Product Description

A critique of modern Islamic political thought on the 'state', this book takes the form of a three-part dialogue with the West, with Islamic tradition and with 20th-century Muslim thinkers. The author discusses the divide between Islamic values and the basic principles which guide Western political thought. He traces the development of Muslim constitutional practice and considers the current debate on the nature of and desirability for an 'Islamic state'. He separates the problems that are internally derived from the by-products of Western culture. Dr El-Affendi argues that if Islamic values were brought to bear internationally, the entrenched dogmas of Western political thought as much as both the tradition-bound and modernist trends of Muslim thinking would have to be revised. A must-read for those interested in the theory of the Islamic State. This second edition contains a foreword by Professor Ziauddin Sardar, a new introduction by the author, and two new sections as appendices.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #273452 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 193 pages

Customer Reviews

A realistic look at the challenges of governance
This short book is very easy to read. In less than 200 pages the author gives readers an overview of Muslim and Western thinking about state governance. Many Muslims yearn to re-establish the governance model used at the time of the first four caliphs in Medina. The author reminds us of the historical problems experienced at that time, and how the caliphate system could not continue to ensure good government as the territory under Muslim control expanded. Most fundamentally, he reminds us that the Medina governance model predicated a perfect (the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) or highly moral (the first four caliphs) leader, and is incapable of operating properly with imperfect people as it has insufficient checks and balances. He compares this with the US constitution, which from the beginning recognised that men are imperfect, and built in the separation of powers and means for removing bad leaders.