Spirit of Islam, April 2013

FROM THE CHIEF EDITOR’S DESK GULF countries are witnessing a turbulent phenomenon that is generally called the Arab Spring. Arab people themselves called it sahwa (resurgence). Everywhere there is debate regarding its result. Arab people are generally hopeful, but I am not. According to my experience, every future result needs present preparation. Only a prepared society or educated society is the guarantee that this kind of upheaval may lead to a positive result. But I don’t think that the present Arab society is a prepared society in that sense. Secular-minded people generally believe that the present upheaval is a journey from dictatorship to democracy. But this kind of notion can be justified only through over-expectation. Democracy cannot be achieved through a jump, that is, suddenly from dictatorship to democracy. Democracy is not simply a change of persons from military activists to political activists. The base of democracy are institutions. Before establishing democracy we need to establish institutions and provide educational training. Without education, democracy is bound to turn into anarchy. But it is a fact that Arab countries are lacking such institutions. Those who want to bring about democracy in Arab countries need to bring about a pre-democracy revolution. Before democratic institutions, political democracy will remain a distant dream. 1. The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims 2012, Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in India, and the Demiurgus Peace International Award. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognised as one of its most influential Muslims1. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and are part of university curricula in six countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi. ARAB SPRING