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“...persuasive
and conclusive..”
—
Media Monitors Network, USA
“A
thought-provoking work that points towards solution
for the problems caused by the failure of secular democracy...”
—
Ayub Azhar Hamid
National Director
Canadian Islamic Congress
“Abid
Ullah Jan has truly pointed out that just like the corporate
media the corporate democracy is bitterly suppressing
the will of the common citizens. The war in Iraq in
defiance of a world-wide anti-war public opinion is
a recent example of the mockery of democracy by the
guardians of democracy. When the opinion of the masses
is ignored, revolutions come and we can see a revolution
around the corner - a revolution for Islamic democracy.”
—
Baluchistan Post
“Democracy,
as witnessed today means empowering corporations and
rewarding the society’s richest individuals, privatizing
much of the commons, stifling dissent, striping people
of constitutional rights, and creating an illusion of
prosperity through continual and ever-expanding war.
It only serves its masters as all Empire’s do,
but people will see no benefits. They will share, many
of them worse than others, only in this soul-less system
cruelty and wrath.
The
problems that this book identifies are equally afflicting
all kinds of democracies from the world’s largest
democracy in the East to the oldest in the West.
Francis
Fukuyama was very arrogant when he wrote it was the
end of history following the collapse of the Soviet
Union. I believe that assertion is very well challenged
by Abid Ullah Jan with his “The End of Democracy”
theory.
The
author explains the alternative but avoids spoon feeding
through making explicit statements such as Islam is
Democracy or that True democracy is to be found in Islam.
Through pointing out some key differences e.g. Divine
Rights vs. Human Rights; Human Rights vs. Duties; sovereignty
with Allah (SWT) vs. the people, etc., he compels readers
to use their intellect and reach the conclusion as to
what is the logical alternative to the failed man-made
governing mechanisms.
The
author exposes the centuries old vested interests, underlying
“democratic” systems. He also assesses the
validity of Muslim claim that God sent His Last Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) with His final Message, the Qur’an,
to establish the system of social justice based on it
and show the practical model to the humankind. The book
is an attempt to show the suffering humanity a direction
towards salvation..."
—
Dr. Israr Ahmad
Founder Tanzeem-e-Islami
The
book is a devastating critique of the champions of democracy’s
assault on the core principles of democracy. An increasing
number of people are losing deep, abiding respect for
and belief in the contemporary democratic process. But
very few know about the alternative. The End of Democracy
by Abid Ullah Jan is an attempt to present the alternative
as well as the so far hidden aspects in the debates
about Islam and the future of democracy.
Salam Elmanyawi
President Muslim Council of Montreal,
Spokesman, Islamic Centre of Quebec, and
McGill University Muslim Chaplain
"The readers of this book, whether Muslims or
non-Muslims, must understand that irrespective of the
massive distortion of facts, unprecedented allocations
to defence spending and sponsorship of repressive
regimes in Muslim countries by the U.S, the awakening of
the humankind is certain. The resistance to injustices
and lies is bound to increase. Muslims in particular are
bound to bear the burnt of it for they are the ones who
long for an alternative governing mechanism. The global
changes will with revolts against the self-imposed and
foreign sponsored dictators and despots. The awakening
of Muslims will follow in the near future; no
unprejudiced student of history can doubt it. The
question now is: shall the awakening of the sleepy 1.5
billion be in accordance with, and aided by, by the
"great ideals" of the "civilized world", or inspire of
them and against them ?
The Nation
Abid Ullah Jan is a political analyst and
development specialist. He studied chemistry and
gradated from the University of London with a
specialisation in environmental management. He has
published many books and articles on democracy, human
rights and justice. His latest book the End of Democracy
highlights the failure of democracy to solve the
problems of the world and the various causes of this
failure.
It also suggest that the only alternative
system left to be tried by the world is Islam. Referring
to the Francis Fukuyama’s book the End of History
written after the end of Cold War in which liberal
democracy triumphed over communism, Abid Ullah Jan says
that the history did not end then. If anything the
unprovoked attack on
Iraq
in the face of massive global opposition was in fact the
end of democracy. Democracy has failed and the system
has been used and abused following the 9/11 incident. A
minority elite to curtail civil liberties and mislead
the public at home whist waging wars of domination
abroad, has under minded democracy. The author argues
that that since the positive aspects of democracy are
the hallmarks of Islam as well, it will ultimately
challenge and triumph over liberal democracy. At the
dawn of the 21st century a number of
experiments in human governance are before us and
history has proved their impracticability.
