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الفكر السياسي الإسلامي
صدرت الطبعة الأولى من هذه الترجمة في سنة 1981، حين كان الإسلام السياسي في أوج صعوده مع الثورة الخمينية في إيران، من جهة أولى؛ وحين كان "الاستشراق"، عمل إدوارد سعيد الفارق، 1978، يستكمل حركة نقدية كونية واسعة بصدد قراءة، وإعادة قراءة، الإسلام وثنائيات "الغرب" و"الشرق"، والإمبريالية، وما بعد الاستعمار، من جهة ثانية.
وحين رحل مونتغمري وات (1909 ـ 2006)، كانت آمال "النظام الدولي الجديد"، الذي دشنه جورج بوش الأب في "عاصفة "الصحراء"، واستكمله بوش الابن في اجتياح العراق سنة 2003، قد تحوّلت إلى آلام؛ وانهارت تباعاً فلسفات المحافظين الجدد بتأثير فشل ذريع تلو آخر، هنا وهناك في العالم. وبالطبع، كانت موجات متدافعة هوجاء من استسهال دمغ الإسلام بالفاشية والإرهاب، على نحو تعميمي مطلق يتعمد الاستعداء والتحريض؛ قد مهدت الكثير من الطرق أمام بحث أكاديمي حول الإسلام والمسلمين، قاصر، وتنميطي، وجاهل، وغبي، وكاريكاتوري.
لكنّ خلاصات وات في هذا الكتاب، حول الفكر السياسي الإسلامي، ومفهوم الجهاد، والدولة، والخلافة، والفِرَق والمذاهب؛ ظلت ــ بسبب من رصانة المنهج، وصفاء الرؤية وموضوعية التحليل ومتانة الاستقراء... ــ صائبة ونافعة وراهنة. وهذا سبب أوّل، كافٍ ومبدئي، يدفعنا إلى إعادة إصدارها في طبعة جديدة.
صبحي حديدي
وحين رحل مونتغمري وات (1909 ـ 2006)، كانت آمال "النظام الدولي الجديد"، الذي دشنه جورج بوش الأب في "عاصفة "الصحراء"، واستكمله بوش الابن في اجتياح العراق سنة 2003، قد تحوّلت إلى آلام؛ وانهارت تباعاً فلسفات المحافظين الجدد بتأثير فشل ذريع تلو آخر، هنا وهناك في العالم. وبالطبع، كانت موجات متدافعة هوجاء من استسهال دمغ الإسلام بالفاشية والإرهاب، على نحو تعميمي مطلق يتعمد الاستعداء والتحريض؛ قد مهدت الكثير من الطرق أمام بحث أكاديمي حول الإسلام والمسلمين، قاصر، وتنميطي، وجاهل، وغبي، وكاريكاتوري.
لكنّ خلاصات وات في هذا الكتاب، حول الفكر السياسي الإسلامي، ومفهوم الجهاد، والدولة، والخلافة، والفِرَق والمذاهب؛ ظلت ــ بسبب من رصانة المنهج، وصفاء الرؤية وموضوعية التحليل ومتانة الاستقراء... ــ صائبة ونافعة وراهنة. وهذا سبب أوّل، كافٍ ومبدئي، يدفعنا إلى إعادة إصدارها في طبعة جديدة.
صبحي حديدي
Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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About the author
William Montgomery Watt
52 books98 followersWilliam Montgomery Watt was a Scottish historian, an Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Watt was one of the foremost non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West, was an enormously influential scholar in the field of Islamic studies and a much-revered name for many Muslims all over the world." Watt's comprehensive biography of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, Muhammad at Mecca (1953) and Muhammad at Medina (1956), are considered to be classics in the field .
Watt held visiting professorships at the University of Toronto, the Collège de France, and Georgetown University, and received the American Giorgio Levi Della Vida Medal and won, as its first recipient, the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies award for outstanding scholarship.
Watt held visiting professorships at the University of Toronto, the Collège de France, and Georgetown University, and received the American Giorgio Levi Della Vida Medal and won, as its first recipient, the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies award for outstanding scholarship.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Currently reading
May 1, 2019I read the first few chapters a couple of times just so that I got better understanding of the subject!
It has been envisaged that Islam would become one of half a dozen significant political forces in the world. Since the European wars of religion in the 16th and 17th century, Europeans and Americans see religion as being divorced from politics. However, in reality, throughout history, they have always been linked. When politics become serious, men are expected to be ready to die for the cause they support. They find the deep driving force in religion .... or some ideology that functions as such.
The book researches the development or genesis of Islamic political conceptions since the trading /commercial days of Mecca and the hijrah to Medina.
