Islam and the values of the Republic

Before discussing the Republic and its values, should we not return to the very origins of the res publica or the common space shared by a nation’s inhabitants? The Republic is a State governed by laws to which individuals submit equally in the name of the public interest, which surpasses private interests. This submission of all individuals to the law is viewed not as a constraint, as one would be tempted to think due to the term “submission”, but as a deliberate choice made through a democratic process. The Republic is therefore indissociable from democracy, which is itself a path chosen for all the virtues it brings.

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether it is fair and legitimate to set Islam, a revealed religion – and therefore the work of God – against a man-made construct – the Republic – when deciding mankind’s fate.

This paper was written by Saad Khiari, a research fellow at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) and a specialist on Algeria and interfaith dialogue.

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