Most Muslim countries seem to face todays the menace of violent struggle between opposite forces calling for deep social and political change. In fact, the need for change is real and in some cases very strongly felt by large sections of the population. However, the prevailing conditions prevent a real and open participation of the masses in the preparation of these changes. In other words there is, in these societies an important need for a wide and sincere debate on the vital questions facing the present generations, particularly those related to the « sacred » and its role in the social and political order. At the same time, many intellectual currents, mostly those who are attached to democratic values (including some with religious inclinations), do not have opportunities for self expression, as a result of either of authoritative methods used by some governments or demagogic means adopted by the religious activits.
The project aimed at organising a series of debates between « realy different » partners: Theologians, philosophers, historians, social scientists, lawyers... of different conceptual orientations (modern and traditional intellectuals, secularists and critics of secularism...). These debates were focused on the ways and means of bridging universal principles proposed by monotheistic religions (and Islam in particular) and the basic conceptions which support democracy. The principal objectives were to initiate a process of open and serene discussion of semsible themes, and to enable different opinions to inform the masses. Some of the main questions to be debate were :
- Are there contradictions between the religious truth and the expression of the free will of human beings?
- How can we formulate a religious expression for the aspiration of peoples and masses (cf. Alain Touraine and the theory of democracy as the control of society by itself) to self-control?
- How can a « nomocracy » (i.e. The government in the name of divine law, such as Islam has implemented in the societies it has impregnated. Cf. works of Gellner and Talbi) become a basis for democracy?
The first meeting entitled « Human Rights between the Universal and the Specific » was organised on April 21th, 1995 at Faculté des Lettres - Ben Msik-Sidi Othman in Casablanca. The participants were:
A transcript of the meeting was published in Prologues N. 5
- Redouane Benchekroun: Faculté des Lettres - Ben Msik - Maroc
- Azeddine Bennis: Faculté de Droit de Rabat - Maroc
- Kevin Dwyer: Institut de Recherche Appliqueé de Tunis - Tunisie
- Edgard Pisani: Institut du Monde Arabe - France
- Slim Laghmani: Faculté des Lettes de Rabat Agdal - Maroc
- Mohamed Benbachir Hassani: Faculté de Droit de Tunis - Tunisie
- Omar Azziman: Faculté de Droit de Rabat - Maroc
The second meeting was held in Espace El-Wacetey in Casablanca on June 16th, 1995. The theme was « Shari`a and Positive Law in Contemporary Arabo-Muslim Societies ». The speakers were:
The texts of the meeting were published in Prologues N. 6
- Sami Aldeeb Abu-Sahlieh : Institut Suisse de Droit Comparé - Suisse
- Bernard Botiveau: Institut des Études Politiques d`Aix-En-Provence - France
- Mohamed Drissi Alami Machichi: Faculté de Droit de Rabat - Maroc
« Ethics, Culture and Democracy » was the theme of the third meeting wich held at Faculté des Lettres - Ben Msik-Sidi Othman in Casablanca on December 7th, 1995. The debate was animated by:
Conference proceedings were published in Prologues N. 7/8
- Abdullahi An-Naim: Emory University, School of Low, Atlanta, Georgia - United States
- Mohamed Shahrur: Université de Damas - Syrie
- Wajih Khawtarani: Université de Beyoruth - Liban
- Mohamed Abed Jabri: Faculté des Lettres de Rabat - Maroc
- Mohamed Talbi: Université de Tunis - Tunisie
- Thierry Hentsch: Universié du Québec à Montréal - Canada
- Abdesselam Cheddadi: Université Mohamed V - Rabat