Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The impact of Islam on politics in today's world attracts wide interest and has led to a flood of writings on so-called “political Islam,” a term apparently newly coined (Beinin and Stork 1997). “Political Islam,” is defined as “the doctrine and/or movement, which contends that Islam possesses a theory of politics and the State” (Ayubi 1991). The phenomenon is viewed to be at odds with modernity, and so Muslim political activism is customarily equated merely with terrorism and extremism. Many overlook the continuing movement within the Muslim world to relate Islam to contemporary social concerns.The aim of this essay is to examine briefly the emergence of modern Islamic ideas of sociopolitical justice and how different Muslim groups are attempting to realize these in today's Muslim world. Since an understanding of the present Muslim situation necessitates a familiarity with the past, the essay begins with a short introductory history of the major changes that have affected the development of Islamic political thought and its sources. This is followed by an overview of the impact of Western imperialism on modern Muslims, and the revolts and reforms that have occurred in response to it. Modern views of Muslims on justice have developed in a context of encounters with Western modernity, and among the major issues raised are liberation, equality, alleviation of poverty, and protest ... log in or subscribe to read full text