ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY

In recent times the burning question has emerged regarding the religion Islam:

Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights?

There are many views like the contra view, which tries to prove e.g. women are inferior under Islamic law. These views are contradicted by the pro view, which e.g. says:

The Qur'an, if approached holistically, promoted equal status for women. The verse often quoted by theologians to show inferior status of women is 4:34 and ignore verses like 2:228, 33:35 and several others or try to explain away them as merely promoting spiritual equality. It is far from true. The Qur'an taken as a whole is far more supportive of equality of sexes.

Avari draws an analogy that:

Percentage of Muslims who live in democracies: 52%, so by democratic standards, Islam is democratic.

A commentator in Avari's blog says:

The issue of democracy- and the rejection of democracy- is only an issue in the Arab world. As many here have said, Islam is not incompatible with democracy. Thus, it should come as no surprise that dysfunctional Arab regimes- tyrannies- work overtime to displace that idea from their own people.

Perhaps it is pertinent to mention that Bangladesh, a democracy with majority Muslims has a women head of state, which is quite unthinkable in an Arab state.