The Institution of State in Islamic Thought

Authors

  • EUGENIA LAURA POPA Phd. Student at Faculty of Social and Political Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași

Keywords:

Islam, politics, ummah, Shari'ah, 'ulama', dawlat al-Islam

Abstract

From different reasons, both Westerners and Muslims claim that in Islam politics and religion cannot be separated. For many Westerners, it is a sign of medieval and regressive nature of Islam. For Muslims is a sign of its strength and greatness. My research is an attempt to analyse political life in Islamic world. The constitutional theory of Islam revolves around the concepts, namely ummah, (Muslim community) Shari'ah (Islamic law), khilafah,(Caliph) shura (consultation), bay'ah (pledge of allegiance). This research shall discuss some of these concepts and then attempt a general characterization of an Islamic polity. This is not only of historical interest, but remains essential for understanding the modern relationship between Islam and politics today. Those who say that religion can not be separated from politics in Islamic world are wrong. For a thousand years or more separation worked.

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