Publications

Ahmad S. Moussalli
The Islamic Quest for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights
(Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2001), 256 pages, US$55.00 (cloth)

In this book, Ahmad S. Moussalli, an associate professor of political science at the American University of Beirut, seeks to prove that Islam is not opposed to democracy as many in the West believe. He elaborates and develops the basic doctrines of Islamic government and politics that, while evolving along different historical paths in the Islamic world, either include or are not opposed to democracy, pluralism, and human rights. Among these doctrines found in Islam are the notions of political contract and consensus, tolerance of differences, pluralism, opposition and human rights, and rights of minorities. The most important ideological and religious arguments in modern Islamic political discourses about democracy, pluralism, and human rights are highlighted as well as those from the past, especially from the times of the prophet and the caliphate.

As Moussalli demonstrates, the concepts of democracy, pluralism, and human rights are in harmony with Islamic thought and have roots in many Muslim notions of government and politics. In fact, modern Islamic thought has absorbed and "Islamized" these concepts. In addition, Islamic thought has long viewed itself as more equitable, less racial, and more humane than western political thought. Equality, freedom, and justice, for example, are primary Islamic doctrines. The different chapters show the development, uses and abuses, and perfection and imperfection of these doctrines and others starting from the period of the Prophet Muhammad through modern times.

As the author states, the modern Islamic understanding of pluralism, democracy and human rights depends on the possibility of modern interpretations of the sources of religion and major extensions of the meanings of some basic doctrines of the shari’’a (Islamic law) that include: consultation (shura), consensus (ijma’’), difference (ikhtilaf), and minorities. Whereas some scholars and thinkers believe that the historical shari’’a is not capable of expanding to modernize major concepts like freedom and equality, Moussalli shows that it is capable of development if the Islamic centers of learning have the will to do so.

Moussalli proves that Islamic thought was based on the notion of tolerating differences (ikhtilaf) historically shown in the adoption and tolerance of pluralistic politics and public opinions, and he presents that categories and philosophy of Islamic human rights, which include general and public rights in addition to the rights of women, families and minorities. He concludes with an assessment of the prospects of the ongoing Islamic debates on democracy, pluralism and human rights.

This book is a sequel to Moussalli’’s earlier Moderate and Radical Islamic Fundamentalism: The Quest for Modernity, Legitimacy, and the Islamic State. In that volume, he shows the diversified and multiple discourses of Islamic fundamentalism (or Islamisim), which range from advocating complete radical totalitarianism to inclusive pluralistic ideologies.

Overall, Moussalli shows that democracy, pluralism, and human rights are not only fundamental doctrines of modern western political philosophy but are now emerging as primary concerns of modern Islamic political thought. (Nadia AlHuraimi)

Bulletin of Regional Cooperation in the Middle East Winter 2001-2002 Copyright 2004 Search for Common Ground