Russian: ЗАБРОНИРОВАТЬ КОРОТКО : АШ-ШУРА: КОРАНИЧЕСКИЙ ПРИНЦИП СОВЕЩАНИЯ (Books-In-Brief: Al-Shura: The Qur’anic Principle of Consultation)

Ahmad Al-Raysuni

Jan 2022 · International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)

About this ebook

Muslims remain largely unaware of the importance and value of the Qur’anic principle of al-Shura ‎‎(mutual consultation) and the significant role it can play in the advancement and reform of Muslim ‎society. In this work, the author attempts to introduce and examine key meanings and practices of ‎al-Shura, trace its historical evolution, and explore ways in which the principle can be introduced, ‎institutionalized and applied in Muslim societies. There is no doubt that al-Shura has been sidelined ‎throughout the Muslim world and the reasons for this are both historically and politically complex. ‎According to the author, although much has been written on the subject, in reality it has been at best ‎ineffectively applied and at worst heedlessly ignored. Even today it is a hotly contested issue. As ‎al-Shura is increasingly associated with democratic participation in a decision-making process, ‎debate has ignited with critics challenging the notion of equating the principle with western notions ‎of democracy, with others claiming that the principle allows for a meaning that breaks the grip of ‎centralized power. These and other issues are investigated with careful scholarship. Al-Raysuni ‎concludes that al-Shura should be adopted as a way of life for all Muslims to protect their interests ‎and as a vital tool for reconstruction and reform. In doing so he addresses the subject from some ‎intriguing new angles, giving insight into areas hitherto little, if at all, examined. ‎

About the author

Ahmad Al-Raysuni holds a doctorate in Islamic Studies from Muhammad al-Khamis University, Rabat, Morocco. He has worked at the Ministry of Justice, is the editor of al-Tajdid newspaper, and a member of Jam’iyat al-‘Ulama (the Association of Muslim Scholars) in Morocco. Professor Al-Raysuni has written a number of books and papers on al-Maqasid in Arabic, some of which have been translated into other languages. He currently teaches Usul al-Fiqh and Maqasid al-Shariah at the College of Arts and Humanities, University of Muhammad al-Khamis, Morocco. (2011).