Governance and Political Authority in the Muslim World:Examining Theory and Practice

Abstract

Established in 2017, one of the main objectives of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University is to analyze some of the intractable problems and challenges facing the Islamic world. Between 2017-2019, CIGA convened three international conferences on issues related to the Muslim Ummah. The theme of the 2017 conference was The Muslim Ummah: Synthesizing a New Paradigm, Analyzing Modern Challenges, while the theme in 2018 wasFault Lines and Perils Facing Muslim Societies: The Challenges of Sectarianism, Secularism, Nationalism, and Colonialism. In 2019, CIGA convened its third international conference under the theme The Quest for Democracy: Examining Civil-Military Relations in Muslim Societies. The proceedings of the third conference were published in 2021. This current volume is the collection of the papers that were presented and submitted in the fourth CIGA international conference on the Muslim Ummah organized in December 2020. It was convened withthe sponsorship and active support of important academic institutions. I’dlike to express my sincere thanks and offer my profound appreciation to our partners and sponsors of the conference, namely, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University and its Rector Prof. Mehmet Bulut, and the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar, and its Dean Prof. Emadeldin Shahin.I’d also like to thank the speakers and participants in the conference, whose papers and presentations are included in this volume,1 as well as to acknowledge the other speakers who participated in the conference but whose contributions could not be included here. It must be noted that the names and affiliations of all speakers and moderators are also included at the end of this book.2 Their participation is highly regarded.Moreover, it’s my pleasure to acknowledge the efforts and hard work of CIGA’s research and administrative staff, Yunus Akdeniz, Ü veys Han, Fadi Zatari, beyd Ruff, Djallel Khechib, Abdalrahman Migdad, Yomna Suleyman, Razia Wadood, Jamal Muhamed Adem, Imad Atoui, Saima Rashid, Taimoor Bin Tanveer, Taqwa Abukmeil, Maryam Khan, and Omar Fili, as well as the transcriptions of the presentations done by several CIGA interns. This conference could not have been successful without their spirited dedication and professionalism.Above all, I’m indebted to Ali Al-Arian, Riad Alarian, beydRuff, Dr. Asim Qureshi, and Dr. Wedad Taha (Arabic papers), for their help in making this volume a more enjoyable and useful book to read. They have read the manuscript in full or in part and offered meaningfuland important editorial suggestions for which I’m deeply grateful. Inaddition, I would also like to thank the publisher of this book, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Press. Last, but not least, I want to thank my wife Nahla for her continuous love, sacrifice, and support. Prof. Sami A. Al-Arian CIGA Director