The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism

Sachedina, in this book, argues that we must reopen the doors of religious interpretation—to correct false interpretations, replace outdated laws, and formulate new doctrines.

Sachedina’s book critically analyzes Muslim teachings on such issues as pluralism, civil society, war and peace, and violence and self-sacrifice.

This book tackles the most significant issues facing Muslims today. As Islam and Muslims enter the 21st century, the book argues, it is necessary to reopen the doors of religious interpretation—to re-examine and correct false interpretations, replace outdated laws and formulate new doctrines that respond to changing social contexts. Always using the Quran as a yardstick, the book demonstrates how and why Islamic law came to reflect political and social influences, leading to regulations that violate the spirit and the letter of the Quran. It analyzes critically Muslim teachings on issues of pluralism, civil society, war and peace, violence and self-sacrifice, the status and role of non-Muslims, and capital punishment.

About the Author

Abdulaziz Sachedina, Ph.D., is Professor and IIIT Chair in Islamic Studies at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.  Dr. Sachedina, who has studied in India, Iraq, Iran, and Canada, obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.  He has been conducting research and writing in the field of Islamic Law, Ethics, and Theology (Sunni and Shiite) for more than two decades.  In the last ten years he has concentrated on social and political ethics, including Interfaith and Intrafaith Relations, Islamic Biomedical Ethics and Islam and Human Rights.

Bibliographic Information

Title: The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism

Author(s): Abdulaziz Abdulhussein Sachedina

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Language: English

Length: 192 pages

ISBN: 9780195326017

Pub. Date: April 16, 2007

The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism