Political Quietism in Islam: Sunni and Shii Practice and Thought

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In recent years, Islam whether via the derivatives of 'Political Islam' or 'Islamism' has come to be seen as an 'activist' force in social and political spheres worldwide. What such representations have neglected is the strong countervailing tradition of political quietism. Political quietism in Islam holds that it is not for Muslims to question or oppose their leaders. Rather, the faithful should concentrate on their piety, prayer, religious rituals and personal quest for virtue. This book is the first to analyze the history and meaning of political quietism in Islamic societies. It takes an innovative cross-sectarian approach, investigating the phenomenon and practice across both Sunni and Shii communities. Contributors deconstruct and introduce the various forms of political quietisms from the time of the prophetic revelations through to the contemporary era. Chapters cover issues ranging from the politics of public piety among the women preachers in Saudi Arabia, through to the legal discourses in the Caucasus, the different Shii communities in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Pakistan, and the Glen movement in Azerbaijan. The authors describe a wide range of political quietisms and assess the continuing significance of the tradition, both to the study of Islam and to the modern world today.

Reviews

Saud al-Sarhan has brought together an impressive array of contributors as editor of this book, which is the first to analyse the history and meaning of political quietism in Islamic societies around the globe. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the work is, indeed, its willingness to admit and impartially examine variations in the practice and thought of Muslim societies [...] This book feels like the start of a new debate which recognizes quietism in Islam, not as a form of subservience but as political power. -- International Affairs
This book is a welcome addition in the field, providing an extremely useful nuanced discussion; I suspect that it will be required reading for anyone with a genuine interest in the politics of Islam. * Middle East Monitor *
"An excellent introduction to key concepts and developments in quietist political theology in Islam ... a book well worth reading especially for anyone interested in politics, Islam, Islamism, Islamic theology, and sociology of religion" -- Asif Mohiuddin, Sakarya University, Turkey
The [book] enables the reader [to have] a wealth of insights into the historical and contemporary developments in Muslim countries ... It belongs in every library with humanities, social sciences and literature, and can be used by all readers. * Wiener Zeitschrift fr die Kunde des Morgenlandes (Bloomsbury Translation) *

Author Bio

Saud al-Sarhan (PhD, University of Exeter) is Secretary General at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was previously the Director of Research at KFCRIS. He is also an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at Exeter University, UK, an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at Kings College London, and a Distinguished International Affairs Fellow of the National Council on US-Arab Relations, USA.