Three views about Islam and democracy

Two group insist that Islam does not cope with democracy:
1. Radical Islamist group who believe demoracy is against Islamic rules. They say Islam comes from the God but democrcy is made by human wisdom, so they can not match each other
2. Anti Islam group who see Islam as pure superstitions which can not cope with the wisdom of democracy
Aside from these two groups, the moderates believe in compatibiliy between Islam and democracy they present examples for this copatibility in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan …

Democratic Turkey an example for the muslim world

Turkey is the country which I like. Turkey has successfully combined modernism and tradition. With a good relatioship with neighbors, Turkey has a positive and active role in the region.

Iran sanctions will not yield results: Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that imposing additional sanctions on Iran over its uranium enrichment program will not yield any results. “I don’t believe that any further sanctions will yield results,” Erdogan told journalists in Riyadh on Tuesday, adding that earlier rounds of sanctions “have never yielded results.”   

Turkey charges more officers over coup plot

A Turkish court has charged eight more officers for trying to topple the Ankara government in 2003, bringing the number of coup suspects under investigation to 20. The eight suspects, including two serving admirals, three retired admirals and a retired one-star general, were grilled several hours overnight and were remanded in custody in military and civilian prisons in Istanbul.

Turkey between Europe and the Middle East

By Rachel Aunspaugh | Disclaimer
It is an understatement to say that Turkey occupies an odd and slightly uncomfortable position in the world. Sitting between Europe and the Middle East, yet not fully a member of either, Turkey offers a unique opportunity for NATO. As one reads more and more about Turkey and NATO, the importance of the relationship only grows.

Historically, Turkey’s leadership has been enthusiastic about its NATO membership, particularly because it hopes NATO membership will lead to its acceptance into the European Union. This enthusiasm is partially the result of its historically good relations with the United States, which lobbied hard for Turkey’s acceptance into the Alliance. Before the US intervened, Turkey’s application for membership had been denied and public opinion in Turkey towards the Alliance grew increasingly antagonistic

Turkey says it will push ahead with Iran gas deal

IRAN. Turkey’s Energy Minister said yesterday the country would push ahead with a planned deal to produce and export gas from neighbouring Iran, saying cancellation of the deal was “out of the question”. Turkey and Iran failed to conclude expected energy accords during a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Turkey in August. The US, which is seeking to isolate Tehran over it nuclear programme, opposes the plan. “It is of the question that the natural gas deal with Iran will be suspended. I will go to Tehran to sign when the text of the deal is ready,” Hilmi Guler said.
Under the deal, Turkey’s state-owned petroleum company TPAO will explore in Iran’s South Pars field and gas will be piped to Turkey for consumption or re-export to European markets.

Islam and Democracy

In the article “Islam and Democracy,” by John Esposito and John O. Voll discuss the complexity of democracy in the contemporary world. In particular, there focus is on the involvement of the multiple groups in the twentieth century political seen. They argue that many of these groups “identify themselves explicitly as Islamic” as a way to enter the political scene. Once in, they take a democratic form, however, they aroused considerable controversy. Esposito and Voll argue that

A seminar about “the Many Faces of Political Islam”

Seminar
Series: Initiative on Religion in International Affairs Event
Open to the Public – Harvard Kennedy School Campus
October 22, 2008
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

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Related Project: Religion in International Affairs

Description:

Dr. Mohammed Ayoob will discuss the major themes of his recent book on the diverse manifestations of Islam and its impact on global politics. This seminar will take place on Wednesday, October 22, from 11:30am to 1:00pm in Taubman 401. Lunch will be provided.

Dr. Ayoob is University Distinguished Professor of International Relations with a joint appointment in James Madison College and the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University. He is also Coordinator of the Muslim Studies Program at Michigan State University.

Contact:

Project on India and the Subcontinent Events Coordinator
79 JFK Street Cambridge, MA 02140
Email: meghan_tinsley@ksg.harvard.edu

Middle East flags and presidents pictures

Asia to become economic powerhouse by next decade

Islamabad: Pakistan Economy Watch has said that only regional cooperation can provide relief to 50 crore poor living in South Asia. Political differences, if set aside, will spur new era of growth and Pakistan will reap dividends as Asia will be world’s centre of economic activity by next decade.

Pakistan will be world’s leader in textile and banking
Pakistan needs to avail this chance and initiate preparation as we have missed many opportunities in past, Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President, Pakistan Economy Watch said. “No doubt that Pakistan will be world’s leader in textiles and banking,” he added. He said 500 million people are living below poverty line in South Asia and their plight will only end if region can grow at a rate of eight per cent which is only possible in presence of enhanced regional trade.

Islamic beliefs honor Women

Los Angeles District

Have you ever walked through a mall and seen a woman with a veil covering her hair? What crossed your mind? Did you think she was one of the many wives of a rich Saudi Arabian oil sheik? Did you feel sympathy for her because some man forced her to dress that way? Or did you shrug your shoulders and decide it was just one of life’s mysteries? The veiled women are Muslims who have adopted the Islamic dress code for modesty. Islam is one of the world’s largest monotheistic (belief in one God) religions. Almost one billion people in 40 countries are Muslims, with Arabs less than 20 percent of the total.
Contrary to popular belief, women and men are regarded as equal in Islam, but with different responsibilities. This difference, however, doesn’t mean women can’t undertake similar tasks or responsibilities. A woman is recognized as an independent individual entitled to work, own a business, obtain an education, and participate in government .In fact…

Turkey is getting more secular, or religious

Mustafa AKYOL
Almost every survey about Turkish society reveals that religious observance is becoming more visible but also less dense. Let me tell you why…  Mainstream Turkish media loves to be alarmist about the “creeping Islamization of Turkey.” Especially since the conservative AKP (Justice and Development Party) came to power in 2002, fear mongering about the “shariah imposers” has become the main theme of the secularist press. Some fear that we will soon become another Iran. Others worry that we will turn into another Malaysia (which doesn’t sound too bad, actually). Even the non-delusional secularists, which make up a tiny minority, are deeply concerned about the rise of Islam.

The Middle East’s Water Crisis: Will the Jordan River Run Dry?

The River Jordan has flowed freely for thousands of years, its name immortalized in the Hebrew Bible and its lush upper reaches once known as the gates to the Garden of Eden. This summer, however, large sections of this storied river were reduced to a trickle, the water so low that grass fires spread freely across the Jordan Valley between Palestine and Jordan. Steadily drained over the past half century to quench the thirst and grow the crops of the people of Israel, Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinian territories, the Jordan River has been dealt a deathblow recently by a severe drought and by yet another tributary dam, this one on the Jordanian-Syrian border.

Modernisation of Islam the only way to the victory for Muslims

MUSTAFA AKYOL, contributing author to www.WauBebas.org, is a Turkish columnist based in Istanbul.

Not long ago I ran into a quote from Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Egyptian Muslim scholar and Al-Jazeera televangelist, in Turkey’s controversial Islamist daily . The 80-year-old cleric was saying, “Victory is only possible by returning to Islam.”

Economy of Turkey pursuing a progressive growth

Over the past two decades, the Republic of Turkey has undergone a profound economic transformation.  Combined with an outward oriented trade policy, the Turkish economy has been pursuing a progressive growth in most sectors.  In spite of certain difficulties, the Turkish economy has become more resilient to external and domestic fluctuations. As a result of these developments, a new economic reform program emerged focusing primarily on the banking sector and financial markets. The overall strategy of the program comprises of three measures: Reforming the banking sector, ensuring stability in the money and foreign exchange markets and providing a sustainable growth environment in macro-economic balances.