The Inevitable Caliphate?: A History of the Struggle for Global Islamic Union, 1924 to the Present

by Reza Pankhurst

While in the West 'the Caliphate" evokes overwhelmingly negative images, throughout Islamic history it has been regarded as the ideal Islamic polity. In the wake of the "Arab Spring" and the removal of long-standing dictators in the Middle East, in which the dominant discourse appears to be one of the compatibility of Islam and democracy, reviving the Caliphate has continued to exercise the minds of its opponents and advocates. Reza Pankhurst's book contributes to our understanding of Islam in politics, the path of Islamic revival across the last century and how the popularity of the Caliphate in Muslim discourse waned and later re-emerged. Beginning with the abolition of the Caliphate, the ideas and discourse of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir, al-Qaeda and other smaller groups are then examined. A comparative analysis highlights the core commonalities as well as differences between the various movements and individuals, and suggests that as movements struggle to re-establish a polity which expresses the unity of the ummah (or global Islamic community), the Caliphate has alternatively been ignored, had its significance minimised or denied, reclaimed and promoted as a theory and symbol in different ways, yet still serves as a political ideal for many.

Genres: Islam, History, Politics, Nonfiction, Religion, Middle East

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[ragheb aljaoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

فكرة الخلافة اﻹسلامية تبناها الكثير من الشخصيات اﻹسلامية والمنظمات واﻷحزاب والتي يستعرضها الكاتب الشاب اﻷستاذ رضا بانكهرست بعمق تحليلي ممتع..وغني ...إبتداء من رشيد رضا وعلي عبد الرزاق مروراً بحسن البنا والشيخ تقي الدين النبهاني إلى الشهيد سيد قطب انتهاء بأبي اﻷعلى المودودي..وأسامة بن لادن وعبد الله عزام..
ينتقل الكاتب من شخصية إلى أخرى ومن تنظيم ﻵخر مستعرضاً فكرة الخلافة اﻹسلامية وتباين الطرح الذي قدمه كل تنظيم في آلية إرساء الخلافة على أرض الواقع ...من القاعدة إلى القمة (كاﻹخوان المسلمين) ومن القمة إلى القاعدة (كحزب التحرير)...
يعرج الكاتب على أفكار تنظيم القاعدة...والكثير من التنظيمات اﻷخرى...
وهنا يبرز للذهن تساؤل مهم: هل يبحث المسلمون عن الخليفة أم عن الراشد؟
وهل نتعلق باﻷسماء أم بالمضامين؟
وعندما يستعرض الكاتب الخلافات على الساحة اﻹسلامية على أنها تنوع بالطرح وليس اختلافا منهجيا(!!!!) ونحن نرى كيف يتم نهش بعض اﻷحزاب اﻹسلامية من قبل أحزاب أخرى (الانتقائية السلفية) ..يستشكل علينا كيف قرأ الكاتب هذا التنوع.
الكتاب غني في طرحه..موسوعي في أرشفته...ويستحق أن يكون في رفوف مكتبة المهتمين.

[Ristyawan Mubarok · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives explanation in objective manner. This book gives many links to other sources from across group struggling for Caliphate. I can say, objectiveness of the book can be academically accepted.

[ARHAM MOIN · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book touched on the topic of the caliphate in the modern age very holistically. It can be said to be broadly of four parts. First the book set the ground for the discussion by introducing some contemporary news and events, and then touching on the importance of worldview through which we see events. The topics of how Islam can even allow multiple views on a topic, or how multiplicity of views emerge, as well as how Islam has been interpreted by the West with so many strands of though are elaborated. Second it proceeded to discuss major and minor groups calling for political Islam analyzing each critically. Thirdly it again compares each one highlighting their differences and similarities, giving a hopeful picture. Fourthly it gives an account of the fatwa issued by Al Azhar University mentioned in the book. It explains the importance of our lens in viewing events and the processes of ijtihad and legal deduction. It contextualizes the movements very nicely and for a beginner understanding the historical cries and events related to the caliphate it is very good. As for understanding the obligation of the Caliphate alone, this book is also good but one may need an only fiqh book for that

[Edward Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book ! Concise, clear analysis of the word caliphate and the meaning of the word from a Islamic perspective. Pankhurst contends that the Muslim perspective of a caliphate is not evil. Pankhurst views the Muslim support of the establishment of a caliphate as a defensive reaction to Western imperialism and colonialism.

[Andy Aoki]

hizb ut tahrir interesting.