Ali Abdel Raziq

Ali Abd Ar-Raziq (1888-1966) was an Egyptian Islamic scholar and sharia judge. He can be regarded as the intellectual father of Islamic laicism (the separation of state and religion, not the secularization of society). His main work is called "Islam and the Foundations of Governance" (Al-Islam Wa Usul Al-Hukm) and was first published in 1925. Due to its controversial standpoints regarding the necessity of the caliphate and religious government, the book triggered an intellectual and political battle in Egypt. In essence the author claims that the Muslims may agree on any kind of government, be it religious or worldly, as long as it serves their interest and common welfare. As Abd Ar-Raziq recounts the horrors of the caliphate, among other things, one can conclude that he advocated a government that is not referring to the religion. It is exactly this separation that is supposed to protect the religion from political misuse and to enforce morals. However, Abd Ar-Raziq`s main argument is the fact that the two main sources of Islamic law (sharia), the Quran and the Sunnah (Tradition of Messenger Muhammad), neither demand nor reject the rule of a caliph (caliphate) or imam(imamate). Ali Abd Ar-Raziq also wrote "Consensus in Islamic Law" (Al-Ijma´ Fi Ash-Shari´ah Al-Islamiyyah) which was published in 1947.

References

Adams, Charles C.: Islam and Modernism in Egypt. Russell & Russell, New York, 1968 (2ndd Edition). Page: 259-68.

Meier, Andreas: Der Politische Auftrag des Islam (The Political Mission of Islam). Wuppertal (GER), 1994. Page: 106-114.

Abd Ar-Raziq, Ali: Al-Islam Wa Usul Al-Hukm: Bahth Fi-l Khilafa Wa-l Hukuma Fi-l Islam (Islam and the Foundations of Governance: Research on the Caliphate and Governance in Islam). Critique and commentary by Mamdooh Haqqi (Beirut, 1978).