Dartmouth Events

Abdullahi An-Na'im
Charles Howard Candler Professor of Law at Emory Law
Ssenior Fellow, Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University

Talk title: "The Islamic State is a Post-Colonial Mirage"

Talk abstract: "Since both the Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia claim to be Islamic states, the obvious questions include what makes the state Islamic, and how can the purported criterion of being Islamic be verified and by whom? The historical and current lack of criteria, and of the possibility of its independent verification and accountability confirms that there was never an Islamic state in Islamic history, including the state of Medina (632-660) in Arabia. The experience of the Prophet in Medina cannot be replicated except by a ruler who is accepted by believers as a prophet who speaks for Islam itself. Since that possibility is rejected by the explicit terms the Quran, the Prophet’s experience in Medina cannot be replicated. Despite this conclusive evidence of the historical absence of an Islamic state in theory or practice, many post-colonial Islamic societies proclaim the possibility now. Several state, from Mauritania to Pakistan and Malaysia, claim to be constitutionally Islamic. While the pursuit of the notion of an Islamic state may seem to constitute legitimate and effective indigenous self-determination, it is in fact a contradiction in terms. The outcome of enforcement of Sharia rules by the state cannot quality as legitimate because of the coercive nature of the state. This deadlock must be acknowledged and the mirage of an Islamic state categorically abandoned for sustainable democratic states to be realized by Muslims today."

Thursday, May 12, 2022
4:30pm
Moore B03

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