It is not only democracy that is facing a
challenge. Those who challenged it are called upon to
offer a feasible alternative. The causes of failure of
democracy are many. The centre for evolution of
Democracy (USA) has identified eleven problems which
democracy faces. These are the continuous attempts by
the special interests to steal the wealth of the common
people; the incomplete or unfair representation of
minorities women and the poor; a growing disparity
between the rich and the poor; unfairly structured
electoral processes; a lack of integration among
nations; the absence of measure to protect natural
environment and to control population growth; the
inordinate influence of the lobbyists; pervasive
distortion of information by the mass media that are
dominated by special interests; an increasing degree of
information overload; the inadequacy of educational
institutions in preparing citizens to participate in the
multicultural and increasingly complex process of
democratic decision making and the demosclerotic we of
entitlements that has accompanied the struggle for a
greater share of the welfare state.
Thus the problem lies in the people’s
lack of realisation that democracy has failed and the
need to identify its shortcomings and find a solution.
All other systems of government — monarchy, feudalism,
dictatorships of many stripes, fascism, oligarchy,
corporatism, anarchy — have failed completely. History
also shows that the champions of democracy have
manipulated it time and again. It touched its peak for a
short time when some American intellectuals could not
resist declaring it the end of history.
The author claims that the only
alternative that can cater to the ultimate needs of
human society and address all the weaknesses of
democracy is Islam.
The philosophy and principles of an
Islamic state, according to the author, provide the
framework for an Islamic state. These include divine
sovereignty, government and law with a particular
reference to the holy Qur’an, the rule of law and
Shari’ah, legislation, parliament and Ijthihad,
elections and qualifications of the candidates, rights
of minorities, human rights, and political parties in
Islamic State.
By I. H. Raashed
The Dawn,
July 11, 2004
The ”End of Democracy” is a piece of
writing which is a candid view on the prevailing
situation faced by Muslims all over the world especially
after the 9/11 incident. This misunderstanding of Islam
and the manner in which the great religion is being
misinterpreted is a clear-cut indicator of the high
magnitude of prejudice being nourished by the
non-believers. The new world order and its effects on
the third world especially the poor nations and that too
the Muslim nations show the extent of prejudice and
hatred being cultivated by the so-called champions of
democracy. The widely expressed impression of the USA
for securing the civil right of the people is well known
to the world. What they did in Vietnam, Somalia,
Afghanistan, Bosnia and now Iraq. They seem to be
oblivious of Kashmir, Palestine and Chechnya. They
outright violation of human rights in these Muslim
countries is taken by the champions in a context which
is totally distorted and unappealing to sanity.
The writer has very intelligently pleaded
the case of the Muslims vis-à-vis the challenges faced.
In fact, the Islamic society is based on equality and
justice and that’s how it becomes the most practicable
regimen for all categories of persons whether rich or
poor, feeble or strong, and so on.
Mr. Abid Ullah Jan has very rightly
pointed out certain short coming in our clergy. The
modus operandi adopted for Tableegh for teachings of
Islam make then appear to be hardliners or (the latterly
coined term for Muslims) the Fundamentalists. The term
was coined by Bishop Martin Luther of Germany when he
revolted against the Vatican and invented the religious
sect, protestants, and he used the term fundamentalists
for the hardcore Catholics. I feel it is time to set the
record right that is we are either Muslims or
non-Muslims. Any person who submit himself by uttering
the Kalima is a Muslim. However, to become a
momin he has to meet the laid down criteria based on
Taqwa. The ominous propaganda by the evil and devilish
powers against Islam needs to be countered very
effectively, where such propositions are worth taking
cognizance i.e., taking away the mic from Mullah
because its use it indiscreet.
To conclude, suffice it to say that the
work as has be presented by the author in a systematic
and logical manner is commendable. However, after
reading the entire text which is of course suggestive of
annihilation of democracy the it would be appropriate to
assign the title as the Death of Democracy or the Sad
Demise of Democracy.
By Retired Inamul Haq
Farrukh
The News
July 11, 2004
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