Islam and the Drive to Global Justice (Book)
Islam and the Drive to Global Justice: Principles of Justice Beyond Dominant Ethnic and Religious Communities is a 2023 edited volume edited by Louay M. Safi, published by Lexington Books (an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield). The book brings together contributions from ten scholars, including Asma Afsaruddin, Mustafa Akyol, Armando Salvatore and Mohammed Abu-Nimer, to examine the relationship between Islam and the pursuit of global justice (Safi, 2023). The work situates Islamic justice discourse within contemporary debates on globalization, universality and the policies of global powers towards Muslim populations in the Global South (Safi, 2023, p. 4).
Overview
The volume is structured in two parts. Part I, "Reevaluating the Grounds for a Just Global Order", focuses on conceptual and theological foundations, including chapters on Qur'anic interpretations of justice, the relationship between Sharia and freedom, and the notion of "connective justice" rooted in Islamic rationalism (Safi, 2023, pp. 15–89). Part II, "Global Confluence in the Muslim South", applies this normative framework to contemporary political realities, analysing authoritarianism in the Arab world, religious diversity, and the complicity of Western powers in sustaining autocratic regimes (Safi, 2023, pp. 93–210).
The editor, Louay M. Safi, is a professor of political science and Islamic philosophy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University and a senior fellow at the Center for Muslim–Christian Understanding at Georgetown University (Safi, 2023, back cover). He has previously written on human rights, democracy and Islam–West relations.
Main themes
According to the publisher's description and academic reviews, the book addresses three interrelated challenges to justice: inclusivity, disparity and selectivity (Safi, 2023, p. 2). It argues for replacing a power‑centered approach to global order with a human‑centered approach that privileges shared values and interests (Safi, 2023, p. 7). The volume introduces the concept of "Islamic rational idealism" as a framework for universalising justice beyond dominant ethnic and religious communities (Safi, 2023, Chapter 1).
Several chapters analyse how Western support for Arab autocracy contributes to the rise of religious extremism and has produced failed states in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, undermining both national and global peace (Safi, 2023, pp. 195–210). The book also reassesses conventional understandings of Sharia and freedom, arguing for a more nuanced reading of Islamic legal traditions compatible with modern conceptions of justice (Akyol, 2023, cited in Safi, 2023).
Contributors
Significant contributors include:
- Louay M. Safi – Introduction, Chapter 1 ("Islamic Rational Idealism and the Universalization of Justice"), Chapter 10 ("Arab Authoritarianism and Western Complacency")
- Asma Afsaruddin – Chapter 2 ("Justice in the Qur’an: Interpretations of a Universal Value in a Globalizing World")
- Abdulkader Tayob – Chapter 3 ("Sensory Aesthetics of Belief and Unbelief in the Qur'an")
- Armando Salvatore – Chapter 4 ("The Islamic Inflection of Connective Justice")
- Mustafa Akyol – Chapter 5 ("Sharia and Freedom: A Reassessment")
- Mohammed Hashas – Chapter 6 ("Toward a Civilizational Ethos")
- Khairudin Aljunied – Chapter 7 ("Muslim Intellectuals and Global Justice: A View from Southeast Asia")
- Farid Senzai – Chapter 8 ("Toward a Justice‑based Foreign Policy")
- Mohammed Abu-Nimer – Chapter 9 ("Religious Diversity in Arab Society")
Reception
The book has received positive notices from scholars of Islamic political thought. Charles E. Butterworth (Emeritus Professor, University of Maryland) described the essays as "well‑researched and clearly argued", noting that they address "two themes neglected for too long: how global justice applies to Muslim polities today and how Muslim scholars today seek to implement justice so conceived" (Butterworth, 2024, cited in Safi, 2023, back cover). Sari Hanafi (Professor of Sociology, American University of Beirut) wrote that the volume raises "a loud voice in favor of a more ethical order" amid multiple global crises (Hanafi, 2024, cited in Safi, 2023, back cover).
Bibliographic information
- Editor: Louay M. Safi
- Title: Islam and the Drive to Global Justice: Principles of Justice Beyond Dominant Ethnic and Religious Communities
- Series: Faith and Politics: Political Theology in a New Key (No. 7)
- Publisher: Lexington Books / Fortress Academic
- Publication date: 15 December 2023
- Pages: vi, 241 (hardcover); total 258 pages
- ISBN: 978-1-6669-5402-9 (hardcover); 978-1-6669-5403-6 (ebook)
- OCLC: 1401627105
References
Akyol, M. (2023). Sharia and freedom: A reassessment. In L. M. Safi (Ed.), Islam and the drive to global justice: Principles of justice beyond dominant ethnic and religious communities (pp. 91–112). Lexington Books.
Butterworth, C. E. (2024). [Praise for Islam and the drive to global justice]. In L. M. Safi (Ed.), Islam and the drive to global justice: Principles of justice beyond dominant ethnic and religious communities (back cover). Lexington Books.
Hanafi, S. (2024). [Praise for Islam and the drive to global justice]. In L. M. Safi (Ed.), Islam and the drive to global justice: Principles of justice beyond dominant ethnic and religious communities (back cover). Lexington Books.
Safi, L. M. (Ed.). (2023). Islam and the drive to global justice: Principles of justice beyond dominant ethnic and religious communities. Lexington Books.