Shura as a decision making process in Islamic governance: A comparative analysis with deliberative democracy

Shura is a consultative process in Islamic societies where leaders seek input from the community before making decisions. Deliberative democracy is a recent concept emphasizing the importance of public deliberation in decision-making processes. This research begins by exploring Shura's historical and theological roots in Islamic tradition and its role in Islamic governance throughout history. The research then examines the principles and practices of deliberative democracy and compares them with those of Shura. Furthermore, this research argues that while there are similarities between Shura and deliberative democracy, they also have important differences. Shura is rooted in Islamic principles and values emphasizing community participation and consultation to achieve social justice and the common good. Deliberative democracy, conversely, is a more recent concept not tied to any particular religious or cultural tradition, emphasizing the importance of reason and evidence in decision-making. Most importantly, this research also examines the criteria of both Shura and deliberative democracy and suggests that the choice between the two may depend on the specific context and goals of the decision-making process. Thus, this research contributes to the ongoing debate about decision-making processes in governance and offers insights into the similarities and differences between Shura and deliberative democracy. This research used a qualitative secondary systematic literature review to collect data and to determine study results. Using this methodology, the researcher used inclusion and exclusion criteria to include any study in this research and exclude any research that does not meet the research requirements. The researcher applied a thematic analysis approach to the data analysis that determined the study's result. Most importantly, this research followed all critical ethical considerations necessary for any ethically approved study.