Religion, Not a State : Ali 'Abd Al-Raziq's Islamic Justification of Political Secularism

Ali, Souad Tagelsir

ISBN 10: 0874809517 / ISBN 13: 9780874809510

Published by University of Utah Press, 2009

Seller Inventory # 7427267-n

Synopsis:

In this notable work, Souad T. Ali examines the seminal writings of Egyptian reformist scholar Ali'Abd al-Raziq, often regarded as the intellectual father of Islamic secularism, and his controversial argument that the caliphate should be considered a human innovation, rather than a religious imperative. 'Abd al Raziq contended that Islam is ""a religion, not a state; a message, not a government,"" a major departure from the traditional view that religious and political spheres are intertwined and inseparable in Islam. Opponents denounced 'Abd al-Raziq's ideas as a foreign corruption imported from the West. Ali's careful, objective, and scholarly examination of 'Abd al-Raziq's work, however, reveals that his arguments are not based in Western thought. Rather, they sit firmly within the dictates of Islam's sacred texts, particularly the Quran and Hadith, and also enjoy considerable support from the historical record. This analysis critically challenges prevalent misinterpretations of Islam that have endured for centuries. Ali recognizes the varied models and discourses that have arisen throughout different epochs, especially so the role that Western intervention has played in placing the question of Islam's modernity at the forefront of intellectual debate. Throughout, the study emphasizes the atmosphere of openness and tolerance that is a requisite for free, intelligent debate.

About the Author: Souad T. Ali is an assistant professor of Arabic and Middle East and Islamic Studies and head of Classics and Middle East Letters and Cultures at the School of International Letters and Cultures at Arizona State University. She has recently been named a Fulbright Scholar.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Religion, Not a State : Ali 'Abd Al-Raziq's ...
Publisher: University of Utah Press
Publication Date: 2009
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: New