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Constitutions and Islam Dear editors of Maldives Culture,
I
refer to the translation in your site, of a speech
by the Maldives President of the Republic, His Excellency Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Knight
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. A modern state is unlikely to be "Islamic" or anything else unless constitutionally provided as such. Perhaps the esteemed leader intended to say that "the constitution of every country with a mainly Muslim population......". If that were so, he would easily be proved wrong.
Turkey, Albania and Azerbaijan are three countries with mainly Muslim populations and yet they are constitutionally secular. The Preamble of the constitution of the Turkish Republic states that "........as required by the principle of secularism, there shall be no interference whatsoever by sacred religious feelings in state affairs and politics...". Article 24 of the same constitution states that "....No one shall be compelled to worship, or to participate in religious ceremonies and rites, to reveal religious beliefs and convictions, or be blamed or accused because of his religious beliefs and convictions....". Article 10 clause 1 of the Constitution of Albania states that "In the Republic of Albania there is no official religion". Article 18 of the Republic of Azerbaijan states that: "Religion shall be separated from the State in the Azerbaijan Republic. All religions shall be equal by law. The spread and propaganda of religions which humiliate human dignity and contradict the principles of humanity shall be banned. The State education system shall be of secular character."
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Palestine, two countries with significant Muslim populations, constitutionally do not provide for any state religion, while they are not categorically secular. Article 1, paragraph 7 (b) of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina states that no person may be deprived of his or her citizenship on the grounds of religion. Article 2, paragraph 4 of the same constitution provides guarantees against discrimination on the basis of religion Article 32 of the Basic Law (constitution) of the Palestinian National Authority on the West Bank of the Jordan and the Gaza Strip guarantees "freedom of belief and worship and exercise of religious functions". Article 32 of the same constitution also provides guarantees against discrimination on the basis of religion. Article 31 of the Palestinian constitution states that the "Palestinian authorities shall provide conditions for tolerant coexistence between religions in Jerusalem and the rest of Palestine". About a third of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Serbian Orthodox and Roman Catholic and other Christian while a little over that proportion of Palestine is Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic and other Christian. Indonesia is not secular in the sense that its State Philosophy, the Panchasila recognises a Supreme Deity, but the state religion of Indonesia is not Islam. Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.
The other significant point in Mr Gayoom's speech refers to the certain loss of independence had the Maldives not been Muslim or if it ceases to be Islamic. This would be rather hard to prove or disprove. The Maldives was both Muslim and a tributary of the British for many years, and was under formal British protection from 1887 to 1965. Mr Gayoom annually presides over an "independence day" celebration. Was that independence achieved upon adoption of Islam? Or did the Maldives cease to be an Islamic country in 1887? The countries in Asia outside the Middle East that managed to stay independent during the European imperial period were notably not Muslim- e.g.: Japan, China and Thailand. To varying degrees they were all Buddhist. Does that mean if Maldives remained Buddhist, it would have remained independent of British tributary status? Regards |
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Albania
Japan
Imperial Standard 1876
Empire of China 1872
Siam (Thailand) 1855
