Islamism as Philosophy

The Muslim question continues to vex the world. The answers to this question come in many forms: public policy, academic analysis as well as sensationalist headlines. This book presents a philosophical take on the Muslim question. In doing so, it explores some of the philosophical assumptions that frame the way in which the rise of Muslim political identity throughout the planet presents challenges which are not only cultural and geopolitical but also conceptual. In a series of reflections, Islamism as Philosophy teases out some of the complexities of the emergence of Muslim political identities, complexities which are often covered up by the latest screaming headline. This book argues that a world in which a quarter of the population seems increasingly conscious of its "Musliminess" cannot be peaceful or harmonious or just without careful attention being paid to the Muslim question. Islamism as Philosophy's opening gambit is that increasing consciousness of the Muslim is neither superficial nor transitory and as such requires rigorous and serious consideration.If the Muslim Awakening is a wave of world historical import akin to the emergence of nationalism in the nineteenth and twentieth century, then the choices that present themselves are either to try and roll back the tide or learn to surf.