Debate: Relationship Between Government and Religion in Muslim Majority Countries

Introduction

Speakers:
- Shik Yaser Kadi: Resident scholar, East Plano Islamic Center, Dean of the Islamic Seminary of America.
- Mustafa Akel: Affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute’s Collins Center, journalist, and author.
Topic: Discussing the relationship between government and religion in Muslim-majority countries.
Focus on the question: Should government and religion be separate or connected?

Personal: Not a political scientist, but a theologian trained in Islamic law.
Topical:
- One solution does not fit all; context matters (e.g., America vs. Pakistan).
- Every solution has pros and cons; aim to minimize cons and maximize pros.
- Be wary of projecting our values as superior, especially from positions of power.

Diverse Paradigms: People often speak past one another due to different underlying paradigms (e.g., goal of a political system).
Role of Religion in Government:
- Depends on societal goals, such as nurturing morality vs. maximizing individual freedoms.
- Radical difference in views between Western liberal world and Muslim-majority countries.

We must be cautious when assuming we know best about governance in other regions, particularly those with different histories and contexts.
Pointed out the power imbalance and how Western interventions have historically hurt local populations.

Freedom of Religion: Advocates for religious freedoms in Muslim-majority lands, similar to those in America.
Recognizes cultural differences but stresses universal values like justice, freedom, and peace.

Advocating Universal Human Values: Justice, freedom, and religious freedom should be upheld universally.
Critique of Coercion: Coercive measures, such as moral policing or apostasy laws, can lead to hypocrisy and alienation from religion.
Separating Sins and Crimes: Not all sins should be criminalized (e.g., personal piety vs. public order).
Risks of Imposing Morality: Imposing strict moral laws through coercion doesn't necessarily lead to genuine morality.

Balance between adopting universal human values and respecting local contexts is crucial.
Universal principles like religious freedom and justice should inform but not dictate governance in diverse cultural contexts.

Blasphemy Laws: The majority in countries like Pakistan support such laws. Challenging these can create cultural and social backlash.
Public Morality: Majority of Muslim countries may not want freedom for public indecency or blasphemy, presenting a tension with Western freedoms.
Local Solutions: Recommends solutions be developed locally, with greater sensitivity to cultural norms and values.

Public Morality vs. Individual Freedom: The debate over what should be controlled or allowed publicly (e.g., alcohol, promiscuity).
Western Hypocrisy: Critiques that Western countries often impose double standards, such as recent bans on pro-Palestinian protests in Europe.

Local Cultural Solutions: Emphasizes letting local societies determine their paths and moral frameworks.
Balancing Morality and Public Order: Supports public policies that reflect religious and cultural values, but without coercion.
Pragmatic Approach: Realistic solutions tailored to societal readiness and cultural context over one-size-fits-all approaches.

Universal Values: Strongly believes in promoting universal human rights and freedoms within Muslim-majority contexts.
Criticism of Coercion: Opposes religious coercion, citing how it has often alienated people from religion instead of nurturing true belief.

Soft Morality Policies: Both agree on the importance of promoting moral values without coercion.
Dialogue and Self-Determination: Emphasize the need for local actors to determine their societal path, informed by but not dictated by external values.

Shik Yaser Kadi: Advocates for culturally sensitive approaches that integrate moral values into governance without coercion.
Mustafa Akel: Emphasizes universal freedoms and human rights, pushing for reforms that align with these principles in Muslim-majority contexts.

Create a balanced society where religious and moral values coexist with personal freedoms and justice.