Makram Abbès. Islam and Politics in the Classical Age.
The relationship between Islam and politics in the classical age is a subject of dispute. Scholars debate the nature of this relationship, delving into questions like whether there is a balance between them or whether one regulates and determines the other. Was al-Mawardi (d. 1508) writing on politics the same way al-Farabi was? How were Islam and politics perceived in classical Muslim contributions? Which classical books (or topics) should one scrutinize to reach an accurate and comprehensive understanding of this relationship? Makram Abbès proposes a method for understanding Islam and politics in the classical age. For him, one should examine three different types of writing: al-adab al-sultaniyya (mirrors of princes), fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and lastly, philosophy. Each of these topics has specific focuses, methods, and outcomes. The book consists of an introduction and three main parts, each respectively dealing with one of these three themes, plus one chapter on the conception of the state according to Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406), and a conclusion.
Fadi Zatari
