By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) - A Free Thought, Civil Society and Islamic Traditions panel was held Friday in Istanbul as a part of the 11th International Islam and Liberty Conference.
Mohamed Badredine Tachouche, a faculty member at the Anglo-American University in Prague, said the concept of freedom of thought in the Islamic tradition can be examined in three periods: "The Early Islamic Society, the era following Prophet Muhammad, and the influence of Greek thought,” during his panel, Forgotten Principles of Free Thought in Usul al-Fiqh Where Madina Meets Athens.
Narimane Chaoulia from the Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University in Mostaganem, Algeria, said there are some Muslims who sometimes misunderstand Islam, which can lead to "problems regarding democracy, rights, and freedoms in Muslim societies.”
Defining civil society as the space where individuals come together for common interests, values and goals, Chaoluia said the development of civil society is directly proportional to the spread of the understanding of democracy.
Mustafa Radji, also from Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University, underlined that mysticism holds an important place in Islam, but he noted that insufficient attention has been paid to the understanding of mysticism in Islam within the social sciences.
He also said Sufist organizations have contributed to social solidarity and civil dialogue in Algeria.