Islam and Democratization in Asia By Shiping Hua

for the Islamic state and was essentially articulated by Ibn Taymiyyah. ⁹ While one can always dispute whether the text of the Quran necessitates the creation of a state, we cannot deny that social norms have become so intertwined with the policies of the modern state today as to make the good and the political inseparable.

The question, then, that becomes paramount for Muslim political theorists concerns the nature and consequences of the Islamic state. Will this state created to institute good and penalize bad become a tyranny of those who claim to know what the shariah is, or will it become a collective human endeavor in pursuit of the virtuous republic that will facilitate the good life. I am convinced that Muslim political theorists can design an Islamic system of governance that will encourage good and forbid evil, but will also foster a culture of tolerance and compassion for different and even multiple understandings of what that good might be.

The Key Features of Islamic Governance

The key features of Islamic governance are constitution, consent, consultation, and protection of religious freedom. While these principles need to be explored and articulated in the specific socio-cultural context of different Muslim societies, it is important to understand how they are significant and derived from within Islamic sources.

The Constitution

The compact of Medina that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) became a party to provides a very important occasion for the development of Islamic political theory. After Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, he established the first Islamic state. For ten years Prophet Muhammad was not only the leader of the emerging Muslim community in Arabia but also the political head of the state of Medina. As the leader of Medina, Prophet Muhammad exercised jurisdiction over Muslims as well as non-Muslims within the city. The legitimacy of his sovereignty over Medina was based on his status as the Prophet of Islam as well as on the basis of the compact of Medina.