While Islam has the reputation of a political religion, pre-Islamic Arabs tribal life hinged on the maintenance of security by means of a high degree of solidarity. The Law of Retribution/ Retaliation (like an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth)...primitive as it may seem, it was a way of maintaining security at a time when there was no sense of general duty to another person. The whole group or clan etc. were usually held accountable. Nevertheless, the practice would in time modify to accepting "blood money" or "blood-wit" . By Muhammad's time this has come to 100 camels for a man and 50 camels for a woman!. Point to be taken - solidarity of kinship group means members are protected by the group. However, the larger the group kinship obligation may become slighter and hence appeal for help may at times be refused. Devices were then made to ensure the strength of such obligation e.g
1. When a slave was set free, he became a client (mawla) of his ex-master (patron) After conversion to Islam, he is attached to a tribe.
2. Becoming a protected neighbour even for a certain period.
3. Becoming an alliance between equals.
....all of which would involve pledges by parties. This concept is still very much alive among Bedouins with much ramification.
The book delves into the nature of the Arab community and the terms usually used to refer to it. For example, umma (tribe) has its beginning in Hebrew and Sumeria. Qawm is Arabic and so are mukminun (Muslims) and jima'ah (community)
One that fills me with much expectation is "jihad"
My apologies for progress has been very slow of late.
Razzias (raids) for booties were commonplace in the Arab nomadic desert life - almost a sport.... hmmm no difference from that of the Mongols of the Gobi and people of the steppes.....However, these were done between parties with no alliance until the advent of petrol motor in Arabia i.e.in the 20th century!
When in Medina. Muhammad PBUH, was then only a Syed of a clan of emigrants. They endured so much hostilities and hardship in the hands of the Meccans. They were constantly at war so much so that the state of affair was said to be referred to be "jihad". Subsequently, the word came to be used as to mean taking part in raids only but it was given a religious reference in that it was "in the name of God", and raids were against parties or clans where there were no alliance. Henceforth, jihad became a fundamental part of the mechanism of Islamic expansion at times to the point of abuse of the term and practice.
(To be continued)
It has been envisaged that Islam would become one of half a dozen significant political forces in the world. Since the European wars of religion in the 16th and 17th century, Europeans and Americans see religion as being divorced from politics. However, in reality, throughout history, they have always been linked. When politics become serious, men are expected to be ready to die for the cause they support. They find the deep driving force in religion .... or some ideology that functions as such.
The book researches the development or genesis of Islamic political conceptions since the trading /commercial days of Mecca and the hijrah to Medina.
While Islam has the reputation of a political religion, pre-Islamic Arabs tribal life hinged on the maintenance of security by means of a high degree of solidarity. The Law of Retribution/ Retaliation (like an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth)...primitive as it may seem, it was a way of maintaining security at a time when there was no sense of general duty to another person. The whole group or clan etc. were usually held accountable. Nevertheless, the practice would in time modify to accepting "blood money" or "blood-wit" . By Muhammad's time this has come to 100 camels for a man and 50 camels for a woman!. Point to be taken - solidarity of kinship group means members are protected by the group. However, the larger the group kinship obligation may become slighter and hence appeal for help may at times be refused. Devices were then made to ensure the strength of such obligation e.g
1. When a slave was set free, he became a client (mawla) of his ex-master (patron) After conversion to Islam, he is attached to a tribe.
2. Becoming a protected neighbour even for a certain period.
3. Becoming an alliance between equals.
....all of which would involve pledges by parties. This concept is still very much alive among Bedouins with much ramification.
The book delves into the nature of the Arab community and the terms usually used to refer to it. For example, umma (tribe) has its beginning in Hebrew and Sumeria. Qawm is Arabic and so are mukminun (Muslims) and jima'ah (community)
One that fills me with much expectation is "jihad"
My apologies for progress has been very slow of late.
Razzias (raids) for booties were commonplace in the Arab nomadic desert life - almost a sport.... hmmm no difference from that of the Mongols of the Gobi and people of the steppes.....However, these were done between parties with no alliance until the advent of petrol motor in Arabia i.e.in the 20th century!
When in Medina. Muhammad PBUH, was then only a Syed of a clan of emigrants. They endured so much hostilities and hardship in the hands of the Meccans. They were constantly at war so much so that the state of affair was said to be referred to be "jihad". Subsequently, the word came to be used as to mean taking part in raids only but it was given a religious reference in that it was "in the name of God", and raids were against parties or clans where there were no alliance. Henceforth, jihad became a fundamental part of the mechanism of Islamic expansion at times to the point of abuse of the term and practice.
(To be continued)
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September 28, 2025Básicamente, a ver si aprendo lo básico a base de leer muchos libros sobre ello, para que 622 me suene tanto como 1789. Poco a poco.
September 16, 2011
This is a decent survey into Islamic political thought, highlighting many important empires and historical periods. My only qualms are that it is limited in its detail and depth as a survey. The basic theology was correct, but I question some of the applications from theology to theory. Other books are needed to provide a more thorough exploration into that.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews