Governance and Political Authority in the Muslim World: Examining Theory and Practice

Ever since the fail of the ı slamic Caliphate ever a century ago, there has been a vibrant and eften times fierce debate about its restoration in one form ar another. After more than thirteen centu­ries of uninterrupted lslamic political model, even though it took different shapes and forms, there was suddenly a vacuum that faced many significant challenges on many fronts, particu­larly from European colonial powers. The debate involved not onlythe Ulama' class and the politi­cal elites, but alsa many popular social leaders as well as laypeople across the Muslim world. Along with the colonialist challenge, the political vacuum and chaos that followed because of the absence of a political paradigm far Muslim socie­ties, was probably the main reason and impetus behind the launching and expansion of the vast majority of modern lslamic movements across the lslamic world.

There are twenty-four papers included in this volume. They are surely a positive contribution in the debate regarding the issue of Governance and Political Authority in the Muslim World and the future revival project of the Muslim Ummah. The depth and complexity of the issues present­ed in this book, the hard questions that have yet ta be answered, and the difficult challenges that have not been addressed, would surely point ta a thorny and long road ahead. This intellectual path calls far all sincere efforts by authentic scholars, diligent researchers, and serious stu­dents ta come together in order ta invigorate the debate and continue the examination of the issues that impact the future of governance and political authority in the Muslim World until all questions are resolved, challenges tackled, and mission fulfilled.

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