In contemporary political discourse, the "clash of civilizations" rhetoric often undergirds philosophical analyses of "democracy" both at home and abroad. This is nowhere better articulated than in Jacques Derrida's Rogues, in which he describes Islam as the only religious or theocratic culture that would "inspire and declare any resistance to democracy". Curiously, Derrida attributes the failings of democracy in Islam to the lack of reference to Aristotle's Politics in the writings of the medieval Muslim philosophers. This paper aims to analyze (...) this gross misconception of Islamic philosophy and illuminate the thoroughgoing influence the Muslim philosophers had on their Christian successors, those who are so often credited as foundations of Western political philosophy. In so doing, I compare the ideal states presented by Averroes and Dante – in which Aristotelian influence is intimately interlaced – and offer an analysis thereof as heralds of what we might call the secularization of the political, inspiring those democratic values that Derrida believes to be absent in the rich philosophy of the Middle Ages. (shrink)

This study analyses the historical evolution of contemporary Muslim controversies over the historical roots of extremism by applying qualitative content analysis to relevant Qur’ānic verses, prophetic traditions and offerings from early schools of Islamic thought. The study begins by defi ning Arabic term ghulūw with regard to religious extremism and then briefl y introduces manifestations of the phenomenon from the days of Prophet Nūḥ to Jewish and Christian enthusiasts. The paper discusses impacts of extremist thinking on early Muslims with a (...) focus on Kharijite and Muᶜtazilite schools and other related sects. In addition, a discussion of the misuse of certain terms and related legal rulings addresses fi ve matters of importance: [1] matters signifi ed by specifi c appellations, errant legal rulings and consequences; [2] extremist doctrines; [3] extremist religious discourses; [4] rebuttal of errant doctrines; and [5] implications of extremist designations and rulings. (shrink)