Ayaan Hirsi Ali argues that if democracy is limited to elections, Islamist groups may use it as a tool to gain power and then dismantle democratic systems.
She claims Islamist ideology prioritizes divine law (Sharia) over man-made laws, which she says conflicts with core democratic principles like free speech.
Citing regions such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and parts of Africa, she warns that political Islam must be addressed as both a security and ideological challenge.
In a conversation between Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ben Habib, the two discussed Islam, free speech, and the limits of tolerance. During the conversation, Hirsi Ali shared her views on Islam, multiculturalism, and Western democracy. While reflecting on her personal journey and beliefs, Ben Habib asked her about the compatibility of Islam with Western democracy and how it is practiced in the West.
Responding to this, Ayaan Hirsi Ali said that if democracy is defined merely as holding elections, then Muslims would participate in it, but ultimately use it to end democracy itself. “Muslims will hold elections to come to power and then they will abolish democracy and they will say no more elections,” she stated. According to her, the ultimate outcome of Islamism is the complete dismantling of democratic systems.
She argued that this objective is rooted in the application of Sharia law. According to her perspective, the goal is not to sustain democracy but to replace it with a system based on what is seen as divine law. She further explained that Islamist ideology does not support the idea that human beings can create laws, saying, “An Islamist does not believe that human beings can make laws.”
Hirsi Ali added that an Islamist seeks to impose what they interpret as God’s law. “An Islamist wants to apply God's law, Sharia law, as he sees it,” she said, emphasizing that this becomes the first step wherever such groups gain power.
To support her argument, she cited examples from regions where Islamist groups have exercised influence or control, including areas in Iraq and Syria under the Islamic State, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, and regions such as Mali, parts of Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Aceh in Indonesia. In these places, she claimed, authorities have attempted to restructure governance according to their interpretation of Islamic law.
She further stated that these groups openly declare their intentions to apply Sharia law and do not rely on expert analysis for validation. According to her, “You shouldn't be listening to experts who talk and analyse Islamists,” but rather pay attention to what such groups say themselves.
Hirsi Ali argued that such an approach stands in opposition to democratic values, particularly free speech, which she described as a cornerstone of democracy. She suggested that replacing democratic systems with strict religious rule would conflict with freedoms like open expression.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born Dutch-American writer and former politician, is known for her criticism of Islam and advocacy for Muslim women’s rights. She has campaigned against practices such as forced marriage, honour killings, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, and has been associated with the New Atheism movement.
She concluded by warning that unless Western leaders address political Islam not only as a security concern but also as an ideological challenge, military efforts alone may not be sufficient.
[VP]
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