Islam, Islamism, Muslims, and Governance: Beyond “Islam and Democracy”

Abstract

This chapter asks not if Islam can engage with democracy but how, specifically via religiously inspired parties. There exists no “normative” Islamism, and “the state” in Islamic political philosophy grafts the notion onto pre-modern concepts of authority. As the Arab uprisings develop, Islamic political theologies will develop, creating contemporary queries: whether Islamist parties are “centrist,” whether Muslim communities’ default is Islamist, or whether only Islamists desire religion in the public sphere. With Egypt as a case study, evidence shows religion as an important identity marker, but not necessarily a support for political Islamism. Regardless of whether governments instrumentalize religion, delivery of tangible progress is most likely to ensure state stability. With religion remaining a significant force, progressive religious expression must support comprehensive individual and societal development.