Jordan Times
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Muslim scholars to draft
model Islamic constitution
By Mahmoud Habboush
AMMAN — A gathering of Islamic thinkers and
leaders on Monday pledged to write a model constitution to be adopted by
countries wishing to enact Sharia-based laws.
“It will be a guiding model of an Islamic constitution,” Al Quds Centre for
Political Studies Director Oraib Rantawi told The Jordan Times at the closing of
a conference entitled: “Towards a civic democratic Islamic discourse.”
“We have agreed to hold a special conference to draft a democratic Islamic
constitution that among other things safeguards women’s rights,” he said.
For the past three days, Islamic scholars and representatives of Islamist
groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, have been engaged in long discussions
centred on the need to introduce democratic civic discourse into Muslim
societies.
Syafii Anwar, executive director of International Centre for Islam and Pluralism
in Indonesia, argued that Muslim countries should adopt a secular approach to
state affairs but insisted that a contextual interpretation of the Koran should
be the basis for writing an Islamic constitution.
According to Anwar, extremism emanates from the literal interpretation of
scripture, regardless of the reality of the modern world and the context of
original the text.
The conference also called for participants to initiate dialogue between
Islamist factions and selected governments of Arab and Islamic countries,
Rantawi said.
“This dialogue will aim at pinpointing the needs of these parties in order to
promote the democratic process in these countries,” he said.
The 60 participants, who came from 21 Arab and Islamic countries, will conduct
separate meetings with Islamist movements to discuss the possibility of adopting
the conclusions of the conference, he added.
In the closing statement, dubbed “Towards a Common Vision,” the delegates called
on democratic Islamist parties to isolate groups that make no distinction
between legitimate jihad, limited to defending one’s country, and terrorism that
targets innocent civilians.
“Democratically elected Islamic movements are encouraged to respect and maintain
the rules of democracy when dealing with other political forces,” the vision
stated.
It said repressive measures employed by Arab and Islamic states to undermine
Islamist groups were counterproductive and only served to threaten the social
and political fabric of society.
Referring to the situation in Palestine, the statement said the dual discourse
that the US administration and some European counties are using against the
Palestinian people for practising their democratic rights, only feeds extremism
and violence.
The conference, organised by Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Al Quds Centre,
discussed issues ranging from individual rights and freedom in Islam, to
minorities in the Islamic world, jihad and terrorism.