MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC POLITICAL THOUGHT

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Introduction

The book by Patricia Crone aims to analyze and present the Muslims’ thought concerning the power changes between the Islam rise and conquest of Mongol since the thirteenth century. Some surveys in the same field exist with the main competitor being Antony Black in his book of ‘The History of Islamic Political Thought to form the Prophet to the Present' (Edinburgh, 2001). Antony, however, was not successful in expressing the phenomenon since he heavily relied upon translation of the primary data collected, whereas Crone had a piece of knowledge profoundly from Arabic texts where most of her works have been based.

Crone’s book is both highly legible and scholarly and goes to greater extents of matching the western philosophy in politics and the medieval concept and further describe the uniqueness and the implication on the Islamic world. Among the major issues that Crone expound in the state are its nature, the right and responsibility of people in it, its functions and necessity, leadership qualities for the candidate, and the election procedure in imamate leadership.

Intended audience

In her work, Crone targets a broad scope of the audience including ostensible aliens, traditional general readers, and Islamic specialists. To satisfy this objective, the author developed a wide-reaching book that is provocative and stimulating.

Thesis statement and the subject

At the beginning of her book, Crone gives close attention to the Muslims point of view and state. Muslims mostly perceived that government as not having developed but virtually existed running the global affairs with no change. The Muslims belief and conception was strongly founded on the law which is revealed to the prophets which were culminating Muhammad. A Medina and Polity was established by the Muslims with a moral cognition and truth that political powers and religion were one multi-functional institution to regulate all life aspects. This issue made the community both a state and a congregation bringing about the fusion between political and religious sphere.

Moreover, the caliphate and all other Imamate were no longer regarded as having any point of relation after the guided caliphs' era emerged. This turn of development attracted attention from theologians, scholars and various activities emanating from varying viewpoints and consequently, sects were developed. The author manages to provide a clear analysis of this phenomenon and the dynamics revolving around it by comparing the Islamic thought and incorporating the western and people of interest in her explication.

Crone further deliberate on the practice of the imamate concerning law governing the community. Since the rise of the secular government...