1st Edition

State and Religion in the Arab World

Edited By Khair El-Din Haseeb Copyright 2015
    321 Pages
    by Routledge

    322 Pages
    by Routledge

    This collection focuses on the controversial relationship between religion and the state within the Arab Spring context and the evolving debates on democratic transition. In this book, democracy is not questionable; it is hailed by all those vocal on the political scene. The array of opinions presented here varies from a call for a secular state based on Islamic philosophy to a call for setting democratic institutions before working on solving this religion-state dichotomy. Meanwhile some prefer to have an ambiguous stand on which side to back up, the liberals or the Islamists, despite a detailed criticism of the ossified ways of those calling for a religious state (Al-Majd). The book starts with an analysis and a detailed account of how the sensitive issue of the relationship between state and religion developed in Arab though and society and it goes on to employ less the religious discourse in presenting their positions thus focusing on actual cases of this struggle for power in different Arab countries such as Tunisia and Egypt. The collection also provides insights and analysis of the ongoing debates and views on the role of religion in Libya and provides an analysis of the case of Morocco. In addition to this there is a special chapter that deals with how Muslim communities living in the West adapt to secular state politics. The collection ends with a thorough discussion by a number of Arab intellectuals and activists, Muslims and Christians alike, whereby core issues related to the debate on state and religion are presented. This discussion, in addition to reflecting the Islamist-secular dichotomy, demonstrates the richness of the ongoing debates that extend well beyond the discourse on this dichotomy.

    This book is a compilation of articles published in Contemporary Arab Affairs.

    1- State and Religion in Contemporary Arab Society: Theory, History and Prospects

    By :Abd Ilah Belqaziz, Professor of Philosophy, Mohammad V University, Moroco

    2-The State and Religion in the Fundamentals of Islam and Contemporary Interpretation

    By Rached el-Ghannouchi, President of the Tunisian Al-Nahda Movement

    3-State and Religion in a Revolutionary Era: Perspectives and Demands of the Islamic Awakening

    By: Ridwan Al Sayyid , Professor of Islamic Studies at the Lebanese University

    4 – State and Religion in Intellectual and Political Traditions

    By: Adonis Al-Akra

    5- Approaches to Reforming Contemporary Religious Discourse

    By: Ahmad Kamal Abu al-Majd, Professor of law and member of The Islamic Research Board at Al-Azhar

    6-The Relationship between Religion and the State in Saudi Arabia and the Role of the Wahabi Institution in Government

    By: Tawfic Seif, a Saudi intellectual and researcher

    7-The Relationship between Religion and the State: The Case of Egypt After the Revolution

    By:Tarek al-Bishri, x-vice president of the State Council

    8-The State and Identity: The Relationship between Religion and Politics: Tunisia as Example

    By: Salaheddin El Jorshi, President of Al-Jahez Forum

    9-The Relationship between Religion and the State in Morocco: The Emirate of the Faithful

    By: Ahmed Khamlishi, Professor , University of Mohammad V Morocco

    10-The Representations of Religion in a Secular State: Muslim Communities in the West

    By: Ricard La Gravel

    11-State and Religion in Libya Today

    By: Abeer Immnainaah, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Benghazi University, Libya

    12-Open Discussion: In Quest of Political and Intellectual Understanding on State and Religion

    Biography

    Khair El-Din Haseeb is the founding Director of the Centre for Arab Unity Studies (CAUS) in Beirut and currently the Chairman of its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He has played a highly active and influential role in Arab nationalist concerns and initiatives since the 1970’s. From 1976 to 1984 he served as Chief of the Natural Resources Science and Technology Division of the United Nations Economic Commission of Western Asia. He is the author of numerous books and articles in both Arabic and English including: The Arab Spring: Critical Analysis (2013).