:

-Iran; Algeria; Libya; Tunisia; Morocco; Egypt, Iraq; Afghanistan; Comoros; Lebanon; Pakistan and Bangladesh; Jordan; Palestine; Turkey; Indonesia; Senegal and Mali; Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan); Middle East (Kuwait, Oman); Africa (Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger); Persian Gulf States (Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Yemen); Guatemala; Greece; Argentina; DRC

India and Pakistan The Montbatten Plan: to divide a recentrly freed sub-

continent into two, India and Pakistan

In the rush to create two countries, some difficult provinces: Kashmir, Jammu, Hyderabad, Junagadh

The Case Of Pakistan The conflict between East and West Pakistan,

eventually leading to the creation of Bangladesh and modern-day Pakistan.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto loses power to General Zia

After the military coup of Zia, Benazir Bhutto Takes control

However After Bhutto, comes the struggle with current day general Pervez Musharraf

The Clash of Civilizations Bhutto proves wrong:

-nation-state conflicts, government choices, globalization

Further, this is disproved by the book itself. It shows that Islam is not an anarchist, controlling people, but rather capable of democracy and peace.

Marshall Plan

West must take responsibility as should Islam

Democratic nations almost never fight one another

“Staying within the box has set Islam and the West on a dangerous course….It is time for reconciliation”—Bhutto

Achieving Peace

Works Cited: Bhutto, Benazir. Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy,

and the West. New York: Harper Perennial, 2008.

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