BOOK REVIEW: MODERN ISLAMIC POLITY IN MAKING

Introduction to the Author

Dr. Murad Wilfried Hofmann (b. 1931, Aschaffenburg, Germany) is a prominent

German diplomat and author. He has authored several books on Islam, including Journey
to Makkah and Islam: The Alternative. Many of his books and essays focus on Islam's
place in the West and, after September 11, in particular, in the United States. He is one of
the signatories of A Common Word, an open letter by islamic scholars to christian
leaders, calling for peace and understanding.
Dr. Hofmann was born a Catholic, but converted to Islam in 1980. His conversion was
met with some controversy due to his high profile in the German government. He
converted to Islam as a result of what he witnessed in the Algerian War of Independence,
his fondness for Islamic art, and what he saw as contradictions in Paulist Christian
doctrine.
Dr. Hofmann served in the German Foreign Service from 1961 to 1994. He first served in
Algeria as a specialist on issues concerning nuclear defense. He went on to serve as
Director of Information for NATO at Brussels from 1983 to 1987, Ambassador to Algeria
from 1987 to 1990, and Ambassador to Morocco from 1990 to 1994.

Introduction to the book

The book “Modern Islamic polity in the Making” is book that is based on Dr. Murad
Wilfred Hoffman three lectures that he served in connection with Khurram Murad
Memorial Lectures plus one lecture that he delivered at Islamic Research Institute (IIU)
Islamabad. This book is based on the concept of clash of civilizations, western
apprehensions about Islam and intellectual challenges faced by Muslims in the modern
world.

Chapter # 1

We are living in a complex world where there are so much clashes contradictions
between ideologies, political systems, cultural and social attitudes. The world is divided
into different regions and zones based on geographical and cultural facts. According to
this Europe is regarded as centre of the world not only in terms of geography but also in
term of its educational, societal, cultural and social values. In fact Europe is regarded as
the centre or heart of world heritage. This assumption has played a big role in creating a
huge gap between the developed and under-developed world. The western world assumes
Islam as backward religion and they regard Muslim countries as those that are difficult to
be there in the list of developed countries. The negative thoughts of western world
against Islam and Muslims lead them to interpret movements in Muslim world as threat
to secular western world.
Huntington theory is a proposed theory about clash of different civilizations. It assumes
conflict between different civilizations especially West and Islam. It generated a lot of
discussion on the essential and significant differences between Eastern and western
culture. Besides there are common features between the two civilizations, many have
criticized this theory. Islam from the very beginning didn’t recognized political or
geographical boundaries. It attempts to create unity of vision between religions, unified
personality of men, unity and mankind.
Huntington’s theory hardly received any praise even within western scientific circle. The
idea of clash between civilizations is very strange and unacceptable idea indeed.
There has never been a single culture. Everybody gets benefit from others, everybody is
built on somebody else achievement. So here can’t be a single culture or civilization.

Chapter # 2

Some modern scholars or so called western Islamic scholar are so eager to make Islam a
modern religion that they end up at westernizing the Islam instead of Islamizing the west.
Instead to change the behavior of the west against Islam they are changing their behavior
according to the behavior of the west. Some also think that Islam has failed through its
reforming process after the European model. Muslims area always distinguished between
state and religion. Its quite imposition to make Muslims follow a model that has been
failed itself by the west. The west in course of eliminating gender differences and human
values are now trapped. It is difficult for them now to free themselves. It is now obvious
that satisfaction and success lies in the heart of Islam. It is not Islam that is going wrong
on road to secularism but it is the west that is going towards it. The reason behind the
failure of Muslims is that they are now Muslim by name not by deeds. It is difficult to
find a single person out of hundreds who is a true Muslim. Now days Muslims are not
able to even do little of five basics of Islam i.e. Kalma, Namaz, Fast, Zakat and Hajj.
Such Muslims should ask a question to themselves that if they are Muslims, or if Islam
has said them to do what they are doing? Truly not and if any Muslim calls for these
rituals then he is regarded as extremist, fundamentalist and even terrorist. Western
governments say such Muslims to be moderate progressive Muslim or in other way
westernized Muslim.

Chapter # 3

Islam is getting more and more popularity in western societies and large ration is
converting to Islam. Islam is rapidly advancing and it might be the leading ideology of
the 21st century. But there are certain factors that can affect or cause hurdle in the way of
it. The reason for this is that there is a large difference between what Muslim say and
what they do, what Islam is and how they act, What Islam teaches and how Muslims
show by their behavior to the world. Muslims, especially new generation is ignorant
about Islam’s true sense. They don’t even know the basics and fundamental concepts of
Islam. That is why it is extremely difficult for them to convince others. There are lots of
Muslim Mullahs who don’t know about Islam and they pose Islam as a rigid and
legalistic religion. Islam is ac complete religion for everyone in the world. To know is
something else and applying is some else. So if Islam has to become the leading ideology
then its followers have to match their sayings with their actions.

Chapter # 4

The chapter deals with the future challenges that will be faced by the Islamic civilization.
But to have a complete view of the future challenges in a perfect scenario there is a need
to study the patterns and lessons from the Islamic history. The history of Islam is always
full of Intellectual scholars and analysts. The biggest reason for this is that Islam has
always supported the idea to learn more and more. These teachings of Islam had a very
great influence on the history as the Muslim scholars spend their whole lives in search of
the worlds. But now the case is totally different. Those Muslims that were once examples
for the others are no where to be found. The whole of the knowledge and research has
been shifted towards other nations. Arabic language has almost diminished and all the
research is being done now days in English. Keeping these things in mind we can predict
the Islam of 21st century. We can predict hat Islam will be universal but true sense of
Islam will not be there. The Muslim scholars will move towards the west and the lay
intellectuals will take charge of the religion. Other problems such as a large no. of
Muslims living under Non-Muslim Government will also be very common.