Islam and the Challenge of Democracy

The events of September 11 and the subsequent war on terrorism have provoked widespread discussion about the possibility of democracy in the Islamic world. Such topics as the meaning of jihad, the role of clerics as authoritative interpreters, and the place of human rights and toleration in Islam have become subjects of urgent public debate around the world. With few exceptions, however, this debate has proceeded in isolation from the vibrant traditions of argument within Islamic theology, philosophy, and law. Islam and the Challenge of Democracy aims to correct this deficiency. The book engages the reader in a rich discourse on the challenges of democracy in contemporary Islam. The collection begins with a lead essay by Khaled Abou El Fadl, who argues that democracy, especially a constitutional democracy that protects basic individual rights, is the form of government best suited to promoting a set of social and political values central to Islam. Because Islam is about submission to God and about each individual's responsibility to serve as His agent on Earth, Abou El Fadl argues, there is no place for the subjugation to human authority demanded by authoritarian regimes. The lead essay is followed by eleven others from internationally respected specialists in democracy and religion. They address, challenge, and engage Abou El Fadl's work. The contributors include John Esposito, Muhammad Fadel, Noah Feldman, Nader Hashemi, Bernard Haykel, Muqtedar Khan, Saba Mahmood, David Novak, William Quandt, Kevin Reinhart, and Jeremy Waldron.

ISBN 0691118418   Pages 136 ISBN13 9780691118413 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Princeton University Press   Weight (grammes) 342 Imprint Princeton University Press   Published in New Jersey Format Hardback   Series title Boston Review Book Publication date 23 Apr 2004   Height (mm) 216 Library of Congress BP173.7 \.   Width (mm) 140 DEWEY 297.272   Spine width (mm) 17 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level Professional / Scholarly, Tertiary education

		Islam and the Challenge of Democracy by Khaled Abou El Fadl		3
		Change from Within by Nader A. Hashemi		49
		Democracy and Conflict by Jeremy Waldron		55
		The Best Hope by Noah Feldman		59
		The Primacy of Political Philosophy by M. A. Muqtedar Khan		63
		The Importance on Context by A. Kevin Reinhart		69
		Is Liberalism Islam's Only Answer? by Saba Mahmood		74
		Popular Support First by Bernard Haykel		78
		Too Far from Tradition by Mohammad H. Fadel		81
		Revealed Law and Democracy by David Novak		87
		Practice and Theory by John L. Esposito		93
		Islam Is Not the Problem by William B. Quandt		101
		Reply by Khaled Abou El Fadl		109
		Contributors		129
		Index		131

What El Fadl achieves in his short book is noteworthy primarily because he brings the concept of democracy home, literally, for the world's Muslims. By giving democracy a technical and legal basis in Islamic law, El Fadl provides it with a certificate of authentication that secular writers ... cannot. -- Bezalel Stern The Jerusalem Post In a just world, Khaled Abou El Fadl would get as much publicity as Osama bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Bin Laden and Zarqawi blow up buildings and slaughter fellow Muslims. Abou El Fadl blows up everything those two terrorists supposedly believe in. -- Carlin Romano Philadelphia Inquirer

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