‘The Relationship between the State and Religion in the Arab World' was the title of a recent seminar, organised by the Swedish Institute in Alexandria and the Centre for Arab Unity Studies in Beirut. The seminar, attended by 65 high-level scholars from 19 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, took place on October (15-17) in Hammamet, Tunisia. The scholars represented disciplines such as political science, anthropology, sociology, philosophy and theology. The aim of the seminar was to address some of the core issues facing contemporary Arab states, related to the rise of Islamic movements to power following the Arab revolutions. As this relationship raises questions at conceptual, theological and theoretical levels, other Islamic countries which have not been subject to the ‘Arab Spring' were also discussed during the seminar. Islamic states, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, a secular Islamic state (like Malaysia and Indonesia) were also analysed. "A recurring question during the seminar was how politics can be practised now and in the future in the Arab world. “How can the relationship between the state and religion be accommodated to contemporary Islamic understanding and in conformity with the changing times, in order to alleviate any crisis in the relationship between the religious and political spheres? “Four papers presented at the seminar analysed the state and religion between Islamic jurisprudence and modern thought and practice," said Ambassador Birgitta Holst Alani, the Director of the Swedish Institute in Alexandria. "Obviously, there is a general apprehension of the polarisation of society which might create a crisis, due to the recent rise of Islamic movements and the renewed religious presence in politics," she added. One research paper dealt with contemporary Islamic intellectual and political jurisprudence, and the chances its successful application in the current circumstances. Another researcher stressed the need for Islam to adapt to the realities in times of change, on the basis of a civil and democratic society which includes all citizens. Meanwhile, the connection between the state and religion from the perspective of the political philosophy of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries was the topic of another paper. It dealt with the concept of the modern Western nation-state and its evolution and the degree of legitimacy of building – in Arab political thought – on those basic principles and models. Other research papers dealt with models drawn from the experiences of Arab and Islamic countries whose political system is based on an intrinsic link between the state and religion. The researchers discussed how these experiences deal with important and controversial issues such as the shape and system of government, minorities, women, security, freedoms and human rights and citizenship, the status of religious legislation, and the sources of legislation, etc. The relationship between the state and religion and the ‘Emirate of Believers' in Morocco was also discussed, as well as perceptions of religion in secular states in the West. The latter highlighted the impact of Western secular civic culture on the perceptions and practice of the beliefs of Muslim communities there and the preservation of their culture and identity. The seminar in Tunisia ended with an open televised debate. The topic of the debate in which, among others, Sheikh Rashid Ghannuchi of Tunisia participated, was whether it is possible to comprehensively agree on the nature of the relationship between the state and religion in the Arab world, today and in the future. This relationship should stress what we have in common, rather than the differences, while there should be boundaries and rules in cases of controversy, in order to prevent disputes, thereby confining the differences to a purely intellectual context. The seminar proved very fruitful, and it lasted for more than three hours. "The relationship between the state and religion in the Middle East and North Africa is an issue engaging scholars and the general public in both the Arab world and the West," said Alani.
