The Forgotten Khayr el-Din al-Tunsi's Islamic Social Contract: Governance, Public Welfare and Justice / Deina Abdelkader.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Abdelkader, Deina, Author.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (184 p.)

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh Edinburgh University Press, [2026]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Examines the marginalisation of Muslim political thought through the writings of Khayr al-Din al-TunsiCritically examines the epistemological biases that have marginalised Muslim contributions to political theory within the canon of Western political thoughtAnalyses and translates the political writings of Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi, highlighting his engagement with Islamic legal principles, particularly Maqasid al-Sharia (Objectives of the Law)Demonstrates how al-Tunisis political thought represents a synthesis of Islamic normative frameworks and selective appropriation of European administrative modelsArgues that al-Tunisis reformist vision offers a historically grounded, morally coherent and pragmatically responsive model of governanceContributes to the expansion of political theory by reintegrating marginalised Islamic perspectives and challenging the dichotomy between tradition and modernity This book challenges the entrenched marginaliaation of Muslim contributions to political theory, exposing the epistemological biases that have privileged Western traditions while silencing rich intellectual legacies from the Islamic world. Centering on the 19th-century reformer Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi, it offers the first comprehensive analysis and translation of his political writings through the lens of Islamic jurisprudencespecifically, the Maqasid al-Sharia (Objectives of the Law). Al-Tunsis thought presents a compelling synthesis of Islamic ethical-legal frameworks with selective European institutional models, articulating a vision of governance rooted in public welfare, justice and moral responsibility. Far from pre-modern or merely theological, his work demonstrates the dynamic potential of Islamic political thinking to address challenges of colonialism, bureaucratic stagnation and reform. By reintegrating voices like al-Tunisis into mainstream discourse, this study not only recovers neglected intellectual history but also expands the conceptual horizons of political theory itself.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgements

List of Figures

1 The State of Muslim World Studies

2 Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi: His Life, Legacy, and Contribution

3 A Partial Translation of Khayr al-Din al-Tunsis The Most Righteous Path to Comparing the Conditions of Kingdoms

4 The Cultural Importance of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and its Sources (Usul al-Fiqh) in Muslim-Majority Societies

5 Just Democracy and Faiths Return to the State: A Comparative Study of Faith and Reason in Maimonides, St. Thomas Aquinas, and al-Shatibi

6 Khayr al-Din al-Tunsis Social Contract: Analysis and Conclusion

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed April 14 2026)

ISBN:

1-4744-5914-5