Political Islam and the Arab Uprising
Islamist Politics in Changing Times
- Fazzur Rahman Siddiqui - Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi, India
Traces the changing trajectory of Arab politics through the Arab uprising
Delving into the history of political Islam in the colonial period, this book shows how the idea of modernity, intense interaction, contestation and engagement between Islamist forces and the emerging democratic voices in the region have contributed to the recent Arab uprising. While investigating the role of religion in shaping the unfolding political situation in the Arab world it also discusses the future of political Islam.
This is an ethnographic study encompassing the contestation between political Islam and the secular polity of the past and present, as well as the reconciliation between post-Arab spring politics and new Islamist forces in the region.
The author is very methodical in the current study and starts with the definitional aspect of the term ‘political Islam’. [ He] explains in the beginning itself that the aim of this study is to look into the changes taking place in the political ideology of the followers of Islam and its impact on the governance in various Arab states. This is the central theme but there are references to non-Arabs states like Iran as well…[the book] is recommended to readers interested in knowing more about Islamist politics in changing times.
The book is a valuable addition to the literature on the unfolding drama in the Arab world. Siddiqui’s book is one of its kind, as one has not come across a book published in India dealing with political Islam in a holistic manner. It is dedicated to all those countless revolutionaries who stood up to change the political trajectory of the Arab world. It is a valuable addition to the literature on the unfolding drama in the Arab world where some outside powers are actively engaged, adding fuel to the raging fire, with the rest of the world watching helplessly.
