Islamic Democracy

Islamic democracy refers to a political ideology that seeks to apply Islamic principles to public policy.

In practice, two kinds of 'Islamic democracies' can be recognized in Islamic countries. The basis of this distinction has to do with how comprehensively Islam is incorporated into the affairs of the state.

1. A democratic state which recognizes Islam as its state religion, such as Malaysia or Maldives. Some religious values are incorporated into public life, but Islam is not the only source of law.
2. A democratic state which endeavors to institute Sharia and offers more comprehensive inclusion of Islam into the affairs of the state. States like Iran are firm proponents of this form.

Not all of these states are recognized internationally as democratic under concepts of western liberal democracy. There are also states in the Muslim world which are secular democracies rather than religious democracies.

The concepts of liberalism and democratic participation were already present in the medieval Islamic world. Azizah Y. al-Hibri, for example, argues that Medina during Muhammad's time was an early example of a democratic state but that the development of democracy in the Islamic world eventually came to a halt following to the Sunni–Shia split.