Are we witnessing the rebirth of the Arab world? What happened in Egypt is gradually passing on to protests in Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, and even Iran. And the determination of protesters in these parts conveys that change is a certainty. But is this change going to spell doom, or bring glory for the West Asian countries and Muslims across continents?

A discussion with young members of my community on this has, surprisingly, brought out mixed reactions. While some felt that a more democratic West Asia will still be fundamentalist, anti-American and uphold the strict purdah system, others feared that the outcome might actually lead the Shia-Sunni difference into a more
pronounced battle.

Are we then not prepared to be in a democratic set-up ufffd in a place where we are free to voice opinions without being forced to shut up? Will a democratic Arab world be flawed? Will the fight against a dictator metamorphose into a Shia-Sunni conflict?

What interestingly dominated a major part of the discussion was what people strongly felt: for the past 10 years, the community has been worried over the condition of the Muslim world that has been encouraging radicalism. And it will not be wrong to say that lack of democracy, literacy and economic development have contributed in blocking of minds which, in turn, has been responsible for intolerance and violence.

Then are we ready to walk the path of a radicalised democratic world? The response was muted. Then what is the missing link that is still holding back Muslims across continents to be part of a civilised democratic set-up? Education? An able leader? Economic development? Then is there any point in protests like the one in Egypt? Are we ready to unite and stand up against dictatorship and show to the world that if Muslims unite, we can push back radicalism and bring in a healthy change? Can we change the mind-set of non-Muslims who scrutinise us in the light of violence and terrorism?

But then someone rightly said, no democracy ever arrives. Democracy is an ever-evolving process. I rest my case.